Fans take over Ace of Spades as Blessthefall return to the stage
On September 12th, Sacramento’s humidity was high and the heat was dry, making the lines anxious for the air conditioning inside Ace Of Spades as they waited for their their meet and greets, to see their favorite bands, and to be free from life’s curveballs.
Upon entering the venue, you have merch tables to the left, fans rushing towards the stage on the right, and bars all around being flooded with patrons. You walk towards the stage to take a deep breath and look back when you see what seems like a never-ending flood of people entering to get their merch, drinks, meet with friends, and get to the best available spots the house provides.
The lights dim…the ambient music stops…the bars empty and more people join the crowd. You watch as four men take the stage, pick up their instruments, and stand there waiting. The first of Blessthefall’s opening acts is Sacramento’s local metalcore artist, A Moment’s Notice.
A MOMENT’S NOTICE
A Moment’s Notice excels in the metalcore genre. Greg Molina, lead singer of the band, starts the set heavy and doesn’t let up. Being extremely grateful for the piece of time that has arisen for them. They played original music such as “Victims,” “Tsukuyomi,” and “Blood War.”
Debuting in 2021, A Moment’s Notice initially started as a solo project for Molina; however, it now includes Sergi Vega (bassist), Tommy Ventura (guitar), and Tyler Reeder (drums). The band has released 5 singles and an EP titled Lotus.
The band brings a slam-style to their traditional metalcore sound, which creates a unique vibe at their shows.
COLORBLIND
Colorblind is an Austin, Texas band formed in 2017. They underwent a line-up change in 2018 including a new vocalist, which inspired the name change from “The Night Of” to “Colorblind.” Within a few years, they would release some singles, including “Motionless,” which currently has 10+ million streams on Spotify as of today.
Colorblind brought a very breathable and artistic set to break up the constant heavy tones of A Moment’s Notice and Dark Divine. They played songs that are unique to them as they bend heavy vocals and melodic guitar tones.
DARK DIVINE
Dark Divine is a horror-esque metal band that makes sure that you are out of your seat during their set. Vocalist Anthony Martinez makes multiple calls during the show for the crowd to participate with their mosh pits, cellphone lights, and antics.
Formed in April of 2021 in Orlando, Florida, the band brings a heavy aesthetic. Commonly known due to their outfits and makeup, the band sounds just as good as the countless hours of makeup looks.
The band ended their set, playing their hit song “Halloweentown,” which made the crowd want more. Their shows feel ritualistic and are truly something to be proud of seeing.
MISS MAY I
By the time Miss May I took the stage, the fans were amped up and ready to go erratic. The band started their set with “Shadows Inside” and played hits like “I.H.E.” and “Under Fire.”
By the time their set came to a conclusion, the fans had moshed, crowd surfed, and gotten emotional to see Levi (lead vocals) pouring his soul into the show. The band played “Hey Mister,”, arguably their number one hit, which got them on the metal-heads’ “Classic Song” radar.
The fans weren’t done yet as they brought a whole new wave of energy, which was a queue for more crowd surfing. Mom’s allowed their children to ride the wave of energy and crowd surf into the photo pit, fans were documenting their journey, and it just fired the band up.
BLESSTHEFALL
Around 9 p.m., the headliners, Blessthefall, took the stage. With an extravagant lighting setup and a beautiful stage design. But don’t let that fool you, as they came out swinging with “mallxcore” and “Cutthroat.” The band was alive, the crowd pulsing with even more energy, and the room was heating up, quite literally.
After the band played “Wishful Sinking,” the crowd was in for a surprise. The band talked about their 2020 hiatus and kicked off the halfway point with a new song “DRAG ME UNDER” from their new album Gallows and they brought on a special surprise for the fans, that being Levi Benton of Miss May I.
The band played their classics (keep scrolling for the setlist) and ended at 10:45 P.M. on the dot. The fans wanted more. They wanted to hear the remaining classics they didn't play. The chant of “encore…encore…encore” grew louder each time, the lights stayed low, and the ambient music never resumed.
The band came back on, playing “Wake The Dead,” and the fans were ecstatic. But it was all set to change when Beau Boken, lead singer, kick-started “Hey Baby, Here’s That Song You Wanted”. The fans went ballistic, singing every word, moshing, rocking the barrier. Beau fed off the energy and performed on top of the bar, stage left. He then hopped down and proceeded to sing the rest of the song while leaning against the barrier with the fans crowding around him. Beau gave hugs, handshakes, and became very in tune with the audience during his set.
FINAL THOUGHTS
If you get the chance to see this tour, you one hundred percent should. The band is electric and calling their fans to rally around them now that they are back. The lighting and design of this tour are something that shouldn't be overlooked. There’s no lineup that I believe is currently touring that’s close to this. It’s a hit with every band that comes to play.
My advice to attendees is to show up early and to get a good spot, as no one really moved from where they were until the lights came on and the bands left. Make sure to stay hydrated and use your energy wisely as they go for a while. With set changes and such, the run time was about 4 hours from start to finish without VIP Meet and Greets.
The tour, the mix, and the lighting left nothing else to be desired, and honestly set a whole new bar of expectations.
BLESSTHEFALL SETLIST
Aces of Spades, Sacramento, California (9/12/2025)
mallxcore
Cutthroat
Hollow Bodies
2.0
What’s Left of Me
Wishful Sinking
DRAG ME UNDER (feat. Levi Benton)
Promised Ones
Guys Like You Make Us Look Bad
You Wear A Crown But You’re No King
Felt So Hard, Felt So Right
40 Days…
Bottomfeeder
Youngbloods
Wake The Dead (encore)
Hey Baby, Here’s That Song You Wanted (encore)
