Asking Alexandria: May 14th, 2018

Bless the Fall, Asking Alexandria, Black Veil Brides
The Resurrection Tour
May 14th, 2018
Sokol Auditorium
Omaha, Nebraska

Touring in support of their self-titled 5th studio album, and the return of vocalist Danny Worsnop, the band would be hitting the road with Bless the Fall and Black Veil Brides. It’s been a few years since Asking Alexandria or Black Veil Brides had played Omaha, and the line wrapping around Sokol Auditorium proved that their absence had only made their fans’ heart grow fonder. I was fortunate to have seen Asking Alexandria twice before, when they played Northern Invasion 2016 with vocalist Denis Stoff, and during the 2012 Mayhem Festival.
I really do feel lucky to have seen the band during one of their first U.S. tours, and once with Stoff as their singer. It gives good perspective on how much the band has really grown, individually and as a whole, in the past 6 years. Even the few times I saw Worsnop on stage with We Are Harlot put a new twist on how I listened to Asking Alexandria and what expectations I had for tonight’s show.
Opening with Into the Fire, then immediately leading into Killing You, followed by To the Stage was an incredible transition. Three tracks off of 3 different albums, each highlighting a sperate era for the band, and proving to every fan in attendance that the band hasn’t lost any of their collective energy or passion.
Worsnop spent the majority of the set pacing back and forth across the platform at the front of the stage. As lead guitarist Ben Bruce bounced around stage left during Under Denver, guitarist Cameron Liddell and bassist Sam Bettley took turns thrashing the front of the stage for Run Free.
Worsnop asked the fans for their helping singing the opening lines of When the Light Come On. He even lead the charge of “Whoa-oh-oh” but it wasn’t enough. To his chagrin, the entire venue was out of key and off tune. “Well that was terrible but good effort!” Despite that, the entire crowd was bouncing for the entire performance. It was also during this song that drummer James Cassells was the most animated.
To hear almost a thousand fans screaming “Oh My God” during The Final Episode (Let’s Change the Channel) gave me chills. To see the smile on Bruce’s face was priceless. You could really tell that the entire band was excited for tonight’s show, and enjoyed every minute of being on the stage.
Then Bettley, Cassells, and Liddell took their leave of the stage while Worsnop and Bruce played acoustic versions of Vultures, and Someone Somewhere. I’ve noticed a trend lately of bands performing a song or two acoustically during their live sets. It might not seem like a big deal to the casual listener, but fans of the bands know it takes a great deal of talent to rework songs for an acoustic performance. Worsnop even joked about how Curling shouldn’t be a real sport, which lead into Bruce admitting he curls his pubes because they’re straight hair, which then turned to Worsnop saying Bruce always sends him and invoice after unsolicited dick pics, but it’s okay because they aren’t always of Bruce’s dick.
The rest of the band then returned to the stage, with fog cannons erupting, for their heaviest song of the night; Eve.
After hammering through Where Did It Go, Worsnop then whispered a confession to the crowd.
“We’re gonna play two more songs then leave the stage. It’s all for fanfare though. We’ll then come back and play two more songs. But don’t say anything to the rest of the band. Don’t let them know that you know. And don’t look so suspicious that you know.”
Alone in a Room, and A Prophecy closed out the band’s main set. After the circle pit halted, and the screaming subsided, the band left the stage.
A few minutes later, just like he promised, Worsnop walked back on stage with an acoustic guitar. He then thanked the fans for all of their support, and admitted that even he doesn’t understand how he got here.
“Well I know how I got here. My feet. I walked across the stage. But before that we drove to town. Anyway, you get the idea,” he joked with the crowd.
Even though Worsnop admitted they don’t take themselves too seriously, he generously thanked their fans for giving them a chance to make a living doing what they love. He then strummed the opening chords of Moving On on his acoustic guitar before the rest of the band joined him on stage.
Asking Alexandria closed out their set with the rock mix of The Death of Me, giving the fans once last time to really cut loose. This was a night, and a concert that we’d not soon forget. Hopefully we won’t have to wait another two years before they return.
Setlist:
Into the Fire

Killing You

To the Stage

Under Denver

Run Free

When the Lights Come On

The Final Episode (Let’s Change the Channel)

Vultures (acoustic)

Someone, Somewhere (acoustic)

Eve

Where Did It Go?

Alone in a Room

A Prophecy

Encore:

Moving On

The Death of Me