Steelhouse was buzzing from before the doors even opened for a nearly sold-out crowd of longtime metal-heads and newer fans alike packed the venue. You could feel the anticipation in the air: tattoos, band shirts, eager chatter, and people exchanging stories of the first time they heard L.D.50 or Wisconsin Death Trip. The energy leaked out onto Dodge Street. It was going to be loud and chaotic. Exactly what we all need to feel alive.
It wasn’t long before the house light dimmed, and our adventure into madness began. Vended did a solid job kicking things off. As the youngest band on the bill, they had something to prove, and they did. Their stage presence was raw, earnest, and high voltage. Cuts from their self-titled debut were tight and mixed perfectly with their newer music. While the sound mix wasn’t perfect at times (vocals slightly buried in the heavier sections), the band was clearly coming from a place of passion rather than polish. Vended could have easily thrashed the stage for a full set. They utilized their all to brief 6 songs set to get the crowd warmed up for the heavier storms to come. Do not underestimate these young men. They’ve proven themselves to be the next generation of heavy metal.
When Static-X came on, the set stepped into industrial metal territory. Evil disco swirled with heavy guitars, pounding beats, and that characteristic machine-gun precision. The band has been celebrating Wisconsin Death Trip’s 25th, now 26th, anniversary, and they leaned into it. Classics blended with newer material. The visual effects were well done; fog machines, smoke filled bubbles, lighting and strobes complemented the sonic assault. At moments it felt like the floor was sinking from the weight of the performance.
The fan favorites brought out the chant-along mood. The mix of sawed-off riffs, electronic pulses, and Zer0’s vocal style (along with the rest of the band) made for one of the more visceral parts of the night. Some transitions were abrupt, but that’s expected with this style. It accentuated the impatience, the aggression, the catharsis metal fans crave.
Celebrating 25 years of L.D.50, Mudvayne was the reason many showed up, and the band didn’t disappoint. The band played much of that album, mostly in order, which meant revisiting both peaks and lesser-known corners. For diehards, hearing “Severed,” “-1,” “Cradle” live again, some possibly for the first time in decades, was a major win.
Chad Gray’s vocals were powerful. He hit the screams, nuances, and even the subtler melodic parts with conviction. As always, Ryan Martinie’s bass and stage presence stood out, his tone and groove help carry songs that, on record, depend heavily on lows and weird time shifts. I should also make a point to praise the current touring member; Marcus Rafferty picked up rhythm guitar duties, while Jason Kocis took guitar and backing vocals.
Chants, moshing, crowd surfing, voices raised during quieter build-ups, The band drew energy off crowd’s reaction. The mosh pit surges made every note feel amplified. Weaving through the old hits, big choruses, interaction with the audience, Mudvayne commanded the stage.
The night wasn’t just full of moshing and crowd surfing. Gray took a moment early on in the set to voice empathy to their absent bandmate, Greg Tribbett, who was mourning the loss of his wife, Debbie. Debbie fought her battle with cancer ferociously, but sadly passed away the week before the tour was to kick-off.
Later in their set, Gray also reminded the crowd not to walk through life with clenched fists. “Take your fist, and release it, let it go. Release all that anger tonight.” Gray also asked the crowd to be in the moment “because all that shit is still going to be there waiting for you when you walk out those doors.” It was a sentiment that many in attendance needed to hear.
The second half of their set focused on fan favorites from the remainder of their catalogue. “Dull Boy” seamlessly transitioned into the “Hurt People Hurt People” and was sewn into “World So Cold.” Hearing “Hurt People Hurt People” live was a moment to mark on the night. It injected fresh energy in “Determined” and “Not Falling” and showed they’re not just there for nostalgia but still trying to evolve. Mudvayne leaned into that evolution, and it worked. Closing their set with “Happy” couldn’t have been a more perfect end to their set.
That night was a solid win for heavy metal in Omaha. A combo of reverence for the past and small pushes into the present. For longtime Mudvayne fans, the night was a reminder of how deep their sound still cuts. For newer or younger fans, it was a show that validated why this music still matters; visceral, cathartic, communal. If someone asked whether it was worth it: absolutely. Whether you were there for Vended’s raw energy, Static-X’s industrial thunder, or Mudvayne’s nostalgia + new material blend, there was something in it that resonated.
Mudvayne, Static-X, Vended
L.D. 50 25th Anniversary Tour
Steelhouse
Omaha, Nebraska
September 21st, 2025
