Three Days Grace, Volbeat & Wage War
June 10, 2025
Rogers Place, Edmonton, AB
In the midst of the NHL Finals frenzy in Edmonton, Three Days Grace and Volbeat descended upon the City of Champions with American metalcore heavyweights Wage War.
Kicking off the night, Wage War brought it, firing off a 35-minute set with the intensity of a band that’s been around a lot longer than a dozen years. These dudes were much heavier than I expected, and they kicked serious ass. Usually openers get screwed on production, but they brought their own additional light rig, and set the stage for an evening of rock-solid performances.
Volbeat was next, despite the email I received saying they were headlining. Being a co-headlining tour, both bands played roughly an hour and 20 minutes, with Volbeat playing 5 new songs that they debuted only a few days earlier in Vancouver. Rocking classics like A Warrior’s Call, Lola Montez, Shotgun Blues, and Still Counting, the band blasted their way through the set with a feverish intensity. I saw them last in 2009 with Metallica, and these dudes have come so far, and they certainly deserve all the praise they’ve gotten over the years. It was pretty awesome to see them bring up a group of kids to rock onstage during their closing song – Still Counting. Bassist Kaspar Larsen tried to get the kids to sing backups on the mic, but most of them seemed frozen, haha.
Lastly, Canadian heroes Three Days Grace, on their first trek back to Edmonton since original singer Adam Gontier rejoined the band. Now sporting two lead vocalists, the cohesion between Matt Walst and Gontier was undeniable. Trading lines, working off one another’s energy, it was incredibly energetic, and cathartic to see. The band was absolutely on fire. While their production felt scaled down compared to Volbeat and Wage War, it was simple, yet effective, and it looked great. With a 16-song set that just felt like hit after hit, after hit – the influence of this band is undeniable. I wasn’t a big fan of these guys, but this is my second time having them in front of my lens, and man, you just can’t help but love this band. Both times guitarist Barry Stock has interacted with me, whether it’s a look and a smile into the camera, or sticking out of tongue as he crushes yet another riff, He’s become a fav to have in front of my lens. And you gotta love when he starts rapid-firing guitar picks into the crowd.
All in all, it was an incredibly high-energy show with nothing but good vibes and good times. What an incredible tour!