Breaking Benjamin, Chevelle, and Thousand Foot Krutch
As I looked back on the many concerts I’ve experienced—and all the artists, musicians, and fans I've met over the years—I tried to decide which show stood out as my favorite. With so many great memories, narrowing it down felt almost impossible. So I asked my son which concert was his favorite.
His answer was immediate and unmistakable: Red, Thousand Foot Krutch, Chevelle, and Breaking Benjamin on March 13, 2010, at the Mid-Hudson Civic Center in Poughkeepsie, NY.
Thousand Foot Krutch
Thousand Foot Krutch is a Canadian rock band formed in Peterborough, Ontario, in 1995. The band has released ten studio albums, two live albums, and three remix albums. The core members include founding member Trevor McNevan, along with Steve Augustine and Joel Bruyere. Their first label release, Set It Off, debuted on November 14, 2000. While the album’s sound was rooted in a heavily hip-hop–influenced nu-metal style, several tracks—including “Puppet” and “Supafly”—crossed over and found broader appeal. The band toured the album extensively across North America and attracted significant label attention by selling roughly 85,000 copies independently, often directly out of their van.
I first met Thousand Foot Krutch in 2001 at the Grape Street Pub in Philadelphia, PA. Although they’re from Canada, they were on a North American tour promoting their debut album and happened to book a gig at this small Pennsylvania venue on the same night as a “battle of the bands” competition. They won that night, but couldn’t return for the finals because their tour had them in the Midwest the following week.
Even so, I had the opportunity to hang out with the band and interview them that night, with the original members: The Thing, Cheeah, Lipsick, and Johnny Orbital.
Thousand Foot Krutch 2001 Interview (MP4)2001 Photo Gallery
At the time, my son was about ten years old. The band had given me a couple of promotional CDs, and I passed one along to him. It was packed with great songs and featured a sound that felt ahead of its time. The cover showed an illustrated DJ scratching while tossing a “love hand grenade,” and my son instantly fell in love with the music.
Nearly ten years later, we managed to talk our way backstage and interview the band again.
2010
Thousand Foot Krutch Meets Christopher (MP4)
Thousand Foot Krutch 2010 Interview (MP4)
Thousand Foot Krutch in Concert
Thousand Foot Krutch: Welcome to the Masquerade (MP4)
Setlist
Welcome to the Masquerade, Bring Me to Life, Falls Apart, E for Extinction, Move, Rawkfist, Fire It Up, Puppet
Chevelle
Chevelle is an American rock band formed in Grayslake, Illinois, in 1995. The band was originally composed of two brothers, Pete Loeffler and Sam Loeffler, along with Matt Scott. Scott was replaced by Sam and Pete's brother, Joe Loeffler, in 1996.
Chevelle: Take the Pain Below (MP4)
Setlist
Sleep Apnea, Vitamin R (Leading Us Along), Letter From a Thief, The Red, Emotional Drought, The Clincher, Jars, Send the Pain Below, I Get It
Breaking Benjamin
Breaking Benjamin is an American rock band from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, formed in 1999 by lead singer and guitarist Benjamin Burnley and drummer Jeremy Hummel. They were among the first rock bands to break into the mainstream through prominent placement in video games.
Breaking Benjamin became especially well known for “Blow Me Away,” which appeared in Halo 2. Their music has also been featured in WWE games, NASCAR 07, Rock Band, and Guitar Hero 5. In addition, the band hosted a virtual concert in AdventureQuest 3D, with their songs frequently used for promotion and in-game soundtracks.
When Breaking Benjamin took the stage, the entire place went nuts. The highlight of the night—for both my son and me—was experiencing a mosh pit together for the first time.
Breaking Benjamin: Blow Me Away (MP4)
Breaking Benjamin: Had Enough (MP4)
Breaking Benjamin: Dream On (MP4)
Setlist
I Will Not Bow, Until the End, Had Enough, Blow Me Away, Sooner or Later, Dream On (Aerosmith cover), So Cold, Into the Nothing, Give Me a Sign, Polyamorous, Fade Away, Breath, The Diary of Jane