The start of any new tour is always exciting. Whether you’re in the audience or up on the stage, a new tour means a new show, new songs, and new energy, and that goes double for the current co-headlining package from Wage War and Nothing More.

Both bands have brand new albums on the horizon and are spreading the word across North America this spring, kicking off the month-long trek at The Fillmore in Charlotte, North Carolina. This first stop completely sold out well in advance, a fact that was plainly obvious as the day arrived and thousands of heavy music lovers took over the block. 

Up-and-coming Memphis act Sleep Theory as well as Chicago metalcore heroes Veil of Maya are opening up each stop on the tour, and the two managed to throw the Charlotte crowd into the kind of frenzy normally reserved for a Saturday night headliner. But on that Tuesday evening, these two openers unleashed a barrage of crowd surfers, moshers, and excited screams before the sun had even set. 

Sleep Theory got the place moving and singing nice and loud to their recent hit “Numb”, and based on the response to these guys, they’re a band that’s sure to go very far very soon. Veil of Maya brought a much more vicious energy to the building, coming out swinging the second they stepped foot on the stage with “Tokyo Chainsaw” and other heaters off their latest album [m]other. Guest services was put to the test as they attempted to catch an endless stream of fans coming over the barricade, each one of them pumping their fists and grinning wide with triumph. 

Nothing More was up next, ready to storm the venue with their distinct blend of massive, arena-ready anthems and headbanging grooves. Frontman Johnny Hawkins led the crowd in singing with him to their recent chart topper, “If It Doesn’t Hurt”, while guitarist Mike Vollelunga, bassist Daniel Oliver, and drummer Ben Anderson lit up the stage with precision. That wasn’t the only new track that the band had in store either, treating the Charlotte audience to “Angel Song” as well as playing “House on Sand” for the first time ever.

“I’m a little nervous.” Hawkins admitted that night in regards to testing out the new songs. “We worked so very hard on this new record.” That effort certainly shined through. The three songs were standouts of the set even among classic Nothing More scorchers like “Let ‘em Burn”, “Jenny”, and “This Is the Time (Ballast)”. Plenty of the fans in the building already knew the score - the band ended their last North American tour at this exact same venue, and had played there several times before in the past. Much of the Carolina crowd were there for their fourth or fifth or tenth Nothing More show, still singing along with just as much passion to songs old and new.

The Fillmore was hot, sweaty, and totally packed in by the time Wage War arrived to close out the night in their fittingly brutal fashion. Charlotte was smacked with breakdown after breakdown from the Florida group with hardly any room to catch a breath, but it didn’t seem like that night’s rowdy crowd would have it any other way. The chaotic pit in the middle of the room eventually began to spill out onto the sides, branching off into various mini pits throughout the place as crowd surfers continued sailing over them. 

Wage War brought some new songs of their own as well, and the fans were more than ready. Walk around and you could hear the whole room singing along to “MAGNETIC” and “Nail5”, the latter of which hadn’t even been out for a full week yet. “We’re like three songs in and I’m not blowing smoke up your ass, this is the best Charlotte show I think we’ve ever played.” frontman Briton Bond told the crowd during a rare (and brief) moment of calm. “This is insane, Charlotte! I love it!”

Older songs got plenty of time to shine as well. Fans who have been down with the band since day one were rewarded with hard and heavy “The River” and “Alive” off their first album, but the majority of the set was of course dominated by songs from 2021’s smash hit Manic. “Teeth”, “Circle the Drain”, “High Horse” and others showed off their talent for blending heavy riffage with huge hooks, and certainly got the Carolina crowd rocking and shouting the words right back in the band’s faces. 

The impressive voice of guitarist and clean vocalist Cody Quistad rang loud and clear throughout the building, while the rest of the band - bassist Chris Gaylord, drummer Stephen Kluesener, and lead guitarist Seth Blake - slammed their bodies and instruments around the stage to the beat. “Death Roll”, which seemed to be highly anticipated by a considerable chunk of the crowd, went insanely hard. Not a single person was standing still as the song unleashed unbridled mayhem upon the venue.

“Okay, this is the best Charlotte show we’ve ever played.” Bond confirmed as the night drew to a close. It was without a doubt an exceptionally wild show, one that really emphasized the fun juxtaposition of The Fillmore’s upscale, chandelier-adorned look with the feral energy coming from the stage and the crowd. “Manic” closed out the tour’s first night on a high note, with the sold-out audience screaming every word with glee. 

The heavy music scene has been blessed these past couple of years with some seriously stacked lineups, and this current run with Wage War and Nothing More is a stellar example. If this tour is coming anywhere near you, you will not want to miss it.