Photos by: Damian Ruiz
Houston’s 713 Music Hall roared to life as Daughtry and Seether delivered a marathon night of modern rock, emotional weight, and crowd-shaking energy with P.O.D. and Kami Kehoe as the openers for the night. With four hours of music and two career-defining performances, the packed venue got exactly what it came for: intensity, nostalgia, and a reminder that live rock still hits harder than anything else.
Daughtry raised the bar! Early Daughtry is one of those bands that never disappoints live, and Houston was no exception. Chris Daughtry, who vaulted into national fame as a finalist on American Idol in 2006, has spent the past two decades evolving into a powerhouse frontman. His debut album went six-times platinum, and eight albums later, his voice has only grown stronger, heavier, and more commanding.
The band opened the night with three brand-new tracks from “Shock To The System” (Part Two), released just last month. From the moment “Divided” kicked in, Chris proved he wasn’t here to ease anyone in, his vocals cut through the room with a grit and maturity that show just how far he’s come since his TV origins. New drummer Anthony Ghazel fit right in alongside longtime members Brian Craddock (guitar), Elvio Fernandes(keys), and Marty O’Brien (bass), creating the tight, polished chemistry fans have come to expect.
The setlist stretched across Daughtry’s evolving catalog: “The Day I Die,” “The Bottom,” “Pieces,” “Antidote,” and “The Dam” hit with full force, while their high-octane cover of Journey’s “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” lit up the venue. But it was the classics that sent Houston into a full-throttle sing-along. “It’s Not Over,” “Over You,” and the cathartic “Home”, which Chris shared was written “just an hour up the road”, brought out the loudest vocals of the night from the Houston crowd. Daughtry closed the main set with “Heavy Is the Crown,” before returning for a one-song encore: “Artificial.” Dark, cinematic, and vocally flawless, it left the room buzzing.
Seether took the baton and turned up the grit after Daughtry’s explosive set. The crowd barely had time to catch its breath before Seether stormed the stage. The South African-born rock icons, Shaun Morgan, Dale Stewart, John Humphrey, and Corey Lowery, have built a legacy on grunge-soaked emotion and alternative bite, and Houston got the full dose.
Shaun Morgan stepped up to the mic adorned with baby dolls sporting devil horns and what looked suspiciously like a shrunken head and launched straight into “Pride” and “Needles.” Lowery shredded on a custom Dean guitar marked with his initials, while the rhythm section held down their signature dark, muscular sound.
The band bounced across albums with ease: “Country Song,” “Rise Above This,” “Fine Again,” “Words as Weapons,” “Dangerous,” and other long-time fan favorites shook the room. Their stripped-down performance of “Broken” served as a rare, quiet moment, just acoustic and electric guitar, no drums or bass, pulling the crowd into a collective breath before the distortion returned.
Two newer tracks from The Surface Seems So Far kept the energy fresh, but it was the finale that solidified Seether’s dominance. “Fake It” slammed the crowd back into motion before the night closed with “Remedy,” sending fans into one last electrified sing-along.
Houston had the chance to experience an unforgettable night of catharsis and connection. By the end of the four-and-a-half-hour rock marathon, fans staggered out of the venue exhausted, exhilarated, and completely satisfied. Daughtry delivered emotional resonance and razor-sharp hooks, while Seether supplied the darker, grittier punch that balanced the night perfectly.
Every band on the line up left their soul on the stage, proving yet again why this co-headlining run has become one of the must-see rock tours of the year. If the Houston show proved anything, it’s that modern rock is alive, loud, and still capable of blowing the roof off a venue.
DAUGHTHRY
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