Beartooth brings hard rock royalty to West Des Moines

Iowans welcomed hard rock band Beartooth to the Val Air Ballroom with enthusiasm for the second leg of The Below Tour! Supporting Beartooth for the West Des Moines stop were metalcore favorites Silverstein, The Devil Wears Prada and Erra.

As staples in the metalcore scene, all of the bands on the bill have an established history of friendship and camaraderie that was evident throughout each of their performances. Each band took a moment during their respective sets to tell the crowd how much love they shared for the members of the other bands. That love was demonstrated when Shane Told wrapped Mike Hranica (of The Devil Wears Prada) in an embrace after he jumped onstage for a special guest performance during “Smile In Your Sleep” — Silverstein’s final song of their set.

All of that energy from the supporting bands boiled up and let loose the moment the first notes of Beartooth’s song “Below” rang out.

The curtain dropped and confetti exploded into the crowd simultaneously. Push pits broke open and fans screamed the words. Beartooth carried that momentum through their performance with a perfectly crafted setlist, pleasing fans with a blend of songs from all four of their albums, showcasing all stages of their career in one night.

Photography by Jayme Bigger

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