Sevendust & Theory of a Deadman obliterate The Sound in San Diego

Sevendust and Theory of a Deadman brought their Dead/Seven Tour to The Sound in Del Mar, California on September 19th, 2026. The Sound is one of the newest venues in the San Diego area, located at the front of the vast Del Mar Fairgrounds. Although part of a larger system, the venue itself is beautiful, upscale, and intimate, with a large standing room floor area and a balcony level with excellent views of the stage.

Return To Dust opened the show — a young Los Angeles-based band with grunge influences. Guitarist Matty Bielawski and bassist Graham Stanush share lead vocals, reminiscent of Alice in Chains. Childhood friends from Texas who moved to LA, the duo recruited lead guitarist Sebastian Gonzalez and drummer London Hudson to round out the band. They are a very talented group who really knows how to warm up a crowd, delivering well-written songs with passion. 

Theory of a Deadman took the stage next, known for their radio-friendly sound and sense of humor.

Lead vocalist/guitarist Tyler Connolly commands the stage, whether it’s delivering vocals, playing piano, or telling jokes, while original members Dave Brenner (on guitar) and Dean Back (on bass) harmonize on point. Drummer Joey Dandeneau has been with the band since 2009 and his backing vocals also sounded great. With a new EP out, Theory of a Deadman played several of those songs to a great response, alongside a few cover songs… but the biggest thrills came from fan-favorites, like “Rx (Medicate)”, “Hate My Life”, “Bitch Came Back” and “Bad Girlfriend”.

To end the night, Sevendust introduced themselves with a custom recording made by guitarist Clint Lowery especially for this show. The band took the stage and opened with the title track from their 2026 album One, with a large video screen set up behind the band, displaying a lot of interesting graphics throughout the set. From the new album, songs like “Is This The Real You” surfaced although the main focus was their biggest songs from the first four releases.

Lead vocalist Lajon “LJ” Witherspoon remains the consummate frontman, making a point of engaging every member of the audience, whom he considers part of the “Sevendust family”. The rest of the band members are also great vocalists, each bringing their own style and substance to the party: drummer Morgan Rose is one of the most entertaining stick men around, bassist Vinnie Hornsby roams the stage with a smile as big as his hat, and guitarists John Connolly and Clint Lowery are just brilliant players. Sevendust always puts on a memorable show and are well worth the price of admission if they head to a town near you!

Photography by Johnnie “Crow” Vrana

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