P.O.D.
Full Circle Tour 2019
The Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ
21-05-2019
Review and Pictures by Andy Jansons
Christian Nu Metal legends P.O.D. (Payable On Death) are currently on their second leg of a North American Tour supporting their tenth studio album “Circles” which was released on November 16th last year. They are supported on this Full Circle Tour by Nonpoint, Hyro The Hero, Islander & Nine Shrines.
P.O.D. is one of the rare bands that has got their original lineup almost unchanged. Founding members vocalist Sonny Sandoval, lead guitarist Marcos Curiel and drummer Wuv Bernardo accompanied by bassist Traa Daniels who joined the band one year later. Marcos left the band in 2003 to return just three years later. All guys showed great chemistry and their performance was seamless.
From the bands that started up the show I was lucky enough to see Nonpoint. This Florida Hard Rock band or as they classify themselves a Heavy Hard Rock, also toured with P.O.D. during the initial Circles Tour and were main support. No matter how Nonpoint classify themselves, they play a very similar style to P.O.D. just without Christian references and they know how to put on a show. If ‘Chaos and Earthquakes’, ‘El Diablo’ and ‘What A Day’ were not enough to blow the roof off, then ‘Bullet With A Name’ which they always play as the last song, did the job. In your face hard rock, played with full energy, with vocalist Elias Soriano fully engaging the crowd set the perfect atmosphere for the nights biggest stars.
P.O.D. came out with ‘Soundboy Killa’, ‘Rockin’ With The Best’ and exploded the place with ‘Boom’! Every song from first to the last was played with tireless energy and the crowd absolutely loved it. They followed up with ‘Rock The Party’ and ‘Panic Attack’ before unleashing one of their heaviest hits ‘Murdered Love.’
Providing a little slow down in the middle of the set with ‘Circle’, ‘Satellite’ and ‘Beautiful’, the bands vocalist Sonny Sandoval brought two boys onto the stage, both in their early teens. Both boys were gifted drum sticks by Wuv Bernardo and stayed on the stage to help singing smash hit ‘Youth Of The Nation;. Fans, and of course the kids parents, loved the scene. These boys will have something to remember for the rest of their lives.
After this cozy feeling the band dropped the beat with ‘Southtown’, their hard knock life anthem from their first major label debut album “The Fundamental Elements Of Southtown”. As always, for the desert (end of the show) they played ‘Alive’, if not their most successful song, then their most admired for the meaning and their Christian motives.
P.O.D. delivered a show full of excitement and positive energy, and maybe even for a moment making a believer from the God forsaken pagan who wrote this review. This band is absolutely a must have for a rock / metal fan to be at least familiar with and see them live at least once, they are really good and talented and will move you with their music.
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Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Andy Jansons and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
Photograph reproduced here with kind permission from Andy Jansons