Three Days Grace Bring Two Decades of Hard Rock to The Woodlands With
I Prevail and The Funeral Portrait
By Honey Rumbles / Jeff Arnhart Photography
An
evening of fire, fan favorites, acoustic storytelling and a full-circle
celebration of the band's Canadian roots turns the Cynthia Woods
Mitchell Pavilion into a hard-rock haven.
The cool October breeze sweeping across the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion on Sunday, October 25th, provided a welcome change from the heat that often accompanies outdoor concerts in Texas. With The Funeral Portrait, I Prevail and Three Days Grace bringing three distinct generations of hard rock and alternative metal to The Woodlands,
fans were treated to an evening that moved from theatrical intensity
and explosive pyrotechnics to stripped-down acoustic performances and
the kind of anthems that have defined a generation of rock listeners.
Each band brought its own personality to the stage. The Funeral Portrait delivered theatrical flair and a message of individuality, I Prevail unleashed a high-energy performance fueled by fire and aggressive modern metal, and Three Days Grace
closed the night with a career-spanning set that celebrated the band's
history, its evolution and the connection between its members and the
small Canadian towns where it all began.
The
comfortable weather made the evening even better, allowing the crowd to
settle in and enjoy a night of music without the oppressive heat that
can make a Texas outdoor show challenging. By the time Three Days Grace took the stage, the Pavilion
was ready for a powerful reminder of why the band's catalog continues
to resonate with longtime fans and a new generation of listeners alike.
The Funeral Portrait: A Celebration of Being Different
The evening began at 7:00 p.m. with The Funeral Portrait,
the Atlanta-based theatrical rock band known for combining dark
imagery, emotionally charged songwriting and a dramatic stage presence.
Led by vocalist Lee Jennings, the group has steadily built a following
by embracing the theatrical side of rock while encouraging fans to find
community in the music. Their rise reflects a renewed interest in bands
that blend alternative rock, post-hardcore intensity and an
unapologetically dramatic presentation.
The band opened with a brief, backing-track-assisted snippet of Tears for Fears' “Mad World,” sung by Jennings before launching into “My Future Prediction.” The transition established the dark, atmospheric mood that carried through the band's compact but effective set. “Blood Mother” and “Voodoo Doll”
followed, with the latter becoming an opportunity for Jennings to
connect directly with the audience. He asked fans to pull out their
phones and light up the Pavilion, transforming the venue into a sea of illuminated screens that complemented the song's theatrical character.
The set continued with “Holy Water” and “Stay Weird,”
the latter carrying particular significance for Jennings. Before
performing it, he shared that he had written the song when he was just
14 years old. The story gave the song an added sense of history,
illustrating how the desire to create music and express individuality
can begin long before an artist ever steps onto a major stage. Jennings
also spoke candidly about his childhood dream of becoming a rock star,
a goal that has become reality through the band's growing success.
“Dark Thoughts” kept the intensity moving before the group closed with “Suffocate City,”
leaving the crowd with a strong introduction to a band whose identity
is built around theatrical presentation and an inclusive, fan-focused
spirit. In a short opening set, The Funeral Portrait managed to establish its personality, showcase its range and make the most of its opportunity to warm up the Pavilion.
“All I ever wanted to be growing up was a rock star.”
I Prevail: Modern Metal, Massive Energy and a Stage Full of Fire
I Prevail
followed at 7:55 p.m. with a considerably heavier assault, bringing the
explosive combination of metalcore, hard rock and arena-sized choruses
that has made the Michigan band a prominent name in modern heavy music.
Formed in 2013, the group first gained widespread attention with its
metalcore reinterpretation of Taylor Swift's “Blank Space,”
but it quickly established its own identity through original material
that balances aggressive breakdowns, melodic hooks and emotionally
direct lyrics. Albums including Lifelines, Trauma and True Power
helped expand the band's audience, while its later material continued
to push its sound into darker and more industrial territory.
The
current touring lineup is built around vocalist Eric Vanlerberghe,
guitarist and vocalist Dylan Bowman, lead guitarist Steve Menoian,
bassist and vocalist Gabe Helguera and drummer Jon Eberhard. Together,
the musicians deliver a tightly coordinated live performance that
shifts between crushing riffs, rhythmic precision and soaring vocal
passages.
The band wasted little time getting the crowd moving, opening with “NWO” before launching into “Bow Down.” “Self-Destruction”
prompted one of the night's most energetic crowd responses, with fans
jumping along as the song's heavy rhythmic attack rolled across the Pavilion. The momentum continued through “There's Fear in Letting Go,” demonstrating the band's ability to balance punishing heaviness with melodic tension.
One
of the set's highlights came when Vanlerberghe introduced Haley
Robinson of Gore. The Band, inviting her onto the stage to perform with
him on “Paradise.” Released
during the summer, the new song gave the audience a taste of the band's
latest material while the guest appearance added another dimension to
the performance. The collaboration fit naturally into I Prevail's
approach to live shows, where the combination of vocal contrasts, guest
appearances and dramatic production keeps the set moving.
“Hurricane” and “Bad Things” maintained the intensity before the band paid tribute to Metallica with a cover of “Sad but True.” The familiar heavy groove offered a connection to one of the foundational acts of metal, while also fitting comfortably within I Prevail's own muscular sound. “Rain” followed, leading into a drum solo that put the rhythm section in the spotlight before the band returned with “God” and “Violent Nature.”
Throughout
the performance, bursts of fire and pyrotechnics added a spectacular
visual element, accentuating the band's heaviest moments and
reinforcing the arena-scale ambition of the production. The flames were
especially effective against the cool night air, giving the performance
a sense of scale that matched the intensity of the music.
Between
songs, Vanlerberghe expressed the band's affection for Houston and
encouraged the audience to join in wishing a happy birthday to a fan in
the pit. It was a small but memorable moment of interaction before the
band closed its set with “Gasoline,” sending the audience into the final stretch of the evening at full intensity.
I Prevail's performance
demonstrated how far the band has come since its early viral success.
Rather than relying on a single breakout moment, the group has
developed a broad catalog, a recognizable musical identity and the live
production to match its increasingly prominent place in modern hard
rock.
“The fire, the breakdowns and the crowd's response made I Prevail's set one of the night's most explosive performances.”
Three Days Grace: A Journey Through the Past, Present and the Small-Town Roots That Started It All
When Three Days Grace took the stage at 9:15 p.m., the band launched straight into “Dominate,”
immediately establishing the forceful tone of a set that would stretch
across its catalog. The performance brought together the band's
established hits, newer material and a more personal acoustic segment
that offered fans a glimpse of the relationships and memories behind
the music.
Three Days Grace formed in Norwood, Ontario, Canada, initially performing under the name Groundswell before adopting the name Three Days Grace
in the late 1990s. The band's self-titled debut arrived in 2003 and
introduced listeners to a sound built around muscular guitar riffs,
emotional lyrics and choruses that gave voice to frustration,
alienation and resilience. “I Hate Everything About You” became one of its defining early hits, while the follow-up album One-X elevated the group to another level with songs such as “Animal I Have Become,” “Pain” and “Never Too Late.”
The band subsequently released Life Starts Now, Transit of Venus, Human and Outsider,
continuing to evolve while maintaining the hard-rock identity that
brought it success. In 2013, original vocalist Adam Gontier departed
the group and was replaced by Matt Walst, formerly of My Darkest Days
and Brad Walst's brother. Walst fronted the band through several more
albums, including Explosions,
before Gontier returned to the lineup, creating the distinctive
dual-vocalist configuration that has become a major part of the band's
current era.
The
touring lineup features Gontier and Walst sharing lead vocal duties,
Barry Stock on lead guitar, Brad Walst on bass and backing vocals and
Neil Sanderson on drums and backing vocals, although Sanderson was
unable to perform this evening. Sanderson had ruptured his bicep tendon
off the bone while hunting back home in Canada and required emergency
surgery this week. Shaun Foist was filling in on drums during his
absence. Sanderson is expected to return to the tour after surgery,
initially handling keyboards and vocals while he recovers.
With the band at full force despite the temporary lineup change, “Animal I Have Become” and “So Called Life” kept the opening stretch moving. “Break” and “I Am Machine” followed, drawing on the band's familiar blend of tension, melody and heavy guitar work. “The Mountain”
provided a powerful newer-era moment, and Adam used the song's
introduction to reflect on the band's beginnings in the small Canadian
communities where its members grew up. His comments brought the
performance back to the roots of the group, reminding the crowd that
the arena-sized choruses and international success began with musicians
finding their way in small towns far removed from the bright lights of
a major tour.
“Kill Me Fast” led into “I Hate Everything About You,” one
of the band's oldest and most recognizable songs. The audience
responded enthusiastically to the familiar opening and chorus, making
it clear that the early material remains a central part of the band's
connection with its fans. From there, “Gone Forever” began a medley that also incorporated “Porn Star Dancing” and “I Don't Care.” Adam introduced the sequence as a throwback to the 2000s, giving fans a compact trip through the era when Three Days Grace and its contemporaries helped define mainstream alternative and hard rock.
“Time of Dying” brought the set back into heavier territory before the band shifted gears for their latest release “Don't Wanna Go Home Tonight,” the video of which was filmed in their hometown of Norwood, Onterio.
Adam introduced his cousin, Cale Gontier of Saint Asonia, who joined
the band onstage with an acoustic guitar. The appearance was more than
a guest spot; it was a family moment that tied the band's current
performance to the personal relationships that have continued alongside
its career. Cale's participation gave the song an intimate character
before the band moved into a special acoustic sequence.
For
the acoustic portion, the stage transformed into a rustic campfire
scene, complete with a starry treeline backdrop. Rather than standing
in the familiar line of a rock band delivering songs to a crowd, the
musicians sat together as if they had gathered around a campfire back
home, playing music the way they might have before any of them became
famous. The setting gave the performance a relaxed, almost nostalgic
atmosphere that contrasted beautifully with the pyrotechnics and
full-volume attack of the earlier sets.
“Lost in You,” “Pain” and “Lifetime”
were performed acoustically, allowing the songs' melodies and lyrics to
take center stage. The stripped-down arrangements revealed another side
of the band, placing emphasis on the songwriting and shared musical
chemistry that can sometimes be overshadowed by a full rock production.
Adam also offered a brief snippet of “Here Without You,” the 3 Doors Down hit, before the band returned to its own catalog with “World So Cold.”
The
acoustic interlude was one of the night's most memorable passages
because it felt personal rather than simply designed as a change of
pace. The campfire atmosphere echoed Adam's earlier comments about the
band's small-town Canadian upbringing, bringing the story of Three Days Grace
full circle. It was a reminder that, beneath the touring machinery and
decades of success, the band's foundation remains a group of musicians
who grew up together around music.
“For a few songs, the Pavilion felt less like a concert venue and more like a campfire gathering back home in Canada.”
The return to the heavier arrangement began with “Just Like You,” restoring the driving guitar sound and forceful rhythms that have long defined the band's live performances. “Mayday” and “The Good Life” continued the momentum, followed by “Painkiller” and “Never Too Late.”
Each song tapped into a different part of the band's history, from its
early breakthrough period to the more recent chapters of its evolving
sound.
By this point, the set had become a celebration of the many stages of Three Days Grace's
career. The presence of both Gontier and Walst gave the show an added
dimension, allowing the band to draw on its past while continuing to
move forward. Rather than presenting its history as separate eras, the
performance connected those chapters through the songs and the crowd's
response.
The band closed with “Riot,”
a fitting final burst of energy after a set that had covered anger,
introspection, nostalgia and the enduring appeal of a great hard-rock
chorus. From the opening impact of “Dominate” to the campfire acoustic arrangements and the closing roar of “Riot,” Three Days Grace delivered a performance that balanced spectacle with genuine personal connection.
A Night That Connected Three Generations of Rock
The October 25th concert at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion offered more than three bands playing back-to-back. The Funeral Portrait opened with theatricality and a message of self-expression, I Prevail brought the modern metal energy and firepower and Three Days Grace used its headlining set to connect its early breakthrough years with the present.
The cool breeze and comfortable outdoor conditions were a bonus, but the music made the night. The Funeral Portrait showed why its following continues to grow, I Prevail demonstrated the impact of its high-energy live show and Three Days Grace reminded the audience why its songs have remained part of the hard-rock landscape for more than two decades.
The
most revealing moment of the evening may have been the acoustic
campfire set. After the flames, pounding drums and towering choruses,
the image of the band sitting together beneath a starry treeline
offered a simple reminder of where the journey began. For Three Days Grace, the road from small-town Canada to a packed Pavilion has been a long one, but the music still carries the spirit of those beginnings.
It
was a fitting end to a cool Texas night: three bands representing
different corners of modern rock, one enthusiastic crowd and a
headliner whose history remains as much about friendship and shared
roots as it is about the songs that brought it to the stage.
Three Days Grace Setlist:
Dominate
Animal I Have Become
So Called Life
Break
I Am Machine
The Mountain
Kill Me Fast
I Hate Everything About You
Gone Forever / Porn Star Dancing / I Don't Care (Medley)
Time of Dying
Don’t Wanna Go Home Tonight (with Cale Gontier on acoustic)
Lost in You (Acoustic)
Pain (Acoustic)
Lifetime (Acoustic)
Here Without You (3 Doors Down cover)(Adam only snippet)
Set 2:
World So Cold
Just Like You
Mayday
The Good Life
Painkiller
Never Too Late
Riot
I Prevail Setlist:
NWO
Bow Down
Self-Destruction
There's Fear in Letting Go
Paradise ft. Haley Robinson of Gore. (I Prevail & Amira Elfeky song)
Hurricane
Bad Things
Sad but True (Metallica cover)
Rain
Drum Solo
God
Violent Nature
Gasoline
The Funeral Portrait Setlist:
Mad World (Tears for Fears cover snippet intro)
My Future Prediction
Blood Mother
Voodoo Doll
Holy Water
Stay Weird
Dark Thoughts
Suffocate City
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Three Days Grace
                                 
I Prevail
                          
The Funeral Portrait
                        
  
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