Pop Break Live: Shinedown “Dance, Kid, Dance Act II” Tour with Coheed and Cambria and From Ashes to New at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, PA on Thursday July 23, 2026
Rock icons Shinedown, a band that has sold over 10 million records and still holds the all-time record for the most number one singles on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay brought their Dance, Kid, Dance Act II World Tour to the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philly on Thursday July 23. They brought along Pennsylvania rock powerhouse From Ashes to New and Coheed and Cambria as their opening acts.
From Ashes to New blasted heavy guitar riffs and hip-hop-beats while fusing nu metal and rap metal into a high octane energy that locked the arena in early. Their showmanship was fun to watch as they performed on multi-level staging and got up close and personal with their fans. They played fan favorites and newer tracks and really set the tone for the night.
Coheed and Cambria, led by charismatic frontman Claudio Sanchez soared through a set of progressive rock and heavy metal along with pop hooks to keep the adrenaline surging. Both bands forged a connection with the crowd and you just knew this night was about to become epic. Coheed performed gigantic hits like “Welcome Home,” “A Favor House Atlantic,” and “Ted Speed (Of Gods and Burials.”
Before Shinedown came out, their “TV Guy” character wearing a vintage television helmet, was accompanied by two other actors dressed alike, both wearing red knit caps. They’ve been doing this for at least a year and the goal is to fire up the crowd before the band walks onto the stage. The show had four stages, each connected to a cat walk so some GA fans could feel a more personal connection to the band members. There were massive video walls, dense smoke effects, fire bursts and heavy percussion-timed fireworks directly to the drummer’s beat. The visuals were incredible.
Shinedown opened the night up with bombastic red lighting during “Safe and Sound”. Their set was the perfect mix of fresh songs from their newest album EI8HT, career defining hits, B-stage acoustic numbers and epic anthems. Brent Smith’s powerful voice was in fine form shifting easily from gritty rock notes to deep gentle tones during the acoustic songs. He really has an impressive range. One thing that stood out during the show was his deep bond with his fans. He had conversations with them about life, struggles, healing, mental health, suicide prevention, death and dealing with a loss. Those inspirational “talks’ really pulled at your heartstrings and was genuine. No rock star attitude or ego with this empathetic guy. He is truly beloved by his fans.
Smith told the crowd that he had circled the date for this show on a post it note and carried it around with him. He told the audience that Philly means a lot to the band and said Philly isn’t our second home, you are our home. The crowd was touched. The venue even gave each member of the band a Flyers jersey. Things got emotional when Zach Myers dedicated the Springsteen song, ‘Dancing in the Dark’ to beloved iconic WMMR DJ Pierre Robert who passed away last year. The venue had hung a picture of the legendary DJ from the rafters. The band also honored 3 Doors Down vocalist Brad Arnold who also passed away last year by playing “Kryptonite” and “Simple Man.” The band proved their prowess early on in the show and their showmanship really shone.
There were so many great performances during the night. They played alot of the “heavy hitters” that always sound great in a big venues which included “Diamond Eyes” (Boom-Lay-Boom-Lay Boom),”Devil,” “Monster,” “Sound of Madness,” and “Cut The Cord,” in which Smith told the crowd to jump. Their response was instantaneous and created an incredible chaotic energy. One of the best moments of the show was when Smith asked everyone to pull out their lighters and cell phones as he wanted them to show the band what the stars looked like. The audience happily obliged while the band played “A Symptom of Being Human” and it was stunning moment. The band got a great response on the emotionally charged song “Three Six Five” and on the inspirational song ‘Get Up”.They ended the night with their massive 2008 hit “Second Chance.” Hands down, this is one of the best live bands around. You’re alway assured that you’ll walk away from their shows with a smile on your face and feeling inspired!
