Two days ago, I made the hour-and-a-half-long trip to see NOTHING MORE alongside openers Doobie, ARCHERS, and Catch Your Breath in Charlotte, North Carolina. Although I was previously only familiar with ARCHERS and Catch Your Breath, I was excited to see what the other two bands had in store for me.

I arrived at this event several hours early because I was with someone who was attending the VIP pre-show festivities, which gave me plenty of time to scope out the area and immerse myself in the vibrant atmosphere. To my surprise, Skyla Amphitheatre, The Underground, and The Fillmore were all grouped closely together, creating a bustling hub for music lovers that was adorned with a charmingly industrial theme. As I waited in line, the frigid air nipped at my face, which was only broken up by the occasional bouts of sunshine between clouds. I watched excited fans gather around me, many wearing chic alternative outfits or band merch that showcased their love for the night’s artists. The soundchecks resonated through the air, and conversations buzzed around me – filled with laughter and shared stories of past concerts and favorite bands.

Day three of the tour, and the first act of the night was Doobie. You could feel the anticipation of the crowd hanging in the air, heartbeats thundering across the audience. Not once did the group shy away from the packed crowd before them; their confidence and intensity were apparent. As they performed, the temperature of the venue noticeably began to rise, the bitter and chill air transforming into something heated and alive. Doobie’s sound was much different from what many of us expected – elements of rock, rap, and a hint of country came together to form the very unique sound that is Doobie. So far, the night was going great, and by the looks of the crowd, I could tell that this opener took the fans aback as much as they did for me. My personal favorite of their set was their first song, “Until I Get to Heaven,” and I was anything but disappointed with the performance – these guys gave it their all.

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The second act of the night was ARCHERS, whom I’ve already seen a couple of times. The band took the stage and fed off the buzzing crowd that Doobie had readied for them. As the night progressed, ARCHERS opened their set with “Made for Love.” Fans quickly loosened up—heads and bodies moving within the pit. The floor beneath my feet sent vibrations up my spine as I raced around the photo pit to snap pictures. The warmth of the venue ebbed and flowed—a delightful contrast to the chill air just beyond the front doors. Nathanael Pulley, the vocalist, was particularly impressive to me; his voice was clean and unfaltering, perfectly blending with the heaviness of the melodies backing the group. We even got to hear an exciting unreleased track, “The Dirt,” which was just as incredible and high-octane as the rest of their discography. It’s astonishing that ARCHERS has not gone mainstream yet, especially with radio-worthy hits like “Perfect Strangers,” which they closed their set with. This is going to be a big year for ARCHERS—I can’t wait for the next opportunity to see them live.

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Catch Your Breath—my personal favorite. I’ve seen them several times before, and each time they absolutely rule the venue. We can probably agree—it’s not often that an opener sends you home wanting more, learning every lyric, and anxiously planning the next time you’ll see them live. That’s exactly what happened to me when I saw Catch Your Breath live in 2024 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. They opened for Breaking Benjamin and began their set with the same song they just performed in Charlotte: “Savages.” It’s no wonder this band has amassed hundreds of thousands of fans over the last year—they dig into your mind with heavy, dark claws, and it’s impossible to free yourself. The audience was on fire during their set, nearly consuming Catch Your Breath’s sound with their own voices. Sound production, lighting, and energy were inexplicably synergistic as they played through their setlist. Like ARCHERS, we also received an unreleased song from Catch Your Breath—a track titled “Lost.” Near the end of the performance, the band connected with fans on a deeper level: vocalist Josh Mowery encouraged fans struggling with addiction to sing, scream, and dance along to their song “Y.S.K.W.” It’s hard not to be stunned once you hear this band live for yourself—they’ll leave you craving more and more.

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And finally, the headliner—NOTHING MORE. I went into this blind, and I could never have predicted the uproar this band would produce from the crowd once they began. Everyone in the room was inevitably slick with sweat by now, yet still beckoning for more. No—the night was not done yet. “House on Sand” was up first, and all I could see were faces lighting up, hands in the air, and an incredible production before me. Jonny Hawkins, the vocalist, had an unstoppable, eccentric demeanor that drove the fans wild. Across his chest was white-and-black paint, similar to some of the faces I spotted within the tightly packed venue. It felt as if each member was going toe to toe, trying to outdo each other’s energy—they might as well have been performing to 20,000 people. Crowd surfing went into overdrive, and the photo pit became more of a mosh pit as fans were lowered down one by one behind me. The rest of the night followed suit, with the band performing wild drum and guitar solos, as well as a cover of “WE’RE IN THIS TOGETHER” by Nine Inch Nails. NOTHING MORE left our heads spinning, and yet I found myself wanting more of this band’s insanity.

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As the night came to a close, the pressure eased, and the temperature of the venue acclimated back to normal as fans pressed through the heavy doors, letting the bitter air seep back in. There was not one musician on this tour who slacked on vigor—everyone brought 100%, and the show was truly unforgettable because of it. Make sure you check out all four of these incredible alt-metal bands if adrenaline is what you’re searching for.