Disturbed
Disturbed played Pinnacle Bank Arena on Tuesday.
Courtesy Photo, Travis Shinn
Disturbed’s David Draiman had a message for the 6,000 people who made their way through the snow and cold to Pinnacle Bank Arena Tuesday.
“We’re going to make it a little bit warmer with you guys out there and the four guys up here,” he said, continuing on to say that the warming would be done by the “family” that filled about half the arena.
“They would have you believe we’re more divided than we’ve ever have been in this country and the world,” Draiman said. “Not here. Not tonight. Tonight we are all here for one purpose. The purpose is to escape all the b.s they’re forcing into your head on a daily basis.”
And, he didn’t say, but implied to bring people together -- which is just what the positive uplifting concert did.

Draiman’s message came four songs into the show, which opened with what he called “Disturbed 101” when I spoke to him a few weeks ago -- the propulsive “Are You Ready?,” the lead track from “Evolution,” the album that gave the tour its name and more importantly, it’s theme.
That movingly emerged with “Hold Onto Memories,” a touching ballad played on acoustic guitars that found pictures of the band, by themselves and with other musicians, fans and their families flashing on the screen behind the stage.
And it came home when, following a recorded PSA from Draiman about the ravages of addiction and despair that provided the numbers for addiction and suicide hotlines, the band moved to a small stage at the back of the floor to play “A Reason to Fight,” another “Evolution” song that was dedicated to Chris Cornell, Chester Bennington and others who have passed, including friends and family of audience members.
It was followed by a taut take on “Watch You Burn,” a song that addresses the pitfalls of fame which, Draiman said, can lead to addiction and suicide.
The show wasn’t all deep and meaningful. There was plenty of serious rocking going on, from a crunching “Vengeful” through the inspiring “The Light,” which had the crowd supplying “the light” via their phones each time Draiman sang those words.
Regardless of song -- ballad or thrasher, it was masterfully played by the veteran hard rock/heavy metal band and Draiman remains an effective, powerhouse vocalist, really delivering the goods on anthems and punching home the points on songs like “No More,” and “Land of Confusion.”

The latter was accompanied by an animation of impending world war on the video screen that stretched behind the stage that was effectively utilized along with an impressive light show in the impressive production.
The concert’s high point was, perhaps not surprisingly, the band’s slow anthemic version of Simon & Garfunkel’s “The Sound of Silence,” with Draiman singing passionately over acoustic guitars, strings, tympani and a piano that burst into flames at the song’s chrescendo.
Speaking of pyro, Disturbed had to have set a Lincoln record for the most flames on stage with “Inside The Fire,” the pre-encore song that saw fire climbing up ropes hanging above the stage and flashing from pots across the platform.
Disturbed appropriately ended the 17-song, 1 hour 50 minute show with a thundering rendition of its signature song, “Down With The Sickness,” and the 6,000 repeatedly yelling in unison “we are Disturbed” -- a perfect way to end a superb concert that ranks among the best rock shows ever at the arena.
Reach the writer at 402-473-7244 or kwolgamott@journalstar.com.
On Twitter @LJSWolgamott.
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