It’s been 21 years since Sevendust’s Southside Double-Wide acoustic live record debuted, and another 11 years since they followed it up with Time Travelers & Bonfires. They just ventured out on a commemorative tour for Southside Double-Wide, bringing up-and-comer Cory Marks with them and they recently hit Nashville, Indiana’s Brown County Music Center.
Cory Marks opened the night up with a stripped-down set that was just him and a guitar. It lent the advantage to Marks not having the rest of the band with him because it gave him the opportunity to really show what he can do as a vocalist.
With Marks hitting the high notes throughout the set mixed with the heavy metal growls made for a set that really stood out and showcased his musicianship and vocals.
Even though it’s an acoustic tour, Sevendust still found a way to keep things heavy in Nashville, rocking the place with fans jumping up and down and almost moshing in the theater seating.
They played a rare set that featured both “Black” and “Bitch,” which normally do not both get featured in the same set often. Singer Lajon Witherspoon walked around the stage, greeting fans while singing, extending his hands to meet theirs, while also telling stories about the background of certain songs and sharing anecdotes about life as well.
Guitarists John Connolly and Clint Lowery along with bassist Vince Hornsby sat on stools around the stage, while the low lighting gave an intimate vibe that fit the tour perfectly.
There are two types of heavy- one is musically and the other is in atmosphere and ambiance. While billed as an acoustic tour- and it definitely features songs like “Black,” “Denial,” “Angel’s Son” “Rumblefish/Assdrop” and more in a more dressed-down approach, they’re still borderline electric and full of the same Sevendust energy- both onstage and in the crowd- that you get at a normal Sevendust show.
And, as always, Sevendust has arrived on the 2025 Soutside Double-Wide Anniversary Tour. If you’re a fan of the band, you’d be doing yourself a huge disservice if you don’t go check out this rare tour, as Sevendust continue to be one of the tightest and most impressive bands on tour.
-Reggie Edwards