Twenty-five years can change a lot, but some songs never really leave you. That was evident recently at Ruoff Music Center in Noblesville as Staind celebrated the 25th anniversary of Break the Cycle with a lineup that felt like a trip through the early 2000s rock scene. Hinder, Hoobastank and Seether joined Staind for a night filled with familiar songs, big guitar sounds and a crowd that clearly remembered every word.
Hinder opened the night with a tight 35-minute set. “All American Nightmare,” “Homecoming Queen,” “Without You” and “Live Without It” got things started before the band delivered its biggest crowd response with “Lips of an Angel.” “Bring Me Back to Life” and “Get Stoned” closed out the seven-song performance.
Hoobastank was next, and their set was built around songs that have remained staples of alternative rock radio. “Same Direction” opened the nine-song performance, followed by “Remember Me” and “Running Away.” The band continued with “Inside of You,” “This Is Gonna Hurt,” “Out of Control” and “How Do You Sleep” before reaching the songs many fans came to hear: “The Reason” and “Crawling in the Dark.”
Seether followed with their heavier sound, setting the stage for the headliner. As the evening progressed, the crowd grew louder and the anticipation for Staind became increasingly noticeable.
When Staind finally took the stage, the anniversary celebration truly began.
The band opened with “Open Your Eyes” before moving into “Warm Safe Place” and “Fade.” From the first few songs, it was clear that this wasn’t simply a concert featuring songs from an older album. For many people in the audience, these songs were connected to a particular time in their lives.
“Raining Again,” “Everything Changes” and “Take It” kept the Break the Cycle material at the center of the performance before the band moved into “Right Here.” The emotional weight of the evening became even more apparent with “Something to Remind You” and “Suffer,” followed by “Pressure.”
Staind then delivered some of the biggest moments of the night with “So Far Away” and “Outside.” Aaron Lewis’ vocals, combined with thousands of fans singing along, gave the songs an added sense of nostalgia that only comes with hearing music that has been part of people’s lives for decades.
“For You” brought the main set toward its conclusion before Staind returned for an encore featuring two songs that needed little introduction: “It’s Been Awhile” and “Mudshovel.”
“It’s Been Awhile” was particularly fitting for a tour celebrating Break the Cycle. Released as one of Staind’s signature songs, it has remained one of the band’s most recognizable tracks, and hearing the Ruoff crowd sing it back to the stage made for one of the night’s defining moments. The album itself has been certified five-times platinum, making its 25th anniversary a significant milestone for the band.
The evening ultimately felt less like a look back and more like a reunion. Hinder, Hoobastank and Seether brought songs that defined an era of rock, while Staind closed the night by revisiting an album that still resonates with the people who discovered it 25 years ago.
At Ruoff Music Center, Break the Cycle wasn’t simply being celebrated as an anniversary. It was being remembered by the people who lived through it—and, for a few hours, those memories came roaring back through the speakers.
-Brian Cranfill