Five Finger Death Punch | Marilyn Manson | Slaughter to Prevail | The Funeral Portrait – August 31, 2024 – Ridgefield, WA – RV Inn Styles Amphitheater – Show Review

It was nice to see that there were so many people arriving at the venue early to experience the entire show. I think it’s great when fans arrive early to a show to see the opening acts, because one of the opening acts just might be your new favorite band. Then, of course, you have bragging rights to say: “I saw them before they were huge”! That exact statement has been our journey with Five Finger Death Punch (FFDP). Members of MIRP have seen this band play at local/small venues like the Hawthorne Theater amongst others and have seen them grow and evolve into the huge band they are today.

Starting off the night was a rock band from Atlanta, Georgia – The Funeral Portrait. They state on their website that they are “an emotional rock outfit with a mix of theatrics and devotion to their passion for loud, uncompromising, anthemic music.” The band consists of Lee Jennings (vocals), Cody Weissinger (guitar), Caleb Freihaut (guitar/auxiliary), Robert Weston (bass guitar), and Homer Umbanhower (drums).

The Funeral Portrait has a new collection of hymns (aka a new album) coming out Friday, September 13^th, entitled “Greetings from Suffocate City.” Their live show was thoroughly entertaining. They really utilized their 20-minute set to the fullest. I had a group of The Funeral Portrait fans in front of me, who belted out each song. The Funeral Portrait sounded very early 2000’s emo radio rock, with a touch more heaviness. Lee occasionally did that one voice trick where they sing and it sounds like they are under water; it definitely took me back to early My Chemical Romance days. I really enjoyed their set and was impressed at their ability to quickly win over the audience and get crowd participation as an opening act. I wouldn’t mind catching The Funeral Portrait again next time they are in town.

Next up was the one I was most excited to see, Slaughter to Prevail. Hailing from Russia, via Orlando, Florida, this band has been gaining popularity with their refreshing take on deathcore and the animalistic sounds singer Alex Terrible can make. Social media has helped the band with the crazy antics Alex does (for example, wrestling a bear!) and the enormous ‘wall of death’ Slaughter to Prevail is able to provoke during some of their recent festival shows. The pit area on this night was way too small for any sort of activity (smallest pit I think I have ever seen at a show.) MIRP was lucky enough to catch Slaughter to Prevail’s headline show at the Roseland last year and it was crazy.

Slaughter to Prevail did not disappoint then or now. During the show, Alex took a sincere moment to address the crowd, thanking the opening band and sharing a humbling moment of how he used to watch Manson on TV growing up in Russia and now he is sharing the same stage! He also mentioned how excited he was to be sharing the stage with FFDP. This frontman was flowing with gratitude and exuded thanks for this life where he gets to do what he loves!

Slaughter played their main hits during this short set, which was the perfect thing to do. I was excited to hear “Kid of Darkness” live! Alex also took another moment to address the crowd: “[I] want to use [my] platform to spread positivity.” So, his message on this night was basically: If you want to change the world for the better, you first need to take a look in the mirror and take care of yourself– make sure you are the person you want to be and spread kindness.

Further proof that the metal community is more than just ‘angry’ music, it’s actually full of the nicest people.

Following Slaughter to Prevail was the iconic, thought provoking, controversial, and almighty Marilyn Manson. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t sure what version of Manson we were going to get tonight. I’ve seen him before when he didn’t seem to be doing well. I mean — needing oxygen and struggling to perform songs “not doing well.” I’ve also seen him do an OK set, where any shortcomings from that set we just chalked it up to ‘He isn’t in his prime anymore.’

I was pleasantly surprised to see that MANSON IS BACK! He honestly stole the show in my opinion. Manson sounded great, looked great, and most importantly genuinely looked like he was having a good time. He was dancing, smiling, and sounded amazing! He played a great mixture of new and old songs such as “We Know Where You Fucking Live,” “Tourniquet,” “The Dope Show,” and of course “The Beautiful People.” With Manson’s huge catalog of songs, he could have chosen any and it would please the fans of all ages! While each of us likely have a favorite Manson song that takes us back to a specific time in your life, no matter how you feel about Manson today, it would be tough to deny that he is having a HUGE comeback.

Taking the stage at the end of the night was the main attraction, the heavy metal staples from Las Vegas, Nevada – Five Finger Death Punch. Members of MIRP saw Five Finger Death Punch at Rockfest 2008 where the headliner was Alice in Chains! Before that, we saw them at Hawthorne Theater, maybe around 2007 or 2006. Needless to say, we’ve been fans from the beginning. Even through lineup changes, 5FDP has kept their hard-hitting sound and their energetic stage presence consistent. Ivan Moody’s voice still stretches beautifully between singing or screaming. Zoltan Bathory kills it on the guitar and Chris Kael has been a great addition since he joined back in 2011! 5FDP also has a large catalog of songs that they could have pulled from for a rocking setlist, and on this night, they gave us the gift of all the hits!

It was fun to see fans of all ages at the show. Ivan did what he often does at live shows and encouraged some lucky kids up on the stage (with their parents) for a couple of songs. What a great experience for a kid! You could tell that it was an amazing experience, one which will no doubt create core memories!

5FDP showed their support numerous times to the US Military. It was really nice to see support for our military, knowing both active and retired members of the armed forces were likely present.

5FDP ended their show with two of my favorite 5FDP songs: “Never Enough” and “The Bleeding.”

This show was a great reminder of how great icons like Marilyn Manson and Five Finger Death Punch are, how their music brings back fun memories, and how wonderful the future of metal is with The Funeral Portrait and Slaughter to Prevail.