Article & photos by: Linda Carlson

Cincinnati, OH – Although August Burns Red (ABR) was nearing the end of their 10^th anniversary “Rescue & Restore” fall tour when they played in Cincinnati, there were absolutely no signs of tour fatigue in the band’s performance or enthusiasm.

In the 20 years since ABR’s genesis in 2003, the band’s bond with their fans has grown and remained strong.  On this sleepy Wednesday night, there was a considerable crowd gathered, eager to listen to the band’s 2013 album, Rescue & Restore, from start to finish, closing with some fan favorites during their encore.

Jake Luhrs (vocals), JB Brubaker (lead guitar), Brent Rambler (rhythm guitar), Matt Greiner (drums), and Dustin Davidson (bass) collectively put on a power-steeped set.  Fans embraced the heavy metal energy, raging and crowd-surfing, fists and devil horns swaying in the air.  They were all in.

The setlist follows:

Rescue & Restore
Provision
Treatment
Spirit Breaker
Count It All as Lost
Sincerity
Creative Captivity
Fault Line
Beauty in Tragedy
Animals
Echoes
The First Step

Encore
Carol of the Bells (Mykola Leontovych cover)
Bloodletter
Revival
Composure
White Washed

Starting the encore with “Carol of the Bells” was a brilliant twist!  After the Rescue & Restore main set, with its crushing vocal growls imbued with raging riffs and metal-infused beats, opening the encore with the festive and iconic Christmas tune was delightfully lighthearted.

Luhrs spoke regularly to the crowd, letting them know that this particular performance was special to the band, repeatedly mentioning that it marked their 100^th show of the year, and that they considered it the final performance of this tour since the closing performance in their hometown of Lancaster, PA, was a different format (Christmas Burns Red shows).  Indeed, at the close of the evening, everyone assembled on stage for an official group photo to commemorate the tour.

The tour featured support from Crystal Lake, Spite and Brand of Sacrifice.  Each brought their own heavy metal stamp, readying the crowd for ABR.

Although this round of touring has concluded, ABR will be heading to Europe early in 2024.  Check the band’s website and socials for upcoming tour dates and announcements.

And be sure to check the image carousel below for more photos from the Cincinnati show!