It wasn’t the loudest or the wildest night, but something about it stuck; maybe it was the way the crowd moved, or how the music hit twelve thousand different people. Shinedown presented their “Dance Kid Dance” tour package with Beartooth and Morgan Wade in Peoria Illinois at the Civic Center Friday, May 9.

Starting their set with an actor wearing a working TV screen for a head dancing along to a montage of music videos, past live shows, and special moments between the band. Shinedown kicked off their set with tour-titled single “Dance Kid Dance,” an electrifying modern take on a typical rock singalong anthem.

Shinedown’s 18-song setlist had all of the most notable singles, their best covers, and even some uncovered B-sides, noting “not 2 nights are the same” with a different set each night. They gave props to production teams putting together different ways to move a crowd, adding to the already massive stage production with two different stage platforms, with a Y-shaped catwalk—giving fans an all time high chance at catching the rail.

Modern rock titans Beartooth warmed up the Shinedown crowd in their typical fashion—never sitting still. Attack, Attack! graduate Caleb Shomo fronts this fresh take on the term “rock band.” Beartooth came out swinging with a ton of energy. Every song hit hard, but there was meaning behind all of it. Shomo’s vocals were powerful and honest, and the crowd fed off the energy screaming the words back. It’s not always common the direct support gets headliner love, but these guys clearly have put in the work and earned their spot. It was loud, intense, and real from the lights up.

Morgan Wade kicked off the night with Virginia tradition and a bluegrass attitude. Wade is truly a rising star in the country world, known for her raw and emotionally charged songwriting style—mixing grit and vulnerability. In 2021, her solo debut Reckless featured the hit single “Wilder Days,” which earned critical acclaim for its blend of country, rock, and Americana influences.

Truthfully, I do not think this will be the last time Wade gets an arena tour. There was a special point having a completely different genre opening a rock show. She set the mood with a quiet kind of heaviness, solely depending on her lyrical themes and soulful voice.

The “Dance Kid Dance” tour is a must-see demonstration of a perfect night full of rock and roll. Shinedown puts on an entertaining show meant for all ages and walks of life, diving heavy into individuality. There is not a better feeling than raw emotion coming full speed with pyrotechnics and a sea of people screaming word for word—and quite frankly, there isn’t a tour announced in 2025 that will have you feeling the way the “Dance Kid Dance” tour will.