From Denmark with Fury- Volbeat Brings the Heat to Detroit
Pine Knob Music Theatre — August 19, 2025
On a late-summer night at Pine Knob, the air was thick with humidity and anticipation. Lawn chairs filled the hill, the pavilion was packed shoulder to shoulder, and before the sun had fully dropped, the roar of the first guitars rolled out. Three bands—The Ghost Inside, Halestorm, and Volbeat—brought three different shades of heavy, and the Michigan crowd was more than ready for all of it.
The Ghost Inside were first out, launching straight into “Going Under” with zero buildup. The opener landed like a gut punch, and “Death Grip” followed without hesitation. Their set lasted just half an hour, but it was pure impact—Dear Youth (Day 52), Earn It, Wash It Away, and Avalanche had the pit moving early, a swirl of limbs and voices shouting every word back. They closed with Aftermath, a song that’s always carried extra weight, and even from the hill you could feel the release ripple through the crowd. For an opening slot, it didn’t feel like an appetizer—it felt like a warning shot.
Halestorm came next, and Lzzy Hale wasted no time taking command of the stage. Her voice cut through the thick Michigan air with an edge that hasn’t dulled in 20 years of touring. “I Miss the Misery” and “Love Bites (So Do I)” got the loudest early sing-alongs, but it was the newer songs—Broken Doll and Everest—that shifted the mood darker, showing a band still pushing their sound. Midway through, Arejay Hale stepped out from behind the kit for his signature drum solo, flinging sticks into the air and pounding with a grin that kept the crowd hooked through every beat. They closed with “Freak Like Me,” and for a few minutes, Pine Knob sounded more like an arena—thousands of voices lifting the chorus like it was 2012 all over again.
Volbeat took the stage under darkness, their lights cutting across the packed pavilion. They opened with “The Devil’s Bleeding Crown” and “Lola Montez,” songs that have become staples of their live set, and the crowd responded like clockwork—horns up, voices out. The mix of groove-metal riffs and rock ‘n’ roll swing has always been their calling card, and live it translated into a show that balanced fist-pumping heaviness with moments that felt almost celebratory. “Sad Man’s Tongue” became a massive sing-along, while newer cuts like Demonic Depression, The Devil Rages On, and Sorry Sack of Bones brought a darker weight. “Shotgun Blues” hit hard in the encore, and by the time they closed with “Die to Live,” the entire amphitheater seemed locked in step, clapping along in unison.
Walking out of Pine Knob, the takeaway was clear: no two bands on the bill sounded alike, but together they filled the night with a spectrum of heaviness that never lost momentum. The Ghost Inside reminded everyone why resilience and impact matter. Halestorm showed power doesn’t always mean polish—it can still be raw. And Volbeat ended the night with swagger, sealing an evening that felt as much like a celebration as it did a showcase.
THE GHOST INSIDE
HALESTORM
VOLBEAT
