Black Veil Brides at Piedmont Hall
Growing up, my earliest memories of the emo scene revolve around Black Veil Brides. When I was in high school, my local emos were all obsessed and did their best to emulate Andy Black. At first I did not consider myself emo enough so I thought it wasn’t my scene. However, my friends played “In the End” for me and I was hooked. Ever since I’ve found a place in the emo scene and fallen further down the rabbit hole and Black Veil Brides served as that catalyst. The goth esque makeup, heavy guitars, and grandiose lyrics drew me in and never let go.
Years later I was lucky enough to watch Andy Black play at 2017 Warped Tour from the barricade. His voice and energy were intoxicating and his lyrics made me feel seen. I knew technically his Andy Black solo project was not Black Veil Brides, but I’ve always felt them to be a bit interchangeable, which I know is a hot take. However, watching Andy Black’s performance made me realize that I needed to see Black Veil Brides in all their glory at some point in my life.
Fast forward to 2026, I am an adult and definitely consider myself a firm member of the emo community. I am on a mission to see as many bands on my playlists as possible. However, I had not yet seen Black Veil Brides. I saw their tour announcement listed them as passing through Greensboro, NC and knew this was my chance!
The energy in Piedmont Hall on May 11th was undeniable. There were so many people teaming with excitement and genuine love for the lineup. Black Veil Brides was headlining and they had support from 3 opening acts: As December Falls, TX2, and From Ashes to New. There was quite a mix of fans. It seemed though that there were a lot of younger fans that seemed to be there for TX2 and a lot of older fans that were brought in by Black Veil Brides.
As December Falls opened the show with explosive energy. They are a rock band from England. Lead singer Bethany Jiménez’s voice is powerful. She can switch between melodic vocals and screams with ease. This is the band’s first time in the US and they were obviously ecstatic. This was clear in their banter and the way they jumped around on stage. I realized while listening to their set that I had one of their songs “Everything’s on Fire, but I’m Fine” saved. It is a must hear live!
Next, TX2 took the stage. The crowd went wild when Evan Thomas walked out. He is a controversial figure online, but in that crowd it did not seem as such. Fans were obsessed it seemed. The room seemed to be full of support and love for the band. Many younger fans had TX2 t-shirts and screamed along to the lyrics without missing a beat. After the set was over, TX2 announced they would be meeting fans at their merch table. This caused the crowd size to fluctuate between the different bands as fans slipped out to get pictures and signatures.
From Ashes to New was the last band to take the stage before Black Veil Brides. They were incredible to say the least. The music felt very metal and intense. They also had a great lighting set up with the stage often being bathed in red light. This gave an ominous presence to the band. I had not heard of them before that night, but I left a fan. During their set, the crowd started their own pit and moshed to the songs. The whole experience was very organic and real. Their new album Reflections is available for pre-order now and I highly suggest getting a copy!
The lights darkened and fake candelabras on stage lit up. Echoey piano music filled Piedmont Hall. The crowd started chanting “Black Veil Brides, Black Veil Brides.” The lights rose and the band walked out to screaming and cheers. They started off with “Knives and Pens.” The crowd was singing along when about 3/4 of the way through the song Andy Biersack asked someone in the center of the crowd if they were okay. It soon became clear to him that they were not. He told his band members to stop playing and the lighting crew to turn on the house lights. CC kept playing his drums though. Biersack had to turn around and yell at him to stop before he realized what was happening. The EMS crew rushed to the person as the crowd parted for them. It was a quick and systematic response. Everyone in the room seemed to understand the importance of the moment and responded in turn. After it was clear the person was to safety, Biersack started the concert back up.
The setlist included new songs off Black Veil Brides’ record Vindicate, but they also played a large amount of old songs. It was so healing to hear the songs I had saved since high school be played live. During the show, Biersack kept bantering with the crowd and it created this playful undercurrent to the show. Fans would go from head banging to laughing. There were so many crowdsurfers too. It was crazy. I did not realize that would happen to the extent it did. Overall, it was an incredible experience. I will think about that night for many, many years to come!
