The Devil Wears Prada - Flowers Tour

The Devil Wears Prada may hail from Dayton, Ohio, but on April 1st, vocalist Mike Hranica's adopted hometown of Madison, Wisconsin was the focus, as the Flowers Tour stormed into The Sylvee, lying just blocks from the footsteps of Wisconsin's historic Capitol.

Armed with a stacked, career-spanning setlist, the band delivered songs off of seven different albums and two EPs, over a dynamic and intensity driven 90 minute performance. They opened their set with “Where the Flowers Never Grow” accompanied by an explosion of lights, co2 cannisters, and unmatched energy, before quickly shifting into “So Low,” establishing the emotional and energetic duality that would define the night. The transition into “Danger: Wildman” flipped the switch again, turning a swaying crowd into a surging mass of bodies, as crowd surfers instantly sprang into the air, keeping security occupied at the barricade for most of the rest of the night.

The band maintained a relentless, yet dynamic pace throughout the evening, showcasing a thoughtful blend of eras, often letting the crowd settle in and breathe with songs like "For You", giving moments of solace between the wild, pit erupting breakdowns. The contrast between old and new material, alongside the mix of heavy and melodic, showcased the intentionality which has brought The Devil Wears Prada to the forefront of the metalcore scene.

Vocalist Mike Hranica continues to be the band's emotional anchor, delivering with an energy and aggression that he balances with moments of an almost eerie restraint. That, accompanied with the contrast of the rockstar-like, anthemic persona and clean vocals of rhythm guitarist, Jeremy DePoyster, lays the foundation of what is the heart and soul of TDWP.

The seemingly ever-growing crowd was eating throughout the entirety of the night's performance, with the arrangements and atmospheric layering of clean vocals, guitars, and synths, alongside the pulse pounding drums and ferocious screams, giving the audience the heavy, emotional, and unrelenting performance they've come to expect from TDWP. A performance that almost seems bigger than the rooms they're playing. The Devil Wears Prada has collectively proven, time and again, that they will continue to push forward the boundaries of metalcore and heavy music with a cohesion and technical precision that very few can match. The Devil Wears Prada and the Flowers Tour is a can't miss.

Visit the band's Instagram page for all updates and touring info

All photos by Tim Gutknecht @red_feather_photography