Staind Continues To Prove to Be a Powerhouse In Rock in Gilford, NH
Staind is currently on a co-headlining tour with Breaking Benjamin. We were thankful to be able to be at the BankNH Pavilion in Gilford, New Hampshire on Wednesday night. We absolutely love coming up to Gilford. We hate the drive, but we absolutely love the venue. BankNH feels exactly how it should as it’s nestled in the mountains surrounded by lakes. The venue doesn’t feel commercial at all and feels rather like home. I don’t know if that makes sense. It’s not a massive venue compared to New England’s other amphitheaters. It’s a great place to see a show and we highly recommend seeing a concert here.
Before we get into the concert let’s dive a brief history of one of the greatest bands to ever blast through our stereos and one of the best bands to come out of our home state of Massachusetts. Staind is an American rock band that emerged in the mid-1990s, blending alternative metal, nu-metal, and post-grunge influences to create a sound defined by heavy guitar riffs and emotionally charged lyrics. Known for their raw intensity, Staind skyrocketed to prominence during the late 1990s and early 2000s, becoming a key player in the alternative rock and nu-metal scene. The band was formed in 1995 in Springfield, Massachusetts, by vocalist Aaron Lewis, guitarist Mike Mushok, bassist Johnny April, and drummer Jon Wysocki. Jon would later be replaced by Sal Giancarelli. Staind has released 8 albums throughout the band’s history. Their latest album has brought them back more towards the Break The Cycle with a touch of Dysfunction. Perhaps one day we will get the “Crawl” and “Raw” type of tracks. The different styles Staind puts out shows their versatility within the same genre. You can cry when one song comes out like “Here and Now” or “Outside” or have the perfect soundtrack to your gym routine in “Mudshovel” or “Paper Wings”.
Here is a cliff notes version of Staind’s albums over the years. If you are a new fan we highly recommend starting from scratch and listening to the band’s evolution over the years. It truly is a masterclass of great music. If you are a longtime fan then you know these albums like the back or your hand. If you are a casual fan then there are plenty of hits to keep you busy as you roll on as the soundtrack of your life.
Their first album, Tormented (1996), was released independently, and while it didn't make waves nationally, it established them as a rising local band with a dark, aggressive sound. This is a hard to find album and really raw. My favorite track off this is “4 Walls”
The band’s major-label debut, Dysfunction (1999), was co-produced by Fred Durst and delivered a heavier sound that hit right with fans of the emerging nu-metal scene. Tracks like "Mudshovel" and "Home" became fan favorites, and the album eventually went platinum, catapulting them into the mainstream. “Raw” and “Crawl” are two of my favorites with "Excess Baggage" being the tear-jerker.
Their third album, Break the Cycle (2001), was their breakthrough moment. It marked a shift toward a more melodic sound while keeping the emotional depth that defined their earlier work. The single "It's Been Awhile" became a massive hit, dominating both rock and mainstream charts. Other songs like "Fade" and "Outside" also struck a chord with fans. Break the Cycle debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and sold over 5 million copies, making Staind one of the biggest rock bands of the early 2000s. “Waste” became on of the tracks that I have connected to the most from this release.
In 2003, Staind released 14 Shades of Grey, an album that leaned into a softer, more reflective sound. Songs like "So Far Away" and "Zoe Jane" showcased a more personal side of Aaron Lewis's songwriting. Despite the shift in tone, the album debuted at No. 1 and continued the band's commercial success. “Price to Play” was my favorite track off this album.
Two years later, Chapter V (2005) was released, keeping Staind at the top of the rock charts with tracks like "Right Here" and "Falling." This album showed the band refining their mix of heavy rock and introspective lyrics, further establishing their place in the rock landscape. "Schizophrenic Conversations" is a track that I fell in love with immediately. The is one of my favorite albums.
In 2008, Staind took a step in a new direction with The Illusion of Progress. The album experimented with more acoustic and bluesy elements while still maintaining the band’s signature emotional weight. Although it wasn’t as commercially successful as previous albums, it still reached No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and showed Staind’s willingness to evolve beyond their nu-metal roots. My wedding song ended up being “Tangled Up In You”.
After releasing their self-titled album Staind in 2011, which returned to a heavier sound, the band decided to go on hiatus. Aaron Lewis shifted focus to his solo career, exploring country music with releases like his EP Town Line in 2011. While a departure from Staind's sound, Lewis’s country music career found success, with several albums and hits on the country charts. I absolutely love “Paper Wings” and “The Bottom”. I love when Staind plays “Paper Wings” live. It absolutely crushes.
In 2023, Staind released Confessions of the Fallen, their first studio album in over a decade, blending their classic hard rock roots with modern production. This was a good comeback album that many true fans were hoping for. The album gave us pretty heavy tracks with some deep cuts that we have expected from Aaron and his hard-hitting lyrics. What a solid “comeback” album. "Hate Me Too" is a song that I fell in love with that is still on heavy rotation.
I first saw them on the Family Values Tour in 1999 with Limp Bizkit in Worcester, Massachusetts. I fell in love immediately. Their music just hit me right from the jump. I was in high school and they quickly became my favorite band alongside Limp Bizkit. Staind was the soundtrack throughout high school and carries on to this day. This is my 12th time seeing Staind so I have a pretty good history with seeing the band live and knowing what to expect. Setlists have changed over the years as Staind hits became more melodic distancing itself from the days of Tormented and Dysfunction. Don’t be mistaken Staind still put out bangers of hard-hitting music such as “Lowest In Me”.
The stage setup was rather standard for Staind these days. Sal was elevated on a platform with a massive screen displaying different video montages that fit each song they were playing. Fog filled the amphitheater almost constantly throughout the set. The lighting setup was fabulous. Multiple strobes and layers of lights added a perfect combination to go with the massive projections and the music with perfect coordination. Not to give away how this review is going to go however one of my only criticisms of the show is the stage orchestration. At the same time I understand Staind’s music and I don’t think it needs anymore than given. I am a sucker for pyro and Staind honestly doesn’t need it. This is basically for my own selfish reasons.
Staind came out hitting immediately with “Lowest In Me”. I immediately was able to hear the people around me stating “I didn’t know Staind was this heavy”. I was thinking to myself wait till “Raw” gets played. When there is a co-headling tour often fans are there to see one or the other and I suspect that was the case. The same fans that got off their asses as soon as Mike struck the first chord were the same ones during intermission that I overheard state that “they weren’t gonna stay for more than one song”. Guess what? They stayed past the encore. That is how a band gets people hook, line, and sinker. Not to say people didn’t leave. They were leaving before Staind even came on. Joke is on them because they left before the best band came on and one of the greatest bands of my generation.
Staind sounded crisp. I have a good history to determine if they would be off. Every song was played perfectly. Aaron often times changes the pace of a song or adds a different affliction and it always works. The man is a genius at making music. No-one and I mean that in every sense of th word has a voice like Aaron. The man can hit lowest of lows and then come hit the high notes within the same song. He is unique in every way. One of the greatest frontmen in history.
Mike is one of the greatest nu-metal rock guitarists. His riffs are hard-hitting then he can flip the script and give you the most melodic progression of chords. He is a one of a kind guitarist. Did I mention he is a show among himself? At 54 years old Mike still moves like he is playing in 1999. How this man doesn’t have back problems is beyond me. Sal has been around forever as a session drummer learning how to play many genres of music and adapting on the fly. Sal Giancarelli may have joined Staind later in their career, but his steady presence as a drummer has helped the band maintain its signature sound. His work with Staind since 2011, both in the studio and on tour, has been vital to the band’s ability to continue delivering the emotionally charged, heavy rock they’re known for. While Aaron and Mike may be the more visible members of the group, Sal’s contributions as the drummer have been instrumental to Staind’s longevity and live performance power. Johnny April might have one of the most iconic bass lines in the history of rock in “Mudshovel”. The band’s first hit. Johnny is always hitting every mark he is supposed to. Also, did you know that he makes knives? Fun fact. Check out his custom made knives here.
One of the pitfalls of seeing a band so many times (now a total of 24 concerts between Staind and Aaron’s solo career) is the repetitiveness of the setlist. This can be a bit of a disappoint for the diehards. At the same time I understand why this may be the case. If you are new to a Staind show then it’s perfectly curated for a fan’s first time or even 3rd time. They do add a new song here and there at every tour. I am always hoping for the non-popular songs and I know that isn’t realistic at all and what the majority of fans would want. I also suspect that due to Aaron’s extensive touring for his solo project there isn’t enough time to keep practicing the whole band’s catalog. Again, this is me knit-picking at details that really do not matter.
Staind’s performance at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion felt like more than just a concert—it was a reminder of why they’ve stuck around for so long. The way they pour raw emotion into every song hits fans hard, and that same intensity comes through in their live shows. For those lucky enough to be there, it was a night filled with reflection, release, and pure rock, showing that Staind is still as powerful as ever. If it isn’t obvious then you need to immediately BUY.THE.TICKET. to a Staind show. If you cannot hit up one of the next tour stops on this tour make sure it’s a priority on the next tour. Get all your friends to go make a night out of it and enjoy the hits that you have heard on the airwaves for 25 years. Cheers to more shows and more rocking out.