Five Finger Death Punch demolishes Cain's Ballroom

It was a heavy metal kind of night in Tulsa on Sunday as Five Finger Death Punch brought their high-energy show to the Cain's Ballroom. A good sized crowd was on hand for the show which featured plenty of headbanging, screaming, jumping and even one person hanging from the rafters.

Two Tulsa-based bands kicked off the party in preparation for the night's main event. Severmind kicked things off as the crowd continued to file into the historic ballroom, then Mercy Street kicked it up a notch with a very heavy show. 

Five Finger Death Punch made their way onto the stage shortly after, and showed that they meant business from the beginning. Lead singer Ivan Moody entered the stage wearing a flak jacket and camo pants, instantly commanding the crowd's attention. Drummer Jeremy Spencer pounded on the drums with authority with bass loud enough that it vibrated your entire body and made the floor bounce along with the beat.

The group powered through their set during a spectacular light show that included small spotlights mounted on two metal screens placed on each side of the drum platform and occasionally green lasers that reached out into the crowd from the stage. As the show went on, the crowd continued to move forward towards the stage as the energy level continued to rise. About four songs into the set, Moody took time out to greet the crowd.

"We've been touring with a couple of groups named Drowning Pool and Godsmack," said Moody, drawing cheers from the audience. "When we were putting together the routing for this tour, they both wanted to leave bypass Tulsa," he continued. "Not us, we're glad to be back here," he added.

The show, which lasted around an hour and a half, was nothing but hardcore metal. Moody joked at one point, asking if anyone wanted to hear some slow songs. "Sorry, we don't have any," he said with a laugh. The group plowed through the set list which included "The Bleeding", "Hard to See", and "Walk Away" but got one of the biggest reactions from the crowd while singing "Bad Company".

At one point during the show, Moody walked around the stage hand-picking a handful of children in the crowd and inviting them up on stage. He told the audience that when he says a certain curse word in front of his daughter he has to give her money. He then asked the crowd to throw money onto the stage for the kids, since he had previously said the word several times during a song.

The five children then bobbed their heads to the beat while standing on the drum riser after Moody told the crowd to salute the future generation of metal. 

As the show neared it's end, Moody challenged members of the crowd to make their way through the mob of bodies and to the stage. "I don't encourage it, but if you can make it, I'll shake your hand." About a dozen people were able to crowd surf over the barricades and Moody made good on his promise, shaking each ones hand.

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Photos by: Kevin Pyle

Once the group finished the show, they awarded two pumpkins filled with treats and another with what Moody called "a trick" to members of the crowd in celebration of Halloween. Screams and cheers filled the building as the crowd made their way out. Death Punch promised a loud, heavy show and they delivered. In fact, the show was so loud and heavy that it was surprising that the roof did not blow off of the building.