WASHINGTON, D.C. — The walls of Capital One Arena trembled on March 17, 2025, as Disturbed stormed the stage, their Sickness 25th Anniversary Tour igniting a sea of headbangers in a night that felt like a time capsule ripped open. Celebrating a quarter-century since their debut album The Sickness shook the metal world, the Chicago titans didn’t just perform—they conjured a visceral throwback, bolstered by fiery sets from Sevendust and Three Days Grace. This wasn’t a concert; it was a full-on metal revival.
The night kicked off with Sevendust, those Atlanta road warriors who’ve been grinding since the ‘90s. Their six-song onslaught—think “Black” bleeding into “Face to Face”—hit like a sledgehammer, a raw, guttural warm-up that had the crowd roaring by 7:00 p.m.
Then came Three Days Grace, the Canadian crew riding high with Adam Gontier back in the fold. From 7:20 p.m., they tore through a 13-track journey—“Animal I Have Become” snarling alongside “Riot”—with Gontier and Matt Walst trading vocals like a tag-team of angst, wrapping up at 8:15 p.m. The air buzzed with anticipation.
When Disturbed roared in at 8:40 p.m., a video flickered across a massive banner, teasing the chaos to come. Then it lifted, and The Sickness unfurled in all its glory—every track, from the primal howl of “Down With the Sickness” to the rebellious edge of “Shout 2000,” a Tears for Fears cover that still stings. David Draiman, with that unmistakable baritone, owned the night, resurrecting rarities like “Conflict”—dormant since 2003, per setlist.fm devotees—while the band’s precision turned nostalgia into a living beast. After a quick breather, they returned at 10:10 p.m., unleashing hits like “Ten Thousand Fists” and “The Sound of Silence,” the Simon & Garfunkel cover that hushed 20,000 fans into awe, per the arena’s capacity.
This tour, launched February 25 in Idaho, isn’t just a victory lap for a 5x platinum album, per the RIAA—it’s a testament to Disturbed’s staying power, with 17 million records sold globally, per their site. “It’s humbling to see how these songs still connect after 25 years,” Draiman told Loudwire, a sentiment echoing through D.C.’s rafters. Sevendust and Three Days Grace fuel the first leg, while Daughtry and Nothing More tag in for the second, stretching this metal odyssey through May 17.
Washington, a stone’s throw from Maryland’s metal heartland, embraced the night like a homecoming. Sevendust’s grit, Three Days Grace’s reunion energy, and Disturbed’s relentless fire made it a trifecta of sonic fury—proof that 25 years on, The Sickness still infects.
