“From the first note to the final riff, the night was an unrelenting lesson in how heavy music still commands attention, respect, and raw emotional energy.”
A single night can rarely deliver three distinct, high-impact musical experiences without losing momentum. On Wednesday, the Sherman Theater pulled it off with precision, hosting a lineup that pushed the boundaries of heavy music: the shadowy intensity of Dark Chapel, the hard-hitting AC/DC devotion of Bonfire, and the earth-shaking Black Sabbath tribute of Zakk Sabbath. From the first note to the final riff, the night was an unrelenting lesson in how heavy music still commands attention, respect, and raw emotional energy.
The evening began in near-darkness as Dark Chapel took the stage. From the opening chords of Afterglow, the band created a cinematic, haunting soundscape. Every note seemed meticulously calculated to draw the audience in — the slow, deliberate buildup of “Hollow Smile” and the brooding textures of “Sign of Life” established tension that held the theater in thrall. Hit of “Your Love” and their chilling cover of Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No Sunshine” demonstrated the band’s ability to twist familiar material into something oppressive, intense, and deeply affecting. By the time they closed their set with “We Are Remade,” the room was hushed, captivated, and ready for the next eruption of energy.
And erupt it did. Bonfire stormed the stage with a full set of AC/DC classics, flipping the energy from brooding shadows to blazing, full-on rock ‘n’ roll. Opening with “Dog Eat Dog,” the band immediately ignited the crowd, a pulse of electricity shooting through every attendee. Songs like “Hell Ain’t a Bad Place to Be” and “Sin City” hit with precision and swagger, capturing the attitude and aggression of the originals while adding their own stage charisma. The energy only intensified as Bonfire tore through “Touch Too Much,” “T.N.T.,” “Beating Around the Bush,” and “Let There Be Rock,” each song a masterclass in groove, riffs, and audience engagement. By the climactic “Highway to Hell,” the Sherman Theater had become a full-blown inferno — fists pumping, voices screaming, bodies moving in unison — a perfect prelude to the night’s metal apex.
Then came Zakk Sabbath, and the room didn’t just feel heavy — it felt obliterated. Wylde, DeServio, and Fabb launched into Supertzar, immediately enveloping the audience in Sabbath’s dark, riff-laden world. From there, the band navigated classics like “Supernaut,” “Snowblind,” Orchid, and Into the Void with a combination of reverence and aggression that made the songs feel alive again. “Children of the Grave,” “Behind the Wall of Sleep,” and “N.I.B.” built the tension to a fever pitch, culminating in the crushing finale of “War Pigs”. Every note, every solo, every riff hit with the kind of precision and raw power that left the crowd screaming, headbanging, and drenched in sweat. Wylde’s vocals growled with gravelly menace, DeServio’s bass thundered through the floor, and Fabb’s drums struck with punishing clarity.
What made the night truly remarkable wasn’t just the music, but the flow between three acts that could have existed in completely different worlds. Dark Chapel drew the audience into shadow and tension, Bonfire tore it wide open with rock ‘n’ roll fire, and Zakk Sabbath crushed it with metal thunder. The Sherman Theater, with its intimate yet powerful acoustics, amplified every moment, allowing the audience to feel fully immersed in every note, every riff, every surge of energy.
By the end of the night, the crowd was spent — exhilarated, drained, and buzzing with adrenaline. The triple-bill demonstrated that heavy music, in its many forms, is alive, vital, and capable of uniting generations of fans in a shared experience. November 26, 2025, wasn’t just a concert; it was a full-scale assault on the senses, a celebration of darkness, fire, and pure metal fury. From the eerie atmospheres of Dark Chapel, to the incendiary energy of Bonfire, to the crushing weight of Zakk Sabbath, the Sherman Theater bore witness to a night that will linger in memory for years to come.
Heavy, raw, unrelenting, and unapologetically alive — that’s how the night will be remembered.
