LIVE: STAIND & BREAKING BENJAMIN – Tampa, FL, USA – May 13, 2025

Venue: MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre

City: Tampa, FL

Date: May 13, 2025

Review and Photographs by: Kassidy Rae (https://kassidyraephoto.wixsite.com/mysite/projects-7)

The sweltering Florida heat didn’t stop waves of alternative rock nostalgia from crashing over MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheater on Tuesday, May 13th, as Staind and Breaking Benjamin delivered back-to-back performances that reminded fans why 2000’s post-grunge still holds a permanent spot in modern rock conversation. The crowd was as diverse as the discographies—everyone from battle-hardened metal dads to twenty-somethings reliving their childhood angst filled the venue, drinks in hand, ready to scream along to the songs that once scored their growing pains. As a photographer, I had the privilege of capturing both bands from the pit before settling into a seat in the crowd for the full experience. My review ticket may have offered a great vantage point, but nothing matched the raw view of the crowd itself, arms raised, lyrics shouted, and memories reignited. My plus-one for the evening and a longtime fan of both bands, was practically vibrating with anticipation. And by the end of the night, he was grinning like a teenager who just heard “So Cold” for the first time all over again. “That was one of the best nights of my life,” he told me as we shuffled out among the crowd. “I’ll never forget this.”

Staind kicked off their set with a thunderous rendition of “Lowest In Me” setting a tone of melancholic intensity that carried through the night. Aaron Lewis, with his signature baritone and ever-present trucker hat and cig, hasn’t lost an ounce of vocal grit over the years. The band’s chemistry felt tight and unforced, their sound updated yet deeply rooted in early-2000s rage sound. Tracks like “Right Here” and “Fade” hit with emotional weight, but the highlight, predictably, was “It’s Been Awhile.” The entire amphitheater joined in, thousands of voices rising into the humid night air, making Staind’s ballads timeless.

Breaking Benjamin didn’t waste time amping up the energy, launching into “Dark” and following with a setlist that was equal parts blistering and beautiful. Lead vocalist Benjamin Burnley’s voice remains a powerhouse—layered, and undeniably magnetic. The band didn’t shy away from crowd favorites. “So Cold”  and “I Will Not Bow” sent shockwaves through the audience. Closing the night, Breaking Benjamin gave the crowd whom most would recognize as their largest hit, “The Diary of Jane.” For a brief moment, the venue felt intimate— phone lights and some lighters swaying, the chorus reverberating almost like a shared prayer.

This wasn’t just a concert. It was a collective release of teen angst and adult stress we never quite figured out how to name. For fans, it was a dream setlist and a reminder that some music never fades—it just matures with you. And for those of us behind the lens, it was a chance to capture the electric emotion within the music. Tuesday night in Tampa, Staind and Breaking Benjamin reminded us that some sounds don’t fade. They just get louder when the world feels heavy. And for a few hours, the noise made everything make sense.

STAIND SETLIST: Lowest in Me – Eyes Wide Open – Fade – Right Here – Not Again – Epiphany – Something to Remind You – Raw – Wannabe – Outside – Better Days – Paper Wings – So Far Away – For You – It’s Been Awhile – Mudshovel

BREAKING BENJAMIN SETLIST: Dark – Failure – Until the End – Evil Angel – Red Cold River – Blow Me Away – Follow – So Cold – Dance With The Devil – Awaken – Breath – Polyamorous – Without You – Dear Agony – Blood – I Will Not Bow – The Diary of Jane

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STAIND LINKS:

OFFICIAL SITE

FACEBOOK

X – TWITTER

INSTAGRAM

TOUR DATES

[Show as slideshow]

BREAKING BENJAMIN LINKS:

OFFICIAL SITE

FACEBOOK

X – TWITTER

INSTAGRAM

TOUR DATES

Category: Live Reviews, Photo Galleries