For 24 years, Between the Buried and Me have created some of the most interesting progressive metal in the industry. The band started in North Carolina, and nowadays they sell out venues all over the world. On March 26th 2024, it was time for them to sell out The Basement East here and Nashville and put on one of the most artistic performances I have ever seen in this scene. 

As soon as I walked into the venue, I saw how influential BTBAM was. The sold-out show had so many people crammed inside the venue that it was hard to make it into the photo pit. The anticipation to see the band play the all time favorite album Colors was palpable. When the lights went down and the band walked onstage, I heard behind me a multitude of screams and claps, confirming the excitement from every single person in the venue. As soon as Tommy Giles started playing the first notes of "Foam Born (A) The Backtrack" on the keyboard, the entire crowd cheered. 

Throughout the night, the lighting followed the nuanced songs, keeping the spectacle even more interesting. Giles would lean closer to the crowd to hear them scream all the lyrics back to the band and couldn't help but smile at what he was seeing. The Nashville crowd, who is known for being more mild, had numerous mosh pits and crowd surfers. All around, I saw friends hugging each other while singing the songs in unison, really illustrating how this band not only marked people's lives, but also built countless friendships. During "Prequel to Sequel" the band welcomed Chuck Johnson to the stage, and both him and Giles delivered an amazing performance. 

After an incredible rendition of "White Walls" the band thanked the fans for such an energetic show. Not too long after, the crowd cheered louder than before, and the band returned for one last song. "Voice of Trespass" was the encore chosen, and fans couldn't be happier with it. Fans jumped all around, from the barricade all the way to the back of the venue. The heavy riffs that seamlessly transitioned into atmospheric interludes was what impressed me the most throughout the night. Listening to one BTBAM song can feel like watching ten different bands at the same time – and that, in my opinion, shows the amazing range of every musician in this band. Nashville fans had over an hour of a memorable performance, and it was even more special because the band played one of their best albums in its entirety. BTBAM proved that in 20 years, they have improved in many ways, but kept their authenticity that has been there since day one.