On the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, Chad Gray, Devil’s Cut, and Butcher Babies brought three distinct shades of heavy music to Boston.
The first band of the evening was Devil’s Cut from Louisville, KY.
Big Night Live in Boston was already buzzing on September 11 as Devil’s Cut took the stage to kick off an evening of heavy music alongside Butcher Babies and headliner Chad Gray. Rather than easing the crowd into the night, the Louisville, Kentucky, outfit came out ready to make an immediate impression.
Devil’s Cut have carved out an interesting space for themselves, blending hard rock and metal with a distinctly Southern attitude. Their music has plenty of weight, but there is also a rowdy, bluesy character underneath the riffs that gives the band its own identity. Live, that combination translates particularly well.
From the opening moments, the band played with the kind of confidence that suggested they were determined to win over anyone in the room who hadn’t heard them before. The guitars came across thick and aggressive, while the rhythm section supplied the foundation for a performance that continually pushed forward.
Frontman Landrum brought plenty of personality to the stage, balancing the tougher side of the band’s sound with the more relaxed, barroom swagger that runs through much of their material. That contrast is a major part of Devil’s Cut’s appeal. One moment the band feels like a straight-ahead metal act; the next, there’s a Southern-rock looseness that makes the songs immediately accessible.
That versatility is especially apparent in material from Roadkill, the band’s 2026 release. The album moves between rowdy anthems and more reflective songs, incorporating subtle touches of lap steel, mandolin and banjo into Devil’s Cut’s heavier foundation. Live, those country influences never overwhelm the rock side of the music—instead, they give the band another layer of personality.
The Big Night Live crowd responded as the set gathered momentum, with heads moving and fists going up throughout the performance. Devil’s Cut may have been the opening act, but they performed like a band that had every intention of leaving the room with new fans.
And that may have been the biggest success of the night. Opening slots can disappear quickly once the headliner arrives, but Devil’s Cut made their time count. Their blend of hard rock, metal and Southern influence gave the evening an energetic opening chapter and demonstrated why they are a band worth watching as they continue to build their audience.
By the time Devil’s Cut left the stage, the message was clear: this was far more than a warm-up set. It was a statement from a band with the sound, attitude and live presence to demand attention.
The next band of the evening was an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, Butcher Babies, consisting of frontwoman Heidi Shepherd, guitarist Henry Flury, Sean Violet -bass and drummer Dave Nickles. Their debut album, Goliath, was released on July 9, 2013, via Century Media Records. It sold 3,300 copies in the US during its first week of release and charted at No. 3 on the Billboard Heatseeker chart and No. 112 on the Billboard 200.
Big Night Live in Boston was already charged with anticipation when Butcher Babies hit the stage on September 11. Part of Chad Gray’s 30 Years of Madnesss tour, the band had the difficult task of following Devil’s Cut and keeping the momentum building toward Gray’s headlining set. They did more than that—they turned the room into a full-on metal assault.
From the moment Butcher Babies launched into their set, the energy level inside the venue noticeably shifted. The guitars came in thick and aggressive, the drums hit with relentless force, and the vocals cut through the mix with an intensity that demanded attention.
Butcher Babies have always understood that a live metal performance needs to be more than simply playing the songs. Their stage presence is physical and confrontational, and at Big Night Live, that translated into a performance that felt immediate and personal. The relatively intimate room worked in the band’s favor, allowing the audience to feel every riff and drum hit without the distance that can sometimes dilute the impact of a larger venue.
The crowd responded accordingly. Heads were banging, fists were in the air, and the floor stayed in motion throughout the performance. There was very little downtime as the band moved from one punishing track to the next, maintaining the kind of momentum that can make an opening set feel like a headlining performance.
What stood out most was the band’s ability to balance sheer heaviness with an undeniable sense of showmanship. The riffs were brutal, but the performance never became monotonous. Every member of the band contributed to the visual and sonic attack, creating a wall of sound that filled the room.
That intensity also fit perfectly into the overall lineup. Devil’s Cut had established the night’s hard-rock foundation, and Butcher Babies took that foundation and pushed it into considerably heavier territory. By the time they finished, the audience was primed for Chad Gray’s celebration of three decades of Mudvayne and Hellyeah material.
For anyone who came to Big Night Live specifically for Gray, Butcher Babies provided a powerful reminder that the support acts weren’t simply there to fill time. They were a major part of the night’s experience.
Butcher Babies left the stage having accomplished exactly what a great support band should: they grabbed the room, raised the temperature, and left the crowd hungry for more. In a venue built around an up-close concert experience, their aggressive, no-nonsense performance proved to be a perfect fit.
Boston got loud. Butcher Babies got louder.
Finally, the last performer of the night was about to take the stage. Chad Gray, is an American singer, best known as the lead vocalist of heavy metal bands Mudvayne and Hellyeah.
Big Night Live in Boston became a celebration of three decades of heavy music on September 11, as Chad Gray brought his 30 Years of Madnesss tour to the city. Backed by a powerful touring band and supported by Devil’s Cut and Butcher Babies, Gray delivered a set that served as a reminder of just how much music he has packed into his career.
Opening with HELLYEAH’s “Hellyeah!,” Gray immediately established the tone for the evening. There was no lengthy buildup or unnecessary theatrics—just a band hitting the stage and going straight to work. “Moth” followed, before the set shifted into Mudvayne territory with “Happy?,” sending the crowd even deeper into the nostalgia.
The appeal of the performance was its balance between Gray’s two major musical chapters. Rather than focusing exclusively on Mudvayne, the set moved back and forth between Mudvayne and HELLYEAH, giving longtime fans a broad look at his career.
Songs such as “Demons in the Dirt” and “Sangre por Sangre (Blood for Blood)” brought the heavier HELLYEAH side of the set to life, while “Death Blooms,” “Nothing to Gein” and “Dull Boy” showcased the darker and more intense side of Mudvayne. The setlist ultimately featured 14 songs, closing with the unmistakable opening riff of Mudvayne’s “Dig.”
Gray’s voice remained the focal point throughout the night. His unmistakable delivery gave the songs the same emotional weight that longtime fans have come to associate with them, while the backing band provided a muscular foundation that allowed the material to hit with considerable force.
“World So Cold” and “Not Falling” became particularly powerful moments, with the crowd responding to songs that have remained staples of the modern metal landscape. By the time “Love Falls” arrived, the audience had been taken through an impressive cross-section of Gray’s catalog.
Then came “Dig.”
Few songs could have provided a more appropriate finale. The Mudvayne classic brought the night to a crushing conclusion, leaving the room with one final burst of energy.
What made the performance work was its simplicity. This wasn’t a show built around elaborate production or a new album. It was about the songs and the career behind them. Gray gave Boston fans the opportunity to revisit music that has been part of their lives for years, while introducing that material to another generation of concertgoers.
At Big Night Live, a venue designed around a close-up, high-energy concert experience, Gray’s celebration of 30 years of music felt particularly fitting. The room was loud, physical and engaged from beginning to end.
Thirty years is a significant milestone for any artist. Judging by the reaction inside Big Night Live, Chad Gray’s music still has plenty of life left in it.
And with “Dig” ringing out as the final song, Boston got exactly the kind of heavy-metal celebration the 30 Years of Madnesss tour promised.
Chad Gray
Website Facebook Instagram
Butcher Babies
Website Facebook Instagram