Shinedown didn’t just open a tour on May 13 — they lit a fuse. The multi-platinum rock juggernaut officially kicked off their Dance Kid Dance Act II World Tour at the Resch Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and by all accounts, the band came out swinging like they had something to prove (spoiler: they did, and they did).

Brent Smith, Zach Myers, Eric Bass, and Barry Kerch stormed the stage with the kind of pyro-soaked, stadium-sized production that’s become Shinedown’s calling card, ripping through a setlist that balanced career-defining anthems with a heavy dose of brand new material from their forthcoming eighth studio album, EI8HT, out May 29th via Atlantic Records.

Longtime fans got exactly what they came for. “Second Chance” and “A Symptom of Being Human” turned the arena into a 10,000-person choir, while deep cuts kept the diehards happy. But the real story of the night was the new stuff. “Three Six Five,” “Safe and Sound,” and “Searchlight” all landed live, and they hit hard — proof that EI8HT isn’t just another release on the calendar, it’s a genuine next chapter.

The Green Bay launch caps off a ridiculous run of momentum for the band. Last month they dropped “Outlaw,” a gritty, roots-leaning preview of EI8HT that expands the album’s sonic universe in a big way. Earlier this week they showed up on the Grand Finale of ABC’s American Idol, performing a medley of their #1 hit “Searchlight” and “Second Chance” with finalist Philmon Lee. And let’s not forget — they were just crowned Best Rock Artist at the iHeartRadio Music Awards for the second year in a row.

The Dance Kid Dance Act II World Tour is a monster on paper and an even bigger beast in person: 60 dates across 12 countries spanning North America, the UK, Europe, and Australia, including some of the largest rooms Shinedown has ever headlined. Coheed and Cambria, Black Stone Cherry, From Ashes To New, Those Damn Crows, and DJ Rockfeed round out the bill across various legs.

With 22 #1’s on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs Chart, 8.3 billion global streams, and a frontman in Brent Smith who still sounds like he could level a building with his voice, Shinedown aren’t just running victory laps — they’re building the next era in real time.

Pre-order EI8HT before it drops on May 29th, and catch up with the band’s catalog on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3Y10boYzeuFCJ4Qgp53w6o

Be on the lookout — Shinedown are just getting started.