story by Anthony Monroe photos by Randall “Hanka” Mcneill Jun, 13 2026

I’ve had the honor to be at so many Coheed shows, as a proud cultist of the Fence. There are a lot of favorite shows for me (This one isn’t my absolute number 1) and this one makes the list. This is twice I’ve seen them in Asheville, and there seems to be something about this city. The city seems to bring out the best in the band and the fans.

I was at the This Is Our War Tour opener, and was feeling a bit let down. Honestly, I found myself feeling this tour was going to be underwhelming. I was ecstatic to see that I was very wrong. The Coheed that showed up in Asheville was finally in full swing, and so was the crowd. Imagining how exciting and energetic the upcoming shows are going to be, is thrilling.

In The Rhythm

I’m not going to lie here. I was feeling setlist fatigue when I went to the opening show, and I feared the same for this show. I do still feel that way. As someone who has been to plenty a Coheed show, I’ve seen these songs a lot. That said, we will touch on that later, onto the opener!

We got Cicada Rhythm again for this show, this time with a little more of a lowkey set. The opener was a little more sober than the cover they performed in Columbia, and they were still a really cool, if at first odd, choice for an opener. they are a kind of folksy, almost jam band out of Athens, GA. I found myself actually liking them a lot both nights, even though I had no idea what to expect from them at first.

They have a two lead setup, Andrea DeMarcus (upright bass and vocals) and Dave Kirslis (guitar and vocals). Andrea has a very bluesy, smooth voice, and Dave has a kind of folk-country vibe, and they compliment each other extremely well. Their songs range from uptempo, and positive, to melancholic and reflective. They did a great job and have a genuine air about them.

This Is Our War

These shows have been fairly quick to the main act, as there is only one opener. Coheed is ready to play. The crowd is ready. However, let me go back to the setlist first. I mentioned setlist fatigue, and this tour kind of fostered that in me more so. I say that, because I, like a lot of fans seeing the name of this tour, had expectations. A lot of us thought we were getting and Afterman leaning setlist, further fueled by some announcements. As the tour kicked-off, the band announced the Neverender Rocks and Neverender Fest dates.

These shows, set to be Coheeds first headlining festival, and a stop at the legendary Red Rocks venue before that. They are set to play both Ascension and Descension at these shows, therefore it lent more credence to the possible setlist. So at that opening show, I was definitely feeling the fatigue. Don’t get it twisted, I get goosebumps every time the break in In Keeping Secrets hits.

For the VIPs I especially have loved the choice of acoustic set this time around. They chose to play one of their own this time around, Claudio says, after much deliberation. I personally love Crossing the Frame and it sounds so good played acoustically. Ultimately, a fantastic choice for the acoustic set.

Secrets Kept

The band started the play list, just as I remembered, our guy Hanka in the press pit. However, we got the scoop on them quickly as Hanka caught a glimpse of the setlist. The band had a secret for me (admittedly, they may have added this at other dates, but it was news to me). A new song was on the setlist, and it was a great choice. I think this was done to give Claudio some time to recover from ‘Blind Side Sonny’. The song seems to really take it out of him.

Point being, it did add something to the setlist, even if I was still looking for more Afterman.

• IKSSE
• Devil In Jersey City
• The Pavilion
• Gravemakers and Gunslingers
• Blindside Sonny
• Play the Poet
• Shoulders
• Liars Club
• From Here to Mars
• Corner My Confidence
• Yuko the Trivial
• Searching for Tomorrow
• The Suffering
• A Favor House Atlantic
• Goodbye, Sunshine
• Ten Speed (Of God’s Blood and Burial)
• Welcome Home

The crowd loved every song as usual, we’re a cult after all. As for the aforementioned Blindside Sonny, Claudio to me sounded a lot more strained than he did last time. My highlights: From Here to Mars is a favorite of mine, and seeing it live, chef’s kiss! Corner My Confidence live is always so beautiful, Claudio performs it solo acoustic. It’s a beautiful song, and you can always feel the emotion pouring from him. Last but not least, the swell of the female fans to the front every time The Suffering is about to start. That never gets old witnessing.

Welcome Home

I walked away from this performance a lot happier than I did going into it, as it always feels like coming home again. The setlist fatigue is still there, but when the guys are on a roll like this one, I stop caring. I can still hear these songs a million times when they are at the top of their games, and their hearts are fully into it. As long as they’re giving this much of themselves, I will always give that much back. I love this band, and this show just reminded me why.

I can’t wait to do it again. Coheed and Cambria is one everyone should check out, and I will forever die on this hill. As always, find more event reviews here!

Photo Credits: @HankaPhotos on instagram

Full Gallery of Coheed and Cambria This is our war tour: https://www.hankamediamarketing.com/Photos/Live-Music-Music-Photos-ライブ音楽/Coheed-and-Cambria-This-is-Our-War-Tour