Story & Photos by Andy Lyons, Editor-in-Chief
In This Moment’s Half God Half Devil Tour kicked off its second leg June 19 and landed in Missouri Wednesday night with a stop at The Pageant in St. Louis. The second leg includes opening act Little Miss Nasty, a hard rock burlesque troupe, Joey Jordison’s Vimic, and Motionless in White with In This Moment closing the show.
While Little Miss Nasty seemed like they may be out of place on a hard rock tour, the group was warmly received by the fans at The Pageant. Raucous applause and cat-calls were commonplace during the group’s set, which included dancing to tracks from Korn, Rob Zombie, and Slipknot. The group’s lead, Gina, sang an original song and the group made it a point to direct fans to their merch table for an impromptu meet-and-greet.
Surprisingly, the group set the tone for the night. The leather-clad dancers chose tracks that fans were singing along with – their moves only electrifying a crowd ready to rock.
Vimic hit the stage with a visceral brutality. The music was super heavy, with Jordison’s drumwork stealing the breath of fans in front of the stage. Motionless in White came out and the crowd exploded, singing along and bobbing to the beat. Fan-favorite Kylie Devyn joined the group on stage, wielding an axe, bringing a noose into the pit area and putting it over a fan’s head, and hosing the crowd down with a water gun.
Kylie Devyn puts a noose over a fan’s head during Motionless in White’s set.
The energy Motionless in White brings only intensified the evening, with frontman Chris Motionless masterfully working the crowd by prowling back and forth on stage, and beckoning a bigger response. While the antics are to be expected, the crowd at The Pageant really responded and got louder and rocked harder – head-banging and fist-pumping with abandon.
One of the biggest surprises of the night came from a fan. Tegan Trost, from Florissant, Mo., stuck out like a sore thumb at the show. His white Christina Aguilera in Concert Tour T-shirt was a big shift from the sea of black that made up the majority of the crowd. June 28 was Trost’s daughter’s birthday, and she passed away in August 2015. The Christina Aguilera show was their first concert together, and he wore it in remembrance.
Tegan Trost celebrates the life of his late daughter by wearing a Christina Aguilera in Concert T-shirt at the show.
Alli would have been 22, and to celebrate her life Trost had a picnic at her grave before bringing a friend to the show. He’s been to 10 concerts so far in 2017, and has made it a point to honor his daughter through music.
“She was my concert buddy, so now I buy two tickets to every show and bring someone with me,” Trost said. “She was a beautiful girl who had more friends than you could count, and a personality you loved to be around.”
“Just a way to always remember her,” he continued. “And there are certainly shows and songs that bring out my emotions.”
The surprises didn’t stop there. As In This Moment has grown and evolved, so has their stage show. With lighting, fog and costumes, the group’s show has matched acts such as Rob Zombie or Alice Cooper, with the set becoming a show.
This tour debuts a few tracks from their upcoming album, “The Ritual,” including songs “River of Fire,” “Witching Hour” and a toned down “Lay Your Gun Down,” which features lead singer Maria Brink on the piano. St. Louis was the first night Motionless in White joined this leg of the tour, and Brink had teased some surprises on Facebook.
The surprise came in the form of Chris Motionless joining In This Moment on stage for “Black Wedding,” another new track that will feature Judas Priest legend Rob Halford on the album.
Overall, fans can bet on getting a complete show from the Half God Half Devil Tour. In This Moment has built themselves up to the point where the theatrics are as much a part of their band as their show. Each member wears different masks or face paint throughout the set and Brink is flanked by the “Blood Girls,” who add to the theatrics. With a variety of religious themes and dancing, the show is sure to entertain and enthrall any who witness it.
In This Moment’s “The Ritual” is set to debut July 21. The Half God Half Devil Tour continues across the U.S., with the final stop Aug. 5 in Lincoln, Neb. For more, follow In This Moment on Facebook here.
