Nickelback’s Chad Kroeger explains why you really, really don’t want to play a set after Sevendust

Most bands would agree that there’s certain bands you do NOT want to play after. For many of them, their live show is one they have years and years of experience putting on. Sevendust is certainly one of those bands. Having recently celebrated the 25th anniversary of their self-titled debut full-length, they’ve long been known as having one of the most devoted and dedicated fanbases in all of music. Their recorded output is stunningly consistent, but it’s their live show that makes them a special band.

Few musicians know that better than Nickelback’s Chad Kroeger, who witnessed firsthand Sevendust’s rise to fame. Having played shows and festivals with Sevendust in the past, the two bands, though different in style, were very popular around the same time.

In a new interview with Loudwire, Kroeger explained why you really don’t want a band like Sevendust to open for you.

“It was us, then Disturbed, then Sevendust,” Kroeger says about an early tour bill Nickelback was on. “After the success of Silver Side Up, there were a few dates where Sevendust opened for us. I don’t care how many records you’ve sold or how many awards you’ve won or what you’ve done around the world… you don’t ever, ever, ever want to go on after Sevendust, because they will kick your ass and wipe you all over that stage. They are a force to be reckoned with and it is goosebump-worthy.”

Realistically, it checks out. Sevendust’s consistently good albums, live presence, and status as “underrated” (compared to their obvious talent) all come together to create one of the scene’s untouchable bands. Just one cursory look at their devoted fanbase (some of whom have seen the band dozens of times or more) says all you need to know. Currently, the band is celebrating their Animosity album (which dropped around the time Kroeger mentioned above), and it’s one of the most accomplished albums of their career. Not shocking.