August Burns Red with special guests The Amity Affliction, Boundaries and Heavensgate, on May 5th 2026

Live Nation and The Fillmore Minneapolis present August Burns Red with special guests The Amity Affliction, Boundaries and Heavensgate, on May 5th 2026

Review and photos by Brian Underhill

A meticulously curated lineup— Heavensgate Boundaries, The Amity Affliction, and August Burns Red—transformed The Fillmore into a proving ground for modern heavy music, showcasing the genre’s emotional depth, technical precision, and unrelenting physicality.

The evening began with Heavensgate, who wasted no time establishing the night’s intensity. Their set was a barrage of blast beats and serrated vocals, delivered with a confidence rarely seen in an opener. Even as the crowd continued to filter in, the band commanded the room with a presence that felt far larger than their slot on the bill. Their breakdowns hit with surgical force, igniting early movement on the floor and setting a high bar for the acts to follow.

Boundaries followed with a performance that blended metallic hardcore aggression with emotional urgency. Their riffs were dense and punishing, but never sloppy; every transition felt intentional, every breakdown engineered for maximum impact. The crowd responded in kind, erupting into one of the night’s first massive pits during “My Body in Bloom.” Boundaries didn’t just maintain the momentum—they sharpened it.

Shifting the tone without sacrificing intensity, The Amity Affliction delivered a set steeped in melancholy and melodic power. Their signature blend of soaring clean vocals and anguished screams resonated beautifully within The Fillmore’s acoustics. Fans sang every word, turning the room into a collective release of heartbreak and hope. The band’s emotional transparency contrasted effectively with the brutality of the earlier acts, adding dimension to the night’s narrative arc.

By the time August Burns Red took the stage, anticipation had reached a fever pitch. The veteran metalcore outfit delivered a headlining set that reaffirmed their status as one of the genre’s most technically formidable acts. Guitarists JB Brubaker and Brent Rambler executed intricate riffs with effortless clarity, while drummer Matt Greiner’s performance bordered on athletic spectacle.

The lighting design elevated the experience, punctuating breakdowns with strobing bursts that made the room feel alive. The highlight came during “Composure,” when the crowd’s unified chant reverberated through the venue—a moment of communal electricity that only a seasoned headliner can conjure.

This fourband bill offered a panoramic view of heavy music’s current landscape: raw aggression, emotional vulnerability, technical mastery, and everything in between. The Fillmore’s pristine sound and tightly packed crowd amplified every moment, making May 5, 2026 a standout night in Minneapolis’ livemusic calendar.

The Amity Affliction

August Burns Red