Crimson Glory – 7th St Entry – Minneapolis MN – September 17th 2026

First Avenue presents Crimson Glory

Review and photos by Kyle Hansen

 Crimson Glory brought the sound and spirit of classic heavy metal to the 7th St Entry on Thursday night, Sept. 17, delivering a performance that reminded fans why the Florida band has remained an influential name in progressive and traditional metal.

In the intimate Minneapolis club, the band’s music had an immediacy that larger venues often cannot match. The close quarters put the focus squarely on the musicians, the songs and the unmistakable dramatic character that has defined Crimson Glory throughout its career.

Founding members Ben Jackson and Jeff Lords remain central to the group’s identity, bringing decades of experience to a catalog filled with intricate guitar work, powerful rhythms and atmospheric songwriting. The performance also demonstrated that Crimson Glory’s music has lost little of its impact with time.

The band’s return comes at an especially notable moment, following the release of Chasing the Hydra, its first studio album in more than two decades. New material gave the evening a contemporary dimension while the group’s established songs connected the performance to its influential past.

The 7th St Entry proved a fitting setting. Its compact, energetic atmosphere allowed the audience to experience Crimson Glory at close range, creating the kind of direct connection between band and crowd that is increasingly rare on the concert circuit.

For longtime followers, the Minneapolis appearance was a welcome return from a band whose music helped give progressive metal some of its most ambitious and memorable sounds. For newer listeners, it offered a chance to experience those songs in one of the city’s most intimate rock rooms.

Crimson Glory left the 7th St Entry having made a convincing case that classic metal can still feel immediate, vibrant and powerful. On a night devoted to enduring songs and live musicianship, the band delivered a performance worthy of its place in the genre’s history.