MACHINES VS MONSTERS Tour Brings Mayhem, Metal, and Memories to Wheeling

On Thursday, June 5th, the MACHINES VS MONSTERS tour invaded the Capitol Theatre in Wheeling, WV, and I was lucky enough to be in the pit snapping photos and soaking in every riff, roar, and theatrical moment. From the opening notes to the final scream, the night was a celebration of pure metal mayhem. Here’s how it all went down:

🔥 A Killer’s Confession – Setting the Stage on Fire

A Killer’s Confession kicked things off and wasted no time grabbing the audience by the throat—in the best way possible. Having just interviewed frontman Waylon Reavis, it was surreal seeing him dominate the stage both masked and unmasked. The band was locked in, tight and relentless, setting the bar high right from the start. As the venue slowly filled, the energy climbed, and I was able to grab some insane shots right from the stage. A killer way to start the night.

🤘 Dope – A Nostalgic, No-Holds-Barred Throwdown

Next up: Dope, and let me tell you—middle-school Kevin was freaking out. This band was one of my early gateway drugs into heavy music, and they did not disappoint. With Koichi Fukuda of Static-X stepping in on guitar duties while Virus handled things back home, the lineup didn’t miss a beat. Dope crushed their newer material, but it was the late ‘90s/early 2000s bangers that got the crowd fired up. Frontman Edsel Dope called it like it was—Capitol Theatre’s seated setup didn’t leave much room to rage, but fans made the most of it anyway. Standing room or not, the energy was undeniable.

🩸 GWAR – Less Blood, Same Brutality

When GWAR hit the stage, everyone—from fans to security to us photographers—braced for the chaos. Would we be drenched in fake blood and alien entrails? Surprisingly, no. Whether due to a venue agreement or a strategic pivot, the band kept the gore mostly on stage. That said, GWAR’s signature theatrics, brutal riffs, and full-throttle performance still brought the madness. I had the honor of interviewing Grodius Maximus earlier that day, and seeing him in full scumdog mode later that night was wild. I might not be a hardcore GWAR fan, but after that set? Total respect.

Bonus: My brand-new Sony camera survived the night unscathed. Success!

⚙️ Static-X – Machines. Monsters. Masterpiece.

Then it was time for the main event: Static-X. This wasn’t just a set—it was an experience. The stage design was straight-up next level: LED screens, blinding lights, and synchronized visuals all dialed in to perfection. Xero’s entrance channeled full-on Terminator vibes, complete with a mask created by Eddie Yang (of Avatar, Iron Man, Man of Steel fame). The glowing red eyes slicing through smoke? Chills.

The crowd absolutely erupted for classics like “Push It” and “Cannibal,” and I’ll admit—I was headbanging and screaming lyrics while still trying to get the perfect shots. The atmosphere was electric from start to finish, and hearing fans say they’d traveled from Morgantown, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland proved one thing: metal is alive in the Ohio Valley.

📸 Final Thoughts

It was an honor to witness and capture such an epic night of heavy music in a town better known for its country roots. The MACHINES VS MONSTERS tour didn’t just entertain—it made a statement: metal belongs here.

If you enjoyed this recap, check out more live photos and interviews from the night over on my socials @kevinxpowell. Thanks for reading—and keep supporting live music!