Breaking Benjamin Set to Perform

Breaking Benjamin is bringing part of their Unplugged tour to the Wellmont Theater at the end of January.

Get Unplugged with Breaking Benjamin.

At 8 p.m. on Jan. 31, Breaking Benjamin will play a leg of their Unplugged tour at The Wellmont Theater, a concert that will provide fans with acoustic, stripped down renditions of the band’s biggest hard rock hits and fan favorites.

Musician playing acoustic guitar
© Alexander Raths | Dreamstime Stock Photos

Breaking Benjamin, hailing from Wilkes-Barre, Pa., is widely known for their harsh, powerful rock anthems such as “Blow Me Away” and “The Diary of Jane,” but frontman Benjamin Burnley has decided to lead the band in a new, low-voltage direction. After the release of their new album, Dark Before Dawn, Breaking Benjamin announced the Unplugged tour, in which they will play intimate, mellow venues with a more gentle feel to their typically invigorating music.

A feud between Burnley and two longtime bandmates over their unilateral decision to give the rights to a song away for a remix without consulting Burnley resulted in a hiatus spanning from 2010 to late 2014. Upon the revival of the band, Burnley unveiled a revamped lineup that was welcomed by fans with guitarists Jasen Rauch and Keith Wallen, bassist Aaron Bruch and drummer Shaun Foist. Soon after, Breaking Benjamin released their first album after six years, Dark Before Dawn, to critical acclaim and commercial success.

Rutgers University acoustics and music major and longtime fan of the band Jeff Jackopin thinks the new direction will be good for the band. “Before Dark Before Dawn, much of the reception towards Breaking Benjamin claimed that the music was good and well-composed, but lacked originality. Now, the band has breathed new life into it’s music by treading into unfamiliar territory. It’s great to see,” said Jackopin.

The Wellmont Theater, with a capacity of 2000, will seek to provide the band with a more personal, dulcet experience than the electric, aggressive shows that the band is so used to playing. The Wellmont is known for its versatility, encompassing a wide array of diverse concerts, from Snoop Dogg to Duran Duran, so satisfying the requirements of Breaking Benjamin’s tour shouldn’t be a problem.

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