Concert review: Staind 'Break the Cycle' 25th anniversary tour

A sellout crowd of more than 17,500 rock fanatics invaded the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion for Staind’s “Break the Cycle” 25th anniversary tour in The Woodlands on a gorgeous, yet chilly, evening Saturday, Oct. 17, with support from Seether, Hoobastank and Hinder. 

Released in 2001, “Break the Cycle” was more than a commercial breakthrough, it became a defining soundtrack for a generation navigating heartbreak, anger and the growing pains of adulthood. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, produced enduring rock staples such as “It’s Been Awhile,” “Outside,” “Fade” and “For You,” and sold more than 7 million copies. 

Some 25 years later, the album’s themes of regret, resilience and the struggle to change still resonate, giving the anniversary tour a deeper purpose than simple nostalgia. These are songs that grew up with the audience, and their emotional weight hasn’t disappeared with time.

Staind delivered a 15-song set, which included every track on “Break the Cycle.” 

The band’s music has always occupied an interesting space between aggression and vulnerability. Aaron Lewis can sound like he’s carrying the weight of the world one moment and unleash a full-throated roar the next. 

Staind wasn’t just revisiting its biggest hits; it was celebrating the full album that changed the band’s career with deep cuts like “Warm Safe Place” and “Take It.”

Of course, “Right Here” brought their melodic side into focus. “Something to Remind You” offered a more reflective moment, and the heavier material returned with “Suffer” and “Pressure.” 

“So Far Away” and “Outside” provided two of the set’s most recognizable emotional touchstones. Both songs helped establish Staind as more than another hard-rock act with a talent for brooding. They combined accessible melodies with personal lyrics, giving listeners anthems that could be shouted along to just as easily as they could be played alone on a long drive.

Deep dive – who remembers the 1999 Family Values Tour when Lewis acoustically played the song alongside Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit? That version hit radio and blew up before the band recorded a studio version for the album. 

Staind then delivered “For You” and “It’s Been Awhile,” the latter standing as one of Staind’s signature songs. Its music video was directed by Durst. We reminder the iconic ending when a cigarette falls onto the floor and burns down Lewis’ apartment.

Its instantly recognizable melody and candid examination of personal struggles helped make it a defining track of the early-2000s rock scene. Hearing it in a live setting is a reminder of how thoroughly the song embedded itself in a musical memory of their stalwarts. 

With the help from Seether’s frontman Shaun Morgan, the show closed with “Mudshovel,” Staind leaned into the heavier sound that helped launch their career in 1991 on their self-named studio release. The grinding riffs and aggressive delivery made it a fitting final chapter.

Staind is set to release a new album in 2027, “The Space Between the Darkness and the Light.” Its first single, “Ghosts,” can now be purchased and streamed. There’s an official video for the song on YouTube. 

For those who want to see Lewis on an acoustic tour can do so at the Historic Jefferson Theatre in downtown Beaumont on Thursday, Nov. 19. Tickets can be purchased via Ticketmaster. 

Back to the tour… Seether brought its darker, grunge-influenced sound to the bill. An 11-song set that featured their big songs “Fine Again,” “Fake It” and “Remedy.”

Hoobastank represented another essential piece of that musical landscape. The band’s breakthrough hit and ballad, “The Reason”, was nominated for two Grammy Awards in 2005. It was not the first release off the album. It was the second behind “Out of Control,” which was heavier. 

Hinder opened the show with its brand of hard rock, bringing the swagger and singalong appeal associated with hits such as “Lips of an Angel” and “Get Stoned.” 

Chad Cooper is the Entertainment Editor. Contact cooper@theexaminer.com.