Dance Gavin Dance Close Out Two-Night Stint at House of Blues Anaheim

Dance Gavin Dance brought their current headlining tour to House of Blues Anaheim for the second sold out night of a two-night stint on Monday, June 29. Joined by Novelists, Wolf & Bear, and HORSE the band, the evening offered a diverse lineup that kept the energy climbing before culminating in a set from one of post-hardcore’s most recognizable names.

Having attended both Anaheim dates, it was interesting to see how the energy carried over from one night to the next. While each show had its own atmosphere, the second evening felt every bit as lively, if not more so, with fans once again packing the venue well before the headliners took the stage. From the opening performances through Dance Gavin Dance’s closing moments, the crowd remained fully invested, making for another memorable night at House of Blues Anaheim.

HORSE the band

Long regarded as one of the more unconventional acts to emerge from the hardcore scene, HORSE the band proved why they’ve maintained such a devoted following. Blending jagged guitar work, frantic energy, and their unmistakable “Nintendo-core” sound, the band delivered a performance that felt as unpredictable as it was entertaining.

This marked my second time covering HORSE the band and third time seeing them live, and somehow they continue to outdo my expectations with every performance. What continues to stand out most isn’t just the music—it’s how much fun the band is clearly having together. Their enthusiasm is infectious, with every member fully committed to the wonderfully absurd world HORSE the band has built over the years. That chemistry spills effortlessly into the crowd, making it nearly impossible not to smile while watching the madness unfold.

The set pulled from across the band’s catalog, including “Heroes Die,” “A Million Exploding Suns,” and my personal favorite, “Manateen,” each one fueling the band’s signature brand of chaos. During the set, frontman Nathan Winneke took a moment to speak candidly with the crowd about his recent multiple sclerosis diagnosis and the uncertainty it initially brought regarding whether he’d be able to continue performing. Looking around the room, however, the answer was obvious—they were still out there doing it. While Winneke occasionally took a seat on a plush blue throne positioned onstage, what began as a practical accommodation ended up feeling like a fitting addition to HORSE the band’s wonderfully eccentric aesthetic.

If there was one moment that perfectly encapsulated the heart behind the chaos, it came during the closing song, “Cutsman.” Before launching into the final track, Winneke welcomed his daughter, Aurora, to the stage, sharing that it was her very first show. Then, during the song’s iconic breakdown, he held the microphone out as she enthusiastically screamed, “CUT! CUT! CUT! CUT!” alongside the band. It was an undeniably heartwarming moment—one that instantly became one of the most endearing things I’ve ever witnessed at a concert and a reminder that even amid the band’s signature intensity, there’s an incredible amount of joy at its core.

Dance Gavin Dance

By the time Dance Gavin Dance took the stage, the energy inside House of Blues Anaheim had already been fully wound tight. These two nights marked my first time ever seeing the band live, and as someone who didn’t come up with them in the early wave of post-hardcore, I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect going in. What followed ended up being one of the more technically impressive and surprisingly gripping sets I’ve seen in a while.

From the opening stretch, the band came locked in with precision. Songs like “Animal Surgery” and “Chucky vs. The Giant Tortoise” hit with a clarity that made every detail of their musicianship stand out—nothing felt loose or left hanging. Every shift, stop, and transition landed exactly where it needed to, even as the songs themselves constantly twisted in different directions.

What also stood out early on was how much movement there was between stage and crowd in a different sense entirely. Clean vocalist Andrew Wells, who previously handled guitar and backing vocals for the band, repeatedly tossed water bottles out into the crowd between songs—something you’re far more used to seeing from security than a frontman. He also made a point of leaning down whenever crowdsurfers came through, grasping for their hands as they were carried over the barricade, making sure that brief moment of contact didn’t get lost in the chaos.

Mid-set, the band leaned into some of the night’s most memorable moments, shifting into a stretch of songs that carried a slightly different kind of energy without ever breaking momentum. The transitions between tracks like “It’s Safe to Say You Dig the Backseat” and “Uneasy Hearts Weigh the Most” stood out in particular, with the latter drawing one of the loudest reactions of the night. From there, the set kept rolling forward through “Speed Demon,” “Synergy,” and “Trap Door,” each blending into the next in a way that kept the pace tight and the crowd locked in.

If anything defined the night beyond the setlist itself, it was just how nonstop the crowd movement was. Crowdsurfers never really stopped coming, and at times the photo pit was completely packed wall to wall, turning navigation into a constant balancing act. It was chaotic in the best way possible—the kind of controlled mess that makes shooting these shows as fun as it is challenging.

The set ultimately rolled into an encore that closed things out with “Inspire the Liars.” During the final stretch of the song, Andrew Wells made his way offstage and onto the barricade, leaning into the crowd as fans sang along with him. It was a simple but impactful moment that cut through the intensity of the night in a really genuine way. Walking out of House of Blues Anaheim, that last interaction stuck just as much as the technical precision that defined the rest of the set.

We’d like to thank Dance Gavin Dance and friends for having us out to cover such an incredible evening!

Support Nathan Winneke of HORSE the band

Concerts have a way of bringing people together, and if you’d like to extend that sense of community beyond the stage, please consider supporting Nathan through his GoFundMe.

Support Nathan’s MS Journey:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-nathans-ms-journey