BY MAUI CABRAL Some shows hit hard. Others hit different. This one was both. Walking into the Lenovo Center, you could feel the scale o...
BY MAUI CABRAL
Some shows hit hard. Others hit different. This one was both.
Walking into the Lenovo Center, you could feel the scale of it immediately. Bigger room. Bigger sound. Bigger energy. With a lineup of The Funeral Portrait, I Prevail, and Three Days Grace , it wasn’t just another concert. It was a night built on impact.
For me, it carried a little more weight: Second time shooting I Prevail. First time seeing and shooting Three Days Grace. And that alone made the night unforgettable before the first note even hit.
The Funeral Portrait opened the night with a theatrical edge that immediately grabbed attention. Their sound blends modern rock with a darker, almost cinematic presence, the kind that feels just as visual as it is sonic. They didn’t ease into the set. They came out with purpose, setting the tone early and making sure the crowd was awake. You could feel people starting to lean forward, locking in, getting ready for what the rest of the night was about to bring.
Then came my fuckin dudes in I Prevail, and this is where the energy shifted into overdrive. Formed in Michigan, I Prevail broke through with their viral cover of "Blank Space," but they’ve long since proven they’re far more than that. Blending metalcore, hard rock, and melody, they’ve built a sound that hits just as hard emotionally as it does physically. This being my second time shooting them, I already knew what to expect but they still managed to hit just as hard. Their live show is tight. Controlled chaos. Every scream, every drop, every transition feels locked in. Songs like “Bow Down,” “Hurricane,” and “Bad Things” turned the arena into a wave of movement with pits opening, hands in the air, and voices screaming every word. From behind the lens, it felt like trying to keep up with a storm. I loved every second of it!
And then... the moment. Three Days Grace took the stage, and you could feel the shift instantly. This wasn’t just another band walking out, this was a legacy stepping into the light.
Formed in Canada in the early 2000s, Three Days Grace became one of the defining voices of alternative rock and post-grunge. Songs like “I Hate Everything About You,” “Animal I Have Become,” “Pain,” and “Never Too Late” didn’t just top charts. They became anthems for people navigating real-life struggles.
Hearing those songs live for the first time...
and shooting them at the same time...
that was surreal.
There’s something different about photographing a band you grew up hearing. It’s not just another set. It’s moments tied to memories, now happening right in front of you. The crowd knew every word. Not just singing , but feeling it. And the band delivered with a presence that only comes from years of doing this at the highest level. No gimmicks. No overthinking. Just songs that still hit exactly as hard as they did the first time you heard them.
Shooting at the Lenovo Center is a different beast. The scale alone changes everything. The lighting, the movement, the way the crowd reacts. But nights like this remind you why you step into spaces that big. From the pit, it felt like capturing chapters of rock history in real time. From I Prevail’s explosive energy to Three Days Grace’s timeless presence, every frame carried weight.
This show had everything: a strong opening statement from The Funeral Portrait, a powerful, precise set from I Prevail, and a first time experience with Three Days Grace that lived up to everything I expected and more.
Some nights are just shows. Others feel like milestones. This one? Definitely a milestone. And I’m grateful I got to capture it.
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- JOSH "MAUI" CABRAL
Hey! I'm Maui. Originally from Queens, New York, now making Raleigh, NC my new home. I'm a touring photographer and Nomadic Motorcycle Rider, obsessed with seeing the world through different lenses!
Read Maui's posts here
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