BY MAUI CABRAL The Ritz Raleigh is familiar ground. The lights, the stage, the way the room holds sound. It’s a place that’s hosted count...
BY MAUI CABRAL
The Ritz Raleigh is familiar ground. The lights, the stage, the way the room holds sound. It’s a place that’s hosted countless moments. But this night felt different. This was my second time shooting The Devil Wears Prada, and with that came a deeper appreciation. Not just for the music, but for the experience as a whole. You start to notice things differently the second time around. You’re not just reacting, you’re anticipating. And that changes everything. From the moment doors opened, there was anticipation in the air. Not the kind that feels uneasy, but the kind that builds excitement. You could see it in the crowd. Fans packed in tight, conversations buzzing, eyes glued to the stage before a single note was even played. And then it began.
Kicking off the night was Split Chain, a band that’s steadily building momentum with a sound that feels both modern and nostalgic. Pulling influence from the heavier side of alternative and metalcore, they brought a textured, emotionally charged set that immediately pulled the crowd in. There was no easing into it. They came out swinging. Their performance had this raw, almost unfiltered energy. Gritty vocals layered over atmospheric instrumentals, creating a soundscape that felt immersive right from the start. You could see heads start to nod, bodies begin to move. The crowd was waking up. Split Chain made sure of it. For an opening act, that’s everything.
Following that was I Promised The World, and they didn’t just continue the momentum, they intensified it. Blending melody with aggression, their set felt deeply intentional. There’s an emotional weight behind their music that translates incredibly well in a live setting. It wasn’t just about heavy riffs and breakdowns. It was about connection. And the crowd responded. You could feel the shift. More movement. More voices joining in. More energy built with each track. They bridged that gap between raw intensity and emotional depth, setting the stage perfectly for what was coming next.
Then came Four Year Strong, and everything exploded. If you’ve been around the scene for any amount of time, you already know what they bring to the table. Pioneers of easycore, blending pop-punk energy with hardcore aggression, they’ve built a reputation on delivering some of the most fun, high-energy sets in the game. And they lived up to every bit of it. From the second they stepped on stage, it was movement. Constant, relentless movement. Circle pits, crowd surfers, full-room sing-alongs. The kind of energy that turns a crowd into a single, unified force. Their set felt like a celebration. Loud, chaotic, and completely unapologetic. By the time they wrapped, The Ritz wasn’t just warmed up, it was getting set on fire!
And then... the shift. When The Devil Wears Prada took the stage, the atmosphere changed instantly. Formed in Dayton, Ohio, in the mid-2000s, Prada quickly became one of the defining forces in metalcore. But what’s made them stand out over the years isn’t just their heaviness. It’s their evolution. Albums like With Roots Above And Branches Below laid the foundation, but projects like The Act and Color Decay showed a band willing to grow, to experiment, and to push emotional boundaries without losing their edge. That evolution is something you feel live.
From the first note, the room belonged to them. Lights cut through the darkness in sharp bursts, perfectly timed with crushing riffs and atmospheric layers. The sound wasn’t just loud it was massive. Every breakdown hit like a wave. Every ambient moment gave you just enough space to breathe before pulling you right back under. The crowd? Completely locked in. Bodies collided in the pit. Hands reached toward the stage. Voices screamed every word back like it meant everything, because to them, it did.
But for me, this night carried something deeper. This was my second time shooting The Devil Wears Prada, and that changes your perspective in a way that’s hard to explain unless you’ve lived it. The first time, you’re chasing moments. Reacting. Trying to keep up with everything happening in front of you. The second time? You start to understand it. You anticipate the drops. You know when the lighting is about to shift. You recognize the subtle expressions, the interactions, the moments between the chaos. You’re not just documenting. You’re now telling a story. And that connection shows up in every frame. There’s a level of gratitude that comes with being trusted, whether directly or indirectly, to capture something this powerful. To be in that space again, camera in hand, watching a band that’s had such an impact on the scene continue to evolve and dominate the stage... It’s surreal. Every shot felt intentional. Every moment felt earned.
This wasn’t just another stop on a tour. It was a reminder. A reminder of why live music hits the way it does. A reminder of how powerful a room full of people connected by sound can be. A reminder of growth—-not just for the bands on stage, but for everyone involved in capturing and experiencing it.
The Devil Wears Prada didn’t just perform that night. They commanded the room. They connected with the crowd. They proved why they’re still one of the most respected names in the genre. And for me? Being there. Being able to capture it again. That’s something I’ll never take for granted.
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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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