Live Music Experience
THRICE – The Horizons West Tour
October 20, 2025 – House Of Blues, Dallas, TX
On another warm Monday night in late October (it’s Texas ya’ll), the House of Blues Dallas was filled wall-to-wall with fans spanning generations of post-hardcore and alternative rock. Just two weeks removed from the release of their twelfth studio album Horizons/West, Thrice proved they remain a force whose live performances transcend eras. The crowd’s anticipation was palpable long before the lights dimmed—thanks to strong opening sets from Oklahoma-based Downward and California’s Modern Color, both setting a moody, melodic tone for what was to come.
When Thrice finally emerged, the venue erupted. Opening with Blackout, the first track from their latest record, the band immediately cast a spell of raw, atmospheric tension. The song’s driving pulse and dynamic layering set the tone for the night—a perfect bridge between Thrice’s forward-thinking new material and the heavy nostalgia that permeated the set. Without pause, they launched into Gnash, another Horizons/West cut whose crushing riffs and intensity sparked the night’s first moshpit, signaling that this wasn’t going to be a passive listening experience.
The energy in the room continued to build as Thrice shifted between eras of their catalog. The Window bled seamlessly into The Artist in the Ambulance, igniting a chorus of voices from longtime fans who grew up with that iconic 2003 album. For a moment, it felt like time folded in on itself—everyone in the room was back in high school or college, shouting every lyric in perfect sync.
What followed was a setlist that struck a balance between heaviness and reflection: Hurricane, Holding On, and Paper Tigers surged with emotional weight, while Still Life and The Dark Glow showcased the band’s more introspective side. When Stare at the Sun hit, the crowd’s collective singing nearly drowned out Dustin Kensrue’s voice—a sea of raised arms and unfiltered nostalgia filling the air.
Midway through the night, Thrice delved deeper into their discography with Crooked Shadows, In Exile, and Of Dust and Nations, before reigniting the room with Black Honey. The song’s unmistakable groove and haunting chorus reminded everyone why Thrice has remained such a defining presence in modern rock. Albatross and Beyond the Pines brought moments of tranquility, while Robot Soft Exorcism and The Earth Will Shake reintroduced the band’s signature mix of atmosphere and aggression, ending the main set in seismic fashion.
The encore began with Vesper Light, a beautiful new track that radiated calm introspection, providing a quiet moment of gratitude between band and audience. Then came Deadbolt, the classic closer that reminded everyone why Thrice’s name still carries so much weight. As the opening riff hit, the floor erupted—one final, cathartic release that united everyone in the room.
By the time the final notes faded, the crowd was drenched in sweat and nostalgia, yet filled with a renewed energy that only a Thrice show can summon. The band didn’t just play through their set—they reaffirmed their legacy, their evolution, and their unshakable bond with the fans who have followed them across decades of sound and emotion.
Walking out of the venue, it was hard not to feel the weight of what we’d just witnessed. Thrice aren’t just revisiting their legacy — they’re still building it in real time. Every song, old or new, hit with purpose and conviction. Over two decades in, the band still plays like they’ve got everything to prove, and maybe that’s what makes them timeless.
