The Return of Staind (Part II) | Break The Cycle

In celebration of 20 years since the album’s release, Staind performs the iconic 2001 multi-platinum, Break The Cycle, concluding the two-part global streaming event: The Return of Staind. Taking place at Mill 1 in Open Square in Holyoke, the band returns to their Western Mass roots, socially distanced and bringing back a live performance of their most nostalgic hits.

“Our first show together in 1995 was at a now-defunct bar called the Waterfront in Holyoke. We played mostly covers because that’s what you had to do back then. Turns out The Waterfront is two miles from where we did this. Here we are, two miles down the road, 26 years later, celebrating the anniversary of the album that helped us breakthrough 20 years ago and altered our lives forever.”

Aaron Lewis; Lead Vocalist and Rhythm Guitarist

Despite the performance having no live audiences, in opposition to the stream taken from the 2019 Foxwoods performance, Staind brings forth the same energy that raises audiences to their feet and leaves them wishing for a time to see the band perform live in-person concerts once more. With emotion and energy, from head-banging hits like Can’t Believe to the acoustic and stripped-down performance of Epiphany, Staind reminds fans of what they’ve been missing in the band’s absence for the past several years.

“Break The Cycle was huge – in 2001 it debuted at #1 with over 700,000 copies sold in its first week – but it’s more than just a hit record. It’s a defining moment for the genre, the way it flows from beauty to heaviness – and Aaron Lewis was the perfect instrument for those melodies, those lyrics. Nobody in the genre could match the dynamics of Aaron’s voice.

“When Staind came back in 2019, they sounded as good as ever, and the fan demand for what the band had planned for 2020 was through the roof. Now in 2021, there’s no way we’re going to miss this opportunity to celebrate 20 years of such a pivotal record and carry that momentum into the next era of Staind.”

Danny Wimmer; founder of Danny Wimmer Presents

In this unique streaming experience, Staind also takes the event to the next level with insight into the band’s development as well, telling fans through brief intermissions what genuinely shaped the band into what they are today. In one of these intermissions, the crew discusses the pressure of developing the second record and the organic growth that timed perfectly into the creation of Break the Cycle. Mike Mushok, lead guitarist, shares,

“I remember I was home, working right when I got back, trying to get that [basement rehearsal room] ready for us to be able to play. The radio was on and started playing “Outside” . . . It obviously took off, you know, and it was a huge huge song. Which really was great momentum going into the next record.”

As the band concludes The Return of Staind: A Two-Part Global Livestream Event with the LIVE: It’s Been Awhile and Break The Cycle streams, Staind breaks way into a new era for 2021. These events and their latest album release of Live: It’s Been Awhile may have highlighted previous hit tracks, and the songs that shaped the sound of the band, but fans of the classics are left in anticipation for more projects to come. In the meantime, however, ticket holders can still relive this experience through May 11th, 11:59 pm ET here.