Just days after their standout performance at Download Festival 2025, Brent Smith and Zach Myers from Shinedown returned to London for an intimate acoustic evening at the Islington Assembly Hall.
An Evening With Brent Smith And Zach Myers Of Shinedown
Islington Assembly Hall – 17 June 2025
Words: Rhys Tagg
Photography: Robert Sutton
The pair stepped onto the stage to raucous applause, setting the tone for a night unlike any other. Brent, with an iPad perched on a stool as a makeshift teleprompter, joked that it had only been 25 seconds since he saw the setlist, one that Zach had personally prepared.
Their chemistry was immediate, trading easy banter and heartfelt reflections throughout the night. Zach spoke with emotion about how long they had waited to bring this show to the UK and how it sold out in just 75 seconds.
This was a moment made even more meaningful by the venue’s significance. It was the site of Shinedown’s very first UK headline show back in January 2009.
They opened the evening with a tender rendition of Amy Winehouse’s Valerie, closing the song with Brent’s soft tribute: “Miss ya, Amy.” The Shinedown music began with a punch as they launched into Bully, kicking the energy up a notch.
Next up was If You Only Knew, and with it came a personal anecdote that drew the audience in. Brent reflected on the Sound Of Madness era, confessing that around 2007–2008, he could not, or would not, write a love song.
That changed the moment he received an unexpected text. He was going to be a father.
With unmistakable sincerity, Brent revealed that the song was born from that life-altering moment, stating, “My son 1000 per cent saved my life.” It was a tender moment before the following track, Get Up.
Throughout the evening, Brent and Zach continued to bounce off each other with charm and humour. This performance felt worlds away from the usual Shinedown production.
Brent, typically poised and intensely focused, leaned into a more relaxed, playful energy, at times comedic but always genuine. It was not just a ‘thank you’ to the fans for years of unwavering support. It felt like a gift the duo gave themselves as well, with the freedom to share a different side.
And Brent, if you’re reading this – no, absolutely not. There was no travesty in Islington! Just a beautifully unguarded night and a joyful journey shared by two artists and the people who adore them.
Before the deeply emotive Atlas Falls began, Brent took a moment to reflect on the song’s origins, proudly sharing that it had helped raise over half a million US dollars for Direct Relief, thanks to the single’s release and accompanying merchandise sales.
Zach moved over to the keyboard, smiling as he told the crowd the next track was his favourite from the Threat To Survival record. What followed was Misfits, a beautifully sculpted song that hit even harder in such an intimate setting. The blend of Zach’s keys with the audience’s gentle harmonies created a moment of pure bliss.
As Brent flicked through the iPad for the next track, Zach kept the crowd entertained with a cheeky attempt at a British accent. They soon introduced Never Gonna Let You Go, a rarity in their setlist and all the more special for it.
There was something quietly surreal about watching a rock star scroll lyrics on an iPad mid-show, but it only added to the night’s authenticity.
With the tempo cranked up again for Cut The Cord, the room buzzed with renewed energy. Brent turned to Zach with a grin. “You made the most sentimental setlist ever…”
That sentimentality was on full display as Zach took his place at the edge of the stage beneath a slowly spinning disco ball to play Someone Like You, the Adele classic, delivering it with aching beauty.
Then came 365, a new offering that Brent introduced with heartfelt clarity. “The band needed this song as much as the public are telling us they needed it.” He asked the audience to join him in vulnerability, to picture someone they had lost.
What followed was a breathtaking performance that turned the venue into a sea of shared memories, with large pockets of the crowd moved to tears.
Brent then stepped back, giving Zach the spotlight for a run of covers in Never Tear Us Apart (INXS), Heaven (Bryan Adams), Angels (Robbie Williams), and Don’t Look Back in Anger (Oasis). Zach absolutely nailed the Bryan Adams cover, channelling both power and grace in equal measure.
The Shinedown songs gently fall back in, with Brent calling for the disco ball above to spin and the whole audience to raise their cell phones in the air as he introduces Symptom Of Being Human, with the audience singing along in full voice before being taken back to the first album for 45 and then slipping forward to Bad At Love.
Brent takes a few moments to speak to the crowd again, letting all know Shinedown is everyone’s band, “We take anyone and everyone.” He goes on to explain how the band always start the writing process. “Our music starts with a melody, and 90 per cent of the time, even the heavy ones, start with an acoustic guitar.”
Brent asks everyone to stand, promising this is the rock ‘n’ roll event of 2025.
The duo expertly finish the evening on the iconic Shinedown big-hitting trio of Sound Of Madness, Simple Man and Second Chance.
Just days after owning the stage at Download Festival, Brent and Zach gave something entirely different in an evening stripped of spectacle but rich in soul. From stirring personal tributes to spontaneous laughter and rare setlist gems, this was a deeply human experience.
In the heart of Islington, where their UK headline journey first began, Shinedown gave the kind of performance that reminds us why we show up, not just for the music but for the connection it creates.
It was a night that did not need pyrotechnics or production value to leave its mark. Just honesty, heart, and two artists letting down their guard, inviting us all to do the same.
For me, this night was more than a gig. It was a rare moment where artistry and authenticity met in perfect harmony. I have seen Shinedown deliver powerhouse festival sets and arena shows, but witnessing Brent and Zach in this vulnerable, stripped-down format felt like being invited into something sacred.
There were no masks, no personas. Just two musicians sharing their stories, their humour, and their hearts. It is nights like this that remind me why I care so deeply about music. Not just for the sound but for its power to connect, comfort, and remind us we’re never alone.
