P.O.D. at the Gramercy Theatre

Sonny Sandoval

Guitarist Marcos Curiel and drummer Wuv Bernardo began jamming together in 1991 in San Diego, California, calling themselves Eschatos. In 1992, they recruited Bernardo's cousin, Sonny Sandoval, on vocals, and changed the band's name to P.O.D. (Payable on Death). Bassist Traa Daniels joined the band in 1994. Embracing rapcore, nu metal, and alternative hard rock, P.O.D. sold more than 12 million records. The band's ninth and most recent studio album is 2015's The Awakening; P.O.D. will release a new song as a stand-alone single, "Soundboy Killa," tomorrow, September 8, 2017.

Headlining at the Gramercy Theatre tonight, P.O.D. performed 10 songs from their peak period around the turn of the century, along with six later songs. Although the band did not perform "Goodbye for Now" and a few other radio hits, the set list was largely comprised of familiar songs. Fortunately, the songs were played for the present, not the past, and were filled with dynamic power and energy. From rapcore and nu metal to punk and reggae-infused alternative metal, Sandoval's singing and rapping and Curiel's stinging guitar leads kept the momentum soaring and rallying. Although songs like "West Coast Rock Steady" were playful hip-hop odes to the band's San Diego roots, other songs went deeper, like "Youth of the Nation," which was inspired in part by recent school shootings, "Murdered Love," which expressed a mixture of hope and unease while questioning the cruelty of humankind, and the softer "Beautiful" contemplated the afterlife. The performance rocked with an undercurrent of thoughtful integrity.

Visit P.O.D. at www.payableondeath.com.

Setlist

1. The Messenjah
2. Ridiculous
3. Boom
4. Rock the Party (Off the Hook)
5. Murdered Love
6. Revolucion
7. Soundboy Killa
8. Set It Off
9. Youth of the Nation
10. West Coast Rock Steady (with Sen Dog)
11. Beautiful
12. Condescending
13. Southtown
14. On Fire
15. Satellite
16. Without Jah, Nothin'
17. Alive