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On May 13, 2024, Raleigh’s Red Hat Amphitheater lit up with the high-profile Infinite Arc Tour, co-headlined by progressive rock powerhouses Coheed and Cambria and Mastodon, with Periphery delivering an intense opening set. The tour covered 16 dates across the United States, launching in Salem, Virginia, and wrapping in Youngstown, Ohio. It was designed to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Mastodon’s Leviathan and support the release of Coheed and Cambria’s Vaxis – Act III: The Father of Make Believe, released in March 2025. Each act delivered a distinct sonic imprint, keeping fans engaged from start to finish with a setlist that drew heavily from their core discographies.

Periphery, from Washington, D.C., opened with technical precision and a refined aggression that defines their progressive metal and djent style. The band consists of Spencer Sotelo (vocals), Misha Mansoor (guitar), Jake Bowen (guitar), Mark Holcomb (guitar), and Matt Halpern (drums). Their catalog includes Periphery I through Periphery V: Djent Is Not a Genre (2023), each reflecting the band’s evolving complexity. The band is known for its independent streak, releasing music under their own label, 3DOT Recordings. In addition to music, the band’s members are involved in education and production within the metal community. Their official site is periphery.net.

Periphery

Mastodon, based in Atlanta, Georgia, followed with a commanding set led by Troy Sanders (bass, vocals), Brann Dailor (drums, vocals), Bill Kelliher (guitar, backing vocals), and newly added guitarist Nick Johnston, replacing Brent Hinds. Their discography includes genre-defining albums such as Remission (2002), Leviathan (2004), Crack the Skye (2009), and Hushed and Grim (2021). The band earned a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 2018 for “Sultan’s Curse.” They have supported causes including the Hirschberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research and are known for their sustainable tour merchandise. Official information and merch are available at mastodonrocks.com.

Mastodon

Coheed and Cambria closed the show with a set that spanned their 20+ year career. Originating from Nyack, New York, the band features Claudio Sanchez (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Travis Stever (guitar, vocals), Josh Eppard (drums, keyboards, backing vocals), and Zach Cooper (bass, backing vocals). Their concept-driven albums—The Second Stage Turbine Blade (2002) through Vaxis – Act III: The Father of Make Believe (2025)—are woven through The Amory Warsstoryline, also developed into comic books. Their career includes collaborations with Equal Vision, Columbia, and Roadrunner Records. Coheed supports charities like VH1 Save the Music and offers tour-exclusive merchandise through their website coheedandcambria.com. Fans in Raleigh were ecstatic, with many citing the rare performance of deep cuts and tour-only merch as unforgettable. No reported incidents affected the show, and despite internet rumors, no confirmed fall by any Coheed member occurred during this tour.

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Coheed and Cambria