This past weekend was one for the books as my wife and I made the trip to St. Louis for the Shinedown and Bush show at the Enterprise Center. It was a night filled with incredible music, unforgettable moments, and a few personal highlights that made it one of the best birthday weekends I’ve ever had.

Bush Acoustic Set & Meet and Greet

We got to the venue a little later than planned, but the staff was amazing in helping us get everything lined out. We made it just in time for Bush’s acoustic meet and greet, where a group of excited fans gathered for an intimate performance.

They opened with Creatures of the Fire from The Art of Survival before surprising us with Out of This World from Golden State—my all-time favorite album. Hearing those songs in such a stripped-down setting was absolutely chilling.

After the short set, the band took time for a meet and greet. It was great catching up with the guys and talking about their new single climbing into the Top 5 at radio, family life, and a few other stories that made the moment special.

Backstage with Shinedown

From there, we hurried downstairs to meet our contact and head backstage with Shinedown. Catching up with Brent and Barry after so many years was a highlight in itself. We reminisced about their stop in Springfield years ago, when they played at Remmington’s opening for Powerman 5000 before their debut album was even released. Brent even shared some insight on their upcoming album and how the tour has been going.

On Stage with Bush

Right after hanging backstage, my wife and I rushed on stage to watch Bush play three songs from behind the band. Standing there as they performed in front of nearly 22,000 people was surreal—definitely one of those “pinch me” moments.

Shinedown Takes Over

We met up with our friends Chris and Adrock and got ready for Shinedown’s explosive set. They kicked it off with their #1 single Dance Kid Dance before rolling straight into Bully. The crowd was electric, hanging on Brent’s every word, singing along, and losing themselves in the music. Add in the pyro and flames, and it was nothing short of spectacular.

A Birthday to Remember

The night was unforgettable—great music, amazing friends, and memories that will last a lifetime. Huge thanks to the teams at Bush and Shinedown for making this all possible and for taking such great care of us.

What a way to celebrate a birthday.