Beartooth is a Columbus heavy band built by Caleb Shomo, launched after his time in Attack Attack!, mixing hardcore energy with radio-size hooks.
New Chapter, Same Bite
After years of darker themes, his recent work leans brighter and more open about recovery without losing the grit.
Songs to Anticipate
Expect a tight set that could hit
Riptide,
The Past Is Dead,
In Between, and
Hated, with short breaks between songs. The crowd usually blends high school and college fans with longtime Warped-era folks, lots of earplugs, patched jackets, and polite pit rules. Lesser known:
Caleb Shomo tracked most instruments himself on early releases, then taught the live band the parts. Another nugget: the early
Sick EP was offered as a free download to build word of mouth. Note that tonight's set choices and production flourishes are my best read from recent cycles, not a guarantee. Expect volume, clean singalongs, and breakdowns that stop on a dime.
The Beartooth Scene Up Close
Pit Etiquette With Heart
At a
Beartooth show, you see black caps, vintage band tees, athletic shorts for the pit, and a few bright hair colors up front. Circle pits form fast, but people tap shoulders to clear space and lift others with care. Chant moments pop on the snare count before the last chorus, and the room leans in for the held note while phones go down. Merch tables trend toward bold colors and mental health slogans, and the long-sleeves usually sell out first when the venue runs cold.
Shared Lines, Shared Space
Older fans nod to Warped-era roots, younger fans trade wristband friendship knots, and both sing the clean hooks like a team. Between songs,
Caleb Shomo often frames lyrics with short, plain talk rather than speeches, which keeps the pace tight. You leave hearing snatches of melodies in the hallway and seeing small groups planning carpools to the next city. It feels like a heavy show that lets you breathe between hits, not a test of endurance.
How Beartooth Sounds Live
Built For Impact, Not Clutter
Beartooth live centers on
Caleb Shomo's cutting tenor, which flips from a sharp yell to a clear, chesty sing in the space of a bar. Guitars lock into chug patterns that leave room for the kick drum and bass to punch, so the choruses feel wide rather than crowded. Most riffs sit in Drop C tuning, giving low-end weight while keeping chords bright enough to sing over. They often trim a verse and insert a quiet drum-and-vocal break on stage, then slam back with a tagged final chorus.
Small Tweaks, Big Payoff
The rhythm section nudges tempos a hair faster than record, which adds lift without turning into a blur. Expect crisp strobes that snap on downbeats, warm ambers in the hooks, and the occasional blackout before a breakdown hits. Studio stacks are thick, so live the second guitar handles harmonies while tracks fill extra grit and gang shouts. That balance lets
Caleb Shomo steer dynamics with his voice, from whispered pickup lines to full roar in a breath.
If You Like Beartooth, You Might Also Like
If You Like Hooks With Heat
Fans of
Architects will find the same mix of precision riffing and earnest lyrics, though
Beartooth keeps choruses even more direct.
A Day to Remember shares the bounce between pop melody and mosh parts, which is a core draw for
Beartooth crowds.
Adjacent Lanes, Shared Heart
If you like big production swings and modern heaviness,
Bring Me The Horizon lands in a nearby lane, trading in mood shifts and hooky shouts. For a slicker, post-hardcore punch with huge gang vocals,
I Prevail sits close to the same live energy. Across these bands, the common thread is catharsis delivered fast, then a chorus you can shout without losing your voice.
