Sace6, Dropout Kings & Don Broco bring the heat to a chilly Charlotte night

On January 21, 2026, the Underground Fillmore in Charlotte hosted a tour lineup that felt unexpected on paper: Sace6, Dropout Kings, and Don Broco. The three bands aren’t especially sonically cohesive, each pulling from different corners of the alternative and heavy music spectrum... but live, the contrast worked.

Sace6

Sace6 opened the night and immediately set a bar that was hard to even touch for the rest of the bill. From the first moments of their set, it was clear they weren’t approaching the slot like an opener. The band came out locked in, aggressive, and deliberate; every movement and transition was substantial and intentional.

Their sound lives somewhere between controlled chaos and precision. Heavy without feeling messy, atmospheric without drifting, and rhythmic in a way that keeps everything driving forward. Pop at its core but still "core." Material pulled from their recent projects landed especially hard live, translating with more weight and urgency than on record. The set flowed well, balancing explosive moments with sections that let tension build before snapping back into motion.

What stood out most was how complete the performance felt. The vocals cut clean through the mix, the instrumentation stayed tight without losing grit, and the pacing of the set never stalled. There was no filler; just a focused run that held the room’s attention start to finish. By the midpoint of their set, the crowd response already felt closer to what you’d expect from a headliner than an opening act.

Sace6 didn’t just warm the room up, they stole it from the headlining band (hand over mouth emoji). Easily the strongest performance of the night, and the one that left the biggest impression. This band is moving fast, and it feels like they’re right on the edge of a much larger moment. If you haven’t spent time with their catalog yet, now’s the time.

Dropout Kings

Dropout Kings followed with a set built around pure momentum. Sonically, they’re not necessarily my personal cup of tea, but their live energy is undeniable. Their performance leaned heavily into movement and crowd engagement, and the audience fed that energy right back. The room stayed active, loud, and responsive throughout their set.

Don Broco

Don Broco closed the night, and their growth was one of the biggest surprises of the show. I remember when this band was opening for acts that feel comparable to where they are now. Seeing them fully step into headliner territory was wild. I hadn’t fully realized how much they’ve blown up, but it became obvious the moment they hit the stage. The production was top-notch, the performance polished without feeling overdone, and the crowd was completely locked in...genuinely enchanted by the set.

Final take: this tour doesn’t make immediate sense on paper, but live, it absolutely delivers. Different sounds, different audiences, one room& a night that worked far better than expected.

Catch the rest of this tour, and everything Don Broco related at https://www.donbroco.com/ .

All words & photos @SAUCEWITHSPOONS