Some bands will flat out cancel a show if their vocalist is unable to perform that night. Then you get a band like Killswitch Engage that brings in another band’s vocalist to fill in. Killswitch Engage, or as they were known Thursday night in NYC, Phil-switch Engage, took a near cancelation and turned it into a spectacle. Phil Labonte of All That Remains handled vocal duties for the band and did a kick-ass job filling the shoes of Howard Jones. He was met with warm welcome from the sold-out crowd at Irving Plaza and gave the performance his all; running all over the stage and even climbing up to balcony level to bellow the verses and croon the more ballad-esque moments. Guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz, looking like a Metalcore superhero in his bright green cape and white bandana, was full of energy as well hopping around on stage to the crowd’s delight.
But the highlight of the performance was yet to come. Killswitch Engage’s original vocalist, Jesse Leach, joined the band onstage for a 5 song segment of the set performing such classics as “My Last Serenade,” “Numbered Days,” and “Temple From The Within.” If you ask any one that was in attendance that night, they will surely tell you that he should rejoin the band full time. He sounded excellent and was given a huge ovation from the crowd.
Phil came back out to sing for the remainder of the night. Before the set closer, “The End of Heartache,” Adam thanked the fans for continuing to support the band through thick and thin. To further thank and show their respect for the fans, Phil and Adam went into the crowd for a portion of the song.
Of course, that wasn’t all. In a night full of surprises, the band came out for a 3 song encore featuring Adam on drums and none other than Jesse back on vocal duty to finish the night. You’ve got to hand it to Killswitch, I mean Phil-switch, they know how to put on one hell of a show, even in the face of adversity.

Setlist
1.Rose Of Sharyn
2.Reckoning
3.When Darkness Falls
4.A Bid Farewell
5.This Is Absolution
6.My Last Serenade (with Jesse Leach)
7.Numbered Days (with Jesse Leach)
8.Self Revolution (with Jesse Leach)
9.Vide Infra (with Jesse Leach)
10.Temple From The Within (with Jesse Leach)
11.My Curse
12.Take This Oath
13.The End Of Heartache
Encore:
14.Prelude
15.Life To Lifeless (with Jesse Leach)
16.Fixation On The Darkness (with Jesse Leach)