An overarching storyline defines much of the music American prog rockers Coheed and Cambria have produced over the decades.

According to Grunge, most of the group’s albums are an extension of a series of science-fiction stories written by lead singer Claudio Sanchez.

Coheed and Cambria will bring these stories and “The Great Destroyer Tour” to The Clyde Theatre with opening act Sheer Mag on Friday, March 11, at 8 p.m.

The performance marks the first time Coheed and Cambria will play at the Clyde, according to marketing coordinator Daniel Butler.

“I know they’re excited to come to Fort Wayne,” Butler said in an interview with Whatzup.

Butler said fans should expect singles from the band’s recent albums and their upcoming effort, Vaxis, Act II: A Windor of the Waking Mind, due out May 27. Butler describes the show as a “great storytelling experience with their signature sound.”

Pandemic Plays Role

COVID-19 has influenced some of the band’s most recent tracks. In fact, Sanchez says Coheed and Cambria had to rethink some of their music in light of the pandemic.

Coincidentally, the band had written a song called “Hallelujah Quarantine” months before COVID-19 was a worldwide concern, according to a report from ABC.

“Now, I’m, like, ‘I don’t know if I can ever release it,’ because it just feels like it might be a little insensitive,” Sanchez told the outlet.

In addition to the influence of the pandemic, Sanchez says the band did not shy away from working some new ideas into their signature sound.

“A lot of times, with bands who’ve been around and built a strong fan base like we have, I think there might be a tendency, intentionally or unintentionally, to try to give the fans what they want and not take too many risks,” the singer told Heavy Consequence last year. “But after making music for so long and entering a pandemic, we didn’t want limitations to the creative process.”

Along with playing a role in making the new album, the pandemic has also altered the group’s tour. Representatives from the Clyde noted Coheed and Cambria are requiring all ticket purchasers to provide proof of full vaccination with a booster shot, or show a negative PCR COVID-19 test, along with valid government-issued ID.

What Fans Can Expect

A statement from the band’s representatives gave fans a heads-up on what they to expect at this month’s show: “With melodic guitars and soaring vocals, Coheed and Cambria have told massive and memorable stories across nine albums, plus produced fantastic fiction in comic books, novellas, and more: The definition of true artists.”

They added fans will see Coheed and Cambria perform their new song, “Shoulders.”

For Starters

Opening for Coheed and Cambria, Sheer Mag lead singer Tina Halladay says she writes love songs without being too “corny.”

“For me, I think it’s about being open with people,” she told AL.com last month, “and not like you’re better than them. Even relationships in real life, a lot of people try to play it so cool and act like things don’t hurt them. Or that they have it all figured out. But vulnerability onstage and in singing those kinds of songs, I think that’s what people connect to.”

While Sheer Mag is relatively young, they have released two studio albums, their most recent being 2019’s A Distant Call.

In addition to their expanding discography, the band played at the 2016 Coachella and has performed on Late Night with Seth Meyers.

Fans coming to hear Coheed and Cambria will definitely enjoy a taste of Sheer Mag’s ’70s punk fusion.