The new era of DragonForce officially hit the stage on May 9, as the band performed its first live show with Alissa White-Gluz stepping in as a full-time member.
The performance took place at Welcome to Rockville, held at the iconic Daytona International Speedway. The set marked a major turning point for the band following the official announcement of White-Gluz joining just days earlier on May 6.
Her live debut, however, came under unexpected circumstances, as longtime vocalist Marc Hudson was absent from the show. Shortly before the festival appearance, the band addressed his situation directly via social media, explaining that he is currently stepping back from touring due to health-related issues.
“Due to ongoing hearing loss and tinnitus issues that have increasingly affected Marc‘s ability to tour, he won’t be joining us for the next two festivals,” the band wrote.
“This hasn’t been a sudden decision, but something he’s been managing behind the scenes for quite some time. After careful consideration, it’s become clear that taking a little break is the best move for his long-term health and recovery.
“We know many of you were looking forward to seeing him on stage again with Alissa, but don’t worry. We have new music with Marc and Alissa in the works. In the meantime, Billy will be stepping in to handle the next two live performances.”
Despite the lineup change, the band will continue its touring schedule, with the next confirmed appearance set for May 17 at Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival, taking place at Historic Crew Stadium.
White-Gluz’s addition was first revealed earlier this month, and guitarist Herman Li previously spoke about what her arrival means for the band’s evolution: “Alissa joining the band is an expansion of everything we’ve done up to this point. Twenty years is a long time to do anything, let alone survive the music industry and still be so inspired to continue doing what we love. Together we will honor what made Inhuman Rampage matter, while showing people exactly where we’re going next. Having Alissa in the room changes everything. She doesn’t just sing, she makes all aspects of our music better. And she sounds incredible live! I can’t wait for the fans to see her and hear what we have been working on.”
For White-Gluz, the collaboration represents both a creative challenge and a new outlet for her vocal range. She also shared her excitement about joining the band’s high-energy world: “I am beyond excited to be bringing such iconic music to life with these amazingly skilled musicians in such a fun and inspiring environment. It feels great to showcase all the colours of my voice and utilize all my singing styles in technically challenging, deeply energizing, highly addictive songs. I am so thankful for the amazing support I have been lucky enough to receive from the metal world over this wild career I’ve built; I want to keep pushing my boundaries and delivering exceptional music and live experiences to the fans that I cherish so much.”
