NYS Music 20​13

Tag: sevendust

  • Preview: Thriller A Metal Tribute To Michael Jackson

    Thriller Tribute Cd Cover ArtCleopatra Records is set to release a rather interesting compilation cd on Oct. 22, 2013. Thriller: A Metal Tribute To Michael Jackson, with artists past and present on this project, I am really hoping that this is going to be a really good cover album and not a bust. I guess it all depends on the musical arrangements for each track for success, and I can’t wait to see what these artists come up with.

    Although it’s labeled as “Thriller,” it is not a cover of the “Thriller” album itself, but rather many of MJ’s hits are covered instead. In fact, 13 songs are covered on the disc. I wish the Three Days Grace’s cover of “Give In To Me” made it on the cd and rounded it out at 14 tracks.

    Nonpoint’s Elias Soriano is on the track “Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground).” Chris Jericho of Fozzy does a version of “Dirty Diana.” Asking Alexandria’s Donny Worsnop and Mr. Big’s Billy Sheehan are one the track “Man In The Mirror,” and the cd would not be complete without the Alien Ant Farm cover of “Smooth Criminal.”

    Track Listing for Thriller : A Metal Tribute

    1. Thriller – Chuck Billy ( Testament )
    2. Man In The Mirror – Danny Worsnop ( Asking Alexandria) Billy Sheehan ( Mr. Big)
    3. The Way You Make Me Feel – Angelo Moore (Fishbone) Doug Aldrich (Whitesnake) Rudy Sarzo (Queensryche)
    4. Black Or White – Lajon Witherspoon (Sevendust) Bruce Kulick (ex-Kiss) Tony Franklin (The Firm)
    5. Beat It – Pirya Panda (Diemonds) Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal (Guns N’ Roses)
    6. Billy Jean – Corey Glover (Living Colour) Phil Campbell (Moterhead)
    7. Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground) – Elias Soriano ( Nonpoint)
    8. Rock With You – Doug Pinnick (King’s X)
    9. Dirty Diana – Chris Jericho (Fozzy)
    10. Bad – Paul Dianno (ex-Iron Maiden) Craig Goldy (Dio)
    11. They Don’t Care About Us – Icarus Witch
    12. Never Can Say Goodbye – Lonnie Jordan (War)
    13. Smooth Criminal – Alien Ant Farm

  • SEVENDUST, TRAPT, and More Rock Virginia Chili Cook-Off

    Virgina Chili Cook-OffThis Saturday, countless bands such as Sevendust, Nonpoint, Trapt, Saliva, and many, many more congregate to rock the sold-out event, Virginia Chili Cook-Off, in Woodstock, VA, all to benefit Breast Cancer Awareness and Research. Not only do fans get to rock out but they get to showcase what could be the next best Chili in the Mid-Atlantic.

    All bands include:

    Sevendust

    10 Years

    Trapt

    Nonpoint

    Saliva

    Dope

    Soil

    Smile Empty Soul

    Dive

    Hurt

    Another Year Lost

    Super Bob

    Almost Kings

    For more details, go to www.vachilicookoff.com!

  • Review: Krockathon 18

    Krockathon 18 was held in the Chevy Court of the N.Y. State fairgrounds. The lineup for this show was just amazing! Sevendust, Skillet, Three Days Grace and Chevelle to name a few.

    Krock even tweaked some things to the venue so they could sell 500 more tickets. The show went pretty smoothly for the most part. The main drawbacks from the fans were that there was no tailgating allowed in the parking lot, and there were not enough beer and food vendor’s. They could have used about 30 more port-a-potties also.

    First up was Stars In Stereo. They got the crowd going for this one. They did a decent cover of Aerosmith’s Dream On. Singer Bec Hollcraft seemed a little reserved at the beginning, but came into her own by the end. She could be a star someday. If I had to compare them to another band, I would have to say that they are like Paramore kicked up a notch.

    All the way from the UK, The Virginmary’s were up next. They were pretty good. I really never heard anything by them, but I really enjoyed their performance. They can definitely rock it live.

    This next band was just amazing live. Aranda, to me, is one of the bands on this bill that stole the show. The Aranda brothers, Dameon and Gabe, have some fun with each other using one guitar and holding it in different positions while the other brother plays it!!! Pretty cool $#!^. I highly recommend Aranda’s “Stop The World“cd. It is just hot from top to bottom. I would really like to see this band play a longer set.

    The next band on the bill was Red. Red had their Graffiti brick wall set up behind them, which I love as a backdrop. Michael Barnes vocals were just right on point. The Armstrong twins just know how to rock, and they have a ton of energy. I’ve seen Red live of couple of times now, and they just bring it to every show. They are also some of the coolest, most down to earth guys you can meet.

    Skillet, who just dropped their “Rise” cd, was next. Here is another band that just stole the show for me. Skillet live is just f’in awesome. Watching Jen Ledger on drums is insane. She just kicks so much @$$ up there. Skillet had their usual co2 pyro in front of the stage. Korey Cooper on guitar and keyboard is just amazing. Watching her rock out is just really fun to watch. The crowd was just nuts for Skillet and John Cooper had them wrapped around his finger. Jen also threw her drumsticks to a fan holding a sign asking her for them, which I though was classy move.

    Asking Alexandria were up next and the crowd loved them. I personally am not a huge fan of theirs, but they do put on a good live set.

    Flyleaf was set to play next. I am really not feeling Kristen May live. The band itself is OK but she is the $#!^’s. It seemed like every song was butchered by her, and it made me sick. I saw them the night before this show, and again I was not impressed.

    Another band I saw the night before was P.O.D. This is when the first of two rain showers started, and it lasted for most of P.O.D’s set. Every time I see this band they kick @$$! I love watching Sonny on stage because you can see how he just feels the lyrics he is singing.

    Well up next, according to front man Phillip LaBonte, is the hardest band on the show! All That Remains took the stage next and, like usual, they just killed it. I’ve seen this band a couple of times now, and I love them more and more.

    One of my favorite bands ever, Sevendust, is now ready to rock the stage. The topless women are now starting to come out in full force. Lajon is one of the best front men in the business to me. I love him on stage. His emotions bring my emotions out more. The whole band just rocks from start to finish. Lajon said halfway through, “We are not rockstars, we just love to play music.” One classy guy, and a very classy band. You’re all rockstars to me!

    I was standing next to a girl at this show who was there for this next band only. Chevelle took the stage and the crowd just loved them. They were really good and sounded awesome.

    Last up is Three Days Grace. The second rain fall is now starting. This is where the only snag took place as 3DG took forever to come out and delayed everyone in the rain for about an half hour. After chants of “WTF” and “this is B.S,” the show finally started. This was my second time seeing Matt sing for 3DG and he is really good. I think I liked him better the first time I saw him, though. The crowd was really over for them and even though it was down pouring rain, it was still awesome.

    What a great event Krockathon was. A couple of things that I would like to see added to next year’s event—besides more vendors and bathrooms—is a more of a festival experience. I think the bands should have been more hands on for the fans. Don’t get me wrong, some were, but not enough. I think if they set it up like Mayhem/Uproar and they had different tents for the different bands. The facility sure looked like they had enough room for it. One thing I didn’t get was the sticker that they passed out at the gate that was for random meet-n-greets with the bands, but I noticed that the Krock staff was also grabbing people who didn’t have stickers instead of the ones who did, which annoyed a lot of people who got there early to get one of the stickers.

  • Review: SEVENDUST Blacks Out Bearfest

    The crowd moved in closer and closer to the barricade, some could no longer contain their excitement and let out the occasional overeager cheers. Finally, the moment they were all waiting for at Bearfest Sevendust’s arrival. The lights dimmed to a dark red hue, a very daunting setting to the outdoor stage. One by one, the band members emerged from the shadows, Morgan Rose (drums), Vince Hornsby (bass), Clint Lowery (guitar), John Connolly (guitar), and finally, the one and only, Lajon Witherspoon. The way the red and green lights hit his features gave off a very bone-chilling, terrifying view of Witherspoon. The band began their set with “Pieces” followed by a track from their latest record, Black Out the Sun, “Till Death”, the fans waving their horns in the air to the beat of the song, mouthing along to the words whole-heartedly. After playing “Denial” and “Praise”, Lajon asked some of his ever-adoring fans not to mosh but to march in a circle to the rhythm of the next song, “Waffle”, purple lights complimenting the mood of the song, a very intimate feeling. The set was then slowed down with “Got a Feeling” followed by “Angel’s Son”, the fans with their loved ones holding each other from behind and swaying along. The pace was picked back up with “Black”, “Strong Arm Broken”, and Black Out the Sun’s leading single, “Decay”. Witherspoon walked toward the front of the stage and reached out for the fans, holding some of their hands.

    At the end of the song, the stage lights suddenly shut off and all of Sevendust disappeared into the darkness. The dedicated fans chanted for an encore for what seemed like a long while, every living soul hungry for more. Then the stage was lit with an orange and green-like hue as Lajon appeared on stage with the rest of the band and the familiar lyrics to “Bitch” filled the ears of the crowd, which encouraged them to roar with cheer and excitement. They all sang along loudly and some quite drunkenly. The set was then finished with “Splinter” and “Face to Face”, a great way to end the warm, lively summer evening.

    All in all, it was one hell of a performance. The band broke the country silence with their powerful classics as well as new and incredibly catchy songs. In the end, Sevendust let all of West Virginia know that they have left their mark. Be sure to check out their latest record, Black Out the Sun, available at your nearest music store and for digital download. More tour dates are on their website as well as their Facebook page, if you have a chance, see where Sevendust will black out a stage near you.

  • K-Rockathon 18: Photo Gallery

    Sometimes as a photographer you are lucky enough to shoot a decent band or two.  As a concert photographer I have been lucky enough to photograph some of the best in the business.  On July 27th, I was able to shoot a whole shitload of great bands in one place, just a couple hours from my home at K-Rockathon 18 at the Chevy Court at the New York State Fairgrounds.  Bands like Sevendust, All That Remains, Chevelle, Skillet and many more shared the stage with Three Days Grace.  Luckily for me my relationship with 3DG helped get me access to everything to bring those photos to you… the fans.  The readers of Upstate Metal are the greatest fans in the world.  We know it, and every band that visits our region knows it too.

    I’m not going to spend a lot of time with words on this one… it’s all about the photos for me.  I hope you enjoy and I hope to see you at the next show.  If you see me out there in a vest, a couple cameras and my hair blowing all over the place, yell out “Upstate Metal” or “JT”.  I will be sure to answer!  Until then, “Horns Up!”

  • Preview: SEVENDUST to Black Out the Northeast with DEVOUR THE DAY and OTHERWISE

    This week, Sevendust makes their mark with killer openers Devour the Day and Otherwise in the Northeast area, including Poughkeepsie, NY tomorrow night.

    Sevendust:

    Formed in 1994 in Atlanta, GA, Sevendust consists of Lajon Witherspoon (vocals), Clint Lowery (guitar), John Connolly (guitar), Vince Hornsby (bass) and Morgan Rose (drums). Since the successful release of their debut self-titled record in 1997, Sevendust has a total of nine records and 30 singles, including their recent album, Black Out the Sun. They made an appearance at this year’s Rock on the Range on May 19th. This band is eager to show the crowd what they have up their sleeves.

    Otherwise:

    Hailing from Las Vegas, NV, the Patrick brothers, Adrian (vocals) and Ryan (guitar), Andrew Pugh (guitar), Vassilios Metropoulos (bass), and Corky Gainsford (drums) are more than ready to knock everyone out of the ballpark with their never-disappointing performance of songs off their record, True Love Never Dies. To say the least, these Wise Guys are ready to knock everyone out of the ballpark.

    Devour the Day:

    From Memphis, TN, former members of the alternative metal band, Egypt Central, Blake Allison (vocals) and Joey “Chicago” Walser (bass) created the band now known as Devour the Day in 2012. Their debut record, Time & Pressure, was released on May 7, 2013 and have been touring since with tour members, Jeff James (guitar) and Dustin Schoenhofer (drums). They are more than ready to crush the stage with their unique style in music.

    All in all, a killer lineup, though it may last a short while. Below are the following tour dates, this is one performance you will not want to miss.

    Dates:

    Poughkeepsie, NY – 7/23

    Dewey Beach, DE – 7/24

    Allentown, PA – 7/25

  • Sevendust: Live at Upstate Concert Hall on Feb 6th

    From the first chords of “Decay” the sold out crowd of Upstate Concert Hall went crazy.  There was something in the air on February 6th.  Sevendust always packs the house in Upstate New York, and they should.  Their brand of alternative metal has withstood the test of time and their newest releases, like “Decay” show that the band isn’t going anywhere.

    “Decay” highlights everything great about Sevendust: the dueling guitars of Clint Lowery and John Connolly, hard hitting rhythms of Morgan Rose and the soulful energy of Vinnie Hornsby, along with Lajon Witherspoon’s unmistakable melodic howl.

    sevendustThe tour is supporting the  new album Black Out the Sun and tried to do that with just two songs. The opening number “Decay” and the only other song they played from the new release, “Till Death”.  With a catalog as large as theirs, fans appreciated the mix from over the years, but any emphasis on the new release might have been overshadowed by past hits.

    The second song of the the set was “Praise” from Sevendust’s third album Animosity.  The crowd went crazy as front man Lajon Witherspoon belted out powerful vocals at the top of his lungs and the crowd fired back knowing most the words to this and every song after it.  The sun was blacked out and the night was still young.  Lajon and company went on to play “Denial” (Home/1999), “Ugly” (Next/2005) and “Bitch” from Sevendust’s debut gold album nearly 16 years ago.  Before the band took a little breather and talked about how great it was to be back in Upstate NY.  It’s home to some of their best shows and biggest fans.  The next two songs were thoughtful and well placed.  A calm before the storm that resulted in harder, edgier work.  “Trust” and “Angel Son” are both from Sevendust’s Animosity album, however “Angel Son” was originally written for a compilation album Strait Up, dedicated to the life of Snot‘s former lead singer Lynn Strait who tragically passed away in a car accident at the age of 30.  This is as close as Sevendust will ever come to a ballad and it highlights the range and talents of the band.

    Morgan Rose was able to set the pace throughout the night adding mesmerizing drum solos.  Their were times that the waves of sound threatened to blow the crowd back through the front doors.  But as the set moved on and the music got faster, the drums got louder and the crowd spread out and the pit finally opened up to a circle were only the strong survive.  “Waffle” (Home/1999) led the charge and went into “Strong Arm Broken” (Cold Day Memory/2010) and then “Till Death” from the new release.  The Set ended with “Pieces” (Next/2005) and the appropriately names “The End Is Coming”  (Cold Day Memory/2010).

    sevendustThe variety of songs over Sevendust’s long career is a testament to their staying power and influence in the industry.  After 16 years of pushing the envelope and bringing hard-nose, in your face music to the masses they are still experiencing incredible success.  Their most recent single “Decay” has been getting a ton of airtime on FM stations all over the country and SiriusXM’s Octane channel.

    The encore was extra special for the audience and the band.  The first song was “Splinter” from Sevendust’s 2010 release Cold Day Memory.  And then, Upstate New York’s own Joey Belladonna was pulled onto the stage to help sing “Face to Face”.  It took a lot of coaxing to get the shy lead singer from the legendary metal band, Anthrax, to the stage but when he finally came out from hiding behind the speakers to the crowd, people in Joey’s hometown of Oswego could have heard the roar.

    Overall the night was a huge success, opening band Avatar from Sweden is definitely a rising star to keep an eye on and support act, Lacuna Coil is always a crowd favorite.  Look for an upcoming interview with Lacuna Coil’s Andrea Ferro.

  • AVATAR opens for SEVENDUST at Upstate Concert Hall Feb 6th

    When Sevendust comes to upstate it is guaranteed to be a great time.  Combine their powerful sound with the Italian Gothic metal sensation Lacuna Coil and Swedish-based melodic death metal band Avatar doing their first U.S. tour – be prepared to have your face melted.

    When Avatar came onto the stage, the audience didn’t know what to think of this five piece ensemble.  Upstate Metal ran into the founder and drummer, John Alfredsson, an hour or so before the show at Pizza Hut of all places and got the lowdown on the set.  The plan was  for 30-40 minutes of in your face metal, a little theatrics, and hopefully to impress the American crowd.  Well, I think they undersold the “little” theatrics, but they definitely impressed the American crowd.  When John founded the band in 2001 with singer, Christian Rimmi, it took the duo 2 years to get settled in and find the rest of the permanent members.  So, with almost 10 years of touring Europe under their belt it was time for them to break into the states.  Being on a Sevendust & Lacuna Coil tour guaranteed Avatar a lot of metal heads will see their music for the first time.  Were they ready? Absolutely.

    Christian’s theatrics proved to entice and excite the crowd at Upstate Concert Hall.  Guitars shredded and drums pounded but all eyes were on the frontman to see what the hell was he going to do next.  Coming out in a black executioner style mask for the first song, he then headed backstage to change it up a bit.  When Christian reappeared for the second song, a friend of mine and Upstate Metal editing master, Chris Fleischmann accurately described him as the result of Alice Cooper and Freddy Kruger having a love child.  A demented love child that fronted a band of Swedish misfits.  In a good way.  The set played out and Avatar won themselves some fans.  They hung out at the merchandise table for most of the night and was even seen at the bar a time or two.  I’d say run out and buy their new album, Black Waltz, but who am I kidding.  Go over to iTunes and give it a listen.

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