NYS Music 20​14

Tag: Avenged Sevenfold

  • Mayhem Festival Comes to Darien Lake

    The Rockstar Mayhem Festival always brings the biggest names in metal music to the masses and this year at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center in Western NY, everyone was fully prepared for the event. Mayhem Festival is one of those festivals that I try to attend every year because the atmosphere is meant for all the misfits. The fan base represented, elderly couples in band shirts to a five-year old on her dad’s shoulders rocking out to music.

    A lot of excellent, head banging bands filled the stages of Mayhem Festival; but the stage that caught a lot of attention was the Coldcock American Herbal Whiskey Stage. The two bands that I personally thought stood out the most were Mushroomhead and Miss May I. Mushroomhead fans waited and cheered when their stage was being set up. Without having any idea of what to expect, the band came out wearing gory masks and the sound they made was a mixture of metal, industrial and even a bit of rap influenced. Fans looked intrigued. Water covered the drums on stage and as the drumsticks hit each drum, water flew in the air to each beat. The vibe they gave on stage was rather ‘Slipknot’ like and I later found out that Slipknot and Mushroomhead fans had a feud for years about who copied the whole mask look;  regardless of the masks the band put on an energetic, horror metal show.

    A much younger crowd approached the stage as Miss May I was announced, as soon as the band took the stage I thought “Oh great. Here we go another screaming band.” But something about them was different from any other metal core band. They interacted very much with the crowd and their songs were catchy, yet meaningful. The lead singer, Levi Benton had very deep growls and screams but when he talked to the crowd his voice was very soft and sweet. He asked the crowd if anyone is currently in the military and many cheered and Benton announced to the crowd to buy them a drink. He dedicated a song called “Hero With No Name” to the troops from their new album Rise Of The Lion. The band ended their set with Benton going into the crowd to be closer with fans and said that he will be at their merchandise tent after the show to talk and take pictures with fans. Within minutes after the band left the stage, fans rushed to the tent and Benton was more than happy to greet fans. I even walked out of their tent area with a signed CD because I was so impressed by their performance and their dedication to fans.

    Finally, the moment that everyone was waiting for. Security was allowing people to find their seats for the main acts of the evening. I was thrilled to see KoRn and Avenged Sevenfold but I waited anxiously in my seat as two other bands were set to perform before the headliners. Trivium was the first band to take the stage and they brought everything they had. The band got the crowd going with frontman, Matt Heafy telling everyone to stand up and that Canada was the best show they had the other night. If you are from New York that would make anyone stand up and scream louder. Trivium played a total of seven songs including their singles ‘Through Blood and Dirt and Bone’ and ‘In Waves’. Even after the band left the stage, the crowd wanted more and so did I.

    I was already pumped with adrenaline after watching Trivium take the stage and I watched as the crew was setting up for the next act, Asking Alexandria. Two huge light up A’s were put up as red curtains also drapped the stage. The excitement level of the crowd was rising as the lead singer made his way on stage dressed in a white suit jacket with a scarf and jeans. Everyone stood up and cheered and the band went into their first song of the set, ‘Don’t Pray For Me’ their 2013 single from their album From Death To Destiny. I was not too impressed by the band’s performance as the singer Danny Worsnop casually walked around on stage and would go off on little rants about if the crowd did not like the band then they could drink more and forget about them. But to the fans that waited to see them, the band played all the songs that the crowd wanted to hear, ‘Moving on’ and ‘The Death of Me’. But other than that the band’s performance was nothing special.

    Finally, the performances everyone was waiting for. Korn unleashed the madness as they came out with a booming performance. . I was impressed at the professionalism of Jonathan Davis while the band opened up with ‘Falling Away From Me’ and Davis’s microphone was not working and he continued to sing and did not cause a scene until he received a new microphone and went straight into the chorus. Reginald Arvizu hypnotized the crowd with his neon green strings on his bass. After the band went into a few more of their hits. Davis brought out his bag pipes and the crowd roared with excitement as the band went into ‘Shoots and Ladders’. They also ended the show with ‘Coming Undone’, ‘Here To Stay’ and ‘Never Never’. But then the crowds favorite were played, ‘Freak On The Leash’ and ‘Blind’ and then as the band ended the show, they brought out their kids on stage and the kids head banged and threw guitar picks to the audience. Korn definitely will spread metal music to generations to come and they continued to show that the band still had the same level of passion that they had when they first came out in the music world.

    As Korn left the stage, a black curtain dropped along the stage and the Avenged Sevenfold symbol was shown on the front. My excitement was building and I knew Avenged Sevenfold always put on a mind-blowing show after seeing them twice. The lights dimmed once more and the curtain raised as the stage showed a massive skeleton sitting in a throne with a crown, obviously dedicated to the band’s Hail To The King album. The audience erupted as flames came out from the stage and the band opened up with ‘Shepherds Of Fire.’ Lead singer, Matt Shadows took the time to say how the stage was not very personal with the fans and he asked security to bring fans on to the stage and he made a promise that the band would not throw fire at them. The right side of the stage filled with fans as they jumped and screamed to the songs while every once in a while Shadows and guitar player, Synyster Gates would give high fives to the fans that were lucky enough to come up on stage. Avenged Sevenfold played well-known songs like ‘Nightmare’, ‘Bat Country’, ‘Almost Easy’ and then the song ‘So Far Away.’ Shadows took the time explaining the meaning behind ‘So Far Away’. In 2009, the band’s long time drummer, Jimmy ‘The Rev’ Sullivan passed away. The song ‘ was dedicated to Sullivan and fans held up lighters and their phones during the song as a memorial for the drummer. The band left the stage after their song ‘This Means War’ but the fans wanted more. The fans banged their hands on the back of the seats and started chanting ‘A7X!’ and I doubt was part of that also. Moments later, the band came out for a two song encore with one of their first ever singles, ‘Unholy Confessions’ and then ended with the kinda disturbing song, ‘A Little Piece Of Heaven’ which Shadows describing the song as ‘A song about love, death and sex in the afterlife.’ It was a huge crowd pleasure and the song almost resembles a play with commentary throughout the song and a story to go along with it.

    The crowd left the venue with sore necks, loss of voice and maybe a few bruises. But everyone could be seen with smiles on their faces and cheering. Korn and Avenged Sevenfold definitely brought back how metal and rock music should be and pleased every metal head in upstate New York.

    Also check out our coverage of the Saratoga Springs Mayhem Festival here.

  • Mayhem Festival in Saratoga Proves That Rock Still Rules

    Heavy music fans of all ages descended upon Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC), starting at 1PM on July 23.  The first sounds of pounding drums signaled the opening of the Saratoga gates, ominous clouds added to the palpable intensity of the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival.  Three stages adorned the lawn of SPAC, rows of tents flanked the main concourse. From the time the doors opened, until  about 6:30PM, all three stages were in a constant rotation of hard-hitting, face-melting heavy rock and metal of all kinds.

    mayhem festival saratogaThe show kicked off with black metal newcomers, Erimha, a budding band from Montreal, playing on the Victory Records Stage.  On paper they might seem out of place with the rest of the acts on the day long bill, but they were a good welcoming committee, setting the tone for the rest of the day.  The tents were hot spots for patrons to meet and greet their favorite bands, before and after they played, and to pick up band merchandise as well as festival merchandise like T-Shirts, bandanas, and sunglasses. By 2:30, the crowd had already settled in for the day, flocking to each stage as new acts started their sets.  Texas Hippie Coalition ignited the ColdCock Whiskey Stage with their southern heavy rock.  At one point, lead singer Big Dad Rich claimed the lawn for his own, saying that anyone on it better raise their fist in acceptance.  The crowd happily obeyed, and looks of joy and entertainment washed over the few hundred strong in attendance.  Veil of Maya took the Sumerian Records Stage soon after and drew an even bigger crowd with their gigantic wall of sound.

    The first ‘destination’ band of the day was definitely Mushroomhead out of Cleveland, Ohio.  It seemed that everyone that was on the fringe of the stages or lost in the sea of tents during other acts all made the point to be in front of the ColdCock Whiskey Stage when the troupe of masked men started their performance.  With multiple singers, crushing riffs,  sound samples, and two powerhouse percussionists at the front of the stage, they ruled the crowd with ease. The second not-to-miss band of the day was undoubtedly Ice-T with Body Count.  Strutting out on stage to the wail of guitars, Ice-T screamed, “Saratoga, we are moving right next door to ya!” and fired a (fake) gun into the air.  Flanked on stage by his wife Coco and their two bulldogs, Ice-T whipped the crowd into a frenzied pit with classic Body Count songs, each getting a bigger response than the last.  Rain started to fall finally during their set, and though it never became a torrential downpour, it helped to cool off the throngs of humans who had been dealing with the 80 degree heat and blacktop walkways all day long. Each of the three stages did a good job keeping the show running smoothly, with little to no down time between acts.  By 6:00PM each stage’s headliners were finishing up their sets to satisfied crowds.  The entire population turned its sights to the main stage, many taking their seats inside the amphitheater.  Trivium and Asking Alexandria got great responses from their fanbases, a mostly younger audience, but the crowd grew bigger and bigger with all ages filling in the lawn.  Parents taking their children to their first festival, or possibly first ever concert, and older couples reliving their youth with shirts they might have dug out of the back of their closets.  All were enjoying the days festivities to their utmost potential.

    By the time Korn took the stage, almost every seat inside was filled with people on their feet,  the lawn was packed with fans, singing along with the opening song, “Falling Away From Me”.  Playing hits from their extensive back catalogue, they stoked the fire that had been burning all day inside the rambunctious crowd.  Favorites like “Freak on a Leash” and “Shoots and Ladders” complete with bagpipes, let the crowd join in the obvious fun the band was having on stage.  With the return of Brian “Head” Welch last year, the band is back to its full original strength, and it shows.  Lead singer Jonathan Davis crooned “You can’t bring me down” during one of their newest tunes, “Hater”, and he meant every word.  They proved that they are still relevant in the ever changing world of heavy music, a landscape that they helped shape with set closer, “Blind” way back in 1993. Avenged Sevenfold are no strangers to holding the top spot, and they came out controlling the crowd from the start.  They had a huge stage backdrop, reminiscent of a Dio fantasy, with large steps leading up to castle facades, and three arch ways with huge high definition screens.  Showing animation and live feeds of the band members from the stage, the over the top scenery threatened to steal the show from the actual performers, but just barely.  M. Shadows used his vocal prowess to capture the crowds attention, while guitarists Zacky Vengeance and Synyster Gates harmonic precision helped to keep hold.  When the band finally touched on “Hail to the King”, the center screen opened up to reveal a towering animatronic Skeleton, complete with crown and sword upon a throne of skulls.  A7X made sure that the culmination of a the day was brought on the wings of a nightmare, into the waiting ears of an eager audience.

    Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival is now in its sixth year, and shows no signs of slowing down.  Much like many of it’s predecessors, like Ozzfest and Family Values Tour, it is a haven for like-minded bands and fans to congregate and celebrate the heavy music and dark emotion filled culture they enjoy.  If the thralls of happy faces throughout the day, or the inherent sense of camaraderie between musicians and fans is any evidence of success, then hopefully Mayhem will continue to return to Saratoga Springs, NY every year.

  • Rock On the Range 2014: Day Two

    Columbus, Ohio promised sunshine for Day Two of Rock on the Range, and by early Saturday morning it was pretty evident that we had no such luck. Sponsors and staff manned each and every entrance to Crew Stadium, armed with ponchos to hand out to already wet and weary rangers. What looked like a sea of garbage bags was really a dedicated horde of music revelers who stuck it out right from the start, filling the Ernie Ball Stage up in preparation for some Christian rock.

    Kicking off the festivities was female fronted Stars In Stereo. With everyone’s ears still ringing from the night before, the melodic tone of front woman Bec Hollcraft’s vocals were a great way to ease into the harsher male dominated lineup to follow. Fellow Christian rockers We As Human hopped on next, wowing the crowd with their nonstop antics. Between climbing the scaffolding, towering high above the stage, and jumping into the pit for some crowd participation, the set was anything but dull.

    The Main Stage didn’t get off to quite as energetic of a start, with opener Rev Theory clearly growing frustrated by the lack of enthusiasm. As the rain poured down for the worst storm of the day, the band did their best to distract the crowd and finally succeeded when they broke into “Hell Yeah”, during which it was nearly impossible not to crack a smile.

    The Jägermeister Stage hosted one of the biggest breakout acts of the weekend next. Pennsylvania’s Crobot reminded rangers what true rock ‘n’ roll is all about – dirty, grungy hooks to bring the genre back to its purest form.

    The sun finally started to “Shimmer” when Fuel took the stage to rock out to some newer tracks followed by the old favorites. The second half of their set was a welcome throwback for twenty-something’s to reminisce their glory days.

    Winning the award for quirkiest band of the day was Sweden’s Avatar. The metal band’s short Jägermeister Stage set provided some unique entertainment while the main stage was set up for Pop Evil.

    With a recent string of #1 singles under their belts, it was no surprise that the main stage was packed when Pop Evil arrived. Drummer Joshua “Chachi” Marunde moved around more than most singers do, and frontman Leigh Kakaty made sure the crowd was awake by jumping in for “Last Man Standing”. The real show began, however, when members of the armed forces joined the band on stage to close the set with “Trenches”, featuring a jaw dropping collaboration with Run DMC that had everyone talking for the rest of the day.

    Another new act hit the Ernie Ball Stage next, Texas natives Nothing More. They incorporated some unique elements, including a separate small drum at the front of the stage that frontman Jonny Hawkins would drum and jump on throughout the set.

    Theory of a Deadman lit up the main stage with some entertaining singalong tracks, including “B***h Came Back” and “Bad Girlfriend”, as well as throwing in a more serious ballad, “Not Meant to Be”. With everyone bouncing and singing along to each of the songs, it was clear that the band was a Rock on the Range favorite.

    The Pretty Reckless, the second of two female fronted bands slotted for Day Two, hit the Ernie Ball Stage. Lead singer Taylor Momsen’s voice was a force to be reckoned with, and the overall charismatic nature of the band shone through throughout their set. Chevelle began what was to be a heavy night to follow, building up the energy level that would remain until the final band left the stage with nonstop crowd surfing and moshing. The band may be a trio, but lead guitarist/singer Pete Loeffler had no problem amping up the crowd on his own.

    With the side stages closed for the evening, it was finally time for Slayer.

    The pit suddenly transformed into a hulking mass of muscles and bald heads, scaring away the younger crowd for the duration of their hour long set. Holding nothing back, the band powered through an intense set, clearly unaffected by recent lineup changes. Closing out with “Raining Blood”, Crew Stadium exploded into a frenzy of bodies flying in every imaginable direction.

    Not to be outdone, Avenged Sevenfold brought their spectacularly haunting stage set up to close out Day Two. With too many hits to choose from, the band did their best to please everyone from the most diehard fans to brand new ones, making sure to include a few from each album. Without the addition of fireworks and pyrotechnics, the set would arguably be one of the best of the day. With them, it was a no brainer.

    Midway through the set, lighters filled the sky as the band slowed things down a bit to honor the band’s late drummer, Jimmy ‘The Rev’ Sullivan. Frontman M. Shadows took a moment to let the crowd know that they are not a band to usually use tracks in their live show, but revealed that that the vocals we had been hearing in the background all night, in fact, belonged to Sullivan. An impressive guitar solo preceded the final few songs of the night, wrapping up with “Unholy Confessions”.

    Stay Tuned for Day 3 coverage tomorrow!

  • Avenged Sevenfold comes to Syracuse

    Avenged Sevenfold performed at the Oncenter War Memorial Arena in Syracuse on May 15th, touring in support of their album Hail to the King. Joining Avenged one last time on the Shepherd of Fire Tour was Hellyeah.

    Despite some changes this year with the departure of guitarist Greg Tribbett and bassist Bob Kakaha, Hellyeah is better than ever. Vocalist Chad Gray has amazing energy.  He loves what he does and tells the crowd that metal music saved his life. New bassist, Kyle Sanders, is a great addition to the band as well. He is talented and fascinating to watch as he whips his hair around and plays in different directions. Vinnie Paul on the drums is clearly a veteran performer. He interacts with the crowd better than any drummer I have seen. Tom Maxwell is a rock star on the guitar. Also joining the guys on tour is guitarist Christian Brady. He has only been confirmed as a touring guitarist with the band but he has proved to be a great asset. The band keeps the crowd pumped throughout their set, finishing it off with the hit “Drink, Drank, Drunk”.

    Avenged Sevenfold took the stage. and their rapport from performing together for 15 years is immediately obvious. They worked well together, anticipating the moves of one another and just having fun. The band wasted no time in getting the crowd fired up with hits like “Shepherd of Fire” and “Critical Acclaim”. Matt Shadows looks as if he was born to be on this stage. His ability to transition from screaming to singing so flawlessly is remarkable. Synster Gates is fantastic on the guitar and it is clear he loves to be on stage. Johnny Christ takes on the role of entertainer; he is playful and makes you feel like he could be just a neighborhood kid you grew up with. Zacky Vengeance is serious but charismatic. Arrin Illejay is hidden behind the drums, but when you can see him, he is captivating; the newest member of Avenged Sevenfold has definitely won the hearts of fans.

    Halfway through the show the lights dim and all we can see is Matt Shadows. He begins to speak of his best friend, James “The Rev” Sullivan, their drummer who passed away in 2009. He tells the crowd that throughout the show they will hear a voice that isn’t theirs, it’s the Rev. They have devoted themselves to keeping The Revs memory alive.  He sings “Fiction” as photos of The Rev play on the screen behind him. Shadows is emotional but he performs beautifully.  It is an intimate moment between the band and their fans as they grieve together. These guys remind us that the bonds of true friendship can not be broken, even by death. 

    The band brings the energy back with their hit “Nightmare.” The previously solemn crowd erupts as they sing along, ending the night with “Almost Easy.”

    These bands put on an amazing show. People from every generation came to see them play and did not leave disappointed. I cannot wait to see what the future has in store for them.

  • Lineup For Rock On The Range 2014 is set

    Rock on the Range is finally here! The playbill and corresponding dates were recently announced, marking another spectacular three days in rock. Rock on the Range dates have been set for the weekend of May 16-18, 2014.  Crew Stadium, in Columbus, Ohio, hosts the event each year.

    This year’s playbill for Rock On The Range has the likes of Avenged Sevenfold, Guns ‘N’ Roses, Kid Rock, Five Finger Death Punch, Slayer, Staind, Moterhead, Seether,Chevelle,Alterbridge, Killswitch Engage and more.

    Rock on the Range is now considered an annual rock festival, and for the first time since its debut in 2007, the festival will now be three, full days of music.  It will also feature a comedy tent for additional entertainment. Rock On The Range usually consists of mainstream rock bands with a classic band as the headliner each night.

    Three different stages keeps the music flowing all day. In 2009-2011, the festival added a second city into the mix. Winnipeg, Manitoba, in Canada, held the event in the month of June for 2009 and in August 2010 and 2011, at the Canad Inns Stadium. The concert saw over 100,000 rangers attend the festival in 2013, and over 330,000 fans since it’s birth.

    Observers of this event and genre of music say that a lot of the summer festivals, such Rockstar’s Mayhem and Uproar, spin-off from Rock On The Range.