Crossovers in music are nothing new. Aerosmith and Run DMC. Metallica and San Francisco Symphony. FFDP and Brantley Gilbert? That’s right, after their cover of Kenny Wayne Shepherd’s “Blue on Black” with Brian May of Queen and others joining in, they hit the road together. Joining them was Canadian country music sensation, Cory Marks.
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Cory’s not a newcomer to the stage or music. For a few years now he has been cementing his status in county music, and it’s something people of all ages were there for. With his band starting the rain of guitar picks through the night, this electric stage performance set the bar high for the night. Coasting across the stage he made sure everyone felt the love, especially as he kept yelling “Tampa” to hype the crowd.
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Playing through a seven-song set, he put a crushing touch on “Keep Doing What I Do”, “In Me I Trust” and “Blame It On The Double” to a rather full audience for the opening band. His incredibly talented set of touring musicians backing him play like a well-oiled machine.
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Their fan interactions are just as powerful as Cory’s and it sets the stage for a great night of music. The backlit stage makes for an interesting mix of band lights and smoke for a unique experience, especially when he tosses out t-shirts and grabs a fan’s phone to record a quick clip!!
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Brantley Gilbert has been at this for some time now. Over the course of his 15 years in the big time, he’s racked up a few CMAs, iHeart Radio awards, and some mainstream success with the song “Bottoms Up” as well as his cover with FFDP, and well as “A Country Boy Can Survive.” Naturally, all three were on tap tonight, along with 12 other tracks.
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Emerging from the back to a dark but foggy and backlit stage and the start of “Back in Black”, Brantley Gilbert took command of the room from the opening notes of “Kick It in The Sticks.”
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This kind of country anthem is one that both the guys on the farm and those who wish they could be can connect with, and even the metal heads found themselves nodding along as the country fans all around sang along. Jumping through “Hell On Wheels”, “Son of The Dirty South”, and “Country Must Be Country Wide” before landing on “One Hell of An Amen.”
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Taking a moment to express his pride in being a southern man, and how in the south that means showing appreciation for the Veterans. Thanking them for their service, he dedicated the song to them, and the patriotism and love on his face were the signs of deep respect from a true American. With just three songs left in this 15-song set, he ended with “Read Me My Rights,” a song nearly half of the audience could personally identify with, and the other half had family that could attest to it.
Following a lengthy break to change over the stage, the lights dropped before FFDP took the stage. With the sounds of Ivan teasing the crowd through the mic, the roars of the crowd became deafening. As the curtain dropped, Washington monuments on both sides of the stage flanked an infinity-shaped snake behind the drum kit.
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Kicking off with “Inside Out” Ivan ran around the stage a bit as he sang and tossed his sweater to a fan up on the rail. Carrying over through “Trouble” and into “Wash It All Away” you could sense and see a change in the crowd. Especially as the pyro kicked in at full force.
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People of all ages connect deeply to the song, and you could see them hugging and dancing together as they sang. Even my non-metal head fiancé was surprised and touched at seeing this. Oddly enough, the photo pit and rail were “washed away” by Ivan’s water bottle mid-song.
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Complete with a voiceover segue, “Jekyll & Hyde” came up next. With Ivan now doing another wardrobe change and coming out in a custom Lightning sweater, the energy in the building hit one of its highest peaks of the night. Fans followed his commands to raise their hands and waive them side to side, he paraded around the stage while dancing at times as he sang.
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The energy coming from the stage by the entire band was being picked up by the audience and reshared back out. Seeing a kid pressed to the rail, Ivan shooed the wet photographers to the side so he could hand his signature cobra cane to the young man. His eyes shrink wrapped in tears, he was overcome with emotion being so close to him.
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Ivan tossed out stacks of the FFDP signature cash as confetti coated the arena, and gave the sound guy what he had coming for forcing Ivan to push his voice too hard. Following the tongue-lashing, Ivan’s sound was not only much louder but also clearer. For “Sham Pain”, he really needed the extra range by not having to scream, or else he’d likely break his vocal cords.
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Ivan brought back the patriotism as he came out with an American flag, waving it and telling the crowd “Every time I hear you chant ‘USA’ I know my grandfather can hear you!!” He explained how his grandfather served as a Marine as they launched into “Bad Company.”
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The cover of the Bad Company signature tune that put them on the map with those outside the metal community still sounds just as amazing in 2022 as it did when they first released it. What wasn’t out then were the “F*ck Joe Biden” chants that also accompanied the intro. Given the lack of respect for the military given by the current administration and their pro-military stance, as shown in the video for the single, it fits well.
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Following that, Ivan discussed his love for covers, and joked about someone yelling for “Freebird,” but not much of the crowd sang along beyond the opening bars. However, “You Remind Me” by Nickleback had a thunderous response. Joking about how guys will sing that with the lights down, but not up, he pressed through the rest of the 17-song set. Unfortunately “Wrong Side of Heaven” suffered from some problems getting into the right key, and it seemed to be a reflection of the earlier sound problems for Ivan. Mind you, the rest of the band’s guitars and bass sounded amazing.
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With a side-versus-side competition for “Burn mother*cker, burn!!” between Ivan and bassist Chris Kael, the crowd somehow got even deeper invested in the set. As the rest of the band took a break with just the drummer lit, one of the best-lit and performed drum solos from Charlie Engen, came forth.
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Not having seen him before, I was absolutely amazed at what he could do. Naturally, Zoltan Bathory and Andy James raised the bar once again after this brief break, and they had even the “seasoned” farmers in overalls and s*itkickers dancing around across the floor.
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Heading into “Life Me Up” Ivan took the opportunity to recognize more members of the audience. One lady “Hack” chose one of Ivan’s bats over a hug for her 4-year sobirthday. Another guy whose social media content Ivan has grown to love also got a bat of his own. Ending with “The Bleeding” the band took a bow and preceded to hand out a ton of guitar picks, extra FFDP cash, drumsticks, and setlists.
After the band left and most of the crowd too, Ivan stayed around to shake hands, take photos, and give fans a real connection moment. I’ve never seen him do this before, and it was a real treat.
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The tour rolls on, with dates scattering the country before ending back in Las Vegas on December 17th. If you haven’t caught these groups before, it’s worth the price to spring for floor tickets.
The energy on the floor for these bands is much stronger as you rub shoulders with your fellow knuckleheads. It’s strange seeing the energy-crossing genres like this when you see how so many paint country music and metal into different categories. Truth be told, both groups are the same people, just one has closer neighbors and grocery stores.
MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheater was the host to a sold-out show featuring Five Finger Death Punch, Breaking Benjamin, Nothing More and Bad Wolves. The tour is co-sponsored by Live Nation and Frank Productions and due to immense popularity, it has been extended into the fall. As an added bit of kudos to the bands, a portion of all ticket sales was donated to two charity organizations. Five Finger Death Punch is supporting C.O.P.S – Concerns Of Police Survivors, and Breaking Benjamin choosing Prevent Child Abuse America. Both amazing causes helping those in need.
Zoltan Bathory 5FDP (Photo-Jaime Rodriguez)
The rain god[s] would smile down upon Tampa this night, the on and off showers that are common during this time of year were nowhere in sight. Temperatures in the 80s were a welcome relief for the crowd since we’ve had some high 90s and extreme humidity lately. Arriving at the Amphitheater, it was packed to the gills. Even from the outside, you could see that nearly every seat was filled, even the premier and VIP parking was nearly filled to capacity. The faithful metalheads of Tampa turned out for a show of epic proportions, and they would not be disappointed.
Benjamin Burnley Breaking Benjamin (Photo-Jaime Rodriguez)
Kicking off the night was Bad Wolves. After lead singer Tommy Vext filled in for 5FDP’s Ivan Moody’s departure on a previous tour, this band gained a massive following. Making their mainstream debut with a cover the “Zombie” from The Cranberries, their debut album Disobey has found terrific success.
Opening with their politically charged track “Officer Down,” Bad Wolves quickly got the crowd jumping and headbanging along with them. Following up with the concert stadium anthem “Learn to Live,” they really found their stride quickly, and performed like a veteran act instead of a new ‘up and coming’ group. While only playing a seven-song set, they served as a terrific preview of what was left to come.
Jonny Hawkins Nothing More (Photo-Jaime Rodriguez)
Nothing More invaded the stage, and kicked off their set with “Do You Really Want it?” the second single off of their album The Stories We Tell Ourselves. Although originating in 2003, this is only their second label release. Lead singer Jonny Hawkins moved the crowd with his melodic vocals and high energy that set the pace for an entertaining set.
Mark Vollelunga Nothing More (Photo-Jaime Rodriguez)
Guitarist Mark Vollunga and bassist Daniel Oliver provided intense and melodic harmonies, while drummer Ben Anderson set the foundation for their powerful and undeniably honest songs about the issues that plague our times. With songs like “Let ‘em Burn,” “Don’t Stop,” and the Grammy-nominated “Go to War.”
Jonny Hawkins Nothing More (Photo-Jaime Rodriguez)
Nothing More played with passion and honesty rarely seen in music today. The crowd really seemed to connect with the band when they played their 2014 hit “Jenny,” a song about the battle with addiction that deeply affected Jonny’s sister, and consequently the whole family. At the end of the night, they really set the stage on fire with their cover of Skrillex’s “First of the Year (Equinox).”
Daniel Oliver Nothing More (Photo-Jaime Rodriguez)
One of the best sights of the night came when Jonny mounted the most entertaining, high rising, attention-grabbing, hydraulic driven contraption the stage has probably ever seen. The “Scorpion Tail” as it’s called has levers flying everywhere; buttons, gears, and drums, it moved more like a mechanical bull. I was honestly scared for him a few times, as I thought for sure he was going to fall off. Yet Hawkins handled this beast like a champ.
Jonny Hawkins Nothing More (Photo-Jaime Rodriguez)
Nothing More concluded their set with “Salem” with the crowd joining in by screaming “Burn The Witch” in unison with the band. Nothing More is hands down one of the most original bands to come out in the rock world in a long time. I can say without question that I really enjoyed seeing their show, and would make the effort to see them again.
Mark Vollelunga Nothing More (Photo-Jaime Rodriguez)
Up next to the stage came the multi-platinum recording artists Breaking Benjamin who are out supporting their newest release Ember. They started their set with “Red Cold River” a song that peaked at #2 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Songs chart. Singer Benjamin Burnley brings to the stage an angst and grind that only comes from years as a musician, and it seemed that the crowd related to him from song one.
Aaron Bruch Breaking Benjamin (Photo-Jaime Rodriguez)
Bassist Aaron Bruch took over the mic and sang “Believe,” which was nothing less than mind blowing. One thing to note about Breaking Benjamin is that the current lineup is completely stacked with amazing singers. Guitarist Keith Wallen and Bruch were hand-picked for their vocal ability and they were producing amazing harmonies throughout their set. The crowd sang at the top of their lungs along with Burnley as they played their hits “I Will Not Bow” & “Never Again.”
Benjamin Burnley Breaking Benjamin (Photo-Jaime Rodriguez)
Keith Wallen Breaking Benjamin (Photo-Jaime Rodriguez)
Probably one of the coolest parts of their performance was when they played the “Imperial March” from Star Wars, with every Star Wars fan in the crowd going nuts! This was just a lead into a medley of a few select covers which the crowd ate up. Tool’s “Schism,” Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” Pantera’s “Walk” (which sent the crowd into a frenzy), and ending with Metallica’s “Sad But True.”
Benjamin Burnley & Aaron Bruch Breaking Benjamin ( Photo Travis Failey )
You couldn’t have asked for a better set-list. All your favorites, both new and old, with a few covers to boot. Breaking Benjamin kept improving throughout the night as the minutes and their set seemed to fly by. With all their energy and talent you just didn’t want them to leave the stage.
Shaun Foist Breaking Benjamin (Photo-Jaime Rodriguez)
Finally, the time had come for the band that Tampa’s Heavy Metal crowd came to see. FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH!!!! There aren’t words to describe the feeling in the amphitheater as everyone, and I mean everyone was waiting for them to take the stage!!! You could feel the electricity in the air; coursing through your veins as the anticipation built. Then the curtain dropped….
Ivan Moody 5FDP (Photo-Jaime Rodriguez)
Right out the gate, 5FDP lead off with a brutal throat punch that was “Lift Me Up.” Every head was banging; fists in the air, aggression at full tilt! Made you want to hit the gym and bench press 500lbs and scream at the top of your lungs! Ivan Moody gripped the crowd with such intensity and you could see it from his head to his toes, a true showman. When they played “Wash it All Away,” there wasn’t a person left in their seat. It became a heavy metal MOB!
Jason Hook 5FDP (Photo-Travis Failey
I don’t know if MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheater has seen such power, and this was a true sight to behold. The pyro, the flames, the sheer raw power of this band could not be contained, and neither could Zoltan Bathory’s energetic licks. Chris Kael’s bass and Jeremy Spencer’s drums drove the music into the heart of everyone in attendance. Huge supporters of the Military, 5FDP played their rendition of “Bad Company” dedicating it to those who served. Tears could be seen streaming down the face of a member of the crowd as they sang along.
Zoltan Bathory 5FDP(Photo-Jaime Rodriguez)
While hard to follow such a powerful rendition, 5FDP slowed it down a bit. With a small acoustic set, featuring only Ivan and Jason Hook on acoustic guitar. Even the slower acoustic versions of “Wrong Side of Heaven” and “Remember Everything” had every bit of fortitude as the electric performances. As they played on through the evening, they arrived at their version of the Offspring’s “Gone Away.”
Ivan Moody 5FDP ( Photo Jaime Rodriguez )
If you think 5FDP’s studio recording is good, the live performance is a metric ton better. Winding down the night with their final song “The Bleeding,” all bets were off as they left nothing on the stage. As big and bad as this band is, they care; they care about their fans. Throughout the night they interacted with their fans and really showed their appreciation for their support. Pretty refreshing to see a group that has made it this big and genuinely connects with their supporters. Passing out tons of guitar picks, singling out two truly metal kids who caught Ivan’s eye to receive special gifts, and taking time to make contact past the first few rows of the pit, it was one of the best endings of any metal show for the fans.
Chris Kael 5FDP (Photo-Jaime Rodriguez)
This was a great night for Tampa; to see four talented, world-renowned, and hard rocking acts in one venue. All in all, it was a perfect night for such a show. The weather cooperated, the temperature was terrific and the music was amazing. If you haven’t made it out to catch this tour so far, there is a second leg that will be kicking off at the end of September! You won’t be disappointed.
Rockville 2014 was off the stage! Heidi Shepherd, Butcher Babies (photo by Chris Zambello Rockshot Live)
Jacksonville, Fla. — After a great day of music on Saturday, there wasn’t any time for recovery as Monster Energy’s Fourth Annual Rockville Music Festival kicked off at noon on Sunday. The weather was a 10: warm, partly cloudy, with a light breeze from the St. John’s River and upon walking up to the stadium, I heard some music coming from someone’s car that caught my ear. Only, it wasn’t from a car. It was from Metropolitan Park and from a band called Ghost of War. I had never heard of this band before. They play old school metal the way it’s meant to be played.
As we raced into the park we noticed that Metropolitan Park was packed! Sunday’s morning crowd was much bigger than Saturday’s. You would of expected the park to be a mess after 20,000 fans invaded it the day before, but, thankfully, Metropolitan Park was clean, the vendors were stocked and the event staff even had smiles on their tired faces. Speaking of the event staff, everyone did a great job all weekend long: from the promoters to the police and EMTs who administered first aid to the crowd surfers, thank you for your service, the event couldn’t have been a success without you.
Taylor Momsen, The Pretty Reckless (photo by Travis Failey / RSEN)
After we caught the last couple songs of Ghost of War, Smoke Show Sunday began. The Pretty Reckless, featuring Taylor Momsen (vocals, rhythm guitar), Ben Phillips (lead guitar, backing vocals), Mark Damon (bass) and Jamie Perkins (drums), opened the Monster Energy Stage East on Sunday afternoon. Twenty-one year old Taylor Momsen is an American actress, musician, and model, who portrayed the character of Jenny Humphrey on the television series Gossip Girl and Cindy Lou Who in Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The Pretty Reckless played their hit songs “Make Me Wanna Die,” “Heaven Knows,” “Going To Hell,” and “Hit Me Like a Man.”
Shim Moore, Sick Puppies (photo by Travis Failey / RSEN)
Sick Puppies rocked the Monster Energy Stage West at 1:15 p.m. Sick Puppies is an Australian rock band formed in 1997. The band consists of trio Shim Moore (vocalist and guitarist), Emma Anzai (bassist), and Mark Goodwin (drummer). Sick Puppies’ seven-song setlist included, “Die to Save You,” “Gunfight,” “You’re Going Down,” and “There’s No Going Back.”
Emma Anzai, Sick Puppies (photo by Travis Failey / RSEN)
The Pretty Reckless’ Taylor Momsen and Sick Puppies’ Emma Anzai were featured in Revolver Magazine’s “Hottest Chicks In Hard Rock” and with three more coming up with Butcher Babies’ Heidi Shepherd and Carla Harvey and Lacuna Coil’s Chistina Scabbia on today’s lineup. Hence, the reference, “Smoke Show Sunday.”
But up next was my favorite new band, Nothing More. I first caught these guys opening for Adrenaline Mob and then at Rockville last year. Nothing More is definitely an up and coming band. Nothing More’s “This is the Time” is being promoted on SiriusXM’s Octane Accelerator and the band is gaining popularity quickly. It was recently announced that Nothing More will be touring with rockers Five Finger Death Punch, HELLYEAH and Volbeat this fall.
Jonny Hawkins, Nothing More (photo by Travis Failey / RSEN)
Nothing More features Jonny Hawkins (vocalist), Daniel Oliver (bass), Mark Vollelunga (guitar), and Paul OBrien (drums), and they took the Ernie Ball stage at 1:55 p.m. One of the first things that you will notice about this band is that everyone in Nothing More plays the drums. In fact, Jonny was the drummer for Nothing More prior to taking over the vocals. The second thing that you will notice about this band is their use of the one-of-a-kind Bassinator.
The Bassinator, which was created by Daniel Oliver, is a creation of pipes and scrap metal turned into a 5-foot-tall bass. The bass is attached above the metal-reinforced, motorcycle chain-adorned drum kit. Jonny then stands on his snare, which allows the Bassinator to be played by Jonny, Daniel and Mark at the same time! As a Nothing More veteran, I knew what was coming when they pulled out the Bassinator, but you should have seen the smiles on the unsuspecting crowd who had never witnessed a live show by Nothing More. Priceless! Highlights of Nothing More’s set included “Christ Copyright,” their recent single “This is the Time,” and the multi percussion finale in “Salem.” I’ve said it once and I’ll continue to say it, Go See This Band.
NOTHING MORE: Jonny Hawkins with Daniel and Mark with the Bassinator (photo by Travis Failey / RSEN)
The Men in Black were up next for us as Zack Wylde and Black Label Society shredded their fans from the first song with their recent single “My Dying Time.” Black Label Society continued cranking out non-stop metal with tracks like “My Dying Time,” “Heart of Darkness,” “Concrete Jungle,” and “Suicide Messiah.” It’s been a wild ride for Zack and his fans. From Zack’s early years with Ozzy, to today with Black Label Society, his passion for music and the maturity in his playing and songwriting continues to grow all the while staying true to his fan base. Black Label Society closed out their set with “StillBorn,” and it was time for another jaunt across Metropolitan Park.
Christina Scabbia, Lacuna Coil (photo by Chris Zambello/ Rockshot Live)
2:30 brought us a performance by the veteran Italian Gothic metal band, Lacuna Coil, which is fronted by dual vocalists Cristina Scabbia and Andrea Ferro. Lacuna Coil has been a story of persistence as they formed in Milan in1994 and have gone through various lineup changes, two name changes, and all the while selling over two million records as of 2012. The two constants in the band have been vocalists Chistina Scabbia and Andrea Ferro. Lacuna Coil’s setlist included “Trip the Darkness,” “Die & Rise,” and “Our Truth.”
With Lacuna Coil now playing and the Butcher Babies coming up, Smoke Show Sunday was coming to a close. But the good news was that Trivium and the three-headed Monster were coming up.
Paolo Francesco Gregoletto, Trivium (photo by Travis Failey / RSEN)
Trivium assaulted the Ernie Ball stage at 5:15 p.m. This was my first time seeing this heavy metal band from Orlando despite the fact that they’ve been around since 2000. Trivium features Matt Heafy (lead vocalist and rhythm guitar), Corey Beaulieu (guitarist), Paolo Gregoletto (bass), and Nick Augusto (drums). Trivium’s setlist included “Brave This Storm,” “Down From The Sky,” “Strife,” and “In Waves.”
Ivan Moody, FFDP (photo by Travis Failey / RSEN)
Five Finger Death Punch invaded the Monster Energy Stage West stage at 6:25 p.m. Five Finger Death Punch is made up of rockers Ivan Moody (vocalist), Zoltan Bathory (guitarist), Jeremy Spencer (drummer), Jason Hook (lead guitarist) and Chris Kael (bassist). Five Finger Death Punch won Revolver Magazine’s 2014 Golden Gods Award for Best Song of the Year for “Lift Me Up.” I was fortunate enough to meet Ivan Moody by 33Star’s Artists Lounge, and I have to say, he is as down to earth and friendly as he is metal.
Chris Kael, FFDP (photo by Travis Failey / RSEN)
Five Finger Death Punch’s non-stop hit twelve-song setlist included “Under And Over It,” “Burn it Down,” “Lift Me Up,” “Remember Everything,” “Coming Down,” “Never Enough,” and concluded with an in-your-face performance of “The Bleeding.” Five Finger Death Punch’s show got everyone pumped up for the next performance across the park, Rob Zombie.
ROB ZOMBIE (photo by Travis Failey / RSEN)
Rob Zombie rocked the Monster Energy Stage East stage at 7:35 p.m. Rob Zombie fronts the self-titled band, and stars John 5 (guitar), Piggy D (bass), and Ginger Fish (drums). Rob Zombie won Revolver Magazine’s 2014 Golden Gods Award for Best Live Band. Rob Zombie’s eleven-song setlist included hits “We’re An American Band,” which got a huge reaction from the crowd, “Living Dead Girl,” “Dead City Radio,” “More Human Than Human,” “Thunder Kiss ‘65” and “Dragula.” I have seen Zombie many times over the years and he gives it his all. Night in and night out and he always brings his stage toys on the road.
Piggy D, Rob Zombie (photo by Travis Failey / RSEN)
Jonathan Davis, KORN (photo by Travis Failey / RSEN)
Korn closed out the “Welcome to Rockville Festival” and showed why they were the headliner. They went on at 8:50 p.m., and took the crowd through a twenty-year musical journey with their thirteen-song setlist. Korn opened the show with “Falling Away From Me,” and kept the momentum going with “Twist,” “Got The Life,” “Spike In My Veins,” “Coming Undone,” “Never Never,” “Freak On A Leash,” and closed out the with their bagpipes and “Blind.”
Reginald Fieldy Arvizu, KORN (photo by Travis Failey / RSEN)
The first time I saw Korn was at a show in Tampa in 1995. I remember thinking to myself that there was no way that Jonathan Davis would be able to maintain his voice long-term due to his particular vocal style. Man, was I wrong. If I closed my eyes, I swear Korn sounded exactly as they did almost twenty years ago. Jonathan Davis’ vocals are spot-on and as strong as they ever have been.
Sunday’s show also included performances by Within Reason, Twelve Foot Ninja, and Emmure. Twelve Foot Ninja took home the 2014 Revolver Magazine’s 2014 Golden Gods Award for Best New Talent.
Even though my skin was red, my feet had blisters, and my back was killing me, I was still sad to call it a weekend. This year’s Monster Energy Rockville Festival produced some great musical performances, classic personal memories, good food and cold drinks, an interesting day of people watching, and first rate accommodations/facilities.
We also can’t say enough about the promoters and the bands in regard to keeping ticket prices down and bringing this event to Florida, specifically Metropolitan Park. Metropolitan Park is both beautiful and functional and a perfect venue for this annual festival. Jacksonville’s Mayor Alvin Brown agrees and stated that he will continue to help promote music in the Jacksonville community.
I’m already looking forward to the announcement of next year’s lineup and I can’t wait to see what Monster Energy’s Fifth Annual Rockville Music Festival in 2015 has in store for us!
Until then, enjoy the photo collection by Rocket Sports & Entertainment’s Travis Failey below.
Carla Harvey, Butcher Babies (photo by Chris Zambello Rockshot Live)
David Silveria, KORN (photo by Travis Failey / RSEN)
Lacuna Coil (photo by Travis Failey / RSEN)
Zack Wylde, Black Label Society (photo by Travis Failey / RSEN)
Emma Anzai, Sick Puppies (photo by Travis Failey / RSEN)
Trivium front-man Matt Heafy (photo by Travis Failey / RSEN)
“I slam in the back of my Dragula!” ROB ZOMIE (photo by Travis Failey / RSEN)
John 5, Rob Zombie (photo by Travis Failey / RSEN)
Taylor Momsen (left) and Ben Phillips, PRETTY RECKLESS (photo by Travis Failey / RSEN)
Jason Hook, FFDP (photo by Travis Failey / RSEN)
Christina Scabbia, Lacuna Coil (photo by Chris Zambello Rockshot Live)
Zack Wylde, Black Label Society (photo by Travis Failey / RSEN)
RSEN loves the BUTCHER BABIES (photo by Chris Zambello Rockshot Live)
James Munkey Shaffer, KORN (photo by Travis Failey / RSEN)
ZOLTAN BATHORY – FFDP (photo by Travis Failey / RSEN)
Drummer Paul O’Brien and bassist Daniel Oliver – NOTHING MORE (photo by Travis Failey / RSEN)
Taylor Momsen, of The Pretty Reckless lets her hair up (photo by Travis Failey / RSEN)
Corey Jean Beauieu, Trivium (photo by Travis Failey / RSEN)
ROB ZOMBIE (photo by Travis Failey / RSEN)
Jonny Hawkins, NOTHING MORE (photo by Travis Failey / RSEN)
David Silveria, KORN (photo by Travis Failey / RSEN)
Michael Poulsen, Volbeat (photo Travis Failey / RSEN)
Monster Energy’s fourth Annual “Welcome to Rockville” Festival will take place on Saturday, April 26th and Sunday, April 27th in Jacksonville, Florida. Welcome to Rockville boasts a lineup that includes artists that are sure to please all the members of the Hard Rock/ Heavy Metal family. Metropolitan Park will be the place to be in 2014.
Headlining the two day event will be Avenged Sevenfold on Saturday night and on Sunday evening, veteran rockers Korn & Rob Zombie will close out the festival.
Avenged Sevenfold, M Shadows (R) and Synyster Gates (photo Travis Failey / RSEN)
This will be the second time for Korn on the main stage at Rockville. They played back in 2012 and are enjoying a resurgence in their career with the recent release of The Paradigm Shift and the return of Brian “ Head “ Welch on guitar, who left in 2005 to do solo material. It’s been years (2002) since I’ve seen Korn perform, and as a fan who remembers them from their early club shows, it will great to see them again on the Monster Energy Stage.
Rob Zombie will be coming off of a very successful tour in 2013, as they headlined the Monster Energy Mayhem Tour along with another artist that is performing at this year’s Rockville Festival, Five Finger Death Punch. Five Finger Death Punch is touring in support of their new release, The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell, Volume 2 and after the festival circuit concludes, Five Finger Death Punch will be touring Europe with Pop Evil. They have really embraced the family aspect of the music we love and continue to gain fans as they create and release rotational singles and tour throughout the world.
If you went to last year’s Monster Energy Mayhem Festival, you know what kind of show both of these acts put on for their fans and if you didn’t, you won’t want to miss them at Rockville.
Five Finger Death Punch, Zoltan Bathory (front) and Chris Kael (photo Travis Failey / RSEN)
With Five Finger Death Punch and Avenged Sevenfold, you will be getting two of the top three acts in modern hard rock and heavy metal today with only Stone Sour rounding out the top three. These two acts alone are worth the price of admission, but these groups aren’t the only reason to head to Jacksonville on April 26th. The Cult will take the stage on Saturday along with Vinnie Paul & Hell Yeah, & one of the “Godfathers of Metal,” Lemmy will be performing with Motorhead.
A few of the other bands on Saturday include Alter Bridge, Fozzy with Chris Jerico and Copenhagen’s own, Volbeat. They were a big surprise last year at the Fort Rock Festival in Fort Myers and with the constant touring over the last year in the U.S., Volbeat is staking claim to a new metropolis.
Rob Caggiano and Anders Kjolholm, VOLBEAT (photo Travis Failey / RSEN)
A7X will close out the first night and they will provide the crowd a memorable performance for all in attendance as they are at the top of their game. They not only bring old school metal in their music but also provide the stage theatrics like Iron Maiden and Rob Zombie. Even if you are not a fan of the music, you will love the show. There are a few bands that still provide me with the “I’m going to see this band every time they come to town” statement but after their recent stop at the Amway in Orlando, I’ve added them to my list. Here is our coverage from that show. https://www.rocketsports-ent.com/musical-magic-at-amway-in-orlando/
After Saturday night’s festivities, the fans will be hammering Monster Energy drinks on Sunday because day two of the “Welcome To Rockville” Festival kicks off with three of the more original bands to come out in a long time. These include the Butcher Babies, Twelve Foot Ninja and San Antonio’s Nothing More. The more I listen to Nothing More’s music, the more I need to listen. It’s innovative and enlightening with multifaceted percussion tracks and dynamic vocals from Johnny Hawkins. If you are going to Rockville or the Monster Energy’s Fort Rock fest in Fort Myers, make sure you check out this band. They could steal the weekend with their stage performance.
Sunday could also be named “Smoke Show Sunday.” Heidi Sheperd & Carla Harvey and the Butcher Babies, Christina Scabbia from Lacuna Coil, Taylor Morrison with The Pretty Reckless and Emma Anzi from Sick Puppies will be playing with their respected bands. They are five of Revolver Magazine’s Hottest Chicks in Hard Rock and they will provide ear and eye candy for their audiences. All of these bands are in regular rotation on Sirius/XM’s Octane and Liquid Metal stations, with Lacuna Coil from Italy being the most established of this group.
The rest of the day is just loaded with great acts. Some of these are Black Stone Cherry, Motionless in White, Trivium and let’s not forget the one and only Zack Wyle and Black Label Society. Four different styles and that’s only a few of the bands before the tri-headliners of Five Finger Death Punch, Rob Zombie & Korn close out the festival.
Ginger Fish, Rob Zombie (photo Travis Failey / RSEN)
21 different acts on Sunday will make it a total of 41 bands in two days. The Fourth Annual Monster Energy’s “Welcome to Rockville” Festival has something for everyone and more. Varying styles from new acts as well as established acts plus the top-notch work from the production crews over the four different stages will leave you with an event to remember. I also guarantee you will be turned on and hooked to bands you’ve never seen or heard of before, as many fans were at last year’s festival, including myself. For more information, ticket prices and for the full lineup of bands at this year’s Monster Energy’s “Welcome to Rockville Festival” tour, click on the banner on our home page or here at http://www.welcometorockvillefestival.com/lineup.html
Carla Harvey (photo Travis Failey / RSEN)
Chris Motionless, Motionless in White (photo Travis Failey / RSEN)
Devin Ghost Sola, Motionless in White (photo Travis Failey / RSEN)
M Shadows, Avenged Sevenfold (photo Travis Failey / RSEN)
AVENGED SEVENFOLD (photo Travis Failey / RSEN)
Ivan Moody, FFDP (photo Travis Failey / RSEN)
Lemmy from Motorhead (photo Travis Failey / RSEN)
Johnny Hawkins, Nothing More (photo Travis Failey / RSEN)
