Rock on the Range 2015: Day 2

Saturday 5/16/15

Mapfre Stadium – Columbus, OH

Ever since Rock on the Range went to the three day lineup, day 2 has always started the same. I wake up super early: I’m sore, tired, and dehydrated, and I have a brief period where I mumble to myself “There is absolutely no way that I can do this for two more days.” Just another great part of having 15 years of concerts under your belt. However, once we get ourselves together, get some food in our stomachs, and get to the venue, things start to turn around. We start tailgating, the music starts blaring, and slowly but surely, my excitement overcomes my soreness. Saturday’s lineup featured a great list of bands, including several brand new to the scene, a couple old favorites, and the chance to see legendary Judas Priest. It was a warm, rainy day on Saturday – with lots of clouds to block the hot sun, and lots of chances to see some great bands. Game Face time. Rock on the Range 2015 Day 2. Let’s do this.

Saint Asonia

When ROTR sent out the setlist times a few weeks prior to the weekend, it said “Special Guest” was the opener for the main stage on Friday. When I convinced myself that it wasn’t these guys, I became obsessive and started digging. Eventually I was able to find a leak that Adam Gontier (ex-Three Days Grace) and Staind guitarist Mike Mushok had started a new band called Saint Asonia, and they had worked their way onto the Rock on the Range main stage for their first-ever live show. Their show featured six songs, including the debut of their four original songs, as well as I Hate Everything About You (3DG cover) and Mudshovel (Staind cover). The covers sounded ok, fell well short of the originals and really just made me wish I was watching the other bands. By contrast, the originals – led by a new single called Better Place, were pretty solid. Overall, this show was carried by talent, but did lack chemistry, and admittedly I was put off by the constant references to a “Super Group” and their promo video that says that they have “25 top ten rock singles” (with no mention of the fact that those are actually other bands). Somehow it felt like a publicity stunt – like the two famous guys used their names to get a huge opening slot at ROTR. My jury is still out here – this band could turn into something great, but right now, I’m going to abstain my vote until they develop a little more of an identity and song library. My bet? Before too long they get bored, and end up going off to do something else.

From Ashes to New

I had never heard of this band, but knew they were getting some Octane play, so wanted to check them out. From the first note of their show, they blended elements of metalcore, rap-rock, electronics, and piano together to create a really unique and interesting sound. That might sound like too much, but great songwriting helped weave those elements together flawlessly, and I had a ton of fun watching this show. Kudos to this band for writing music they love, genres be damned, and coming up with something that sets them apart. FAtN has two lead vocalists, a primary rapper and a singer/screamer, and a four piece band behind them, and the six of them put out a huge sound. Two monster songs that stick out to me were My Fight, and Stay This Way, which I highly recommend checking out. (EP is out now, new album supposedly later this year). I really loved this show – kudos to Rock on the Range for once again jamming incredible music down my throat so I don’t have to go find it myself. The band has major label support, high praise from other nationally touring bands, a fantastic sound, and a great live show. Exciting future for them!

Of Mice and Men

I really dig Of Mice and Men – I have enjoyed watching them separate themselves from the rest of the Warped Tour mainstream, and into a real monster of a band. Their last album, Restoring Force, was just fantastic. The biggest indicator of their recent slide upwards towards success is the size of their fan base – I remember seeing them play in front of 20 people several years ago, but this show was absolutely packed. In past reviews, I have written that I believe the ultimate success of this band (at least as a live act) hinges on the clean vocals by co-lead Aaron Pauley. Austin Carlisle “fronts” the band, and is a unique talent as a screamer and singer, but Pauley carries a heavy vocal load for the songs, singing cleans through nearly every chorus. In the past, his live vocals have been just a shade weak (not bad, but a shade weak), and juxtaposed next to the rest of the band, Pauley’s vocals have caused really great songs like Broken Generation and Feels Like Forever to lose their depth and sound a bit hollow. Pleased to report, however, that I have nothing but positives to say about Pauley’s vocals for this show, and consequently, this is by far the best I’ve ever heard OM&M sound. I had a blast hearing the two previously mentioned songs, as well as their “radio” song (which I am totally hooked on), called Would You Be There? Austin Carlisle’s only blunder was before the last song, where he asked everyone to get on the ground and jump, a request that was wildly ignored (see: Slipknot the previous night). Even with that, their closer, The Depths, was the surprise highlight of the show for me – I wasn’t familiar with the song, but woah did it bring a punch to end the show. Epic screams, crazy intensity, big mosh pits opening up, and chills on the back of my neck as I watched OM&M close it out. GREAT Show.

BABYMETAL

Babymetal played at the same time as Nonpoint, and I am a HUGE Nonpoint fan. My friends convinced me that I should go see Babymetal because it was a once in a lifetime opportunity (they rarely play in the US), and would be something totally new and different. “That’s what you love about ROTR, right? New experiences?” Sigh. So, I went to check it out. I literally don’t even know how to explain what I saw. At the beginning of the show, an epic drum beat was laid down by their drummer, and then guitars were added in one by one, until you had four people, in all white cloaks, standing across the back of the stage, playing very difficult metal music. Then, like most other bands I’ve seen, they brought out three teen-aged girls in tutus, who proceeded to do synchronized dancing while singing J-Pop at blisteringly high octaves. (Please note that this is not actually like most other bands I’ve seen). The third song they played was mostly EDM, and had an insane light show that accompanied it. Another song had the musicians playing Dragonforce-esque power metal while the young girls spouted Japanese Rap. Also, ALL the lyrics were in Japanese, so I had no idea what they were talking about – the only two English phrases I heard the entire time were “Chocolate” and “Hide and Seek”. As I watched this show unfold, through spitting rain, I muttered to myself over and over…”What. Is. Happening.” My mind was completely blown. I was confused, enthralled, and completely amazed by what I was watching. I don’t think 35 minutes has ever gone faster in my entire life, and I’m pretty sure I didn’t blink once. It was one of the craziest and most interesting spectacles I’ve ever seen. About halfway through the show, I finally realized that, in addition to the chaos, the actual band members in Babymetal were unbelievably skilled. This band features drums, guitars, and bass playing that really is second to none. I was really impressed by how good they were, but then I didn’t have time to dwell on that, because a J-Pop Wall of Death opened up in front of me. WHAT IS HAPPENING. Seriously, go google this band. It was a music experience that I’ll never forget.

In This Moment

In This Moment’s 2012 release of the album Blood completely hooked me on the band. I think it’s a fantastic album, and I love everything about it, including and especially Maria Brink’s vocals. However….I’ve seen them 4 or 5 times now, and every time her vocals have not worked for me live. Her polished, epic screams from the album turn into ear-splitting shrieks that are occasionally off-key live, and I have simply not been able to overcome it. I walked up to this show with an incredible bias, and I’m happy to say that this is the best that I’ve ever heard Brink sound. Her vocals still weren’t where I’d like them to be, but I have to admit big steps in progress when I see it, and I thought this was vastly improved. In addition to improved vocals, she has added a major layer of theatrics to the show since I last saw them, which I can see being very cool for a headlining set. (However, three costume changes for 7 songs seemed like a lot). I really enjoyed the songs Adrenalize, Blood, and Whore, and overall, this was definitely the best In This Moment show I’ve seen. The tremendous crowd they had at this show shows me that my opinion on her vocals is not shared by most, and this band is definitely around for good. Kudos to Brink for the improvement, and an overall great set.

Papa Roach

I get a lot of crap about this from the beloved “metal community”, but I am a Papa Roach fan. I am not a 2003 “Cut My Life Into Pieces” Papa Roach fan, but they have developed into a rock anthem juggernaut over the past 15 years. Their shows are fun, high energy, full of great rock songs, and their crowds are passionate and numerous. This show, like every other show I’ve seen, featured a consistent string of great songs, and Jacoby Shaddix and the gang delivered them all well. I loved the new tracks, like Kick in the Teeth and Face Everything and Rise, as well as the stuff they’ve been playing for years, like Lifeline and Where Did the Angels Go? Something this set featured that I don’t remember from previous shows was the version of Broken Home that they did, which featured a few lines of verse from Eminem’s “Lose Yourself”. I thought that was a pretty cool element, and in fact, I thought Shaddix sounded great on several rap portions of this set. Another thing that was evident to me during this show, due to the fact that we hung towards the back for a much needed rest, is how well Papa Roach engages a crowd. Even as big as the crowd was here, there was plenty of energy for this show, even clear in the back. All in all, not a top-tier set for this year’s Rock on the Range, but absolutely no complaints. Another good show from the P Roach gang.

Godsmack

Godsmack puts on a hell of a show. Sully, in his hipster hat and button up, walked out on stage with his band mates this year and absolutely crushed it. Godsmack played hit after hit for over an hour, hitting a great mix of new stuff off of 1000 HP without ignoring the old hits from as far back as 1998. (Where were you the first time you heard Voodoo? I was in 7th grade, in my buddy’s brother’s car.) The thing about Godsmack that is truly amazing is that what you hear on the album and what you hear during their show are exactly the same. They don’t make mistakes and they don’t have weaknesses, they are just complete pros. They grew up in the 90’s with hundreds of other hard rock and nu-metal bands, and there’s a reason that they are one of the only ones left standing. I am ALWAYS impressed when I watch them live. Sully looks like his vocals are effortless for him, and in addition to sounding great, I love his attitude on stage. I feel like I would really love to get a beer with Sully. Also, Tony Rombola (lead guitarist) is an absolute monster on guitar. I knew that he is well known, but in all the times I’ve seen Godsmack play, I don’t know that I’ve ever really paid attention to him in particular. I took this opportunity to watch him a lot, and he is really great – solos on songs like Straight Out of Line and Awake were real eye-openers. Also, Godsmack always gives Sully the opportunity to get behind a drum kit and drum battle with Shannon Larkin towards the end of the show, and for some reason this is still not boring to me. I’m not sure if it’s because they are both so good, or because I don’t see Godsmack that often, but I really enjoyed watching them drum together. Overall, the Godsmack show is not a theatrical one – there’s no fire or explosions or girls in tutus, it’s just simple, in your face hard rock, played exceptionally well. If you don’t like Godsmack’s music, their show isn’t going to sway you, but if you do appreciate great music, and great musicians, Godsmack puts on a pretty incredible show. This one, just like all the others, was quite impressive.

Judas Priest

As Rob Halford and the rest of Judas Priest walked out, I couldn’t help but reminisce about how many times I’ve been told that us “young bucks” don’t understand real metal. I was holding my expectations low – I’ve been burned too many times in the past by bands like Guns n Roses and Motley Crew, who have put on mediocre sets in past years at Rock on the Range. I was trying to just take this show at face value and be thankful that I got the chance to see them. My fears were almost immediately relieved, as it didn’t take long for me to realize why Judas Priest, and Halford in particular, are complete legends. The band sounded rock solid – from top to bottom, they had a fantastic sound, with no apparent….degradation caused by Father Time. As a strapping 30 year old, I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not an old-school Judas Priest fan, so can’t compare this show to ones in their heyday, but as a casual observer and music junkie, this show seemed pretty great to me. In addition to a VERY impressive light and visual show, there were three distinct songs that really stood out to me. First, the song Living After Midnight was really cool – Halford spent a portion of the song riding a motorcycle on stage, which was a definite highlight for me. I also really enjoyed Breaking the Law, featuring the audience screaming “BREAKING THE LAW” in unison, which made for a pretty bad ass crowd participation moment for me. Lastly, I thought the new song, Redeemer of Souls, off of their latest album, was really killer. I loved the in-your-face guitar solos throughout the bridge, which opened my eyes to how good Judas Priest is instrumentally.

Overall, Halford’s vibrato-filled operatic singing filled the Columbus airwaves for nearly an hour and a half, and it was an incredible spectacle. They closed the show with Painkiller, which was another classic Judas Priest track, and as the last chords struck, I distinctly remember thinking that I was so thankful that I got to witness Judas Priest play a show. I will proudly mark that notch on my belt, and while others may compare to old Priest and be disappointed, I am extremely happy to have seen the spectacle. Judas Priest – you’ve made another fan in me.

So day two comes to a close! Please be sure to check out my Rock on the Range 2015 Day 1 post, as well as my Rock on the Range 2015 Day 3 post. Cheers to all my fellow Rangers out there! Until next time.

“Straight out of line, I can’t find a reason, Why I should justify my ways. Straight out of line, I don’t need a reason, You don’t need to lie to me.”