Having seen them tour together in the past, one of the highlights of this summer was a tour stop by Godsmack and Shinedown at Darien Lake, NY, on July 24th. Either band could easily headline alone, but together you get a stellar combination of two bands that always deliver a great live show, combining pyro, explosions, and showmanship. As an added bonus, joining them on this tour are Like A Storm, out of New Zealand. With a severe weather warning in effect, the aptly named Like A Storm took to the stage, opening things up with lead singer Chris Brooks on the didgeridoo. This was a first for me, and likely for most in attendance, but the combination of didgeridoo with the heavy guitar riffs of Matt Brooks, coupled with the thumping bass lines of Kent Brooks, just seemed to work. Like A Storm performed a short, yet energetic set that included past hits such as “Wish You Hell”, “Become The Enemy”, and closing with “Love The Way You Hate Me”. I would have enjoyed more time with them, so hopefully they will be coming back this way again on a tour of their own, performing a much longer set. Be sure to look for their recent album ‘Catacombs’ if you’d like to hear more.
Shinedown wasted no time, and immediately got down to business as soon as the curtain dropped. Fireballs and explosions accompanied the Florida natives as they opened with “Sound of Madness”, setting the stage for what was to come. Frontman Brent Smith was on top of his game, commanding the front of the stage in his usual fashion, while Zach Myers (guitar), and Eric Bass (bass), criss crossed the stage behind him, engaging with fans on both sides of the stage. Surrounded by towers of flames, lasers and over the top strobe lights, drummer Barry Kerch held down the beats, while still finding time to make faces and interact with photographers and fans alike. At the conclusion of “Diamond Eyes”, and before continuing with “Cut The Cord”, Brent Smith took a moment to encourage the audience to meet their neighbors and shake hands to introduce themselves. This is a staple of Shinedown shows, and is quite refreshing, as it reminds us all that we aren’t alone in our experiences, and brings us back to interacting with people instead of staring at our phones and communicating via technology.
Currently touring in support of their recent album release ‘Attention Attention’, Shinedown included two songs from the album on this night, “Black Soul”, along with the first single “Devil”. Rounding out the set with past hits like “I’ll Follow You”, “Bully”, “Second Chance”, and fan favourite “Simple Man”, a Lynyrd Skynyrd cover, Shinedown delivered a fantastic set of hard rock to the delight of all in attendance. Known for an incredible live show, be sure to catch Shinedown when they make a tour stop near you.
Hitting the stage in support of their recent release ‘When Legends Rise’, Boston natives Godsmack attacked with some pyro and explosions of their own. With the closest return soundwise to their original self titled debut twenty years ago, ‘When Legends Rise’ looks to be, in my opinion, one of Godsmack’s biggest and best releases to date. With his trademark intensity and vocal prowess, frontman Sully Erna delivered a high energy set, starting with “When Legends Rise”, and also including “Unforgettable”, “Someday”, and “Bulletproof” from the new album. Guitarist Tony Rombola delivered the goods in his own inimitable style, and although he may not be a flashy or gimmicky guitar player, he can certainly play with the best of them and hold his own music wise, putting out some of the heaviest guitar riffs with ease. Robbie Merrill, on bass, always seems to be having a blast, whether he’s Frankenstein stomping across the stage, or grabbing drum sticks from Shannon Larkin and tossing them out to the crowd. As for Shannon himself, he is always a treat to watch, putting on a drum clinic for all in attendance. With arms flying in ways that the human body isn’t meant to move, or catching and twirling his drum sticks while holding down the beat, Shannon truly is a master at what he does, and is clearly imitated by many.
Not wasting much time with idle chatter between songs, Godsmack always deliver a killer set of heavy rock, which on this night also included hits from the past including “1000HP”, “Cryin’ Like A Bitch”, “Voodoo”, and “Whatever”. A highlight for me was the trademark drum battle between Sully and Shannon, “Batalla de los Tambores”. Featuring two drum sets that move out towards the front of the stage, Sully and Shannon have a drum off, taking turns drumming back and forth and also together at times with killer precision. With drumsticks flying back and forth as they toss them to each other, and always with big smiles on their faces, this is obviously a highlight of the show for them as well.
Closing out an incredible evening with “I Stand Alone”, Sully and bandmates let it be known that rock n roll is alive and well, and along with Shinedown have no intention of slowing down any time soon. The only downside for me, with a co-headlining tour, is the slightly shorter set times, as I could easily spend hours with either band. The tour will be hitting stops all across North America until the fall, so be sure to check them out when they stop near you, you won’t be disappointed!!
