Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival 2011 - Disturbed, Godsmack, Megadeth, Trivium
On May 8th of this year I had the pleasure of seeing Godsmack headline the first ever Welcome to Rockville festival in Jacksonville Florida--It would turn out to be the most incredible concert I've ever seen and Godsmack, headlining a bill featuring 20 other rock and metal bands, would prove the strength of their first album in the new decade, The Oracle.
Our tendency to slough off music and artists at the beginning of each decade to make room for the next generation has actually proven beneficial for Godsmack. The Oracle shows that this band, who have survived changing musical trends in the past, have lost none of their ability to continue to grow musically while at the same time maintaining a sound that is unique in its power and aggression, a sound that is distinctly Godsmack.
Needless to say, after their amazing performance in Jacksonville, my expectations were high for Godsmack's Mayhem performance--and they did not disappoint, pulling off an amazing, energetic set that drove Atlanta's metalheads absolutely to the brink of insanity. As direct support for Mayhem Festival's headliners Disturbed, Godsmack truly took control of the festival and made it an experience that Atlanta's Mayhem fans will not forget any time soon.
As Godsmack opened their set with "Cryin' Like a Bitch," it was clear that Atlanta needed little fuel to get their motors revved, they knew what to expect and they met Godsmack head on. Crowd surfers were in the air before the first song wrapped and mosh pits spontaneously opened all over the lawn--believe me, I had to move fast a few times to avoid the swirling bodies.
GODSMACK - Rockstar Energy Drink MAYHEM FESTIVAL 2011 (with music)
I found myself a little closer to the mosh pit experience than I had expected when I opened my press envelope to find my photo, video and press passes for interviews, but no tickets inside. The venue staff swore that they had put tickets in the envelope, seated tickets, so that I could sit and write during the show--I'd still love to know what happened to those tickets--but it was definitely an act of good will that the staff replaced my missing tickets with lawn passes. Not nearly as convenient for reviewing, but when you have Godsmack appearing on the same bill as Disturbed it really makes no difference--the crowd isn't going to sit down, no matter what section they're ticketed for.
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