Yesterday's Charlotte stop of the Rockstar Uproar Festival was one of the greatest shows I've seen all year. The heat was insane, but it was nothing compared to the crowd. When the locally sponsored band, Straight Line Stitch, was on the Jagermeister stage starting us off, the crowd was just as enthusiastic as they would later be for some of their favorites. Their energy never faltered.
The Jager stage was filled with talent, with New Medicine starting off the official lineup. Ranging from upbeat fan-favorites like their single "Laid" to the personal song "Little Sister," New Medicine made a lot of new fans as the day went on. The signed for some fans at their merch tent, and did a signing later on at Rockstar's tent. I got to sit down with Jake Scherer (vocals) and Matthew Brady (bass) later in the day, and I had a great time. In the meantime, check out the band here.
Next to the stage was Airborne. I'm not really sure what I thought about them. A little bit chaotic, the music only so-so. The energy was great, but I felt like there was just a lot of flailing around. You tell me - do you disagree? They were followed by Hail the Villain, but, unfortunately, we didn't get to see much of their set. Sorry guys - come back and we'll see you again! It really sucks that we missed out. We did get back in time for HellYeah. They were good - I hadn't heard much from them before - but it really bothered me that their first two songs were "Hell Yeah" and "God Damn". Where's the creativity? But that only goes so far, and musically, I liked it. Let's face it - how can it be helped when the group's made up of a Mudvayne vocalist and guitarist (Chad Gray and Greg Tribbett), Nothingface guitarist Tom Maxwell, Damageplan bassist Bob Zilla, and drummer extraordinaire (formerly of Pantera) Vinnie Paul. A little while into their set, we went over to the New Medicine Rockstar signing, and I was pleased to see that they recognized those of us that they'd seen earlier in the day. It showed that they were in touch with the fans, which was great.
Check out Airborne, Hail the Villain, and HellYeah.
Mainstage!!! Halestorm opened things up, and damn! Lzzy was unstoppable, a powerhouse up onstage. Gotta say, I like the short hair she's rockin', and the attitude she doesn't seem to leave home without. Her brother Arejay was killing on drums, tossing sticks and playing like a madman. Joe and Josh were pure energy, and altogether the band was incredible.
Stone Sour rocked it next; I was on my way to an interview when they started, but they could be heard all across the grounds, and I swear the sounded like they were recorded. They played some old favorites along with some stuff off the new album, and wow. While I'm not usually as into them as the other bands, I loved the sound, and everyone I came across to ask later said they put on a great stage performance. Wish I could've seen it! I'll have to catch up next time around. We did get some great pictures!
Avenged Sevenfold. There are no words. They absolutely stole the show - in fact, they were probably my favorite set all summer. Theatrically, their setup was flawless, intense and engaging, from the sick opening to "Nightmare" to the final words after "Almost Easy". More importantly, it was clear that they put their hearts and souls into the performance. Musically, there are few guitar duos that can top Syn Gates and Zacky Vengeance. Johnny Christ was incredible, rocking his across the stage. M. Shadows proved everybody who's ever said he can no longer scream totally wrong as he tore through song after song. Mike Portnoy (of Dream Theater) was freaking incredible, working the kit like a mad genius, working the crowd; I can't think of a single person better to fill The Rev's spot onstage. At one point, the band honored their fallen brother with "So Far Away," a tribute ballad off of their latest album. Beautifully done, and it was impossible not to be carried away in the emotion of the song. But then, it was impossible not to feel the attachment to all of their music as the band interacted with the crowd and with each other. They're brilliant musicians, and I'm more than honored to have been in the crowd last night. My voice was hoarse with screaming, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
(See some of the pictures from MusicCrit's Lauren Glennon here!)
Last but not least came Disturbed. I learned through talking with others in the audience that some bittersweet things had been said regarding the band's onstage performance, but all of that was quickly proven wrong. While I think their intro seemed to drag, musically they were incredible. Vocalist David Draiman worked the stage with ease as he belted out hits both new and old. The staging worked wonderfully, a ton of leveling and video. They ended the night with an encore of what is likely their most widely known hit - "Down with the Sickness".
When it all comes down to it, I don't think anyone could have possibly walked away from this festival disappointed. An incredible lineup, the perfect atmosphere - it was a helluva good time, and I can't wait 'til next year.
Pictures will be up Monday - sorry, but we're waiting for the edits and such!
Mari
marissa.billiet@hotmail.com
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