CAMDEN, NJ- On Sunday August 26, 2018 Godsmack & Shinedown brought their high-octane roadshow to the BB&T Center in Camden NJ. Known for delivering pyrotechnically punctuated performances both bands are clearly headliners in their own right. Also on the nights roster, the Akron Ohio based rockers Red Sun Rising.
Godsmack, was formed in 1995 and hails from Lawrence Massachusetts, with band members Sully Erna on guitar and lead vocals, Robbie Merrill on bass and vocals, Tony Rombola on guitar and vocals and Shannon Larkin on drums. Godsmack is currently touring in support of their latest album When Legends Rise which dropped this past April via BMG.
Godsmack is a veteran band with seven full length albums under their belt, including three that climbed to # 1 on the Billboard charts, Faceless, IV and The Oracle. Adding to the bands accolades are four Grammy nominations, one Billboard award and eight Boston Music Awards, oh and let’s not forget that Boston’s Mayor Marty Walsh designated August 6th as “Godsmack Day” in honor the bands stand out album 1000hp!
Godsmack walked onto a stage separated from the crowd by a large white curtain, the muted motion visible through the fabric stirring the crowd. As the first few notes of “When Legends Rise” rang out, the curtain fell away revealing the band, you could feel the power of the band and crowd mesh in reckless mayhem. As the first song ended, front man Sully Erna grabbed the mic and yelled “Hey Jersey, you ready to fucking do this”, the band launching right into the title track of their sixth studio album “1000hp”. The crowd was out of control as pyrotechnics shot 30 ft in the air, casting an eerie orange glow on the stage, the crowd screaming the chorus back at the band. There would be no rest for the crowd tonight.
Not wasting to much time on idle conversation Godsmack kept it fast and hard, taking us all the way back playing “Keep Away” off the band’s debut album Godsmack. While the band is known as an American rock band, it clearly crosses the boarders of grunge, classic rock and heavy metal giving its sound broad appeal. Watching this band in action you get a sense of the individual personalities of its members, front man Sully and bassist Robbie clearly the extroverts, out front jamming with the crowd, Tony the understated member and Shannon being bigger than life, delivering the beats via one of the most technical drum kit’s in the game.
Godsmack continued its pyrotechnic laced set playing “Crying Like a Bitch,” Say My Name”, and “Someday”, the band delivering a furious visual and musical spectacle you could not look away from. The climax of this set came during “Batalla de Los Tambores” when Sully, behind a second drum kit joined Shannon on stage for a maniacal dual drum solo, Sully playing mostly with his bare hands!
Godsmack played twelve songs during its seventy-five-minute set, ending with “I Stand Alone” off the bands critically acclaimed album Faceless, leaving the crowd sweaty, tired and wanting more.
In conclusion this was an incredible show, both musically and visually stunning with Godsmack and Shinedown combining lasers, pyrotechnics, smoke and explosions to punctuate their music and create / control the shows atmosphere. I will say this, while I loved the visuals of this show, the music is what carried the weight. Godsmack and Shinedown are huge bands that play intense hard driving music with mass appeal that can make a crowd get lost in the moment. Tonight, was a wild bumpy ride, and I was happy to be along. Big thanks to Godsmack, Shinedown and Red Sun Rising for sharing your music with all of us.
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