Away Team

Tuesday August 3rd the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival descended on Raleigh, North Carolina.

I arrived in time to catch the tail end of IN THIS MOMENT, but was too late to get any pictures. So I set myself up for SHADOWS FALL‘s set. And while it was only 20 minutes long, they ripped through a great set of songs, finishing off with a nod to the Godfather himself Ozzy Osbourne with ‘Bark At The Moon‘.

Missed a couple of other bands while setting up my girl with a chance to meet Rob Zombie, but got back to the Jagermeister stage to see HATEBREED. The band that NEVER disappoints with a show. Despite the 90 + degree temps, them performing directly into the sun, and the huge crowd throwing up a massive dust storm covering the entire stage, Jamey Jasta and company pushed the crowd into a whirlwind of dust and sweat.

Took a break from the last of the side stages to try and find some shade, and get set up for the main events. Love or hate their music, but one thing you cannot say about FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH is that they do not put on one hell of a show. They opened the main stage with gusto and got the sun weary crowd amped up and back on their feet.

LAMB OF GOD then came up and laid us all to waist. The most minimalist set I’ve seen at an amphitheater ever, just the boys and their amps, but the sound and the fury drove you back into your seats, and your fists into the air.

With the sun finally setting giving us all a respite from the oppressive heat, it was time for ROB ZOMBIE. While his set was pretty much the same as the Gruesome Twosome Tour, it still did not disappoint. The man, and the amazing band, know how to put on a damned show with style.

Headlining the event was KORN, and well, I wouldn’t want to follow ROB ZOMBIE, would you? KORN did an admirable job, but their music doesn’t have the same energy as Rob‘s. Their set drew from new and old material, and the latter half of the set was pretty much a huge chunk of their first (and in my opinion BEST) album thankfully.

The tour is still running, and selling out many venues. If it hasn’t hit your town yet, GO SEE IT! You can thank me later.

For more ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL click here.