Amped Up Aperture » Amping up your concert experience with live photos and reviews!

We were so excited to make it back to North Carolina for this year’s Carolina Rebellion. One thing I love so much about this festival is every year they seem to out do themselves, every year they come back bigger and louder than the last. This year was no exception, bringing on heavy hitting headliners like, Kid Rock, Rob Zombie and Avenged Sevenfold they managed to hit record breaking numbers of 60,000 plus tickets sold. I had the pleasure of meeting so many fans from all over the states who come out to support such an incredible rock N roll festival.

Day 1

Kicking off the festivities on the second stage was Trivium. I love seeing these guys on any show bill I am attending, Matt Heafy immediately grabbed everyone’s attention and got them hyped for the rest of the day. Bassist, Paolo Gregoletto and guitarist, Corey Beaulieu were all over the stage, on the speakers and in your face. Not to mention the bellowing bass and roaring vocals gave everyone a heavy does of metal first thing in the morning.

Next up was Adelitas Way. As soon as these guys cameonstage there was a noticeable change in line up. Guitarist Keith Wallen had left the band earlier in the year to pursuit other projects. None the less these guys came out and kicked ass. Rick DeJesus has such a commanding presence and powerful vocals, ever since the first time I saw them back in 2011 I go out of my way to catch their shows. Phenomenal stage presence and they always sound great live.

The next band I caught is a little newer to the scene but they’re nostrangers to the big stage, Devour the Day. I caught a couple of their shows in the past year and thought they were great live, I loved their energy it was infectious. I was excited to see a little more of them this summer at these huge festivals and while I am still unfamiliar with their music they made a lasting impression. Bassist, Joey Walser looks just like a wind up doll on stage, as soon as they jump into a song, off he goes, and he doesn’t stop jumping around the stage until they hit their last note.

Black Stone Cherry was the next band to hit the Rebellion stage, thefirst time I saw these guys was back in 2010, while they were just starting to find mainstream success and I really didn’t care much for them, but seeing them grow as a band and really get comfortable on stage I’ve grown to really enjoy their live shows. And this band features one of my favorite drummers, John Fred Young. Normally drummers have a tendency to get lost and sometimes forgotten about behind their large drum kits, John refuses to be forgotten about. He is constantly jumping up, head banging, everythingand anything to stay connected. Ben Wells is another member of this band who cannot just sit still. This guitarist is one of the hardest to photograph, he moves so much you’re lucky to get an in focus shot of him. I love the challenge and I love that he keeps the fans so engaged.

Next on the bill was heavy hitters, Black Label Society. These guys are incredible live, while they don’t quite jump around the stage they have such a powerful presence, you can feel every guitar riff, every bass line and every drum beat. Vocalist Zakk Wylde is a legend between his heavy guitar riffs and his roaring vocals he is hard to overlook, and it only translates better live then a recording ever will. I am so excited at every opportunity I get to check them out.

This next band is still relatively new to the scene but quicklymaking a name for themselves. Kyng is a three piece band from LA. While I’m normally skeptical of three piece bands and their ability to interact with the crowd and still sound like a full band, these guys really changed my perception. The had a very full sound and still managed to keep the crowd engaged.

The next band I am always happy tosee on any bill, Killswitch Engage. With frontman, Jesse Leach back on the roster, these guys are back with a whole new level of ferocity. They have a very bold stage show, guitarist, Adam Dutkiewicz is relentless. He has an endless about of energy and zero fucks given attitude. He has fun, he plays with his fans and they get a unique experience out of it.

After them,Anthrax  was set to play on the main stage. I’ve never been a huge fan of their music, but I’ve seen them quite a few times and they have a fantastic stage show. Whether you are a fan or not it is easy to respect these guy’s musical talents. Scott Ian in and of himself is a legend with his roaring guitar riffs and his on stage acrobatics it’s hard not to get sucked into their show.

After them,Thousand Foot Krutch. I was somewhat surprised to see these guys on the bill, I haven’t heard too much form them in the past few years. As much as I like these guys and this band as a whole their live show just falls short for me. They are one of the bands that seems to get lostespecially in a festival setting.

Next up was Volbeat on the main stage. I love photographing this band, every member has a completely different stage persona. The most recent addition to the band and former Anthrax guitarist, Rob Caggiano always makes it a goal to connect with his fans and put out the most memorable show possible.

The next band up was Fozzy, this is a band Ialways look forward to seeing. Frontman, Chris Jericho as pretty much all of their fans are aware of he is a WWE wrestler and quite the performer. Coming out he had his signature light up jacket on and he was off. These guys are a blast, they are so theatrical and over the top, it was a phenomenal performance.

As the sun went down one of the last performers of the evening took the stage, Mr. Rob Zombie. I think Ihave seen Rob 5 times this year alone. I cannot get enough, from the theatrics to their energy to their charisma, these guys are great. Rob Zombie is incredible at getting the crowed hyped up and keeping them engaged throughout their set. Piggy D and John 5 both have such huge personalities it only adds to the show.

Last but not least to end the night was AvengedSevenfold. These guys had a huge year with the success of their latest album, “Hail to the King.” This is a band I have always loved  to watch perform live, every time I see them I feel they they grow more and more as a band. “Hail to the King” was in a way a very progressive album for them, they took a step back for the screaming guitar riffs and more melodic vocals and moved towards a heavier sound. Their show is always over the top featuring massive stage props and tons of pyrotechnics. It was quite the spectacle and a great way to end an amazing first day.

Day 2

After an amazingly successful first day at Carolina Rebellion, we returned early Sunday for asecond day of Rock N Roll. Starting out the day with a bang is a band who is starting to make a huge name for themselves, Gemini Syndrome. This was my first time seeing them or even really hearing of them and I have to say, I was really impressed. Fronted by former Otep guitarist, Aaron Nordstrom, he does an amazing job of connecting with the crowd and making them feel like they are a part of something special. At one point during their set, he stopped to talk about his condition and the way it effected him throughout his life. When bands are able to open up and share these moments with their fans, it brings thefans closer, it lets them feel like in some way shape or form, they know something about that no one else knows.

Next band up was another up and coming band I was just hearing about, and just as impressed with, Nothing More.  Frontman, Jonny Hawkins is absolutely incredible on stage, he is so passionate about their music. Throughout their set, they jumped on any and everything they could get their hands on. Towards the middle of their set they hooked a guitar up to a rig and all the members of the band played inunison around this guitar. This is definitely a band to look out for.

The next act of the day was a band I have been looking forward to seeing for a long time. Hellyeah is a supergroup that emerged back in 2006 most notably among the roster is Mudvayne vocalist, Chad Grey and Pantera drummer, Vinnie Paul. These guys have a very powerful presence on stage with an even more powerful sound. It is no secret these guys are very comfortable on stage and have the track record to back it up. They put on a great show, betterthan I could have expected.

The next band I had covered during the day was Fule. Now this is a name that I hadn’t heard for a long time, I was interested to see how they would preform but honestly, I was a little disappointed.  They really didn’t seem like they were too excited about the show, they didn’t stand out to me. They didn’t sound too bad at all, but it looked like they were just going through the motions.

Up next was Theory of a Deadman. I have always liked seeing Theory of a Deadman live, my only complaintthough is they aren’t terrible interesting. They sounds great live its just they seem to blend in with all the other acts of the day.

 The next band I covered wasAlter Bridge.  I had just seen them a few days prior at a local venue in Baltimore and they put on a phenomenal show, so naturally I was excited I was going to see them again so soon. Myles Kennedy has one of the most uniquevoices in rock n roll and has a huge personality to back it up.

Next was Memphis May Fire. I have never really listened to their music but I have seen them a few times on various Warped Tours throughout the years. I love watching these guys, they have so much energy on stage and their fans love it.

The next band on the bill was Staind. This is another one of those bands, I love listening to them, I don’t actually like watching them. They sound great live, but they aren’t interesting at all. Aaron Lewis stands behind the mic with his eyes closed and from time to time he strums his guitar.

After them,311 took the main stage. Their set featured a variation of hits dating back to their debut album. These guys put on an incredible, high energy set. I cannot wait for my next opportunity to see the.

The next to last band upwas Five Finger Death Punch. I don’t think I can praise these guys enough, on stage they have a larger than life personality with roaring guitar riffs, growling vocals and a hell of a set up. In person, they are some of the nicest, most humbled guys I have ever met. If you ever have to opportunity to see them, take it, these guys kick ass.

Lastly to close out Carolina Rebellion 2014 is the all american cowboy himself, Kid Rock. Holyshit. This guy has been around for a long time that because so apparent to me as soon as he literally jumped into his set. This guy can perform. He played songs from every end of his discography, not a single person left that that show disappointed. Overall Carolina Rebellion was a huge success, with record breaking attendance numbers, i’m excited to see what next year has in store.

Tonight Alive

Hearing that Tonight Alive would be the direct support for The Used and Taking Back Sunday’s co-headlining tour was definitely a selling point for me. These guys always put everything they have into their shows and every time they blow me away. Jenna McDougall has the most incredible vocal control and her range is incredible, never mind that she spent the whole set jumping all over the place. Everyone in the band has a relentless amount of energy I was skeptical the first time I saw them on Vans Warped Tour but they have since surpassed my expectations.

Taking Back Sunday

Since this is a co-headlining tour, Taking Back Sunday and The Used take turns alternating between who performs first, today was Taking Back Sunday’s turn to be first on stage. The last time I saw them about six months ago in Baltimore, they just didn’t seem to have the same spark I am used to seeing when they play Vans Warped Tour or other major festivals. I was curious to see if that was a one time thing or if they really weren’t a club show band. As soon as they came on stage they fought every second to put on a show they could be proud of. Frontman, Adam Lazzara is so much fun to watch, he is very static in his movements and is famous for swinging his mic all over the stage and getting tangled in the wires, and he sounded phenomenal. He hit every single note, I can say without a doubt this is the best I had seen him. Bassist Shaun Cooper was another that stuck out for me, he spent most of his time hanging out at the top of the stage and working to make himself accessible to the crowd. I’m glad I was able to make this show and see what Taking Back Sunday could really do in an intimate environment.

The Used

These guys are the sole reason I really wanted to catch this tour. I have seen The Used twice, both times headlining Vans Warped Tour, the first time, I was so disappointed, Bert McCracken spent most of his set in the middle of the stage, just him and the mic stand. There wasn’t much dialogue, he didn’t move very much, just overall forgettable performance. The second time I saw them, they had done a complete 180, Bert was energetic, he had color packets he was spraying the crowd with, he was jumping around and everyone, on stage, and in the pit was having a blast. So naturally they sparked my interest when they came around. One by one everyone came onstage and started playing the intro to their newest single “Cry” and a wall of TV screens lit up as Bert ran onstage singing. As their set progressed they played a good mix of their old hits and some songs off their new album, “Imaginary Enemy.”  I definitely noticed a lot more political activism throughout their set than I am normally used to hearing from them, but it didn’t take away from their show at all, in fact it added fuel to the fire and everyone in the crowd got super amped to take a stand. Incredible show, I am looking forward to hearing the new album and seeing where it takes them.

Tonight Alive

Taking Back Sunday

The Used

Rob Zombie is a powerhouse in the entertainment industry, whether it be behind the camera as a director or on stage as the frontman in his band “Rob Zombie.”  I couldn’t be more excited for this show, seeing Rob Zombie at a club venue in Baltimore, in such an intimate setting was a must for any rock N roll fan. Every time I have seen them, it has been in a large amphitheater or at a festival and every time these guys are so theatrical, every show is a little different. As they came on stage, guitarist John 5 started playing the riff for the Star Spangled Banner and then he starts playing the riffs with his tongue. Former Marilyn Manson guitarist is an incredibly talented musician and had many guitar changes throughout the set, ranging from his flashing LED guitar, American flag guitar and a “lava” guitar.

Throughout the night every member of the band worked to establish a connection with everyone in the crowd. In the middle of the set as John 5 played a guitar solo, Rob jumped down from the crowd and ran around the floor of the venue with a spot light flashing everyone in his path. Bassist Piggy D liked to come to the top of the stage and make faces at various people in the crowd. It was such an incredible show and probably one of the best I have seen from Rob Zombie and his crew.

David Stephens of We Came As Romans.

This was our first year covering Monster Energy’s Welcome to Rockville festival in Jacksonville FL. I have to say I was ecstatic to have the opportunity to cover this festival among so many heavy hitters in the music industry. Avenged Sevenfold, Korn, Rob Zombie and Five Finger Death Punch among them. We woke up early the first morning to head to metropolitan park and there was already a line stretching from the entrance around the parking lot. The air was filled with excitement, festival season was upon us. As the day got started one by one the bands took the stage, my only complaint was there were a lot of overlapping times. Fortunately every band had a pretty decent block of time to perform so it was easy to watch one band and head to another stage to catch the end of another band’s set. Everything was really well set up, stages the stages were on the outskirts of the festival site and various venders were found in the areas between.

Rob Caggiano of Volbeat.

As the day progressed the crowd became denser and denser. By the time Volbeat hit the stage in the late afternoon the field was packed so tightly it was hard to navigate towards the front. The last band to play Saturday was Avenged Sevenfold. These guys had an amazing year with the success of their latest album “Hail to the King.” They opened their set with an amazing display of pyrotechnics appropriately to their first single on the new record, “Shepherd of Fire.”  At this point the crowd stretched as far as I could see. The turn out for the first day was incredible and definitely set the tone for day two.

Christina Scabbia of Lacuna Coil.

Waking up sunday we were admittedly a little tired and sore from the first day’s festivities, but looking forward to another day of good old fashion rock N roll. The day started out much like the first had, coming into a line wrapping around the parking lot and fans eager to get the day started. As we came in we scoped out the festival grounds and made our way over to the press tent to get situated. From there we mapped out our day and we were off. This day was much like the last, slowly more and more people filtered in until there was a full house. Of the two days, this was the one I was looking forward to the most, Five Finger Death Punch, Rob Zombie and Korn have always been some of my favorite performers in the industry. As the sun began to set Five Finger Death Punch was midway through their set and put on one of the best performances I have ever seen out of them.  Later that evening while I was in the media area, I saw frontman, Ivan Moody and had to shake his hand.

Ray Luzier of Korn.

The next band up was Rob Zombie. I have seen these guys more than I can remember and their shows have ranged everywhere from a stripped down performance to an over the top theatrical stage setup. They didn’t have any of the huge props they have had in the past but they consistently put on an amazing show. After their set everyone made their way to the far side of the festival grounds to catch Korn. As the guitar riffs started, the entire crowd joined Jonathan Davis to open their set with a roaring, “Are you Ready?!” and they were off. I love watching these guys perform, each member of this band has such a unique personality. In the middle of the set, JD disappeared and remerged with a bagpipe in hand. By the sound of the roaring crowd everyone knew what was coming, “Shoots and Ladders.” They put on an amazing show and it was a great way to end such an incredible weekend.

Monster Truck 

After seeing these guys in direct support with Buckcherry back in February, I was stoked they would be making an appearance on this tour with Alter Bridge. Unlike their tour with Buckcherry I think they were very well received by the crowd and appropriate to the headliner. Hailing from Ontario Canada, Monster Truck formed in 2010 and started touring Canada until being hand picked to go on the road with Slash in 2012.  From there they decided to record and release their first feature length album, “Furiosity.” As they build momentum I am looking forward to seeing a lot more from these guys in the near future. Coming on stage these guys took a head dive right into their set and never let up. Coming out to one of their first featured singles, “Old Train” immediately people stood up and took notice, the whole place started to rock.

Alter Bridge

The last time I saw Alter Bridge was back in 2011 co – headlining the Carnival of Madness tour with Theory of a Deadman.  After releasing their fourth studio album “Fortress” they found themselves back in Baltimore to a sold out crowd.  They were also joined by a very special guest and friend of the band’s, Mr. Paul Reed Smith of PRS guitars. He came out to introduce the band and later made another appearance playing a sick “riff off” with Mark Tremonti and Myles Kennedy to close out the set.  From the start Myles announced that he was battling being sick and was having some vocal issues, he welcomed any and all participation from the crowd to get through the set, and he got just that, a venue full of screaming fans.

Opening with their first single off their newest album, Alter Bridge came into “Addicted to Pain” this definitely set the tone for the rest of the night, the heavy guitar riffs and loaded vocals got everyone on their feet and singing along. They have definitely grown a lot as a band since the last time they toured, they bounced off each other flawlessly Myles had even passed off the mic to Tremonti for a song or two and he crushed it.  This couldn’t have been a better night for rock N Roll, you can check them out this summer at Carolina Rebellion and Rock on the Range!

Monster Truck

Alter Bridge

Four Year Strong

Four Year Strong on the line up was a big selling point for me, these guys consistently sounds great and always put on a good show. The last time that they toured the US was back in 2012 on Van’s Warped Tour so a lot of people were anxiously awaiting their return. As soon as they dove into their first song the crowd exploded with people shouting lyrics back at the band. It was clear a lot of people were excited for the return of Four Year Stong.

Bayside

I am always excited when I hear Bayside is coming around, they don’t do backflips or trash the stage, they are actually quite subdued compared to a lot of the bands I like to go see. So what’s the point of going? They always sound great, they’re constantly changing up their setlist and they make a genuine connection with their fans.  I will always stand behind bands like this where you remember that it is about the music. They played about  20 song set featuring a mix of some of their old classics and some of their songs off the new album “Cult,” all the newer songs were very well received amongst the sold out crowd.  Lead vocalist, Anthony Raneri has such smooth, versatile vocals it’s easy to get drawn in. Bassist, Nick Ghanbarian  is one of my favorites to watch, he does a good job of coming to the top of the stage and getting in your face. He adds a level of diversity to the band, just enough that they are able to feed off his energy and put out a great show. Throughout their set the crowd got more and more amped up eventually breaking into a circle pit towards the end of their set. This is definitely a band to watch, whether it be a headlining show, an opening act or even a set at Warped Tour.

Four Year Strong

Bayside