Mayhem Festival 2012- Comcast Center 8/3/12

For the last four years I’ve attended the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival. Over those four years it has become one of the highlights of my summers. Mayhem Festival is a great experience all around. From the time doors open, to the time the last band finishes concert goers get to hang out, listen to great music, and enjoy time with their favorite bands and their friends.

This year definitely featured one of the better lineups, which included: Slipknot, Slayer, Motorhead, Asking Alexandria, Anthrax, As I Lay Dying, and The Devil Wears Prada. Needless to say, I was impressed by all of them especially, Asking Alexandria whom I had never seen live before.

The first band I saw this year was The Devil Wears Prada. I was blown away by their tremendous stage presence, especially Mike Hranica who put on an amazing show. They played some great material including: “Born to Lose,” “Danger: Wildwan,” and “Mammoth.” I was also blown away at how tight all five musicians where onstage, all were playing in the pocket which in a band with very rhythmic music is very complicated.

Next up were the amazing, As I Lay Dying. Not once during their set did anyone in the audience look bored. Front-man Tim Lambesis put on a great show, as he screamed through many of the bands classics including “Nothing Left,” “Confined,” and “The Sound of Truth.” Bassist Josh Gilbert did an awesome job, providing the clean vocals throughout the set. Guitarists Nick Hipa and Phil Sgrosso were also awesome, and put on a fire work show.

One of the best things I ever heard was when Anthrax asked to headline the side stage, where there would be no seats, and their fans would be able to ‘Wardance’.  They started their set off very strongly performing the classic, “Caught In a Mosh.” They followed this up with the awesome, “Got The Time.” Then they threw in one of my favorite newer songs, “Fight Em’ Till You Can’t.” Both times I’ve seen Anthrax perform this song live it brings the crowd up a notch. Next up was the Trust song, “Anti-Social,” which the band covered on 1988’s State of Euphoria. The band closed their set with the classic songs “Indians,” “Mad House,” and “I Am the Law.” The band was excellent, especially lead singer Joey Belladonna who sounds just as he did on those early records.

Opening up the main stage was, Asking Alexandria. I missed most of their set, but caught the last couple songs and snapped a couple of pictures. The band seemed to know how to work the crowd, especially their female fans who kept screaming throughout their set.

Next up was Motorhead who always put on a great show. Lemmy came on stage, and immediately said “We’re Motorhead, and we play Rock and Roll.” After that awesome mission statement the English three-piece was off to a fast paced start launching into the classic tracks “Bomber” and “Damage Case.” After those two songs guitarist, Phil Campbell asked the crowd if they wanted it louder. The unanimous answer was, yes. The band then closed their ten song set with the classic track, “Ace of Spades.”  Sadly the band didn’t play one of my favorite tracks, “Overkill.”

As night and darkness approached, hell awaited behind a white curtain. When this white curtain dropped Slayer blasted into their song, “Disciple.” The whole amphitheater went absolutely crazy, and the people in the pit started moshing. The band’s stage set-up was great, it featured two inverted crosses made of Marshall cabinets and Slayer’s symbol in the middle. The band also had full pyro which added to their ominous stage presence. The band led by lead singer/bassist Tom Araya charged through a set of classics including; “Angel of Death,” “South of Heaven,” and “Raining Blood.”

Headlining the night where the eight men of Slipknot, who put on a set packed full of energy. Corey Taylor led the band like a ringmaster through a set that contained 14 songs. The band started off with rhythmically intense “(Sic).” Next up was “Eyeless” a fan favorite from Slipknot’s first album.  “Sulfur” was up next, and this got a tremendous response from fans. But the song that probably got the strongest response was “Wait and Bleed.” You could tell that the crowd was in the bands hand as soon as Taylor sang the song’s lyrics. “Before I Forget” was up next and the pit really started to open up.

The highlight of Slipknot’s set was eleven songs in when Taylor stopped the set and gave a speech about the late Slipknot bassist, Paul Dedrick Gray. Then Taylor asked the audience to sing the song “Duality” in memory of Paul. I don’t think anything during the rest of their set topped that.

Mayhem fest was a great time, I enjoyed all the bands I got to see, and I think that the rest of the fans felt the same way.

-B. Harlow

Check Out this Video  Highlighting The Events of The Day:

Check Out This Gallery:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/60588824@N04/sets/72157630925666624/show/

Bonnaroo Update II

Here it comes, time for another Bonnaroo update! The countdown is rapidly coming to an end. With less than 30 days till the illustrious festival, many of this years “fine details” are coming into place. Since the last Bonnaroo update, many things have happened.

One of the biggest announcements as of now comes with the release of the Bonnaroo Comedy lineup. Headlining the comedy portion of the festival is the hilarious standup comedian and actor, Aziz Ansari. This will be one of Ansari’s 2012 tour, the Buried Alive Tour. (I personally can’t wait!) Along with Ansari, the other comedians this year include fan favorites Stephan Wright, Marc Maron, Brian Posehn, and World Champion Judah Friedlander. Not to shabby of a lineup if I do say so myself.

Stepping away from the comedy portion of the festival we will touch on band announcments! Some bands that have been relased released recently are Latin sensation Rodrigo y Gabriela and C.U.B.A. The Mexican duo, specialize in playing fast, rhythmic acoustic guitars. It was a surprise to many that the duo signed onto the lineup, mainly because they have not played the festival since 2009. Another huge artist that has been added to the bill is the heavy metal legend Danzig. This marks the first time in over five years that the group has played. What makes the situation even better is that the band’s set will be featuring songs from both the Danzig solo catalog and from The Misfits! If that wasn’t good enough for you, country legend Kenny Rogers has also been announced, and will be headlining the Café Stage. The country superstar was added only a week ago and many people are thrilled to hear about this addition. The Café Stage this year features over thirty bands playing on a smaller, side stage, topped off with Rogers.

The Bonnaroo lineup has about fifteen spots open for a few more bands. So now with less than 30 days left, the final adjustments and screws are being tightened, and fan’s excitement could not be any higher.

-M. Tozeski

Comedian Aziz Ansari

Rodrigo y Gabriela

DANZIG!

Kenny Rogers

Review: The Boss and An E Street Band (TD Garden, Boston, MA: Monday, March 26, 2012

Let me begin by explaining the headline of this story.  On Bruce Springsteen’s current Wrecking Ball Tour, he brings with him an entirely different “E Street Band” than any concert-goer has ever witnessed.  Two obvious differences are the lack of the late Danny Federici and Clarence Clemons, the former having been gone the past couple tours or so.  Filling in for the “Big Man” were two saxophone players, some random dude no one knows and Clarence’s nephew, Jake Clemons.  Additionally, there were horn, drum, and string sections, back-up singers, the E Street regulars, and of course, “the Boss.”

Now that the title is all smoothed out, let’s talk about the show itself.  The band took the stage at just about 8:15 PM, breaking right into the single off of Springsteen’s latest CD, ‘Wrecking Ball’, ‘We Take Care of Our Own’  As everyone in the Garden must have heard this song on the radio by now, the crowd went crazy.  This rocker was followed by a more mellow song, titled ‘Wrecking Ball’, also featured on the new record.  While this is a good song, I would not have put it as the second song of a 24 song set.  Still, the overall set was pretty awesome, as you can see later on this page.  It was an interesting show, to say the least.

One major highlight of the night was Jake Clemons’ performance.  He nailed his uncle’s parts in each song on which he was featured.  Of course, Jake is no Clarence, but he is definitely the next best thing.  Another highlight was the woman featured on ‘Rocky Ground’ coming out to perform that particular song with Bruce, doing a great job with her little rap bit halfway through the track.  ‘Rocky Ground’ is another song off of 2012’s ‘Wrecking Ball’, which is very different from what you may expect from the Boss.  The CD features a weird combination of types of songs.  It also includes new approaches for Bruce, such as overdubbing and that little rap verse on ‘Rocky Ground’.  There are quite a few very Irish-sounding songs on the new CD in addition to some very Gospel-ish stuff.  It may sound weird, but it really works.  There is some good stuff on ;Wrecking Ball’.  Anyway, let’s get back to Monday’s concert.

Other highlights include Peter Wolf of J. Geils Band performing a duet with Bruce on ‘Raise Your Hand’ during the encore, the five minute-long cheer in honor of the “Big Man” halfway through ‘Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out’, the sheer emotional power of ; ‘Land of Hope and Dreams’, and of course, the crowd participation in ‘Thunder Road’ and ‘Born to Run’.

Apparently, they’re coming back to the area in August at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, but I think I’ll pass.  This will probably be the last tour Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band perform together.  I was sure that was the case in ’09, but I was proven wrong, so I don’t know for sure.  However, if that is the case, I would be fully content with having Monday’s show be my last memory of seeing the Boss live.

-T. Shaw

Set List

1. We Take Care of Our Own
2. Wrecking Ball
3. Badlands
4. Death to My Hometown
5. My City of Ruins
6. Thundercrack
7. Jack of All Trades
8. Jackson Cage
9. She’s the One
10. Easy Money
11. Waitin’ on a Sunny Day
12. The Promised Land
13. Apollo Medley
14. American Skin (41 Shots)
15. Lonesome Day
16. The Rising
17. We Are Alive
    

    ENCORE

18. Thunder Road
19. Rocky Ground
20. Land of Hope and Dreams
21. Born to Run
22. Dancing in the Dark
23. Raise Your Hand
24. Tenth Avenue Freeze Out

Count Down to Bonnaroo 2012: Part 1

Every year Manchester, Tennessee is the sight of one of the largest music festivals in the country. The name of this illustrious festival is called Bonnaroo. The term Bonnaroo was popularized by R&B singer Dr. John, and simply means “a really good time” as told through the title of his 1974 album ‘Desitively Bonnaroo’. The founder Mark Barr first created the festival with some inspiration from other music festivals like Coachella. The festival began in 2002 and was headlined by Widespread Panic, Ween, and Norah Jones. This lineup started the festivals future off on the right page.

The festival consists yearly of roughly one hundred and fifty bands over four days. Over the past decade the genres of the artists who have played have ranged from Rap, including Jay-Z, Eminem and Kanye West, to Jam Bands including The Dave Matthews Band, Widespread Panic, The Dead, and The Allman Brothers Band. The festival also is notorious for hosting a reunion of a band or the return of an artist who has influences the sphere of music, including Stevie Wonder, James Brown, Willie Nelson, and Buffalo Springfield.

The festival also has an array of other activities, if you get board of the music (which I don’t think is possible). Every year comedians such as Conan O’Brien, Steve Martin, and Aziz Ansari come to perform and, provide a different atmosphere to the festival. This year’s festival is no different.

 A few years ago my sister went to Bonnaroo, after hearing about all of the music and artists as well as the amazing experience she had, I knew I had to go. My wish came true when my sister told me she has purchased tickets for the two of us was well as a slew of her friends. This year’s festival has another outstanding lineup, not to be over shadowed by the 2010 lineup, which included Jay-Z, Dave Matthews Band, Kings of Leon, Stevie Wonder, Weezer, and The Flaming Lips. The headliners for Bonnaroo 2012 include: Radiohead, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Phish, and The Beach Boys (Featuring their reunited original Line-up). The lineup also included Foster the People, Skrillex, Dispatch, The Shins, Ludacris, Bon Iver and The Avett Brothers to name a few. This year’s comedian headliner is Aziz Ansari, while the rest of the lineup is shrouded in speculations. It’s hard to believe the array of bands that are playing this year.

As the countdown till Bonnaroo continues they will release approximately thirty additional bands to the lineup, while fans await the date anxiously. So far, the lineup has gained Danzig Legacy, The Temper Trap, fun., Puscifer, and Santigold. As of now, the countdown has begun: less than 80 days till Bonnaroo 2012!

-M. Tozeski

Check Out a Recap Of Bonnaroo 2011 HERE

Radio Head:

The Red Hot Chili Peppers:

The Beach Boys:

Stay tuned to Musically Diversified  for more  Bonnaroo updates!