Rocklahoma 2010 Day 3

Rocklahoma 2010 is in the books. The final day of the festival brought performances by Chevelle, Lacuna Coil, Theory of  a Deadman, Sevendust and the mighty Tesla.

First, the bad. Theory of a Deadman easily gave the worst performance of any band at Rocklahoma. I've seen them before and they've been good but singer Tyler Connolly was really struggling. It wasn't all his fault, either: the sound for Theory of a Deadman was poorly mixed which just added insult to injury. I think Connolly needs to give his throat a rest: enough professional singers will agree that continuing to sing with a damaged throat isn't exactly good career planning. Also, whispering at a rock show just doesn't work.

Sevendust gave the single best performance of any band at Rocklahoma. Yes, Cinderella was fantastic and so was Tesla but man – Sevendust just ripped the venue to shreds. Sevendust is heavy and I like it that way...but I'm not sure they are used to playing a venue as unique as Rocklahoma. With both a pit and seating and expansive GA, getting a mosh going is kind of tough. Singer Lajon Witherspoon even made mention that the band usually has a circle pit but “didn't know how to make that work” at Rocklahoma. It didn't really matter, though because as soon as Sevendust started playing people came from wherever they were hiding to watch. Great crowd reaction and you can see them soon on the Carnival of Madness tour with Shinedown. My favorite part? When someone held the banner "Sevendust has arrived" and Lajon got the customary chant going.

Oklahoma natives Aranda put on an interesting show. I've never seen them live, so I wasn't quite expecting so much funk – but they groove! Their singles apparently play on the radio a lot in Oklahoma so many of the locals knew the words to their songs. After their performance, they did a meet and greet at the Shiprocked tent and the line blew my mind – people waited all during Sevendust just to hang with Aranda!

The Glitter Boys played the Retrospect stage and their name does them justice: they are modern Glam. Their look is very Steel Panther: wigs, lyrca pants, the whole bit. Right after the first song, the band even released balloons into the crowd just like Kix does and I thought that was a nice touch. Their songs weren't particularly original but they are fun and that's what Glam is all about.

Oh man, Chevelle really impressed me! I've never seen them before but they were fantastic. My husband is a big fan and has their albums. Pete Loeffler can sing! Plus, it's uncanny how much American Idol winner Kris Allen looks like Loeffler and that to me was super interesting. The band played a mix of songs from all their albums, including “The Red” which I really like (it has a guitar solo, people!) At one point, Pete Loeffler (I make the distinction because his brother is also in the band) asked people in GA to come down closer. A lot of bands – especially modern ones – don't like the division between seats/lawn.

I watched Lacuna Coil from afar. They had a ton of energy. I can't say as I'm a big fan of their music because their accents are a little distracting for me but I really appreciated the fact that they dedicated a song to Ronnie James Dio, Paul Gray and Peter Steele. I thought that was classy and everyone in the crowd seemed to love it too.

And then it was time for Tesla. What a great live band. I think you need to see them live to really appreciate their songs. After all, “Love Song” “Forever More” and “Modern Day Cowboy” are rock solid. Of course, a storm was brewing during Tesla so I was helping people pack up while watching their set. It doesn't really matter – you don't have to be 100% fixated on the show to appreciate a band like Tesla. There were people of all generations rocking out to them and that's great. Overall, the attendance on Sunday was less the previous two days as is customary. I'd peg total festival attendance for the three days at somewhere between 30,000 – 40,000. Remember, I'm thinking that's a total figure, not 30,000 per day. Right now, no official figures have been released.

I inquired about festival VIP renewals and was told names could be added to a list and someone would call within 60 days about pricing. My gut tells me this means changes are in store for VIP but again, that's just a hunch.

I missed a lot of my extended Rocklahoma family this year, but I still had a great time. Moving the event to May was smart – and even then it was still it was blazing! Starting bands later in the day was also smart. The merchandise tent was packed with goods when I arrived Friday and by Sunday most everything was either sold out or severely picked over, meaning someone made a good bit of cash on festival shirts.

Overall, I think the event was a success for the Rocklahoma owners and AEG Live and that's great because it means people are willing to spend money on live music and support bands. Isn't that what we all want?

I'll have some more pictures tomorrow.

Follow me for music related stuff on Twitter @bringbackglam





Rocklahoma 2010 Day 2

ZZ Top headlined the second day of Rocklahoma 2010. I was excited because I've never seen the legendary band before. While I can't say they are the most exciting band I've ever watched, the guitar playing is certainly fantastic and yes, things did “get serious” toward the end as Billy Gibbons would say. As usual, I'm getting ahead of myself.

Burn Halo was first on the main stage. I've interviewed singer James Hart before and he's a nice guy. Like most younger bands, Burn Halo travels across the country nonstop, playing gigs and trying to earn a living. The crowd was decent and I'm sure a lot of friends and family came out to see Burn Halo. After all, they have a strong Oklahoma connection. Their radio single is “Dirty Little Girl.” Check it out if you don't know it – a lot of classic glam themes going on in that tune.

I had planned on seeing Taking Dawn, a new band I really dig. I have no idea what happened to them. They were slotted for the Hard Rock stage but when the time came, Pedal Point played in their slot. I only watched Pedal Point from afar but they have a song called “Rocklahoma” which I thought was interesting. (They've played the fest in year's past).

I watched a little of Krank on the Retrospect Stage, too. That stage is tented which isn't ideal. It sort of traps the heat and the sound. Krank had an emergency replacement member because their real guitarist had a heart issue and a friend stepped in with about a week's notice. He did a good job and I thought that was cool.

I only caught a couple of songs from Fuel featuring Brett Scallions because I was doing things in the media tent. I sat toward the back of VIP and watched the band for awhile. They sounded good, just a little sleepy. It probably isn't fair for me to judge them, since I was only able to hear two songs. I was chatting with members of Like a Storm and Shaman's Harvest at the time.

Both bands rock.

Like a Storm and Shaman's Harvest played the Hard Rock stage. There was more people watching these acts on a side stage than could fill VIP last year. Like a Storm sort of remind me of Lynam and they definitely have some great glam influence. Then there's the accents: they are from New Zealand! Shaman's Harvest aren't from another country but they certainly rock. They've been together literally for years, since high school. Recently they even got to open up for AC/DC which should tell you something. Check out both bands. I did interviews with each and I'll have those up soon, either here or on Noisecreep.

Perhaps I would have enjoyed Saliva a little more if it wasn't for the fact that they were the main stage act right before Cinderella and I was getting antsy. Not that I don't enjoy me some “Click, Click Boom” because I do, thank you very much. The crowd was filling in a ton during Saliva too so by the time they finished, the VIP pit was pretty full as well as the lawn.

Thanks to my friend Alan of Shiprocked, I got to watch Cinderella from the sponsor deck. That's living! It's an elevated, private deck with a direct view of the stage and a free, full service bar. Cinderella was my number 1 band to see while at Rocklahoma and it was a great time. Tom Keifer's voice got better as the set went along. There were some weird sound issues at the beginning but things modulated and got on pace. Cinderella did all their great songs, “Push, Push,” “Nobody's Fool,” “Somebody Save Me,” “The Last Mile,” “Don't Know What You Got ('Till Its Gone)” and they ended with “Shake Me.”

The members of the band honestly seemed to look like they were having a great time, too. And yeah, the place was packed for Cinderella. After all, Rocklahoma was their first “big” show back. I expect their gig at M3 next month to be even better. I can't wait! There's nothing better than hearing “The Last Mile” live while perched atop a private pavilion, looking down at all the faces rocking out below.

And then it was time for ZZ Top. The Top, I now know, isn't a band that relies on a ton of moving around. The guys pretty much hang out and play their blues. I can easily say there was more people at Rocklahoma Saturday night versus Friday and that's saying something because Friday was packed. By the middle of ZZ Top's set, it was near impossible to walk...anywhere. Just bodies standing, sitting...and in some cases passed out. I would say day two attendance was somewhere between 10 – 14 thousand.

Some were saying ZZ Top was using a tracked vocal. Others disagreed. I will say the show sounded “album perfect” at times if you know what  I mean, but others it was clear that real singing was going on. Whatever the case, people loved it. “Legs” and “Sharp Dressed Man” got the crowd going after extended blues interludes had slowed things down. The band ended their set with “Viva Las Vegas/La Grange.”

The Gypsy Pistoleros closed out the Hard Rock stage and The Last Vegas ended the night in the Retrospect tent. The Last Vegas is actually on my short list of favorite modern bands I love. I've interviewed them four times! Buy Whatever Gets You Off immediately if you don't own it. Now, I wanted to watch The Last Vegas and my husband wanted to leave. Poor guy looked like he'd been hit by a semi. So, we left. No matter, I think I'm seeing The Last Vegas at another event this summer.

I'm not sure why everyone was so gunning for Rocklahoma to fall apart this year. Even the comments on my day one review are largely negative and I don't get it – sure Rocklahoma used to be 100% Glam but that wasn't working anymore. Constantly complaining about the format change is shortsighted. Maybe adding modern bands this year will inject some cash into the event for a more even mix of classic and modern next year. Music is a business and business is cyclical. Yes, M3 is 100% Glam and it's also one day. That's the trade-off I guess. Personally, I like being able to go to all sorts of festivals. It's not just about the music: it's about being on vacation, seeing friends and making connections. Oh, and for the record, there's a lot of “older” people commenting on how great the music is after all. I had a chat with one man from Phoenix who drove to Rocklahoma just for Cinderella. He was a little disappointed in their performance but loved Buckcherry and Godsmack and he'd never really listened to either band before.

For those interested, I'll be inquiring about renewals today. I'll Tweet the price and also post here tomorrow.

Follow me on Twitter all day for immediate updates @bringbackglam

Rocklahoma 2010 Day 1

“Are you feeling it tonight Oklahoma City?!” Godsmack's Sully Erna screamed from the Rocklahoma stage. I like Godsmack a lot. I just wish someone had told poor Sully that Rocklahoma happens annually in Pryor, Oklahoma...not Oklahoma City. No matter. The crowd for Godsmack was simply huge – easily rivaling that of the first Rocklahoma event in 2007.

Of course, the day didn't begin with Godsmack. The fun started much earlier – and hotter – with Adelita's Way on the main stage. Despite an early forecast predicting rain, the skies were clear and sunny. In fact, the sun beat down and everyone was pretty sweaty within just a few minutes of being at Rocklahoma. This old standard among a lot of changes made me feel at home. After all, how can you have Rocklahoma and not have heat?

Let's talk changes: the big side stage is sponsored by the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Tulsa. The sound from that second stage is just massive. Actually, the sound from the main stage is louder too. There is no air conditioning in the VIP tent. There's a concrete pit at the main stage for those who upgraded to special packages and yes – there were a few people moshing into the night over at the Hard Rock stage.

Now – I've have about a zillion private emails, texts and Facebook messages asking me about the crowd. Yes, the crowd is large. Very large. No, the VIP is not sold out but I think the amount of people in GA makes up for that difference. For those who were predicting an epic fail...well, you were wrong. The crowd is much younger this year. Many kids (and by that I mean teenagers) are hanging out. Of course, with a large GA contingent, attendance can – and probably will – change daily.

The first side stage band I checked out was New Medicine. I really liked them! They have a heavy, yet Beastie Boys sort of sound to them. They are young too and talked about the heat. Actually, all the bands made mention of the heat. Every time that happened, I chuckled. These bands haven't experienced REAL Rocklahoma heat!

Saving Abel was up next on the main stage. They are playing songs from their self-titled debut as well as their upcoming release Miss America. They have quite a few radio-friendly songs, the biggest one being “Addicted.” Since they played at 5 pm, the crowd was starting to shift and fill in more. That's how it is at every festival I've ever attended.

Lots of people were in VIP watching Buckcherry. Of course, Buckcherry is a modern glam band so it makes sense that the old Rocklahoma faithful would come out to hear their set. Again, more commentary on the heat, this time courtesy of lead singer Josh Todd. Buckcherry have a new album coming out soon, so there was the title track from the forthcoming All Night Long. Then there were staples “Lit Up,” “Sorry,” “Highway Star” and “Crazy Bitch.” It was with the last song that the older crowd seemed to come alive – and I laughed to myself from my vantage point in the back of VIP. I move around during the day – never settling on any one seat. For “Crazy Bitch” I knew I needed to be able to see a large swath of people. Men and women always react differently to “Crazy Bitch” and this time was no different. Near me, one woman was beating the shit of out her husband with a white bandana. Since he had a sunburned back, I'd imagine this was not great but he didn't complain. He just let her jump up and down with the band.

So now what? The Veer Union was up next on the Hard Rock stage. The band is young and new and I know them from Noisecreep. In fact, I did a video premiere for them about a year ago. I like their songs which are a mix of heavy but melodic. The singer has a wacky Mohawk, which I always love to see. The kids loved The Veer Union too...but the Hard Rock stage really got pumped with Richy Nix.

Do you know Richy Nix? I did a feature on him for Noisecreep awhile back. He's a metal/rap hybrid of sorts. The young members of the crowd loved this guy and his band. A few of the teenage guys got a small pit going. Richy Nix has an EP out – and one of his songs is getting a lot of commercial radio play. The band also did a rap metal cover of “Wonderwall” by Oasis. It was straight up Oasis until about the middle and then it went heavy, complete with screamo lyrics. This amused me.

Three Days Grace brought the pyro, something I firmly believe should be part of every rock fest. The band has a slew of hits so their set is long and packed with sing-along tunes. There's no point in me listing out the songs – if you know Three Days Grace, you know what they sang. If you've never heard them, check them out. I suggest starting with the record One X. I saw Three Days Grace just last weekend at Rock on the Range. I liked their performance at Rocklahoma more.

And now we're back to Godsmack. I also saw Godsmack last weekend at Rock on the Range and I liked the Rocklahoma show better. I don't know if it is the vibe of the venue or what but there's something more intimate about Rocklahoma. For sure, less people are at Rocklahoma than at Rock on the Range. In fact, it was just announced 60,000 people attended Rock on the Range. It's always cool to be a part of a crowd that large...and yet, it's also cool to be able to walk a little easier through seating and the pit. Know what I mean?

Anyway, Godsmack played for exactly 90 minutes. Shannon Larkin is one of my favorite drummers. This year, there's a special camera that shoots the drummers from behind so you can see what's going on via the jumbotron. Because Larkin is so skinny, his body literally flies off his stool every time he hits the kit real hard. If you've ever seen Godsmack, you know he's doing a lot of heavy hitting.

Godsmack have a ton of hit songs, don't they? There's “Keep Away,” “Voodoo,” “I Stand Alone” and the new one, “Cryin' Like a Bitch.” All were played and many more. Plus, the band always does some snippets of other songs which tend to change. At Rocklahoma, they played a bit of Twisted Sister's “We're Not Gonna Take It” which I thought was brilliant! They were giving the old Rocklahoma crowd props by acknowledging Twisted Sister. It was great until singer Sully Erna pulled a major goober and

said “Do you all now how gay it is that you know that song?!”That was maybe the worst thing to say about Twisted Sister at Rocklahoma, but I guess he doesn't know the history of the festival.

Still, Godsmack were very good as they always are and it was great for me to see so many people back at Rocklahoma. I'm catching up with some old friends and desperately missing others who usually make this trip with me.

More news later. For immediate updates and commentary, follow me on Twitter @bringbackglam



En Route to Rocklahoma!

I'm currently making my way to Rocklahoma 2010! I'll have immediate updates all weekend long via Twitter @bringbackglam

Today, Buckcherry plays the main stage, so I'm quite looking forward to that set. I'll also be checking out New Medicine and Saving Abel.

If you're attending Rocklahoma, be sure to stop by the Shiprocked tent on Sunday. The guys in Aranda have confirmed they will hang out at the tent immediately after their 3:30 pm set.

Papa Roach Announce Album Plans, Label Switch

For all my readers who love Papa Roach:

May 27, 2010 – New York, NY - Multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated Papa Roach have announced plans for their new album, Time For Annihilation…On the Road and On the Record on August 31st and their move to Top Independent Rock label, Eleven Seven Music. Papa Roach continue to push their musical limits and are currently perfecting a unique hybrid listening experience, which will consist of a mix of new studio and live tracks. With their feet firmly planted in over 10 years of multi-format success, the albums first single “Kick in the Teeth” is sure to ignite rockers globally. The band has enlisted Veteran, hit-maker David Bendeth (Paramore, Breaking Benjamin, Drowning Pool) to produce the new tracks.

David Bendeth adds, “Working with a band like Papa Roach is every producers dream. It is not often that you can work with a band that has played so many shows, and also knows their way around the studio, and the recording environment. Everyone came to the House Of Loud to work hard and we really accomplished what we all consider to be a great record. I hope this is the first of many more for all of us!”

“We've always wanted to capture the energy of our live shows but didn't want to do the same old thing that most bands do, so we decided to put five brand new studio tracks on the record along with some of our favorites from the road and we are really proud of the final result. As a band, we always push ourselves to evolve musically and pride ourselves on putting on an entertaining and explosive live show. Time For Annihilation captures both these elements and delivers the true essence of Papa Roach,” says frontman Jacoby Shaddix. When asked about the move to Eleven Seven Music, Jacoby adds: “We wanted to work with a team who’s focused on rock music rather than pop and urban. Moving to a successful indie Like Eleven Seven Music gives us that without sacrificing the manpower of a major. We are excited about the future of Papa Roach."

“Papa Roach has made a quantum leap in dynamics on the new recording. With the new studio tracks, the band has matched the intensity of their live show and truly put out a record that annihilates the listener. Their fans are in for an experience,” adds Frank Woodworth, General Manager for The Eleven Seven Music Group.

Catapulted by the success of their first #1 modern rock single, “Last Resort,” Papa Roach have proven their spot as a premier alternative/rock act by delivering eight, Top 10 multi-format radio smashes and selling over 10 million albums worldwide. Known for their electrifying and explosive live shows, Papa Roach has become the common denominator for some of the most successful rock tours in recent years. The band’s previous fifth studio recording, Metamorphosis debuted at #8 on The Billboard 200 album chart in April of 2009.

Alice Cooper, Bret Michaels Perform on 'American Idol' Finale

Even if you don't watch American Idol, you can appreciate the coolness that is Alice Cooper and Bret Michaels. Both made separate appearances on the show last night.

For those who don't watch, last night was the season finale. It came down to Lee DeWyze and Crystal Bowersox and Lee eventually won. Before the winner was crowned, producers created a two-hour spectacle featuring all sorts of performers, including Alice Cooper with Keri Kelli, Orianthi and Bret Michaels.

Here's the awesome Coop performance:

I ended up liking Casey James as the season wore on. He's a great guitarist - in fact - he'd fit in as a lead for just about any metal band that needs him. Anyway, he finished in third place. He started playing "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" and I knew Bret Michaels was going to appear...and he did. Bret looked and sounded great. He certainly didn't look sick, frail or tired. I don't know how he does it -- I just hope he paces himself. Check it out:

Rock on the Range 2010 Review

"Are you ready to make some memories?" Drowning Pool frontman Ryan McCombs screamed at the ever-growing crowd of kids in the pit at Rock on the Range. The Columbus, Ohio festival went down May 22 and 23 at the Crew Stadium -- an appropriately perfect venue for just the right mix of metal, mud and horrible tattoos.

That's the beginning of my 2010 Rock on the Range review. Continue reading and check out some photos of the show!