| This year kicked off the first of hopefully many years of Rock Allegiance, an all day festival held in none other than Hershey Park. It was a bit of a drive, and the walk from the parking lot to the venue was a solid mile long hike. Roller Coasters and screaming kids in the background, all the concert patrons begin the long trek to where the concert was taking place.
The venue had a bit of a soccer stadium turned concert venue vibe to it, but it was certainly a great place to have such a great show. Huge sound systems, giant tech towers filled with sound and light crews, a field covered with all different kinds of music fans, and for the less energetic, bleachers to sit and just listen to the bands, but that's not how I go to a show, I want to be right in the thick of it. The field was packed, and at one side of the field was the huge main stage, and the other was the pretty large side stage.
We showed up just in time to catch Black Stone Cherry on the main stage. If you haven't had the chance to see them live, go do it, you won't be disappointed. They played a short set, about 6 songs. Just short of 30 minutes. They covered all their bases with their most well-known songs such as "Blind Man", "In My Blood", "White Trash Millionaire", "Blame it On The Boom-Boom", "Like I Roll" and the smash hit "Lonely Train". I would have loved to see them at a higher pecking order on the show, since there are some really great songs in the lesser known parts of their discography, but I'm sure I'll catch them at another headliner show.
Next up, just minutes after BSC ended their set was Otherwise on the side stage at the other side of the field. Some concert goers migrated to the other side, others kept their premium placement toward the main stage, but I was just as excited by some of the side acts so I made the trek. I didn't know too much about Otherwise before the show, kind of a Five Finger Death Punch vibe... solid set.
The pacing 2 stages can give you at a show like this is a great feature. Without missing a beat, Puddle of Mudd followed up Otherwise nearly immediately. They always struck me as a radio rock band, but a good one, but I stuck by the side stage because I was really excited about some of the acts coming up over there. Plus, on the main stage there were 2 giant screens to catch the show in detail while hanging back. This is the point of the show that the sets are starting to get a bit longer, about 45 minute sets now. Again the band played through all of their hit singles, they were a decent live act, and they had a good time.
Back at the side stage, Redlight King gets the show rolling. I've seen them a few times before and they really know how to entertain a crowd. Interestingly enough, they had a different bassist and drummer this time, but the sound was still solid. They got the crowd pumped with their remix/cover of Neil Young's "Old Man". They certainly gave the song their own vibe. They closed out their set with "Bullet In My Hand", which in the states is the song they are famous for. One of the best sets of the night so far.
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| Scarlet Angel is a metal band featuring solid siren vocals, heavy guitar riffs and loud drums. They had a solid set of good heavy original tunes mixed with classic cover songs. However on the downside was halfway through set a completely shameles plug by the drummer of her haunted house which was completely out of place and a guitarist who looked like she would rather be anywhere else but performing. I even had a fan tell me that she's seen S.A. a few times and that was the most she'd even seen the guitarist move around on stage. So just hard to enjoy the set but great songs with good playing.
Korupt has been around a while and they are a lot of fun. Featuring a pounding double bass drum and solid original songs mixed with fun covers, everything from W.A.S.P. to Skid Row. Very fan interactive with terrific stage pressence a band worth going to if your into a good night of hard rock.
What can really be said about LA Guns? They have been around forever but they are just balls out sunset strip rock. Still fronted but Phil Lewis and backed by longest continuous member, drummer Steve Riley. Touring in support of their newest record, Hollywood Forever, they covered songs from their whole catelog including fan favorite hits like The Ballad Of Jayne. Still going with the same double guitars and pounding bass that had them as one of the top acts of the late 80's.
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| Sin 4 Sin the party rock band from Ellicott City thats a bit of Poison mixed with a splash of Buckcherry have alot going for them. Featuring a very charismatic frontman and a theatrical almost Angus Young type clone guitarist known to their fans for songs like I Quit Drinking Again, College Fucked Me, and My Girlfriend Always Gets Arrested. They've got great fan interactive tunes with big hooks and sing-a-long coruses.
Modern Superstar featured loud songs with heavy melodic riffs and fronted by former Britney Fox singer Jamie Fletcher. The drawback to their set was early in there were a series of songs where the drums sounded badly out of sync with the rest of the band. All in all a solid set though and a band to be enjoyed.
CrashDiet is a band with a very interesting history. From the suicide of their original frontman to issues putting out records due to lineup changes but they are a terrific show if you are into the glam-style hard rock. Fans of Hanoi Rocks, Theatre of Pain Motley Crue, Poison, mixed with a splash of punk, then these are your boys. Simon Cruz is a freakishly energetic frontman who completely owns the stage. Great hooks, rocking coruses and worth seeing if they come around you which is very rare, this tour alone only had 4 shows in the U.S.
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| Crashdiet @ House Of Rock--White Marsh, MD. 8-22-2012
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Written by Michael McGeehan
Monday, 01 October 2012 13:25 |
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Coming all the way from Sweden on a short one week tour of North America, the glam/sleaze rock band Crashdiet made an appearance at the House of Rock this past August and the one hundred or so lucky fans that were able to see them got to see a show most in America couldn't. These guys played to a crowd of 50,000 in Brazil in 2010. Not very popular over here in the US, Crashdiet has three albums to their credit and all were well represented in this high energy show. One guy came straight from Wisconsin to see them. In the Raw, Breakin' the Chainz, Riot in Everyone....it was non-stop in your face energy for the whole 90 minute set. Lead singer Simon Cruz, mohawk and all, sang and performed like he was in Brazil when he busted out songs from their newest Generation Wild. Their new single, Chemical, and the hit balled Save Her from the album stood out and if I had the money, I would go over to Europe to see these guys again no questions asked.
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| Summer may be over, but Summerland never ends. Everclear and Sugar Ray put together a celebration of quality musicians and huge hits. Lit, Gin Blossoms and Marcy Playground joined in on the fun. The crowds ate it up, singing and dancing along. Hopefully this will become an annual event. Check out slideshows of each band from the July 21, 2012 show in New Jersey by clicking on the images.
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