October 10-13 At Discovery Park In Sacramento, CA

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Photos By Steve Thrasher, Except SHADOWS FALL By Lexie Alley

As I do just about every October, I trekked up to California's capitol city of Sacramento for the 12th annual Aftershock festival. It is held in the city's Discovery Park" a massive, tree-lined plot of land that is located alongside the Sacramento river, and surrounded by woods. This gives the vibe of being out in the country, although it is alongside the 5 freeway and not too far from the city's bustling downtown. For four days though, all my thoughts and feelings were about music and food and fun experiences with about 160,000 or so like-minded others.

Due to the amount of "like-minded others" that would be attending from around the globe, the city of Sacramento and its surrounding region, benefits from a roughly 28 million dollar economic impact. It is estimated that nearly 70 percent of attendees (including myself) are not from the area, meaning hotels, Airbnbs, airlines, restaurants, bars and such are reaping in the benefits. Festival organizers Danny Wimmer Presents also make quite a profit as well, although I am not sure of the numbers.

This year, the festival expanded to 130 bands on 5 stages, spread out over four days. Some of the biggest names in the hard rock genre were featured, as well as a host of up and coming performers. Huge acts, such as the reunited SLAYER, as well as PANTERA, IRON MAIDEN, JUDAS PRIEST, SLIPKNOT, and MOTLEY CRUE headlined and gave their fans everything they wanted in one loud weekend. The sound systems and stage placements made sure that even though it was inevitable there would be bands playing simultaneously in different areas, the sounds would not "bleed" into the others performance. All weekend long, the stage times were very precise, and on time. Kudos to the audio crew and stage crews for their expertise, as well as the festivals organizers.

In addition to the highly anticipated music performances, fans took part in new onsite activations including BeatBox's BeatBus and a real tattoo parlor, the Coors Light bar and photo booth and Tito's Handmade Vodka's cocktails, swag, photo booth and airbrush tattoos. Many of the returning partners included Coors Light, Jack Daniel's, LYTE, Red Bull, Topo Chico Hard Seltzer, Hop Valley Brewing, Beatbox Beverages, Eargasm, Monaco Cocktails, Tito's Handmade Vodka, Astral Tequila, U.S. Army, Take Me Home, as well as METALLICA's "Blackened" whisky who had a full bar.

Eargasm Earplugs were and are a very important vendor in this particular setting. Hearing loss is rampant among today's youth, especially those that are exposed to loud music such as this. Many people listen to their music at high volume using earbuds and headphones. Eargasm has developed a very comfortable and affordable product that can help protect your hearing, especially in this kind of environment. They have a variety of different earplug options from their regular plugs to a smaller version. These plugs have an NRR or Noise Reduction Rating of 16. This year, they even had a custom Aftershock box and printed carrier, which I thought is the perfect functional souvenir. T-shirts and hats are one thing, a lifetime of protected hearing is another.

Yes, there was PLENTY of T-shirts and merchandise on display. Huge tents, packed with shirts, hats, bandanas, and more from literally every band on the bill were constantly filled with attendees who were spending a fortune getting the latest swag from their favorite acts. There were also booths dedicated to official Aftershock swag as well, with many new designs for 2024's event. Speaking of swag (aka merchandise, for those that are unaware of the term), Rita Haney, wife of the late Dimebag Darrell of PANTERA fame, had a great booth featuring a variety of products, under the name of "Dimebag Hardware". It had everything from Dimebag shirts and hats, as well as shorts, guitar pics and more. They even had some of the late Dimebag's guitars on display. Rita recently has released "Blacktooth Beverages", a line of pre-made cocktails, which include Dimes' favorite "Blacktooth Grin". She also released (and gave me a sampling of) a line of pre-rolled "Pintera Pinners" high-grade marijuana, under the brand of "Dimebag Darrell's Cannabis from Hell" that will be available at local dispensaries. Yes, PANTERA had a full presence at Aftershock 2024 both on stage and off.

As always, there were a TON of food vendors. There was plenty of the usual fare, such as burgers, dogs, fries, pizza, and Mexican-style stuff. Also BBQ, Gyros, cheese steaks, nachos, Korean corn dogs, ramen burritos and noodles, rice bowls and just about anything to serve ones palate. Local food trucks such as Drewski's, Bacon Mania, Nash& Proper, and others were scattered about, and the lines really were not that bad. Aftershock was a "cashless venue" so using one's card instead of cash seemed to speed things up a bit as far as waiting to be fed.

Many of the familiar booths such as the Fxck Cancer non-profit, cancer awareness organization, returned once again, to offer attendees information, and sell their merchandise, which was seen everywhere. The US Army again, had a booth as did local brewery Hop Valley, my beverage of choice for the weekend. I stopped by some new and interesting booths, such as Sobershock that was offering numerous daily sober meetings, which were well attended. Dixxon Flannel, makers of high quality flannel shirts, many of which featuring designs dedicated to some of the bands that were appearing, had long lines throughout the weekend. Local business Capitol Charge was a great idea. They offered portable phone chargers that were available to rent, and were doing a brisk business. Gotta keep those phones charged!

With all the things I have mentioned and a lot more, the main attraction at Aftershock is the music. That is what bonds us all. The good people at DWP have, for years, assembled the biggest and best of the hard rock genre to perform. This year's event has expanded to 5 stages. The "Jack Daniels" sponsored stage and the "Shockwave" stage, were the two largest, and were where the festivals biggest headliners would perform. The "Coors Light" stage and the "Soundwave" stage, were on the other side of the festival, near the overpass of the 5 freeway. 2024 added the "DWP Presents" stage, which was opposite of the "Shockwave" stage, and provided some of my favorite sets of the weekend.

Obviously, with so much going on, it was virtually IMPOSSIBLE to see everything. I had to plan ahead for a long time, to figure out which sets I could see and which ones I would have to miss due to time conflicts. Again, I have to praise the production crews, as most of the performance times were right on time-not an easy task to achieve by any means. I averaged about 5 miles a day in walking in between stages and the media compound, which was located on the far end of the huge VIP area. Years past of blisters and leg cramps have taught me the importance of proper attire, and comfortable footwear is key.

DAY ONE - Thursday

With all that in mind, the following is what I saw and heard. Getting to the festival, via LYFT and UBER for me, was my option. Outside of the first day of the festival, I pretty much arrived before the first acts hit the stage. Day One, after securing my media credentials at an off-site designated location, I arrived at Discovery Park just in time to watch hard rock veterans SEVENDUST rip it up on the Shockwave stage. This band has continued to give their fans the kind of sonic beat-down that we have come to know and expect. Their stage show was for me, the energy boost that I needed to get me into the pumped-up state of mind that I would carry on for the next 4 days. By the time they ended up their set with "Face To Face" I had my "Game-face" on, as well as my "Let's do dis" attitude.

CYPRESS HILL literally blazed through a sing a-long set with their weed-fueled 7 songs that showed just how popular their brand of hip-hop has been, for over 20 years. I even found myself bouncing around, flicking my fingers in the air, and swaying side to side, while singing the words to "Insane In The Brain" as I navigated to festival site. I'm sure I looked like an idiot, but I didn't care, I was amongst many.

MINISTRY, who I have seen numerous times, gave an interesting performance on the Jack Daniels stage. Seeing them on a giant stage such as this seemed to make their thunderous brand of industrial metal much more of an experience than previous shows that I have attended. For one thing, it was the middle of the afternoon, and it was very strange seeing their flashing lights take a backstage to the numerous videos that were shown on the stage's huge screens. Singer Al Jourgensen, his long red hair crowned by a wide-brimmed hat, stalked the stage and shouted out classics like "Goddamn White Trash" that was punctuated by shots of American and Confederate flags, as well as "N.W.O." that brought the moshers into the pit. MINISTRY closed out their set with a fiery, "Jesus Built My Hotrod" that put the crowd into hyperdrive, which is exactly what the band intended to do.

I caught up with my friends in HALESTORM earlier in the day in the media area, and they told me that there will be new music from them in 2025. It was singer Lzzy Hale's birthday, and when they hit the Shockwave stage she was wearing a pair of sunglasses with a birthday cake on them. As this incredible live band does, night after night, they OWNED the crowd from the time they appeared to the end of their 9 song set. Hitting the stage at 5 pm, drenched in direct sunlight, Lzzy greeted the crowd, by bellowing "Raise your hands" before the group launched into "I Miss The Misery". From there, it was all eyes on HALESTORM.

Lzzy's brother, drummer Arejay Hale was looking festive, in a bright pink suit and green hair that matched his green sparkle drum kit. His drum rolls led the band into their 2012 hit "Love Bites (So Do I)" that kickstarted the crowd to another level. "I want to thank you for coming to my birthday party" the always enthusiastic Lzzy Hale addressed the crowd, as guitarist Joe Hottinger (who, with his hat, looked like a vintage Stevie Ray Vaughan) and bassist Josh Smith beamed and kept the riffs coming as Lzzy dedicated "I Get Off", their 2009 debut single, to "the ladies". They even broke the song down mid-song and included a bit of the HEART classic "Crazy On You".

This band just lives for their live show. They always give 110 percent onstage every night. They cranked out their recent collaboration with the band I PREVAIL entitled "Can You See Me In The Dark" as well as "Takes My Life" from their 2006 EP. Arejay's drum solo is always a treat. As much fun as it is to see him solo, the band brought out huge chrome drums to the front of the stage, to join him as the beat on them together. Arejay then brought out giant drumsticks and pleased the crowd with his skills behind the kit with them. HALESTORM finished off their set with "The Steeple" from 2022, that continued to bring the heat. HALESTORM really brought the evening's festivities to the next level, as night started to fall on Discovery Park.

I have always wanted to see RAMMSTEIN, but have never been able to. Tonight at Aftershock I would see what many had told me was "RAMMSTEIN Light" aka RAMMSTEIN singer Till Lindemann and his band. "Light" by any means, it was not. His 13 song set featured a red stage with red amps and instruments, and mostly sexy female players that were dressed in red latex bondage gear. Lindemann himself was dressed in red, and although not latex, reflected the bondage theme. He also covered his face with red paint. As scary as the band looked, it was nothing compared to what was projected onto the video screens as the band crushed their brand of industrial metal.

Images of sex, bondage and extreme fetish videos of all kinds were shown behind the band throughout the set. The opener "Fat" showed lots of chubby people dancing naked as Lindemann and the band rocked the song that features lyrics like "Your flabby butthole, a soggy cave, I put in my parts, and let them bathe." Pretty interesting stuff, that's for sure, so much so that an LED "warning" of its possible offending content, flashed onscreen beforehand. I didn't understand most of what Lindemann was singing about during the show, as the majority of it was in German, but what I witnessed was stunning. Combined with the extreme volume, and constant flashing lights, it was by far the most visibly exciting show of the day, if not, the entire weekend.

Sadly, I missed seeing STATIC-X on the DWP stage, as I was mesmerized by the Lindemann show, but was brought back to reality by the next act on the Shockwave stage. After bowing out of last year's Aftershock event, a reconfigured PANTERA, featuring Zakk Wylde on guitar, and ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante joining bassist Rex Brown and vocalist Phillip H Anselmo gave the crowd the show they had been waiting for.

"Everything we do is for our brothers Dimebag and Vince" growled Anselmo as the band tore into the classic "Mouth For War". As a fan of the original band, I give major props to this version, as they recreated classic PANTERA with legit versions of "I'm Broken" and "5 Minutes Alone" being standouts. Zakk's signature guitar "pinches" fit right in to the late Dimbag's classic riffs seamlessly, and Benante's locomotive drumming kept the pace hectic and in-step to the original versions, even though at times, like during "Strength Beyond Strength" he took it to yet another level.

Anselmo, clad in cutoff black t-shirt and shorts, barefoot and crouching, a constant scowl on his face, shouted and growled, raising his fist in the air to punctuate the lyrics to the fanatical crowd, whose bodies were flung about the festival grounds like a huge pod of dolphins. Mosh pits and crowd surfers collided and crashed the stage barrier from the opening notes of "A New Level" right up until a tribute video of Dime and Vinnie appeared on the huge video screens as the intro to "Cemetary Gates" was played. After that, the pace was frantic once again, and PANTERA classics like "This Love", the popular "Walk" and "Cowboys From Hell" had the audience shouting every word, bringing a rare smile to Anselmo's face. He addressed the crowd and praised parents for bringing "the next generation" of PANTERA fans to the show. Referring to the kids, he advised them to "ask an old person about the lyrics if they were having trouble understanding their meaning". I thought that was really cool. PANTERA wrapped up their excellent set with the brutal, double-time beat of "Fucking Hostile" that brought the crowd to a rolling boil. At songs end, the band gathered onstage, and, as they left, Anselmo serenaded the crowd with a bit of LED ZEPPELIN's classic "Stairway To Heaven" and smirked.

Back to the Jack Daniels stage I went for the ONLY band that could play after PANTERA. Yes, the reunited SLAAAYYYYER returned to Sacramento with a vengeance, as one would expect. A virtual sea of cell phones greeted the thrash metal kings, as they gave the fans a 90 minute spectacle that was like world war three. Opening with "South of Heaven" it was an onslaught of power and pyro that to me, was a continuation of their 2019 "farewell shows" in Los Angeles that I attended, but on a much larger scale. It was a mass of moshing bodies from the front of the stage, to the back of the festival grounds, which reached past the 5 freeway overpass.

Bassist/Singer Tom Araya's frantic vocals were both fresh and rested, after such a long layoff, and the band tore through their 20 song set with absolute fearlessness. Just about every song I would want to hear from them was represented with absolutely no sign of a 5 year break. Classic thrash such as "Blood Red" and "Temptation" and newer songs like 2006's "Jihad" led to the inevitable crowd pleaser "Seasons In The Abyss" which kicked off the second half of the set.

It was a very impressive display of pyrotechnics that accompanied the band throughout, including their famous flaming upside-down cross. "Are you having fun yet?" Araya asked the crowd. "You know what's going on in the world, right?" he asked, as SLAYER tore into "War Ansemble". Kerry King and Gary Holt played their guitars at warp speed, and drummer Paul Bostaph amazingly kept his frantic pace akin to a machine gun firing rounds throughout, slowing down only briefly during the intro to "Raining Blood" near the end of the set.

As I looked around the crowd, I noticed that even though this was the last band of the day - NOBODY had left! It shows the true love that the fans have for SLAYER. The band continued to give them what they came for, a true thrashing in every sense of the word. SLAYER closed their set and met the 10pm curfew with an absolutely bombastic version of their 1986 classic "Angel of Death" that was accompanied by column upon column of flames, which brought the crowd to an earth shattering roar at songs end. Yes a true Aftershock that registered on the Richter scale. SLAYER still rules the thrash world, and it was the ultimate way to wrap up day one of the festival.

DAY TWO - Friday

I made sure to get to Discovery Park early, right around the time things opened up at 11 or so on Day Two of the festival. I caught bits of early sets by BLACK MAP as well as VENDED who featured singer Griffin Taylor, son of SLIPKNOT singer Cory Taylor, as well as drummer Simon Crahan, the son of SLIPKNOT percussionist Shawn "Clown" Crahan. Their music is very heavy, and as one might expect can sound a bit like SLIPKNOT, who would be headlining later that evening.

I caught a great set by Los Angeles band BUDDERSIDE, who opened the Coors Light stage with a very solid set of straight ahead rock, that featured the talents of an outstanding front man in vocalist Patrick Alan Stone, as well as a very tight band, featuring lead guitarist Sam "Bam" Koltun who also plays with rocker DOROTHY, as well as a reformed FASTER PUSSYCAT. BUDDERSIDE is very reminiscent of classic American retro rock with riff-heavy songs and great stage presence. Songs like "Ghostlighting" and "Good For Nothing" add a bit of a modern twist to the mix. It was a great way to get the day rolling.

Another highlight of the early part of the day was seeing HEMORAGE on the Soundwave Stage. This Bay Area thrash band featured guest bassist Freddie Al-Hajj from the Orange County Metal band SUBSURFACE TENSION joining them for the tour, and the bottom end was pounding! In fact they got the first "circle pit" of the day that I saw, and singer/guitarist Jon Orc led the charge with his pleading, thrashy delivery. This band has been making waves around the circuit by playing "Pop-Up" shows from their van which they set up outside of venues, and they did the same thing at Aftershock by parking at a gas station near the park's exit and rocking the fuck out for those leaving the festival.

BRITISH LION, featuring IRON MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris, played a splendid set of classic British rock for their fans gathered at the Coors light stage. Singer Richard Taylor is very charismatic and his voice soared during songs like "Wasteland" and the set-closing "Eyes of The Young" which had him strumming an acoustic guitar. Naturally, Harris spent plenty of time as he does with IRON MAIDEN, his foot propped on his stage monitor, grimacing, and providing thunderous bass lines on every song. He also sported my favorite T- Shirt of the day which said "Whale Oil Beef Hooked". Pretend you are British and say it quickly, in your favorite Cockney impression.

THE WARNING, a trio of sisters Daniela, Paulina, and Alejandra Villareal from Monterrey Mexico, has been tearing it up everywhere they play the last few years, and today, on the Jack Daniels stage was no exception. Singer/guitarist Daniela is a ball of fire and her many shouts of Aftershock were always answered with a roar. They ripped through their nine song set with fervor, each song more enjoyable than the next. They even did a song en Espanol, entitled "Que Mas Quierads" (loosely meaning "what do you want" for you non-Spanish readers) that seemed to fire up their audience, and I noticed many in the crowd singing along.

As good as THE WARNING was onstage, I felt the complete opposite with the set by POPPY, who followed on the Shockwave stage. I thought this artist was interesting when she first came on the scene a few years ago, but her set today was just plain boring. Her weak singing voice and a very dull band just never seemed to catch on. She hopped around the stage and attempted to be edgy, but it just didn't seem to do much. I'm sure she has her fans, but not this guy.

TAPROOT, from Ann Arbor Michigan, is a band I have not seen for over 20 years. Today they played on the Coors Light stage and seemed to have control of their crowd and in spite of some sound issues, their brand of punk, and nu-metal, post-grunge went over pretty well. HIGHLY SUSPECT, on the JD Stage, were very engaging with their audience, and seemed to be having a blast onstage. Their song "My Name Is Human" was performed during their set, and it always makes me smile. Over on the Coors Light stage, drummer Marky Ramone rocked a full set of RAMONES covers. Just about every RAMONES song they could fit into their 45 minute set was performed pretty admirably. It was cool to see PRONG's Tommy Victor on guitar. DROPKICK MURPHYS are always a blast, and they kicked the teeth in of every wanna-be Irishman in sight with a rousing set on the Jack Daniels stage (as opposed to Jameson's Irish Whisky stage), that, of COURSE ended with their classic "I'm Shipping Up To Boston".

Back to the Shockwave I trudged, to check out a great set from Chicago's RISE AGAINST. These guys LIVE for the stage, and really make full use of it. No "shoe gazing" from this band as they treated their fans to a very pleasing ten song set. Opening with "Satellite" the energy never waned throughout. Before the song "Worth Dying For" their singer Tim McIlrath, asked for, and received a "circle pit" from his faithful followers. Surprisingly, to me anyway, their 2006 huge radio hit "Ready To Fall" was not performed. A great band that brings it all in a festival setting.

Things were starting to get tricky for me in terms of seeing the bands that I wanted to see. I caught the first half of Juliette Lewis (yes, the famous actress..) and her band THE LICKS on The Coors light stage. I have seen her before, and she is a total dynamo onstage. She reminds me of the legendary Iggy Pop, with her frantic body twists and yelps. She is really fun to watch, and her punky-pop band can really rip it up.

I quickly high-tailed it over to the Danny Wimmer Presents stage, about a quarter mile away, and with LOTS of foot traffic, to catch as much as I could of Daron Malakian and SCARS ON BROADWAY, who were fantastic. This side band of SYSTEM OF A DOWN guitarist Daron Malakian absolutely put on one of my favorite sets of the day with their frantic blend of rock that is fused with ethnic European influences. I would simply describe their music as heavy rock to avoid being misquoted. I found myself bouncing up and down to every number that I saw them perform, it's that infectious.

Heavy guitars chords literally explode out of Malakian's amplifier, and bassist Niko Chantziantoniou lays down a very solid foundation. I noticed many in the crowd, instead of moshing around, were content with bouncing up and down, fists raised, totally in sync with the music. Malakian is Armenian, and very passionate about his heritage. Many of the songs deal with the effects of the Armenian genocide, with titles like "World Long Gone" and "Guns Are Loaded". After a revved-up and double-time "Stoner Hate" DMSOB ended their set with the blistering "They Say" from their 2008 debut.

By seeing these two sets, I bypassed seeing EVANESCENCE, who are a great band. I also decided to skip seeing the always popular FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, who I have seen one-too many times, to catch a set from MASTODON on the Coors Light stage. MASTODON, celebrating the 20th anniversary of their groundbreaking album Leviathan, performed it in its entirety. After a clip from the classic film Moby Dick from the Herman Melville book on which the album is based, was shown on the huge video screens, complete with Gregory Peck's compelling dialogue, the band launched right into the opening track "Blood And Thunder" and it was time to hunt the great beast.

Bassist Troy Sanders "anchors" this outfit, and his growly vocals and pounding bass drove songs such as "Seabeast" and "Iron Tusk", which Sanders introduced and thanked the crowd for being there to celebrate with them. Lead guitarist Brent Hinds' skillful fretboard technique gave each song the extra push that it needed to go from thrash to progressive rock, and the band did just that by reaching into their catalogue to finish their set with "Steambreather", a track from their 2017 Emperor of Sand release. So, essentially, MASTODON literally went from sea to sand with their set. It was brilliant.

Friday headliners SLIPKNOT were also celebrating a milestone. The band was celebrating the 25th anniversary of their debut release by performing the album in its entirety, although not in chronological order like MASTODON had done with their set. An eerie green light bathed the stage, as the band members appeared wearing matching red jumpsuits, and wearing all new masks, as is their custom when they are on a new tour.

There is always much to focus on at a SLIPKNOT show. The visuals are stunning, from the obvious, the scary stage attire of the band members, led by singer Cory Taylor, but also the sheer number of them, 9 in all, and every one in motion. DJ Sid Wilson mans the turntables, while Shawn "Clown" Crahan pounds his beer-keg fronted percussion. Although the band has virtually eliminated their famous pyrotechnics for this show, there was still plenty for the fans to get excited about, visually. Lots of flashing lights and fog kept the stage at its creepiest and I give huge props to the lighting techs.

After a great take on their first single, "Wait And Bleed" Taylor addressed the crowd. "Welcome back to 1999" he exclaimed. "You will not hear one song written after 1999. For the casual SLIPKNOT fan, sorry." It was cool to hear them play "Purity" and it's into "Frail Limb Nursery" live, as both of those numbers were long ago eliminated from the debut album for copyright issues. After "Only One" the band briefly left the stage. They returned shortly thereafter with a blistering "Spit It Out" that brought bedlam to the entranced audience. Bodies flew in all directions, with Taylor, no doubt smiling at what he helped create from behind his frightening mask. "We're gonna take you someplace dark," he announced before the band wrapped up Day Two of the festival with "Scissors" that had the near exhausted crowd screaming for more, but to no avail. Into the Sacramento evening, the attendees went, and I looked forward to a good night's sleep before doing it all again the next morning.

DAY THREE - Saturday

"Up and at 'em" my mom used to say. I took that to heart and got to Discovery Park early Saturday morning for Day Three of the festival. I stopped by the media booth for water and headed to the Shockwave stage just in time to catch a set from JIGSAW YOUTH, the first band up. This trio of ladies from Staten Island, NY played a muddy, grungy form of punk rock that I really liked. Though the still arriving crowd was sparse, these ladies made the most of it and played like it was a sold out performance.

CKY, who I hadn't even thought about in years, was the perfect band to open the JD stage. Their thumpin', bass-heavy, grungy rock got the early crowd into it. Singer/guitarist Chad Ginsburg was having fun with the crowd, and even did a perfect "guitar flip" ala vintage 1986 CINDERELLA during one song. They even finished their set with GG Allin's "Bite It You Scum". ALIEN ANT FARM followed and kept the early 1990's groove going with their cover of Michael Jackson's "Smooth Criminal" breaking out the wanna-be "pop and lock" dancers in the crowd.

Southern California rockers NEW YEARS DAY and their fabulous singer Ash Costello pumped up the sweaty crowd while basking in direct sunlight on the JD stage. Their cover of PANTERA's "Fucking Hostile" wasn't quite the brutal version that PANTERA themselves performed on Thursday, but it was fun to see NYD get fired up performing their version. They finished their quick set with "Hurts Like Hell", a great song that really resonates with this generation of hard rockers.

Back on the Shockwave Stage Long Beach California rockers RIVAL SONS put on a short but hypnotic set. This seasoned band of rock veterans are quite a change from the bands that were appearing around their time slot. The opening number "Mirrors" spotlighted the soulful croon of singer Jay Buchanan, who performing barefoot and using the entire stage to wander, periodically planting himself to belt out a siren-like wail. All the while, guitarist Scott Holiday threw down thunderous chords, while simultaneously strumming a stationary acoustic guitar. As a big fan of the band, I wish they would have had more stage time. They basically had time for four songs, including the lovely, blues of "Feral Roots" but there were a lot of other bands on the bill, and there was a tight schedule to contend with. As short as the set was, I absolutely loved their performance.

I trekked over to The Coors Light stage to check out ILL NINO, yet another band from "back in the day" that I haven't seen in a while. I was surprised to see former BAD WOLVES vocalist Tommy Vext as their front man, and he did his best to get the crowd fired up, even getting them to separate and do the "Wall of Death" (for those that are confused to what that is, google it...) and the band also covered the CRANBERRIES song "Zombie" which was pretty cool. It was a very entertaining set, and the early moshers were pleased to get sweaty and blow off some steam.

While bands like P.O.D. kept up with the "Nu Metal" invasion at this year's event, DOPE, a surprise add to the bill because COAL CHAMBER had cancelled their appearance, put on a very entertaining set that crossed the line between the new and old bands. Their classic song "Die Motherfucker Die" has been around since 2001, but could easily have been released last week, as it resonated with the increasingly pumped up afternoon crowd. DOPE closed their set with a surprisingly non-cheesy version of "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" a cover of the 1985 dance hit by DEAD OR ALIVE. Singer Edsel Dope seemed to be very pleased with the crowd's enthusiastic reaction.

The day was starting to kick into high gear, as the people poured into the festival grounds. I was already on my second energy drink of the day by the time SLEEPING WITH SIRENS hit the JD stage with a vengeance. Things really got going during the song "Kick Me" that did just that to the by now fully engaged crowd. Singer Kellin Quinn was everywhere on stage, the guy is a raging ball of energy throughout the show. His squeaky voice somehow cut through the bands down tuned songs like an ice pick, and he joined the legions of bands during the festivals four days who pleaded with the crowd to start a circle pit. Day three of the festival had plenty of classic heavy bands on the main stages, but SLEEPING WITH SIRENS is a band that eventually should be considered a future classic of the genre. Their dedicated young audience would agree.

Speaking of classics, CLUTCH put on their patented grunge-funk set on the Shockwave stage as the sun was blazing directly on the band. "This lighting man sucks" said singer Neil Fallon who then got down to the business of "funk-ifying" songs like "Firebirds!" which combines the BLACK SABBATH-esque grooves of guitarist Tim Sult and bassist Dan Maines, with Fallons growly delivery. Not exactly the most exciting band to see, CLUTCH is nonetheless rock-solid in terms of their material. While the band members gaze at their shoes, Fallon is fully interacting with the audience, like a Pentecostal preacher in action. He looks like your favorite uncle, but is a full on rocker. The set-closing "A Shotgun Named Marcus" got me rollin' and my aching feet were stomping.

I checked out hardcore band KUBLAI KHAN TX for a bit, until the swirling pit got too intense. People were really enjoying them though. Back to the JD stage I went to catch "Big 4" legends ANTHRAX and was glad to see they have not lost one iota of energy in their show since I last saw them a few years back. Things started brewing with the opening bass notes supplied by returning bassist Frank Bello, on their cover of Joe Jackson's "Got The Time" and it is always great to see guitarist Scott Ian in his own "Personal Circle Pit" during that song. He's been doing it for years, and it's always fun to watch. How does this band keep it going at such a pace for so long? Singer Joey Belladonna is virtually ageless, and he leaped and ran around the stage like a teenager, shouting and screaming, and egging the crowd on to join in the fun.

ANTHRAX classics such as "Caught In a Mosh" and "Madhouse" kept the crowd and the band in motion, and Charlie Benante's thundering drums and incredible pace was the engine that drove the train. Ian intro'd "I Am The Law" saying it was about an "executioner" and Belladonna again, led the crowd to scream the chorus from all ends of the huge stage. ANTHRAX closed out an incredible set with their classic "Indians" as Belladonna claimed that the band has been together for 43 years, and said "everybody can do a war dance". And you know what? Everybody DID. Bodies flew from every direction, over the crowd and into the pits, just like always. ANTHRAX ruled!

By now, I was exhausted and it was only around 5:30 PM or so. I retreated to the comfort of the Media Area/Artist Lounge, and pounded a few cold ones, courtesy of the folks at Hop Valley Brewing, one of the festival sponsors. My old-ass legs needed a break, and I was glad to miss a really lame set from STAIND, as apparently Aaron Lewis decided to state his political views onstage. Whatever. I'm not a fan of STAIND or politics. I also missed a typical insane set from WHITECHAPEL on the Coors Light stage. I am glad I took a break when I did, because after getting recharged and refueled, I headed to the DWP Stage and saw one of the best sets of the weekend.

The DWP Stage was set up in a field opposite the Shockwave stage, and apparently, right in the middle of a nest of dragonflies who were dive-bombing us during BODY COUNT's awesome set. BC actually opened with "Raining Blood" from SLAYER, which created a massive free for all circle pit in front of the stage. Singer Ice T, always the instigator, led the band into the most intense version of "There Goes The Neighborhood" I have ever seen or heard. It was complete bedlam. "We're coming Sacramento" he screamed, "and if you don't like it, you can kiss my black ass" he continued as guitarist Ernie C cranked one incredible guitar solo after another, his hair a huge mess, and his fierce eyes looked as intense as the words that were coming out of Ice T's mouth all set long.

Huge hooded skulls adorned either side of the drum riser as well as the back drop, and Ice T's longtime wife Coco and his kids sat stage right, bobbing their heads along to the intense sounds coming from onstage. "Fuck that big stage, I want the hardcore stage" Ice T yelled. He then introduced the band, including his son "Little Ice" before the band launched into "The Purge", a new song.

Ice T thanked the parents for bringing the kids to the show, and led a round of applause for the youngsters. He even brought out his young daughter to help with "Talk Shit, Get Shot" although to some, it can be a bit much to see a little girl involved. Her parents and many others didn't seem to mind though, and the madness continued, with young Chanel staying onstage, dancing and throwing up her hands and helping sing the chorus.

The controversial "Cop Killer" followed with lots of shouts of "Fuck the police" along with the chorus, from the sweaty and by now, beat up audience. BODY COUNT then closed out their intense set with a cover of the PINK FLOYD number "Comfortably Numb" in which T rapped over it, as the band cranked out a heavy version of the classic rock heavyweight. Ernie C's guitar tone really brought the song together, and the audience turned from frantic moshers to a hand-waving, sing-along party. It was really cool to see the transition, and I enjoyed every second of it. At the song's end, Ice T's young daughter yelled "goodnight Sacramento" and dropped the mic, center stage, as her smiling dad and the band left the stage to a loud roar.

Because of scheduling BODY COUNT and BREAKING BENJAMIN performed at the same time, I unfortunately missed BB. I also missed what I was told were great sets from LORNA SHORE on the Coors Light stage as well as TECH N9NE on the Soundwave stage. Why, you ask? Because they were scheduled at the same time as British heavy metal lords JUDAS PRIEST, who were appearing on the Shockwave Stage. I love to see new bands, but you don't miss a scheduled JUDAS PRIEST show, it's just not right!

What we got was a classic performance from the latter day Rock N Roll Hall of Famers, who, after a fanfare played over the PA system, the curtain disappeared and the band gathered together on the drum riser, opening with "Panic Attack", the lead single from their latest record Invincible Shield. Singer Rob Halford, sporting a white beard and a long silver coat, the first in a series of elaborate topcoats he would be wearing throughout the set, seemed to me to be having some vocal issues during the first few songs. The band, anchored by drummer Scott Travis, and bassist Ian Hill, kicked into the huge radio hit "You've Got Another Thing Coming" as Halford stalked the stage.

By the time they kicked into the PRIEST classic "Breaking The Law" Halford seemed to have his voice in check. "The Metal God" delivered and did his classic shimmy stage moves during the songs breakdown, flanked by guitarists Richie Faulkner and Andy Sneap, and it was just like old times. JUDAS PRIEST has recorded many albums of great material and they dipped into quite a bit of it during their 13 song set. Included were blazing versions of 1982's "Riding On The Wind" and "Sinner" which goes all the way back to the Sin After Sin release from 1977.

Halford would disappear backstage after virtually every number, emerging recharged and delivered like the "Metal God" titled he has earned. During guitars solo's he would pace the stage, eyes shut and raise his fist, occasionally sticking out his tongue, totally entranced in his musical performance. He led the crowd in singing along to "Turbo Lover" and thanked them for supporting the band for over 50 years, while rattling off just about every album title the band has released. He truly is a marvel to experience, and he seems to be enjoying it just as much as he always has.

After a fine version of the title track to Invincible Shield the sounds of a motorcycle cranked over the PA system, and, as JUDAS PRIEST's signature illuminated "Trighton" was raised to the top of the stage, Halford reappeared center stage, this time aboard a Harley Davidson motorcycle, and wearing a leather cap, while gripping a riding crop in his teeth. The band then launched into a blistering "Hell Bent For Leather" and Halford sang the entire number astride the steed.

After drummer Scott Travis addressed the crowd and asked them what they wanted to hear, he drummed the intro and the band kicked into "Painkiller", a song which is a legendary voice shredder to most heavy metal bands. Not PRIEST. They rocked it and briefly left the stage, returning to close the show with "The Hellion"/"Electric Eye" and, of course "Living After Midnight", the huge radio hit from their classic 1980 British Steel release. JUDAS PRIEST just continues to give their audience exactly what they want, year in and year out. "Metal Gods" indeed.

To wrap up day three of the festival, headliners IRON MAIDEN were making their first Aftershock appearance. Just like the night before, the entire grounds near the Jack Daniels stage were packed from front to back. The VIP section was so crowded that there was virtually no room to move, just like the general sections. Finally, the lights dimmed and the familiar sounds of UFO's classic song "Doctor Doctor" were cranked up over the PA system, as is MAIDEN"s longtime tradition, signaling that it is, indeed, showtime.

After a short instrumental intro, the band burst onstage with "Caught Somewhere In Time", the first track from their 1986 Somewhere In Time album. "Where the fuck are we? Sacramento? 'Ello Aftershock" singer Bruce Dickinson greeted the roaring crowd. For the next two hours or so, the mighty MAIDEN performed their standard full set that they have been doing during their ongoing US "Future Past" fall tour, pretty much in order. Spotlighting their latest release, 2021's Senjutsu, they performed five numbers from that particular release, three of them in succession, midway through the set.

Dickinson, sporting a grey outfit and long jacket, addressed the crowd and introduced "The Writing On The Wall" with a gleeful chant of "Aftershock, start your engines!" He displayed so much youthful energy, all set long. Throughout the evening he howled at the moon, addressed a fan perched in a tree, another clutching a pineapple and gave props to JUDAS PRIEST. He also went into a long, factual rant about the DeLorean motor car, as an intro to the Senjutsu track "The Time Machine".

Besides all eyes on Dickinson who is a man possessed and all over the place, I always like to see the differences in their three guitarists stage antics. On stage right, Adrian Smith and Dave Murray mainly stick to their side of the stage, occasionally coming to the center, while Jannick Gers, initially positioned on stage left, is literally a man in motion, dancing and leaping about all over the huge stage. Bassist Steve Harris is usually center stage, and many times plants himself with one foot on the stage monitor and grimaces at the audience. Drummer Nicko McBrain is literally buried behind his huge drumkit.

As cool as it is to see a band of this magnitude play plenty of new material, the majority of the crowd seemed to react much more positively to the favorites. "Can I Play with Madness?" (dedicated to a girl named Agnes) brought out the audience singers. During "Heaven Can Wait", one of the many numbers performed tonight from their Somewhere in Time album, Dickenson engaged in a gun battle, using a stationary cannon that was planted above stage left, with IRON MAIDEN's 15 foot tall mascot "Eddie" who had appeared onstage. Dickinson even climbed above McBrain's drum kit and used a mallet to bash about the cymbals and gong during "Alexander The Great". After all these years, Bruce Dickinson has more energy onstage than many of the musicians half his age.

IRON MAIDEN then ended their set with a visit to their first album and the title track "Iron Maiden". "Eddie" returned during this number dressed in a Japanese Warrior outfit representing Senjutsu, and twirling a samurai sword, brought the crowd to a huge roar at songs end. After a brief pause, the band returned with "Hell On Earth", again from Senjutsu, before blasting the crowd with the one-two punch of IRON MAIDEN favorites "The Trooper" and "Wasted Years". Again, the mighty MAIDEN had triumphed! Afterwards, the house lights and a very bright moon illuminated the great grounds, as the familiar strains of Monty Python's "Always Look On The Bright Side of Life" accompanied the weary rock fans to the exits. Day Three of the festival was "in the books".

DAY FOUR - Sunday

Sunday morning started out as a blur after experiencing so many bands in such a short period of time. As HED PE, a band from my neighborhood got things going on the Shockwave stage, with singer Jared Gomes still looking and acting like he did onstage in the late 1990's, no small feat when you are still fronting a rowdy rock band thirty years in. On the other hand, POINT NORTH, from Los Angeles who opened the Jack Daniels stage, is young and their brand of industrialized pop-punk is very contemporary. Their young fans were thrilled to see Cody Carson, singer from SET IT OFF, who would be appearing later that afternoon, join them for a number.

DWP festival veterans DROWNING POOL, featuring singer Ryan McCombs, who has returned to the band after leaving for a few years, were a big draw for the early crowd, who showed up in droves to see them. Their solid, but way too short set was punctuated by their powerful closing numbers "Revolution (The Final Amen)" and the anthemic "Bodies" which certainly did cause many of the crowd to mosh, and there were plenty of bodies hitting the floor, imitating the song's lyrics. McCombs even jumped down and joined the mass of bodies himself at one point.

Over on the DWP stage, POWERMAN 5000 rocked a quick half hour set that brought me back to when this band first arrived on the scene. Singer Spider One is the brother of Rob Zombie, and his many years of playing live have paid off with a nice career onstage along with great material like the opener "Supernova Goes Pop" and the very industrial "Nobody's Real" that had the crowd and bass player "Murv3" dancing like a robot at times, and being generally entertaining all set. The closer, their big hit "When Worlds Collide" from 1999, set the stage area off as a launching point of many mosh pits. The songs title, I thought, would be a great metaphor for the many different types of acts that had appeared all weekend.

FROM ASHES TO NEW blasted their brand of Hip-hop influenced rock to an eager group of fans while Bob Vylan, a punk/hip hop duo from London raised a few eyebrows with a sign on their stage that said "Bob Vylan is Killing Punk Rock". I would have to disagree. One of the best sets I saw was from Ukranian band JINJER, who I have been a fan of for a long time. Their set on the Jack Daniels stage KILLED. Their singer, the fabulous Tatiana Shmayluk has an incredible voice and presence. She can shift from soaring powerful singing, to fry screaming, to full death metal growl effortlessly, as well as having a supreme command of the stage and audience. The band, especially the fluidity displayed by drummer Vladislav Ulasevich, were tight and active onstage, but not as much to disrupt their fabulous front woman. They ended their set with "Rogue", a song from their fifth album which will be released in February 2025.

I skipped a set from EAGLES OF DEATH METAL and got hydrated in the media tent, venturing out to see a bit of festival faves BADFLOWER do their thing on the JD stage. This band is incredibly popular. They always give their all onstage. Their fans sing along to every word, from the opener "Don't Hate Me" in which singer Josh Katz really connected with his audience. This band has been a huge influence on a lot of bands the last few years, and one that I always enjoy seeing.

I skipped seeing NOTHING MORE as well as SKILLET. I have seen them both too many times and I get what they are both about. I'll leave it at that. I checked out NARROW HEAD who played a very generic brand of "90's style Alternative music" and whose singer was very flat and out of key. I'm sure they have their days, but this wasn't one of them I thought. TOUCHE AMORE from Los Angeles played a semi interesting set of screamy, semi-punk rock that attracted a lot of gawkers. I was happy to head over to the Soundwave stage to catch two fantastic sets. The first was by industrial metal legends FEAR FACTORY.

FF had the crowd jumping from the get-go. Opening with "Shock", the masters of industrial metal was in total control of their self-created chaos during their 9 song set. "Edgecrusher" is a classic, and singer Milo Silvestro shouted "Everybody bounce" as the gathered masses followed his orders. Guitarist Dino Cazares and bassist Tony Campos looked like bookends on either side of the stage. Powerful numbers like "Linchpin" and "Demanufacture" kept the fans happy and moshing, throwing their fingers in the air as they sang along. It was very refreshing to see true masters of this form of music perform. Numerous circle pits erupted and crowd surfers flew in all directions. Meanwhile, I stood in the relative safety of the sound booth and smiled as I observed the carnage all around me.

For me, the most anticipated set of the day was by the reunited SHADOWS FALL on the same Soundwave Stage. Earlier in the day, I caught up with their singer Brian Fair in the media area. He told me that when the band decided it needed a break about ten years ago and he had moved to rural Missouri with his family many of the other band members joined other bands. Guitarist Jon Donais joined ANTHRAX and is still with them. Guitarist Matt Bachand joined ACT OF DEFIANCE, a band that also features Chris Broderick and Shawn Drover, formerly with MEGADETH. Drummer Jason Bittner played with OVERKILL amongst others and is now in the metal "supergroup" CATEGORY 7. But they all knew that they would regroup eventually as SHADOWS FALL.

Today, the band from Boston were playing as Brian Fair announced onstage, "Our first show in the West Coast in over a decade", but you would never know it. They picked up right where they left off with a brutal, pounding, eleven song set that completely beat the shit out of everything in sight. Opening with "The Light That Blinds", it was as if someone had set off a bomb, with the immediate combination of thrash and extreme musical prowess that had everyone, including a couple of highway patrolmen who were watching from the 5 Freeway bridge high above the stage. I noticed them bobbing their "Smokey the Bear Hat" adorned heads to the frantic SHADOWS FALL material and enjoying every minute of the chaotic scene below. Fair even gave them a shout out, to which they waved to the crowd. Fair even offered them a free T-Shirt if they stage dived from the overpass, but luckily they declined. It would have been pretty cool though, right?

Brian Fair, with his growling vocals and still sporting his ankle-length dreadlocks, even dove into the crowd and surfed and moshed, all the while not missing a note of "What Drives The Weak". It was quite impressive I must say, but this band set the standards for their style of metal long ago. The extreme power of songs such as "King of Nothing" and the set closing "Thoughts Without Words" and "The Power of I And I" were something incredible to witness and I look forward to seeing them again, as well as renewing my faith in band reunions, of which there have been some unwelcome ones lately.

Because I was so entranced with the power of the SHADOWS FALL set, I missed seeing SEETHER, who was playing at the same time. Completely different kind of band yes, but they do have great songs. I was faced with yet another dilemma. Do I venture to the Jack Daniels stage, and watch FALLING IN REVERSE? Or do I brave the dragonflies and see Tom Morello. I decided to give them equal time. First up, it was FALLING IN REVERSE on the Jack Daniels stage.

Singer Ronnie Radke is the main focus of this band even though there is usually some kind of controversy surrounding him, and whatever his antics happen to be, I could care less. It's an old story - rock singer is a bad boy. He stepped up onto the stage, dressed in black and rapped the fitting song "Prequel" before the band kicked in with "Zombified", a single from 2022 that appeared on their latest release Popular Monster. Zombies are big with FIR's target audience, and the crowd went wild. Lots of pyro accompanied the band as Radke stood on a riser and paced. He briefly left the stage, and seemed to be having an issue with someone offstage. He then returned and led the band in the appropriately titled "Bad Guy".

I stuck around as long as I could, and during the end of FIR's performance of "The Drug In Me is You" a huge hit for the band in 2011, I hightailed it over to the Danny Wimmer Presents stage, just in time to hear Tom Morello and his band rip into a killer cover of the MC5 classic "Kick Out The Jams". And that is exactly what I did as Tom rocked the crowd with a killer set that included a medley of hits from his former/future band RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, culminating with the funky "Sleep Now In The Fire" all the while getting incredibly avant-garde tones out of his guitar.

This fired up the crowd obviously. Again, the dragonflies performed their Kamikaze dive bombs upon us in that section of the park, creating a seriously bizarre atmosphere. Morello continued with two songs from his time in AUDIOSLAVE. First a powerful "Cochise" and then insisted on letting the crowd as well his guitarist sing the words to the soulful "Like A Stone" as a tribute to the late Chris Cornell.

His cover of Bruce Springsteen's "The Ghost of Tom Joad" was a left turn, but it was powerfully performed with Morello singing as passionately as anyone not named Bruce could do. He also played the guitar solo with his teeth for a bit, Jimi Hendrix-style. He then brought up his young son Roman to join the band, and Morello promised an "Old California Folk Song". The band then blew that thought up with a blazing version of RATM's classic "Killing In The Name Of", again letting the crowd sing the words as well as rock the circle pits. Morello conducted the crowd like a symphony, and grinned. Roman did quite a good job on guitar, and has a great stage presence. His proud dad and him jammed center stage as the crowd yelled "Fuck You, I won't do what they told me" as loud as they could.

Morello then ended his set with a rap promoting social justice that was peppered with bits of John Lennon's "Power To The People". Again, the DWP stage was the scene of one of the best sets of the weekend. Chicago's DISTURBED then brought their huge show to the Shockwave stage and did not disappoint. Singer David Draiman, wearing a long frock, immediately went about his business of rocking the crowd into a frenzy.

Opening with their 2022 reply to civil discourse "Hey You" and rolling right into "Stupify" from their first album, the band immediately made you take notice with a powerful, 13 song set that included virtually all their hits and more. Guitarist Dan Donegan is a nu-metal riffmaster. His pounding tones gave so much life to the songs "Ten Thousand Fists" and big balls to DISTURBED's cover of GENESIS' "Land of Confusion" that I'm sure GENESIS never thought would be possible.

Draiman is a unique front man. There really is no one like him. His ability to engage the audience combines with his thoughts of humanity that he relates to his crowd. He can scream for them to "throw their hands in the air" and rock out, as well as make them stand still and take out their phones and listen, as they did for the bands popular and soulful cover of SIMON AND GARFUNKEL's lovely "The Sound of Silence" as well as the uplifting song "The Light" in which he encouraged the audience to sing the chorus. He even brought out country singer Royale Lynn for a powerful duet on "Don't Tell Me" before the band drove the crowd ballistic with their huge hit "Down With The Sickness" After finishing their set with "Inside The Fire" the band gathered together onstage and thanked everyone for being there. Draiman had complained about having a sore throat but you would not have guessed it otherwise. It truly was a great set by a great band.

Headlining the final day of the festival were former LA "bad boys" MOTLEY CRUE. Much has been said of this band lately, especially since their "regrouping" to tour this year. Tonight would be their final show of the tour, and for me I was glad of that fact. Sometimes you just have to say "when". But hey, business wise they are a draw there is no doubt about that. DWP knows how to make money and that is to get the fans in the door to see the biggest acts available. MOTLEY was available.

After a narrated "emergency alert warning" video played over the PA system with an elaborate, well produced video showing on the huge screens that flanked the stage, the band appeared onstage to a huge roar, opening with drummer Tommy Lee's thunderous drum beat lead in to "Primal Scream", a single from their 1991 Decade of Decadence release. Right off the bat I noticed the obvious. Guitarist John 5 sounded terrific but looked slightly out of place. He looks so much healthier than the other bandmates and actually smiles as opposed to grimacing like the other three do for the majority of the performance. The other thing I immediately noticed was the obvious. Singer Vince Neil's vocals are very weak and seemed to be "enhanced" throughout the set, especially during some of the songs such as "Wild Side" and "Shout At The Devil" which have a lot of "gang vocals" on the chorus. Other than that, it was fun to see them bring back early hits like "Live Wire" and "On With The show" from their first record and the fans seemed to be enjoying them, so I give credit where credit is due.

Their new songs "Dogs of War" and a face-palming cover of the BEATIE BOYS' "Fight For Your Right" went over like dead weight, with the exception to the latter as the audience sang the silly chorus. I think many of the fans were focused on the two sexy background singer/dancers than to actually notice how bad the material is. I did enjoy John 5's guitar solo though. He is very skilled and inventive and I'm glad he stuck with playing his Fender Telecaster instead of trying to play a more outrageous looking, "hair band-era" looking monstrosity. John 5 rocks.

MOTLEY CRUE does know how to put on a show for their fans, that is for sure. But, just like bands like KISS and LYNYRD SKYNYRD and others who's fame comes from past success, it's the name and the production that comes before the quality of the music presented, and that is something that I am cool with going in. My expectations were not that high. I noticed a lot of people leaving early, who like me, were tired after 4 long days of rocking and rolling and had early morning planes to catch.

Hilarious to me was when drummer Tommy "Fuckin" Lee (and I call him that because every other word out of his mouth is pre-emphasized with the word "Fuckin") came to the front of the stage and sarcastically admonished the crowd for not drinking, and urged the women in the crowd to show off "some goddamn titties" to which a few in the crowd obliged. "Oh fuck" he continued, "Now that I have seen some titties and beer, do you mind if I play a little piano?" He then played the intro to MOTLEY CRUE's huge hit "Home Sweet Home" as I stood there and did the "Johnny Carson blank stare" to no one in particular. You can't make this stuff up, folks...

MOTLEY CRUE wrapped up their 16 song set with a bang. The huge hit "Dr. Feelgood" gave way to the sing-along "Same Ol' Situation" and the anthemic "Girls, Girls, Girls" a song that sums up the decadent, but long ago, free-wheeling party time of the 1980's, for some, including the band I'm sure, the best years of their lives. People were having a blast and that's the main thing. Whether it was 50 year old couples dancing and drinking beer, or teenagers and young adults crowd surfing and moshing, a MOTLEY CRUE show is STILL a party.

The band wrapped up their show, as well as their tour and the Festival for that matter, with a strange choice of songs. "Kickstart My Heart" would have been my choice to BEGIN the show. John 5 began it by playing "The Star Spangled Banner" on his guitar with his teeth, Jimi Hendrix style. Vince Neil's vocals and phrasing were virtually undecipherable (is "Wabosh" a word..?), but the piped-in chorus was all that was needed and the show ended with everyone happy and in a good mood. That is what is supposed to happen at a rock show, right?

Aftershock 2024 was a rousing success. Credit the good people at Danny Wimmer Presents for once again, throwing the best 4 day party that I attend every October. They have other festivals around the county, such as Sonic Temple in Columbus, Ohio, Louder Than Life in Louisville, Kentucky, as well as Rocklahoma in Pryor, Oklahoma, and Welcome To Rockville in Daytona Florida, and others. I have been to all of them, and for me, Aftershock is home. Go to www.dannywimmerpresents.com for more info. Big thanks to the organizers, the staff, the crew, the vendors, the bands and all those that deserve credit for once again making "The West Coast's Largest Rock Festival" a real blast, once again.

"Junkman - OUT!"

Check out some more photos from the festival!
Photos By Steve Thrasher, Except SHADOWS FALL By Lexie Alley