Uncertainty is nothing new, however, over the past 20 months, it has crept into every aspect of our lives especially when we are talking about social events and gatherings. The planning, the excitement, and the anticipation of everyone’s favorite music festival have been something that Rock fans look forward to annually. Are my favorite bands playing? What new and up-and-coming bands am I going to be blown away by, or the excitement of catching up with annual festival friends.
As the world continues to iron out these Covid issues, protocols, and requirements that will be put into place. Music fans and the bands themselves just wonder if we will ever get back to life as we knew it. In steps the Blue Ridge Rock Festival with an initial lineup that left rock fans speechless and giddy with excitement. Thanks to Covid; fans, bands, and even promoters were hopeful that the event would ever come to fruition. From the initial announcement, we have seen bands shuffling in and out of the lineup which continued right up to and during the festival. Kudos to all involved in putting the event together as they managed to add and subtract bands quickly and efficiently throughout the process.
Much has been made about issues that came out throughout the four-day event which has been highly publicized. Like any function or event, there are always situations that can be improved. Those that opted to spend their weekend complaining and whining about every little detail absolutely missed the boat with the sweet sounds of live rock ‘n’ roll that was nothing short of spectacular! Drastic improvements were evident from day one to day two and continued throughout the weekend with the biggest hindrance being traffic. Anyone attending the concert that thought everything would be perfect and that they wouldn’t encounter massive amounts of traffic for a venue in a small remote town with one road in and out was sadly mistaken.
The consistent theme for the weekend undoubtedly was the excitement from many of the bands that played over the weekend to be back on stage in front of fans. The energy was absolutely electrifying throughout the weekend as fans and musicians embraced the moment as if reuniting with a long-lost family member. Set times and production were incredibly tight throughout the weekend with a few last-minute losses of bands such as Nonpoint, Bush, All That Remains, and Phil Anselmo. Six stages spread out across the grounds that would host roughly 165 bands over the span of 4-days with an incredible blend of young up-and-coming acts infused with savvy veterans that still bring the power of a Mike Tyson punch.
Day one was headlined by bands such as Sabaton, Black Label Society, Skillet, Breaking Benjamin, The Ghost Inside, A Day To Remember, POD, and Halestorm, who took it to a whole new level as adoring fans seemed unable to get enough of Lzzy, her energy, or that infectious smile. Early day favorites included Miss May I, Testament, From Ashes To New, and Spiritbox which fans were most disappointed to miss on the opening day due to parking and traffic. Those that were able to make it in time were treated to a strong set. As a long hectic first day came to an end, it was evident that the soothing sights and sounds of live music had softened the sting of the first day’s struggles.
Day two of four and another beautiful fall day in Virginia as drive times decreased from 3 hours to 35-minutes allowing fans to start the day early with Stitched Up Heart. This band continues to make waves across this year’s festival scene as well as their current tour with the Butcher Babies. Expect to see them playing later set times at future festivals as they continue to grow their fanbase in droves with strong live sets filled with attitude and energy.
Friday’s line-up was stacked with a list of veteran rockers that would set the tone for a day of metal, hard rock, and everything in-between. Fozzy, Sevendust, Anthrax, Asking Alexandria, Fever 333, I Prevail, Motionless in White and top it all off with a tall glass of Rob Zombie. A supporting cast of bands that continue to make a name for themselves and left it all out on stage were acts like Tallah, Fate Destroyed, To Begin Anew, and Saul. It’s obvious that the uneducated out there that continue to say rock is dead have never opened their eyes or ears to what is going on in rock. Rock festival after rock festival continues to sell out across the world with social media and music platforms introducing fans to a whole new generation of artists.
Just when you thought the weekend couldn’t get any better, day three would bring metal’s elite to the stages throughout the day. Megadeth, Lamb of God, 5FDP, Hatebreed, Trivium, and then add in acts such as Avatar, Body Count, Beartooth, Suicidal Tendencies, and Seether. The dust kicked up all day and add in the mosh pits and crowd surfers as frontmen like Jamey Jasta, Randy Blythe, and Ice-T commanded the crowd to bring it. Crowds were electric and their intensity dialed up to the maximum as fans soaked up every note.
Day four was the hardest hit with the last-minute cancellations of Bush and Phil Anselmo; however, there was no shortage of talented acts on the festival’s last day. It would bring acts like Shinedown, Papa Roach, Falling In Reverse, Ice Nine Kills, Mastodon, Killswitch Engage, August Burns Red, Pop Evil, The HU, Starset, and Fit For A King.
Starset showed off their new desert look, a dramatically different look from the previous spacesuits. The HU introduced its brand of Mongolian metal to fans with its ornate instruments. Fit For A King’s bassist Ryan “Tuck” O’Leary showed off his aerial skills, and Shinedown closed out the festival with an inspiring set and fireworks.
Throughout the weekend we saw some of rock’s brightest stars and had a glimpse of what the future holds. It was amazing to see how the metal/hard rock scenes continue to evolve and transform right in front of our very eyes. The power, energy, and the number of incredibly talented female artists within the genre were on display the entire weekend whether it be on vocals or drums, or guitar. Inspiring a whole new generation of metalheads.
See you next year Blue Ridge! Thanks for the memories!