Buckcherry Concert Review with Blacktop Mojo and Sumo Cyco
Sunday, May 1, 2022
The Castle Theatre
Bloomington, Illinois

 

 

Buckcherry made their return to The Castle Theatre in Bloomington-Normal, Illinois. The band is on their Hellbound Tour which goes across the country and then caps off in New Zealand and Australia.  It is truly crazy that Buckcherry has been around for twenty-three years. Their ninth album, Hellbound, was released June 25, 2021. The band’s current lineup consists of Josh Todd, vocalist, Stevie D., guitarist, Kelly LeMieux, bassist, Francis Ruiz, Drummer, and Billy Rowe, guitarist.

Support for this tour comes in the form of Sumo Cyco, a rock band from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.  The band was formed in 2011 and has three albums. The band is considered punk-metal and fits well with Buckcherry. The vocalist, Skye Sweetnam, has a strong rock voice as well as a growl. The band gave a solid rock performance and got the crowd in the mood.

 

Blacktop Mojo is the second band to support Buckcherry on the Hellbound tour.  Blacktop Mojo is one of my favorite bands. Their eponymous fourth album was released on August 13, 2021.  I consider it one of the best albums of 2021.  Blacktop Mojo is described as Texas Grunge. They have some Southern Rock sounds as well as Grunge sounds. On this latest album, the song Stratus Melancholia sounds like an Alice in Chains song. You should try to make every effort to see this band live.

The band was in great form tonight and they won over the crowd with their Texas Grunge.
Their setlist consisted of:
All Mine Now
Strike Me
Do It For The Money
Bed Tundy
Latex
Tush, ZZ Top cover
Lay It On
Wicked Woman
Any Way The Wind Blows

 

You can find all good things about Blacktop Mojo on their website: Blacktop Mojo

 
Buckcherry is one the hardest working bands out there. They are gracious, friendly, and know how to rock. They are the epitome of a modern rock band. The proof that Rock is not dead. Perhaps what is really dead is the band that shows up late, high, and cannot remember their songs and are only in it for the sex, drugs, and money. Those bands are still out there trying to ride the wave of fortune from thirty years ago.  Evolve or die.

Buckcherry fans come from all walks of life. There were doctors, families, grocery store workers, tow truck drivers, and everyone in-between in the crowd. They started with the high energy song “5 4 3 2 1” that really gets the crowd in a mood. Josh’s voice was a little hard to hear for the first two songs.  Perhaps because those are new songs, the mix needed some tweaking.  As the night went on, there was no problem with the sound.

The setlist consisted of “Lit Up”, “Sorry” and new songs “So Hott”, “Gun” and the weirdest sing-along song, “Crazy Bitch”.  It is a sight to see your grandma singing along to “Crazy Bitch” but there are always several at a show that sing it at the top of their lungs. Really, it doesn’t matter who it is.  Everyone sings alongs to “Crazy Bitch” when it comes on.  The song is  4 X Platinum certified.  It is hard rock’s equivalent of “Sweet Caroline”!! 

Their complete setlist:
5 4 3 2 1
So Hott
Ridin’
Out of Line
Lit Up
Hellbound
Porno Star
The Way
Too Drunk
Sorry
Gluttony
Gun
Crazy Bitch
————-
encore
Say Fuck It

The band always delivers a great show.  You can catch them on the Hellbound Tour near you.  See all their dates on their website: Buckcherry Website