Greta Van Fleet Photo Gallery
Nutcracker 2017
Limelight Eventplex
Peoria, Illinois
Greta Van Fleet
Greta Van Fleet
Jake Kiszka of Greta Van Fleet
Sam Kiszka of Greta Van Fleet
Josh Kiszka of Greta Van Fleet
Danny Wagnere of Greta Van Fleet
Josh Kiszka of Greta Van Fleet
Sam Kiszka of Greta Van Fleet
Josh Kiszka of Greta Van Fleet
Sam Kiszka of Greta Van Fleet
Jake Kiszka of Greta Van Fleet
Greta Van Fleet
Foo Fighters with The Struts Concert Review
State Farm Center
Champaign, Illinois
Wednesday night in Champaign, Illinois was chilly but the Foo Fighters fans were out in droves to see the band who has been performing for twenty years. State Farm Center which is the renamed Assembly Hall, had hosted the band before seventeen years ago along with the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Needless to say, it was the first time for a lot of fans to see Foo Fighters live.
They only have one opening band because their catalog is twenty years deep. They have had three albums come out in the last five years including Sonic Highways, along with their HBO special that spanned the United States in famous studios, Saint Cecelia, an EP which was offered for free after the tragedy massacre at Le Bataclan, and Concrete and Gold released September 15, 2017.
Openers were The Struts. Never heard of The Struts? You probably have heard their rock anthem hit “Could Have Been Me” and sung along without even realizing it. The track is one of the timeless songs that every person can relate to. The story of living a life without regrets. The Struts hail from England and look like they stepped right out of the golden age of rock, the seventies. Luke Spiller, the vocalist, looks like the child of Freddie Mercury and Mick Jagger.
Their hit song “Could Have Been Me” is not a one-hit wonder. Their debut album Everybody Wants has hits all over including “Kiss This”, “Put Your Money On Me” and “Dirty Sexy Money” This year, they released the Queen-sounding ballad, “One Night Only” and we are eagerly awaiting their second release anticipated in early 2018.
Their setlist:
You can learn more about The Struts at their website: www.thestruts.com
Click to view Struts Photo Gallery
Foo Fighters have a fairly simple stage setup. The main feature of the stage is a large led screen set on a diagonal and cameras featuring the band members. When Taylor Hawkins performed his drum solo, the drum kit lifted to about twenty feet in the air. It also could move back and forth when sitting on the stage. The night began with Concrete and Gold curtain covering the stage. They began singing, “Run” before the curtain came down. Concrete and Gold is a departure from their normal formulaic sound with contributions from heavy hitters like Justin Timberlake and Paul McCartney.
The Foo started the set with high energy and maintained it for a long time. Their set could be paired down from two and half hours to ninety minutes with an encore. Some songs like “Monkey Wrench” just needs to be dropped from their set. The vocals on it were poor and no one has enthusiasm performing the song anymore. In addition, they brought fan, Mike Carpenter to sing “Tom Sawyer” by Rush. While the guy was really good, a five minute performance for the fan to sing is great. The song went on for fifteen minutes. I think everyone would be satisfied as long as they hear “My Hero”, “Walk” and “The Best Of You”. Everyone liked the new songs “Run” and “The Sky Is A Neighborhood”.
Foo Fighters setlist:
Encore
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
Here at BestRockList.com we are now doing something new for you our loyal followers. Every month we will be compiling a list of the monthly hard rock and metal album releases and sending them to you via email. All you have to do is sign up and click the subscribe button below. That’s it, its that easy. So without further ado here is the list of this months album releases. Enjoy my fellow rockers and metal heads.
Pre-order or buy the albums direct or pick them up at your local record store.
October 6, 2017
August Burns Red –Phantom Anthem(Fearless)
Autograph – Get Off Your Ass (EMP)
The Black Dahlia Murder – Nightbringers (Metal Blade)
The Darkness – Pinewood Smile (Cooking Vinyl)
Dreadnought – A Wake In Sacred Waves (Sailor)
Fireball Ministry – Remember The Story (Cleopatra)
Haemorrhage – We Are The Gore (Relapse)
House Of Broken Promises – <emTwisted EP (Heavy Psych Sounds)
Lord Of The Lost – Swan Songs II (Napalm)
Marilyn Manson – Heaven Upside Down (Loma Vista)
Nocturnal Rites – Phoenix (AFM)
Panzer – Fatal Command (Nuclear Blast)
Primitive Man – Caustic (Relapse)
Shine Bright – More Wild Than The Wind EP (Standby)
Spirit Adrift – Curse Of Conception (20 Buck Spin)
Spotlights – Seismic (Ipecac)
Thousand Below – The Love You Let Too Close (Rise)
Zaius – Of Adoration (Prosthetic)
October 13, 2017
Altarage – Endinghent (Season Of Mist)
Ancient VVisdom – 33 (Magic Bullet)
Antisect – The Rising Of The Lights (Rise Above)
Bigfoot – Bigfoot (Frontiers)
Daniel Cavanagh – Monochrome (Kscope)
Enslaved – E (Nuclear Blast)
Fozzy – Judas (Century Media)
The Fright – Canto V (SPV/Steamhammer)
Godsticks – Faced With Rage (Kscope)
Gothminister – The Other Side (AFM)
Hallatar – No Stars Upon The Bridge (Svart)
The Haxans – Party Monsters (Another Century)
Jason Kui – Absence Of Words (Prosthetic)
L.A. Guns – The Missing Peace (Frontiers)
Mychildren Mybride – Vicious World (eOne/Good Fight)
Narcotic Wasteland – Delirium Tremens (Megaforce/MRI)
Power Quest – Sixth Dimension (Inner Wound)
Robert Plant and The Sensational Space Shifters – Carry Fire (Nonesuch)
Samael – Hegemony (Napalm)
Sparzanza – Announcing The End (Despotz)
Spectral Voice – Eroded Corridors Of Unbeing (Dark Descent)
Stick To Your Guns-True View (Pure Noise)
Terror Universal – Make Them Bleed (Minus Head)
Through The Eyes Of The Dead – Disomus (eOne/Good Fight)
Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats – Vol. 1 Reissue (Metal Blade)
Vassafor – Malediction (Debemur Morti)
William Patrick Corgan – Ogilala (BMG)
Wo Fat – Live Juju: Freak Valley…And Beyond! (Ripple)
October 20, 2017
Amenra – Mass VI (Neurot)
Bell Witch – Mirror Reaper (Profound Lore)
CyHra – Letters To Myself (Spinefarm)
Europe – Walk The Earth (Hell & Back)
Gwar – The Blood Of Gods (Metal Blade)
In Search Of Sun – Virgin Funk Mother (Spinefarm)
Iron Monkey – 9-13 (Relapse)
The Kennedy Veil – Imperium (Unique Leader)
Madame Mayhem – Ready For Me (Metalville/HeadBall)
Nick Oliveri – N.O. Hits At All Vol.3 Heavy Psych Sounds)
Pertubator- New Model EP (Blood)
Slipknot – Days Of The Gusano DVD/CD (Eagle Rock)
Sons Of Apollo – Psychotic Symphony (InsideOut)
Sorcerer – The Crowning Of The Fire King (Metal Blade)
Tom Keifer – The Way Life Goes Deluxe Edition (Cleopatra)
Trivium – The Sin And The Sentence (Roadrunner)
Veil Of Maya – False Idol (Sumerian)
We Came As Romans – Cold Like War (SharpTone)
October 27, 2017
10 Years – (How To Live) As Ghosts (Mascot)
Angel Nation – Aeon (Inner Wound)
Carmine Appice – Sinister (SPV/Steamhammer)
Blut Aus Nord – Deus Salutis Meae (Debemur Morti)
Butcher Babies – Lilith (Century Media)
Complete Failure – Crossburner (Season Of Mist)
Delain – A Decade Of Delain: Live At Paradiso DVD/CD (Napalm)
Dragonhammer – Obscurity (My Kingdom)
Dr. Living Dead! – Cosmic Conqueror (Century Media)
Fleurety – The White Death (Peaceville)
Gnaw – Cutting Pieces (Translation Loss)
Heretic – A Game You Cannot Win (Dissonance)
Hollywood Undead – Five (Dove & Grenade/BMG)
Holy Terror – Total Terror Box Set (Dissonance)
Left Behind – Blessed By The Burn (Unbeaten)
Mirror Queen – Verdigris (Tee Pee)
Ne Obliviscaris – Urn (Season Of Mist)
Powerman 5000 – New Wave (Pavement)
Savage Messiah – Hands Of Fate (Century Media)
Serenity – Lionheart (Napalm)
Sharptooth – Clever Girl (Pure Noise)
Theory Of A Deadman – Wake Up Call (Atlantic/604)
The Used – The Canyon (Hopeless)
Weezer – Pacific Daydream (Atlantic)
Winds Of Plague – Blood Of My Enemy (eOne/Good Fight)
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Highly Suspect Concert Review
September 23, 2017
The Castle Theatre
Bloomington, Illinois
Highly Suspect came to Bloomington-Normal, Illinois on Saturday, an unusually hot day. The show had sold out within the first week. Blo-no’ers were ready for a rock show. They had been in the grind of back to school and work for while now. Several fans came from miles around to see the three time Grammy nominated Highly Suspect at The Castle Theatre. The Castle Theatre is one of the premiere intimate venues in the Midwest.
The backdrop for Highly Suspect was the acronym M.C.I.D. which stands for My Crew Is Dope. Which means that their friends and fans are dope. Tattoos, snapbacks and t-shirts abound with the #mcid and the MCID Nation is real. DJ Redbees started spinning tunes and acted an informal emcee for the bands. The music he played was not loud but really background music for the wait.
Openers for the show, Bones U.K., wowed the audience with their blues rock and fiery attitude. Rosie Bones comes out on stage with a flask and an instant cool attitude. Guitarist, Carmen Vandenberg, was impressive. Bones U.K. has recently co-written Jeff Beck’s album “Loud Hailer”. Their own songs are filled with fun, spunk and attitude. Most notably, their song “Girls Can’t Play Guitar” and Rosie Bones told us the story about the man that inspired that song. You can learn more about them from their Facebook page: Bones and Bones
Introduced by DJ Redbees, Highly Suspect took the darkened stage. Drummer, Ryan Meyer,came out, followed by Rich Meyer, bassist and then the vocalist, Johnny Stevens. MCID Nation was ready to see these guys live. I was impressed by the live show from the plugged in guitars to the technical guitar playing. Highly Suspect’s song writing make the listener feel as if we are part of their experience. Whether it is the melancholy “Little One” or the gritty “Bloodfeather” or the anthemic “My Name Is Human”, you feel the songs. These songs are not just for casual listening.
Their complete set list for the night:
1. Send Me An Angel (Real Life cover)
2. Bath Salts
3. Bloodfeather
4. Serotonia
5. Fuck Me Up
6. Round & Round
7. Vanity
8. Viper Strike
9. Lydia
10. Claudeland
11. ATL/Drum Solo/ATL (reprise)
12. My Name Is Human
Encore:
13. Little One
14. Wolf
15. Look Alive, Stay Alive
During the last song, the tech took over on drums and Ryan decided to do a little crowd surfing. What a fitting end to a perfect Saturday night rock show.
You can find out more about Highly Suspect on their website:
HighlySuspect.net
Spoon Concert Review
September 10, 2017
Limelight Eventplex
Peoria, Illinois
Spoon digs into Peoria, Illinois with thanks to WWCT 99.9 and Limelight Eventplex.
Putting the bad puns aside. Spoon the band, came to Peoria, Illinois for the first time. The rock community welcomed the popular indie band. When I think of Spoon, I think of a solid rock band with a distinct sound that pulls from influences like the Beatles, The Pixies, and David Bowie. They are touring in support of their latest and best album to date, Hot Thoughts (Matador Records). The album that was released on March 17, 2017 and has definitely got a Bowie feel. It is a contender for one of best rock albums of 2017.
The night began with Twin Peaks that hail from Chicago, Illinois. Twin Peaks joined the tour for a few dates starting this evening. Hearing the band for the first time, my immediate impressions was a band drawing from The Rolling Stones. The band had a fun vibe and the early crowd definitely received them well.
Spoon is a rock band from Austin, Texas that has been around since 1993. The band was named after the song ‘Spoon’ by the band Can. The song is infectious and so the is the band Spoon. When you listen to any Spoon song, the next thing you know you’re humming along. The band had a simple but great set up with lighting that really made the show feel like a bigger arena show.
The setlist was full of songs from Hot Thoughts. The full setlist is below:
Do I Have To Talk You Into It
Inside Out
I Turn My Camera On
Anything You Want
Stay, Don’t Go
Don’t You Evah
Do You
Via Kanela
I Ain’t The One
Hot Thoughts
Can I Sit Next To You
My Mathematical Mind
Don’t Make Me A Target
The Underdog
Got Nuffin
Black Like Me
For my first time seeing Spoon, I was impressed as the band was better live than their album. When a band is better live than on their album that means they are technically gifted. But more than that, they care about the quality of the show they are giving to fans. Even in some medium sized river town in the middle of nowhere, they care.
Find out more about Spoon at their website: Spoon website
Best Band List
PORTUGAL. THE MAN
Portugal. The Man(photo from Facebook)
Formed 2004 in Wasilla, Alaska but hailing from Portland, Oregon, United States of America
Current Members (click on member’s name for Wikipedia):
John Gourley, vocalist and guitarist
Zachary Carothers, bassist and backing vocalist
@Zachary Scott Carothers Facebook
Kyle O’Quin, keyboardist, guitarists, backing vocalist
Eric Howk, guitarist
Jason Sechrist, drummer
Zoe Manville
@Zoe English Manville Facebook
Resources: Accessed 8-26-2017.
Best of Vans Warped Tour 2017
Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
Tinley Park, Illinois
The crowd at Vans Warped Tour in Chicago are big and ready to have a good time. This year the fans were walking around like deer in headlights. It could have been the heat but also the suicide of Chester Bennington that was two days before. He died on Chris Cornell’s birthday, another great who committed suicide. The messages from the bands and the posters were “It’s okay to not be okay.” I did feel like it was an extension of a scene from 13 Reasons Why but what we do to soothe ourselves after trauma is almost always going to be on a poster.
In the 23rd year of the largest and longest running traveling festival, Vans Warped Tour has fans like no other festival. They are not the homogeneous crowds at rock festivals because the bands are so diverse. You have rap, singer songwriter, rock, punk and metal. The fans are aged 5-90 and every ethnicity and body type. No one cared about the amount of skin that was showing from any person. The fans and bands are so inclusive at Vans Warped Tour and that is what makes it one of the best festivals in the country.
When we arrived, the fans made a run for the water stations! What was nice this year was that there was additional time for entry. You could make your way to the schedule and figure out when your favorite band was playing. What was not good was that no shows were happening in the amphitheatre where you could sit and get a break from the sun. Sure, there was tent set up to block the sun but you had to sit on the ground and you could not see any shows from the tents.
Enough about what could be improved. Every year there is a band that sells out their merch at their merch tent. This year there was a tie between I Prevail and Gwar. I think all the regular Warped Tour fans were surprised to see Gwar on the lineup this year. Though Gwar has been through many iterations, they still provide a great live show. And fans, old and new, know they have had a unique experience seeing them live. I Prevail, has been on the scene for only a little while but they are gaining popularity dramatically since their formation in 2013. They are social media minded and their songs resonate with a large group. (Learn more about them in my interview here.)
Best Breakout Band
Without a doubt, the band on everyone’s lips was Bad Cop/Bad Cop as one of the must see bands. The band played the Hard Rock stage so I knew they were going to rock. The band is an all female band that lists their interests as ‘donuts’ on their Facebook page. So you know they have be awesome. The band has catchy songs and really are just having fun performing.
Best Crowdsurfing Band
I Prevail
I Prevail is a metalcore band from Southfield, Michigan. I have been one of their ardent supporters and am extremely thrilled they have gotten so popular. Each year there is a band where more body surfing occurs than you think is possible. This year it was I Prevail who’s fans set the standard for the most people up in the air. There was an endless stream of people who went from front to back the whole set.
Best Artist Before They Become Untouchable
Andy Black or Futuristic
Vans Warped Tour has had several huge stars on their stage from Green Day, Weezer, My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, Katy Perry, and Paramore. We make our prediction about who the next superstar is going to be. Andy Black (Biersack) is the lead singer of metal band, Black Veil Brides. Black Veil Brides has slowly gained tremendous success with each album they release. Their fans are fervent supporters of their message of believing in yourself when you are different. He has had a fairy tale romance with Juliet Simms (Biersack), an American singer who rose to fame on The Voice. They married in a ceremony in April of 2016. (We later find out they have been married legally since 2012).
Andy Black has a pop sound versus the metal sound of Black Veil Brides. While performing, his sway with the audience was undeniable. When he moved toward the audience, there was unadulterated screaming and fans wanting to touch him and called his name in earnest. He is starring in a feature film called American Satan to be released this year on Friday the 13th of October. The movie also stars Ben Bruce of of the band, Asking Alexandria, Denise Richards, Malcolm McDowell, and John Bradley-West (Samwell Tarley from Game Of Thrones). The trailer looks like it will be a blockbuster and will move metal music back to popular culture again.
Futuristic is a rapper unlike any others. He has gained success through social media and done it without a label. He really has done what he has wanted from the ground up. What stands out about Futuristic is how relatable his lyrics are to his generation. I guess that is still the millennials but those specifically twenty-five and under. Plus, his speed as a rapper is impressive.
Best Band With A Message
Fire From The Gods
Fire From The Gods is a metal band from Austin, Texas. Their Facebook states “Free from hate. Free from pain. Free to choose our own path.” Their album Narrative Retold is one of the best of 2017 with the song “Excuse Me” that brings a message that everyone needs to listen to. Yet is it not the only song with the message. We have to listen to “Evolve” and “End Transmission” and really the entire album to get the message. Their live show is mesmerizing and powerful.
Best Retro Sounding Band
William Control
Somewhere between Black Veil Brides and Depeche Mode is William Control and The Neuromantic Boys. They are electronic, dark and catchy. I almost missed them as they were the last band playing in Chicago. It probably also helps that he could probably be mistaken for Corey Feldman. Regardless, I felt like I was stepping back in time listening to the sound of his band.
We love the excitement of seeing bands live and finding new and good bands at Vans Warped Tour this year and hopefully for many more years to come.
Click on artist for their full photo gallery from Vans Warped Tour:
Alestorm
American Authors
Andy Black
Attila
Bad Omens
Beartooth
Fire From The Gods
Futuristic
Gwar
Hatebreed
I Prevail
Jule Vera
Memphis May Fire
Neck Deep
New Years Day
Our Last Night
Stick To Your Guns
Sylar
The Acacia Strain
Too Close To Touch
Various Artists
Sylar Photo Gallery
Vans Warped Tour
Tinley Park, Illinois
Attila Photo Gallery
Vans Warped Tour
Tinley Park, Illinois
Vans Warped Tour Photo Gallery 2017
Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
Tinley Park, Illinois
@portugaltheman Instagram
Portugal. The Man’s Facebook