Taking a break from writing about soccer, TheCrew.com's Cody Sharrett is diving into Rock on the Range this weekend at Crew Stadium. Keep checking back for up-to-the-minute posts at ROTR from our Insider.
DAY ONE LIVE BLOG
10:58 P.M. - MONSTER Energy Main Stage
Smashing Pumpkins just charmed the ROTR lingerers with an encore of "Today" to close out the Saturday bill here at Crew Stadium.
A full recap of tonight's headliners will be up shortly.
9:48 P.M. - MONSTER Energy Main Stage
Just three songs into their headlining set, Smashing Pumpkins have already pulled out Siamese Dream's "Cherub Rock" and Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness' "Bullet with Butterfly Wings." Now Billy Corgan is leading his band through an electrified version of "The Celestials" from last year's Oceania. Great show so far.
9:08 P.M. - MONSTER Energy Main Stage
Although disappointed I missed Jim Florentine's set in the Old Milwaukee Light Comedy Tent (There's always tomorrow.), I got back from my soccer hiatus just in time to catch the beginning of Stone Sour's set on the main stage. The unmasked venture of Slipknot members Corey Taylor and Jim Root brought a high-energy set before cooling things down with their ballady hits "
Bother"
and "
Through Glass
." The group then dedicated a cover of "
Children of the Grave
" to its originators, Black Sabbath (Which was awesome.). Stone Sour put on a great show, never losing touch with its audience throughout its 55-minute set.
Tonight's headliner, Smashing Pumpkins, is next up to close out Saturday night.
4:37 P.M. - Jägermëister Stage
I couldn't stay long, but I enjoyed what little I saw of The Sword's set over on the Jägermëister Stage. Guitarists Kyle Shutt and John D. Cronise have a great chemistry on stage, trading metallic licks on twin Gibson Les Pauls to create the Austin band's blues-metal sound.
I'll be taking a break for the next few hours to take in the Crew's match against Toronto FC, but hope to be back by 8:00 P.M. to catch Stone Sour's set on the main stage.
3:49 P.M. - MONSTER Energy Main Stage
UK thrashers Bullet For My Valentine are currently playing to a near-capacity Crew Stadium on the MONSTER Energy Main Stage. With Michael "Moose" Crandle's double bass drum setup and Michael "Padge" Paget and Matthew Tuck's lightning-quick picking on Flying Vs, the band channels the thrash gods of Metallica and Slayer that came before them.
I'm looking forward to checking out The Sword over on the Jägermëister Stage before heading in to watch the Crew take on Toronto FC.
2:56 P.M. - MONSTER Energy Main Stage
It's not easy for a female to earn respect in the macho world of heavy metal, but Halestorm frontwoman Lzzy Hale just showed the crowd here at Rock on the Range why her band recently took home the GRAMMY for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance with "Love Bites... (So do I)." Wielding her signature Gibson Explorer, Hale captured her audience's attention for the entirety of Halestorm's 40-minute performance on the Main Stage. Halestorm was something different and unique to experience this afternoon at ROTR.
1:50 P.M. - Pabst Blue Ribbon Stage
After checking out All That Remains on the MONSTER Energy Main Stage from atop the Nordecke (Which was really cool, by the way. The steel bleachers shake with every strike of the kick drum.), I ventured over to the Pabst Blue Ribbon Stage for the first time this weekend. Otherwise took the stage around 1:35 P.M. to a large crowd that had filed over from the Crew Stadium bowl. I was impressed with how the Sin City band brought lyrical melody to their own brand of heavy rock with songs like "Vegas Girl."
Up next, I'll be checking out ROTR veterans Halestorm on the MONSTER Energy Main Stage.
12:01 P.M. - MONSTER Energy Main Stage
Before catching Pop Evil on the MONSTER Main Stage, I was able to catch Saturday openers Scorpion Child over on the Jägermeister Stage. I was pretty impressed with their throwback Ronnie James Dio era Black Sabbath-inspired sound.
As for Pop Evil, they definitely gave the crowd a good jolt this early in the day. I've always been a fan of charismatic drummers, so I enjoyed Pop Evil. Behind a Detroit Red Wings-christened bass drum, drummer Chachi Riot rose to his feet midsong to headbang along with his audience-- all while never missing a beat with his bass pedal. Pop Evil is good entertainment to kick off Saturday on the MONSTER Energy Main Stage.
Side note: CSC Security shirts remind me of Chievo Verona kits.
10:49 A.M. - My desk in the Crew Stadium offices
After a short night of sleep, I've arrived here at Crew Stadium for day two of the Rock on the Range 2013 experience. I'm excited to get a full day of action in while juggling the Crew's match at Toronto FC later this afternoon.
There is literally a sea of people outside waiting to get in to see bands like Halestorm, Papa Roach and Smashing Pumpkins today. It's looking a little gray outside, but hopefully the weather will hold off for another memorable day here at ROTR. And if not, I'm sure the rain will make it even more memorable.
Actually, my favorite concert moment ever happened during a crazy thunderstorm in Indiana back in 2005. So who knows what could happen?
