Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com “You left me here like a chalk outline” – the chorus to the first single off of Three Days Grace latest disc ‘Transit of Venus’ rang out almost prophetic in nature as the band took the stage to ravage a rock-hungry New England crowd on a freezing February evening in Lowell, Mass., on Wednesday (Feb. 20). Shortly before the co-headlining tour with Shinedown kicked off, former Three Days Grace frontman Adam Gontier unceremoniously up and left the band without much notice, leaving them in a bit of a bind. Luckily, the music genes seem run deep in bassist Brad Walst’s family and he was able to recruit his brother, My Darkest Days frontman Matt Walst, to fill in on the trek. While this left Matt with some large shoes to fill and certainly sky high expectations, he seems to have settled into the role as the (temporary?) Three Days Grace vocalist with ease. The band erupted onto the stage looking as if they just crawled out of the wreckage of a post-apocalyptic showdown. With guns blazing in the form of behemoth beams of pyro, the band certainly showed no signs of only having recruited their singer a month ago, they played like a well-oiled machine. With one of the best bass faces in the business, Brad Walst performs alongside guitarist Barry Stock and drummer Neil Sanderson as seasoned vets on the stage. And while Matt Walst may be seeing some of the largest crowds he’s seen throughout his young career, you’d never know it. It’s hard to deny that many bands are defined by their lead singer and vocalwise, Walst’s voice has a lower register and overall sounds a lot cleaner than Gontier’s. There’s a lot less grit and grime and a bit more clarity fueled by his tenacity to deliver the songs in a manner where they still sound familiar. Of course, Gontier’s gritty vocals complement the often angst-ridded lyrics of Three Days Grace songs, but judging by the reaction of the crowd, Matt Walst was accepted with open arms. While the future of Three Days Grace seems a bit unclear at the moment, the band has truly embraced the rebellious spirit of rock and punched it into high gear to move forward wherever their path may take them. Shinedown were up next, starting off their set with a bit of a surprise. Drummer Barry Kerch walked onto stage solo and took his place behind the kit. As the music for their song ‘Enemies’ engulfed the arena, fans were searching to see where it was coming from. They only had to look back to the mixing board to see a separate smaller stage where vocalist Brent Smith, guitarist Zach Myers and bassist Eric Bass were getting the night started, rocking their hearts out. Halfway through the song, the three darted through the crowd and back to the main stage for a proper introduction to the near capacity venue. With something that has become part of a ritual at any Shinedown show, Smith encouraged fans to say hello to the people around them, engage a bit, and just have a good time throughout the night. It’s this all for one and one for all vibe that provides a lot of the backbone to their latest disc ‘Amaryllis’ and fuels such a solid connection between the band and their fans. Decked out head to toe in formal attire and looking like they’re possibly in the best shape of their lives, the sharp-dressed men of Shinedown didn’t let formality cloud their vision of getting down and dirty and delivering the best rock show in town. With a set that showcased their latest disc while still offering up some of the biggest hits of their career throughout, fans soaked up a retrospective of Shinedown’s full discography spanning from 2003’s ‘Leave a Whisper’ to their latest single ‘I’ll Follow You.” One thing Shinedown has mastered is seamlessly in a live environment is transitioning from uptempo rockers to more heartfelt ballads without losing energy along the way. This is something that has clearly come from years of experience. There’s a lot of fun going on up there too. Between Smith striking rockstar worthy poses centerstage, Myers and Bass swapping sides of the stage to say hi to the fans sitting on the sides, and Kerch’s hair flying to the beat of his own drum, the guys in Shinedown obviously love what they do, and that kind of infectious energy is the permeating kind. Although it seemed that their time onstage felt a bit short — Shinedown fans would probably feel that way if the set spanned three hours – the band delivered a jam-packed set that featured a slew of familiar chart-topping hits. Boom! P.O.D. got the night started with a short set that featured hit tunes like ‘Alive’ and ‘Youth of a Nation.’ Before their time was over, frontman Sonny Sandoval jumped off the stage and right into the fray to visit the fans in the front row and sing a song with them. After their hiatus, it’s great to see P.O.D. back in their element. It’s obvious that’s where they are at their best, so get there early to check them out! The Shinedown, Three Days Grace, P.O.D. tour continues through the end of March, check out all the remaining dates here . Photos of Shinedown, Three Days Grace + P.O.D. in Lowell, Mass.: Shinedown: Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com Three Days Grace: Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com P.O.D.: Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com
Posts Tagged ‘shinedown’
Shinedown, Three Days Grace + P.O.D. Devour Massachusetts With Rock Assault
February 22nd, 2013 
Metalkult Avenged Sevenfold vs. Shinedown – 2013 Loudwire Rock Bowl, Round 1
January 24th, 2013 Metalkult Photos by Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com It’s an inspirational message versus an in-your-face proclamation in this 2013 Loudwire Rock Bowl matchup. This first round pairing sees Avenged Sevenfold attempting to ‘Seize the Day’ against Shinedown , who appear ready to ‘Devour’ their new foes. Though a little on the softer side than what we usually get from Avenged Sevenfold, ‘Seize the Day’ is no less powerful in message. The inspirational track warns the listener to “ Seize the day or die regretting the time you lost, ” a sentiment that isn’t lost on today’s NFL player. With such a shortened season as compared to other sports, it’s important to make every moment count and Avenged Sevenfold definitely connect with a football theme in the song. Shinedown’s ‘Devour,’ meanwhile, has that great opening build just waiting to explode. As Brent Smith sings about taking it and taking it and taking it over and over again, it’s no wonder that by the time we get to the chorus he’s ready to devour, proclaiming, “It’s your final hour.” If that doesn’t speak to the mentality and pressure of an NFL player, what does? So there you have it — Avenged Sevenfold versus Shinedown. Which band advances? Your vote will decide. Listen to both tracks below, then vote in the poll provided. Click the red button at the bottom of this posting to vote in the next 2013 Loudwire Rock Bowl matchup. The voting in the first round ends Sunday, Jan. 27, at 11:59PM ET, so vote now and vote often. Hear Avenged Sevenfold’s ‘Seize the Day’ Hear Shinedown’s ‘Devour’ Sorry, you need to have javascript running to see this poll. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/pantera-vs-drowning-pool-2013-loudwire-rock-bowl-round-1/” title=”Next Rock Bowl Matchup: Pantera vs. Drowning Pool” align=”center”]
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Tags: avenged sevenfold, button-at-the, first, little-on-the, loudwire-rock, nfl, poll, seize-the-day, shinedown, sports, taking-it-and 
No Comments »Shinedown’s Brent Smith on Kathie Lee Gifford’s ‘Meat Loaf’ Remark: ‘My Heart Fell to the Ground’
January 16th, 2013 Metalkult Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com You wouldn’t know it by looking at him today, but there was a period not too long ago that Shinedown singer Brent Smith was struggling with both drug and alcohol addiction, as well as weight issues. Part of the reason Smith is built as well as he is these days is due to his newfound commitment to his health, and he discussed his transformation with the Los Angeles Times . Smith says, “The weight came on about four years ago. I’ve toured for over 12 years and for the first two records I was doing tons of shows all the time. And for those two records I was addicted to cocaine, OxyContin and alcohol. The coke and Oxy kept my weight down, but for the third album I quit opiates and started to crave sugar. I was still drinking a lot of alcohol and started to pack on the pounds.” The singer says one of the big wake-up calls was when he made an appearance on the ‘Today’ show in 2009 and Kathie Lee Gifford stated that she mistook him for Meat Loaf . The vocalist says, “It really stung. I’m a fan of Meat Loaf, but she wasn’t talking about a musical comparison. It was national television and my heart kind of fell on the ground. I’m not trying to be disrespectful to Meat Loaf at all because I’m a fan, but here I am barely 30 years old and that’s the one thing that she says. It was like the performance didn’t even matter.” In the time since, Smith has found a trainer and made a commitment to live healthier for his family. He explained, “I have a four-year-old boy, and he was a huge motivation, and so were the fans. I had an epiphany working out with my trainer … and I haven’t had a drink since.” Since he began his workout regimen, the singer has dropped almost 70 pounds. To read more about Smith’s weight loss journey, check out his Los Angeles Times interview here . [button href=”http://loudwire.com/best-shinedown-album-readers-poll/” title=”Next: Vote for Shinedown’s Best Album” align=”center”]
Posted in News Tags: a-drink-since-, a-period-not, a-trainer-and, brent-smith-, built-as-well, family, Health, performance, shinedown, smith, the-performance, time, transformation, well-as-weight No Comments »Best Shinedown Album – Readers Poll
January 10th, 2013 Metalkult Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com Shinedown have enjoyed a successful career since arriving on the scene in 2003, releasing four hit-filled albums along the way. Now, we want to know which of their albums is the best. The group’s musical debut came with the 2003 album, ‘Leave a Whisper.’ Shinedown immediately caught hold at rock radio with ‘Fly From the Inside,’ a track that went Top 5. That was followed by three more Top 5 hits – the brutal rocker ’45,’ their cover of Lynyrd’s Skynyrd ‘s ‘Simple Man’ and the album’s biggest single, ‘Burning Bright.’ The band’s sophomore set, ‘Us and Them,’ arrived in 2005 with three more hit songs. ‘Save Me’ led the way, becoming the band’s first-ever chart-topping single. It was followed by the uplifting ‘I Dare You’ and the edgy rocker ‘Heroes,’ which also went Top 5 at rock radio. Shinedown’s third album, ‘The Sound of Madness,’ took them to new heights in 2008. The disc, which was the band’s first with a reconfigured lineup, launched with a trio of chart-topping singles — the hard-rocking ‘Devour,’ the rock ballad ‘Second Chance’ and the melodic title track. The song also spawned a fourth chart-topper, ‘The Crow and the Butterfly,’ which followed the heartfelt track ‘If You Only Knew.’ And then there’s Shinedown’s fourth and most recent album, ‘Amaryllis.’ The disc dropped in early 2012 with the rocking first single ‘Bully,’ followed by the moving track ‘Unity’ and the aggressive angst-ridden ‘Enemies.’ There you have it — four very successful albums from Shinedown. Which one is the best? You tell us by voting in the Readers Poll below: Sorry, you need to have javascript running to see this poll. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/three-days-grace-singer-swap-readers-poll/” title=”Previous Readers Poll: Three Days Grace Singer Swap” align=”center”]
Posted in News Tags: and-the, band, best, butterfly, inside, lynyrd skynyrd, readers, readers-poll-, rock, shinedown No Comments »10 Best Shinedown Songs
January 10th, 2013 Metalkult Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com It's pretty much impossible to turn on rock radio without hearing one or more Shinedown songs. In the 10 years since they released their debut album, the Florida rockers have proven themselves to be one of the most reliable hit-makers of the 21st century. They've churned out hit radio tracks even as they expand their range beyond hard rock to include textured mid-tempo tracks and even tender ballads. With their latest album, 'Amaryllis,' Shinedown have continued their hit-making streak with more chart-topping singles. So, we give props to the band with our list of the 10 Best Shinedown Songs: ? 10 'If You Only Knew' From: 'The Sound of Madness' (2008) ? ? Sunny, airy acoustic guitars shimmer throughout this surprisingly lighthearted and upbeat track from Shinedown's third album, 2008's 'The Sound of Madness.' If it weren't for the pounding drums, you could almost call this an adult contemporary ballad, what with the epic proclamations of love, the strings, and, wait, are those bells? Listen to 'If You Only Knew' ? ? 9 'Bully' From: 'Amaryllis' (2012) ? ? There was plenty of aggression bubbling over on Shinedown's 'Amaryllis' album, beginning with the lead single, 'Bully.' The issue-oriented track dealt with some of the troubles going on in schools these days, with singer Brent Smith taking the opportunity to encourage those being bullied to stand up for themselves. The anthemic track is quite empowering with a sing-along chorus as well. Listen to 'Bully' ? ? 8 'The Crow & the Butterfly' From: The Sound of Madness' (2008) ? ? Guitarist Zach Myers' epic, melodic lead guitar work further ratchets up the intensity throughout the second half of this already stormy song from 2008's 'The Sound of Madness.' Reportedly, the song is about a mother whose young son dies, but the lyrics also mention the pair “getting high as outer space” together, so let's hope this is a friend they're talking about. Listen to 'The Crow & the Butterfly' ? ? 7 'Fly From the Inside' From: 'Leave a Whisper' (2003) ? ? You never get a second chance to make a first impression, and that's especially true for rock bands. So, the opening song on Shinedown's 2003 debut 'Leave a Whisper' needed to kick some butt and tell people what they're about quickly. The band wastes little time doing just that here, mixing hard rock riffs with a heightened sense of dynamics and a huge, anthemic chorus. Listen to 'Fly From the Inside' ? ? 6 'Devour' From: 'The Sound of Madness' (2008) ? ? Eschewing their more recent tendencies towards more dynamic music, Shinedown let it rip old-school style on the double-barreled opening track and first single from 2008's 'The Sound of Madness.' Reportedly an anti-love song to then-president George W. Bush, the track features lead singer Brent Smith railing against a clueless leader who is suffocating his own empire due to his own greed. Listen to 'Devour' ? ? 5 'Enemies' From: 'Amaryllis' (2012) ? ? What better to work out your aggressions than in song? That's the path Shinedown followed with 'Enemies,' an in-your-face confessional between warring sides. Not only does the track rock, but there's a certain amount of swing brought to the track by drummer Barry Kerch as well. This one's great to get your blood boiling. Listen to 'Enemies' ? ? 4 'Second Chance' From: 'The Sound of Madness' (2008) ? ? Supposedly, Shinedown themselves weren't very big fans of this tune, the appropriately titled second single from 'Sound of Madness,' when they first wrote it. Luckily, they gave the track a — wait for it — second chance, as it ended up being their biggest hit to date, a platinum selling smash that reached the charts on a wide variety of radio station formats. Listen to 'Second Chance' ? ? 3 'Save Me' From: 'Us and Them' (2005) ? ? Shinedown sing of a drug addict looking for salvation on this, the first single from their 2005 sophomore album 'Us and Them.' The repetitive, somber opening bass line helps to capture the mindset of a junkie living in day after day world of pills, needles and spoons, unable to muster the strength to break free on their own. Listen to 'Save Me' ? ? 2 'The Sound of Madness' From: 'The Sound of Madness' (2008) ? ? Shinedown breaks out their best Metallica impression on this riff-heavy slice of metal, which served as the title track to their third album. Lead singer Brent Smith, in particular, drops his voice down a notch and adds some menace, sounding eerily like James Hetfield as he calls out self-pitying so called “rebels” who really are just avoiding responsibility. Listen to 'The Sound of Madness' ? ? 1 '45' From: 'Leave a Whisper' (2003) ? ? Even if you ignore the fact that this song was the band's first major single, and therefore an important introduction to their brand of drama-filled melodic hard rock, this tune's powerful message about living each day to the fullest makes it one of the top Shinedown tracks. There was some controversy about the song's gun-related lyrics, but if you listen they hardly glorify violence — instead using the weapon as a metaphor for a person staring down big changes in their life. Listen to '45' ? ? What's Your Favorite Shinedown Song? What tune on our list of the 10 Best Shinedown Songs do you like the most? Or, if there's a Shinedown track we missed, let us know in comments section below: ?
Posted in News Tags: a-second-chance, band, florida, inside, lists!, original features, shinedown, songs, Sound, voice No Comments »Top 20 Songs: Week of December 16-22, 2012
December 21st, 2012 Metalkult Liz Ramanand, Loudwire In this week’s edition of Loudwire’s Top 20 Countdown, Soundgarden continue to hold the top spot with their single ‘Been Away Too Long’ from their first album in 16 years, ‘King Animal.’ Shinedown and their latest single ‘Enemies’ remain in the No. 2 spot this week. Avenged Sevenfold also stay steady at No. 3 with their track ‘Carry On,’ while Volbeat ’s latest single ‘Heaven Nor Hell’ jumps a few sports to come in at No. 4 this week. Slash ’s new single ‘Standing in the Sun’ featuring Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators rounds out the Top 5. Other songs of note on the list include Stone Sour ‘s tune ‘Absolute Zero,’ as well as All That Remains ‘ new track ‘Stand Up’ and ‘Same Old Trip’ by Chevelle . Papa Roach make their return to the Top 20 list this week with their track ‘Where Did the Angels Go’ off of their latest release ‘The Connection.’ Check out the Top 20 songs below and be sure to tune in to Loudwire Radio this weekend to blast these tracks at full volume. Loudwire Radio Top 20 Songs of the Week: 20. Papa Roach, ‘Where Did The Angels Go’ 19. Linkin Park ‘Lost in the Echo’ 18. P.O.D., ‘Higher’ 17. Adelitas Way, ‘Alive’ 16. Nonpoint, ‘Left for You’ 15. Green Day, ‘Let Yourself Go’ 14. Three Days Grace, ‘Chalk Outline’ 13. 3 Doors Down, ‘One Light’ 12. Young Guns, ‘Bones’ 11. In This Moment, ‘Blood’ 10. Deftones, ‘Tempest’ 9. Five Finger Death Punch, ‘The Pride’ 8. Chevelle, ‘Same Old Trip’ 7. All That Remains, ‘Stand Up’ 6. Stone Sour, ‘Absolute Zero’ 5. Slash, ‘Standing in the Sun’ 4. Volbeat ‘Heaven Nor Hell’ 3. Avenged Sevenfold, ‘Carry On’ 2. Shinedown, ‘Enemies’ 1. Soundgarden, ‘Been Away Too Long’ [button href=”http://loudwire.com/loudwire-radio-station-list/” title=”See Which Stations Air Loudwire Radio” align=”center”]
Posted in News Tags: absolute-zero, angels, avenged sevenfold, chalk-outline-, chris-cornell, conspirators, latest, loudwire-radio, shinedown, songs, track, tracks-at-full, week, which-stations No Comments »Shinedown + Three Days Grace Add Second Leg to 2013 Co-Headlining U.S. Tour
December 10th, 2012 Metalkult Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com Just a few weeks ago, Shinedown and Three Days Grace announced the first leg of a co-headlining U.S. tour that kicks off in February 2013. Now, the two bands have added a second leg of dates to the trek. With the new leg kicking off on March 9 in Orlando, Fla., at the Amway Center and taking them through March 30 in Fargo, N.D. at the Fargodome, the 16 new dates will have the rock titans out on the road through the end of March. The tour will mark the first time that many fans will be able to catch Three Days Grace playing songs off their new disc ‘Transit of Venus,’ released on Oct. 2. Meanwhile, Shinedown will continue to showcase their latest disc ‘Amaryllis,’ which has already spawned hit singles like ‘Bully,’ ‘Unity,’ and ‘Enemies.’ Three Days Grace are anxious to get back out on the road after playing a handful of sold out shows in small venues for their fans, commenting, “We can’t wait to get back out on the road to play live for our fans; that’s the best part of doing what we do.” Shinedown have already promised to raise the bar for this new tour, which is a pretty hefty pledge considering their successful summer run on the 2012 Rockstar Energy Drink Uproar Festival Both bands are competing in the 2012 Loudwire Music Awards for ‘ Rock Song of the Year .’ As they are doing for the first leg, P.O.D. will be opening all of the shows on the new leg of the tour. Check out all the dates and locations below. Three Days Grace + Shinedown + P.O.D. 2013 U.S. Tour Dates: Newly Announced Second Leg: 3/9 – Orlando, Fla. – Amway Center 3/11 – Estero, Fla. – Germain Arena 3/12 – Savannah, Ga. – Civic Center 3/14 – Pensacola, Fla. – Pensacola Civic Center 3/15 – Jackson, Miss. – Mississippi Coliseum 3/16 – Little Rock, Ark. – Verizon Arena 3/18 – Baton Rouge, La. – Baton Rouge River Center 3/19 – Belton, Texas – Bell County Expo Center 3/21 – Oklahoma City, Okla. – Chesapeake Energy Center 3/22 – Lubbock, Texas – Lonestar Event Center 3/23 – Wichita, Kan. – INTRUST Bank Arena 3/25 – Broomfield, Colo. – 1st Bank Center 3/26 – Lincoln, Neb. – Pershing Center 3/28 – Sioux City, Iowa – Tyson Events Center 3/29 – La Crosse, Wis. – La Crosse Center Arena 3/30 – Fargo, N.D. – Fargodome Previously Announced First Leg: 2/1 Moline, IL – iWireless Center 2/2 Madison, WI – Alliant Energy Center 2/5 Minneapolis, MN – Target Center 2/6 Green Bay, WI – Resch Center 2/8 – Nashville TN – Bridgestone Arena 2/9 – Huntington, WV – Big Sandy Superstore 2/10 – Knoxville, TN – Knoxville Civic Auditorium Coliseum 2/12 – Saginaw, MI – DOW Events Center 2/13 – Battle Creek, MI – Kellogg Arena 2/15 – Ft. Wayne, IN – Allen Co War Memorial 2/16 – Lexington, KY – Rupp Arena 2/17 – Reading, PA – Sovereign Center 2/19 – Baltimore, MD – 1st Mariner Arena 2/20 – Lowell, MA – Tsongas Center [button href=”http://loudwire.com/shinedown-already-recorded-new-album/” title=”Shinedown: We’ve Already Recorded a New Album” align=”center”]
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