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
Liz Ramanand, Loudwire What better way to spend Valentine’s Day that with some thrash metal? Testament and Overkill rocked New York City’s Best Buy Theater on Thursday Feb. 14 along with support from Flotsam and Jetsam and 4arm for the ‘Dark Roots of Earth’ Tour. Testament got a warm welcome from their very energetic fans who crowd surfed nonstop and belted out songs with frontman Chuck Billy. They began their set with the new track ‘Rise Up’ from their latest record ‘Dark Roots of Earth,’ and also worked in a wealth of other songs from the disc such as ‘Native Blood,’ ‘True American Hate’ and the title track ‘Dark Roots of Earth.’ Guitarist Alex Skolnick shredded like none other as the crowd rocked out throughout the evening to such favorites as ‘Over the Wall,’ ‘Into the Pit’ and ‘New Order.’ Overkill gave an incredible performance ahead of Testament. Vocalist Bobby Blitz’s force onstage was completely infectious as the band kicked off their set with ‘Come and Get It’ and ‘Rotten to the Core.’ To see Blitz charge the microphone during songs from the side of the stage throughout their set just reinforced the power of their music. They East Coast natives ended their powerful performance with ‘Elimination’ and their rendition of the Subhumans favorite ‘F— You.’ Arizona rock vets Flotsam and Jetsam and Aussie metallers 4arm began the night with passionate performances as well. If you want to catch Testament and Overkill on tour with Flotsam and Jetsam and 4arm as part of the ‘Dark Roots of Earth’ tour, click here . Check Out Photos of Testament, Overkill, Flotsam and Jetsam + 4arm in NYC Testament: Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Overkill: Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Flotsam and Jetsam: Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire 4arm: Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Liz Ramanand, Loudwire
EMI Get ready for all these new releases to keep your eyes and ears on throughout March 2013. Anthrax are set to unleash their new covers EP ‘Anthems’ on March 19. The EP boasts covers from the massive rock acts Rush, AC/DC, Boston, Cheap Trick, Thin Lizzy and Journey, only with a nice twist of thrash metal. Iron Maiden just unveiled details on what is now one of March’s most anticipated releases. The jam-packed ‘Maiden England ’88′ CD/DVD will feature the classic footage released by the band on VHS 25 years ago, along with a ton of new stuff for Maiden fans to drool over. Other must-own music releases coming out this March include Clutch ‘s ‘Earth Rocker,’ Intronaut ‘s ‘Habitual Levitations (Instilling Words with Tones),’ Kvelertak ‘s ‘Meir,’ Sevendust ‘s ‘Black Out the Sun,’ Hypocrisy’s ‘End of Disclosure’ and ‘Welcome Oblivion’ from Trent Reznor ‘s project How to Destroy Angels . Check them all out below! March 2013 Music Releases: March 5: How to Destroy Angels, ‘Welcome Oblivion’ Krokus, ‘Dirty Dynamite’ RED, ‘Who We Are: The RED Anthology’ Rotting Christ, ‘Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy’ Saxon, ‘Sacrifice’ Sigur Ros, ‘The Valtari Mystery Film Experiment’ (DVD) Soilwork, ‘The Living Infinite’ March 12: Biffy Clyro, ‘Opposites’ Orange Goblin, ‘A Eulogy For the Fans’ (DVD) Orianthi, ‘Heaven in this Hell’ March 19: Anthrax, ‘Anthem’ (EP) Clutch, ‘Earth Rocker’ Intronaut, ‘Habitual Levitations (Instilling Words with Tones)’ KEN Mode, ‘Entrench’ Lordi, ‘To Beast or Not to Beast’ Six Feet Under, ‘Unborn’ March 26: Gamma Ray, ‘Master of Confusion’ (EP) Hypocrisy, ‘End of Disclosure’ Iron Maiden, ‘Maiden England ’88′ (CD/DVD) Kvelertak, ‘Meir’ Sebastian Bach, ‘ABachalypse Now’ (CD/DVD) Senses Fail, ‘Renacer’ Sevendust, Black Out the Sun’ Van Halen, ‘The Studio Albums 1978 – 1984′ (Box Set)
Universal Music Few bands have made quite the impact that Nirvana did when they exploded onto the scene in the early ’90s. Led by frontman Kurt Cobain and featuring the talents of drummer Dave Grohl and bassist Krist Novoselic , Nirvana revolutionized rock music with their 1991 sophomore album, ‘Nevermind.’ Tragically, Cobain took his own life in 1994, but their music and legacy lives on, making them the perfect subject for a big-screen biopic. But who should play the iconic rockers in a movie? We think we’ve found three very strong candidates to portray the members of Nirvana. Check them out below: Kurt Cobain Played by Joe Anderson Frank Micelotta, Getty Images / IMDB Talk about an uncanny resemblance! Actor Joe Anderson is the spitting image of the late, great Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain. While you may have seen Anderson in the Liam Neeson film ‘The Grey’ or the TV series ‘The River,’ he remains relatively unknown, making him a perfect candidate to play the enigmatic Cobain. That said, it’s no easy task portraying a troubled musical genius that changed the face of rock music forever. ? Dave Grohl Played by Efren Ramirez Universal / Alberto E. Rodriguez, Getty Images Along with being an extremely talented drummer, Dave Grohl is one of rock music’s resident funnymen. He was always the jovial member of Nirvana, and has continued to show his sense of humor as the frontman of Foo Fighters. In addition to having similar facial features as Grohl, ‘Napoleon Dynamite’ actor Efren Ramirez can definitely display the musician’s comedic side. So, we say ‘Vote for Pedro’ to play Dave Grohl in the Nirvana movie. ? Krist Novoselic Played by Jason Segel Jeff Kravitz / Jason Merritt, Getty Images The first qualification to play the 6-foot, 6-inch Krist Novoselic is that you gotta be tall. And at 6 foot, 4 inches, ‘How I Met Your Mother’ actor Jason Segel definitely fits the bill, as he also resembles Novoselic. Segel has been known to play a bit of a klutzy oaf in movies, and that experience will come in handy when he re-enacts the scene of Novoselic tossing his bass in the air at the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards and having it land on his face. Who do you think should play the members of Nirvana if a biopic was made about them? Let us know in the comments section below. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/casting-call-metallica/” title=”Next Casting Call: Metallica” align=”center”]
Housecore In perhaps what will serve as the most evil music festival of all time, Pantera / Down vocalist Philip H. Anselmo has collaborated with famed true crime author Corey Mitchell to create the three-day Housecore Horror Film & Metal Festival. The experimental and must-see festival promises to combine live music from some of metal’s biggest acts, along with over 70 screenings of horror, true crime and heavy metal films. The Housecore Horror Film & Music Festival will take place Oct. 25-27 at Emo’s East in Austin, Texas. Among the bands who will perform at the festival are Anselmo’s band Down , aggro-doom metal veterans Crowbar and the Texas premiere of Philip H. Anselmo & the Illegals, which is an extreme metal project from the prolific vocalist. The 2,000-person capacity Emo’s East will host film screenings while the rest of the Emo’s compound will be set up with smaller screening areas for extra horror shows. HHFF is also set to launch several sideshow attractions such as “gore-lesque” routines, suspension exhibitions and rare horror memorabilia displays. The blood and guts don’t even stop there, as dozens of other horror and metal-focused venders will be dispersed throughout the complex equipped with their own scare wares. As if this festival doesn’t sound awesome enough, festival attendees will have access to the ‘Haunted Corridor,’ which will be constructed by a Texas haunted house team with creative design input from Anselmo himself, who originally co-founded the ‘House of Shock’ horror experience in New Orleans. Anselmo and Mitchell are also accepting films shot by fans, either big budget or nonexistent budget, for consideration to be shown at the festival. The duo will be personally screening the entries, with a deadline of March 20 for all submissions. If you’re interested in submitting a film, click here . A limited number of three-day passes are now available on the Housecore Horror Film & Music Festival website and through Eventbrite for only $149. After March 20, the price will be bumped up to $199, so be sure to take advantage of the early discount. Happy hauntings! [button href=”http://loudwire.com/down-may-dates-vinyl-version-down-iv-part-1/” title=”Down Add May 2013 Tour Dates, Announce Vinyl Version of ‘Down IV, Part 1′” align=”center”]
Housecore In perhaps what will serve as the most evil music festival of all time, Pantera / Down vocalist Philip H. Anselmo has collaborated with famed true crime author Corey Mitchell to create the three-day Housecore Horror Film & Metal Festival. The experimental and must-see festival promises to combine live music from some of metal’s biggest acts, along with over 70 screenings of horror, true crime and heavy metal films. The Housecore Horror Film & Music Festival will take place Oct. 25-27 at Emo’s East in Austin, Texas. Among the bands who will perform at the festival are Anselmo’s band Down , aggro-doom metal veterans Crowbar and the Texas premiere of Philip H. Anselmo & the Illegals, which is an extreme metal project from the prolific vocalist. The 2,000-person capacity Emo’s East will host film screenings while the rest of the Emo’s compound will be set up with smaller screening areas for extra horror shows. HHFF is also set to launch several sideshow attractions such as “gore-lesque” routines, suspension exhibitions and rare horror memorabilia displays. The blood and guts don’t even stop there, as dozens of other horror and metal-focused venders will be dispersed throughout the complex equipped with their own scare wares. As if this festival doesn’t sound awesome enough, festival attendees will have access to the ‘Haunted Corridor,’ which will be constructed by a Texas haunted house team with creative design input from Anselmo himself, who originally co-founded the ‘House of Shock’ horror experience in New Orleans. Anselmo and Mitchell are also accepting films shot by fans, either big budget or nonexistent budget, for consideration to be shown at the festival. The duo will be personally screening the entries, with a deadline of March 20 for all submissions. If you’re interested in submitting a film, click here . A limited number of three-day passes are now available on the Housecore Horror Film & Music Festival website and through Eventbrite for only $149. After March 20, the price will be bumped up to $199, so be sure to take advantage of the early discount. Happy hauntings! [button href=”http://loudwire.com/down-may-dates-vinyl-version-down-iv-part-1/” title=”Down Add May 2013 Tour Dates, Announce Vinyl Version of ‘Down IV, Part 1′” align=”center”]
YouTube (3) Love … it’s a powerful emotion and one that many rock stars have lamented about over and over in song for years. Whether it be passion, romance or heartbreak, there’s no doubt that love makes the music world go around. Love offers so much creatively for artists to express through music … and in some cases, music videos, as well. Along with our partner sites Ultimate Classic Rock and Diffuser.fm , we have compiled a list of the most romantic rock music videos. And there’s no doubt you’ll feel your heartstrings tugged by the likes of Evanescence , Buckcherry and Guns N’ Roses , among others. So let’s start spreading a little love around by clicking the red button below to see our first romantic rock music video. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/evanescence-bring-me-to-life-romantic-rock-music-videos/” title=”See the First Romantic Rock Video” align=”center”]