Carnival of Madness returned this year with perhaps their strongest lineup yet. With a diverse mix of some of the biggest names in modern rock today, each band had something unique to bring to the table.
The rain held off in Big Flats, NY on Wednesday when newcomers We As Human took the stage for a short but sweet set. The Christian rockers brought a mix of light and heavy vocals and hard hitting riffs. Unfortunately my wishful thinking that Skillet's John Cooper would join the band to sing "Zombie" was probably a long shot with the band's 20 minute set. Despite the short amount of time they had, they made every second count by giving us nonstop energy from start to finish.
The eccentric stage setup for In This Moment began to take form and build anticipation for what was sure to be an entertaining performance. Dancers took the stage along with drummer Tom Hane to provide the intro to "Rise With Me" while the remaining members took the stage decked out in full makeup. Singer Maria Brink effortlessly captivated the crowd from her platform center stage, dancing as she screamed out the raw vocals on "Adrenalize" and "Whore". The band have grown since my first few times seeing them. Guitarists Chris Howorth and Randy Weirzel and bassist Travis Johnson were certainly not overshadowed by the overall
Papa Roach relied on the band's incredible stage presence, sparing no effort on theatrics to enhance their set. It was clear that they fed off of the crowd's energy, getting more and more into the music as the show went on. With everything from rock-rap on older tracks "Blood Brothers" and "Between Angels and Insects", to bass driven ballad "Forever" Papa Roach delivered an unforgettable performance. Guitarist Jerry Horton showed off his skills on "Where Did the Angels Go?", an awesome addition to their live show. It's safe to say that Papa Roach stole the show at Carnival of Madness, and based on the sea of crowd surfers and mosh pits going full force throughout the set, I think many fans would agree.
Christian rockers Skillet were up next to warm us up for Shinedown. A violinist and cellist stepped on stage, providing the signature strings that make Skillet's sound so unique. Backing vocals from drummer Jen Ledger added to frontman John Cooper's on most of the songs, a decent number of which were from their latest release Rise. They included 4 new songs, giving us a totally fresh show, leaving in fan favorites like "Hero" and "Awake and Alive". To finish off they played "Monster", while everyone jumped along, and "Rebirthing". The track was a perfect
The rain finally came when it was time for Shinedown to take the stage, but that didn't stop a packed full crowd from staying right where they were to catch the band up close. Their hit filled set list included only a few lesser heard tracks like "I'm Not Alright". For those that were hoping to hear older favorites or something a bit different, this is not the tour for that. Aside from the somewhat repetitive set, they put on an amazing show. Circus performers added to the carnival theme, and pyro blazed in the air throughout the set.
Shinedown's time flew by, and before long it was time for their encore. Their cover of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Simple Man" was stronger than ever; not a single voice was quiet on the chorus. "Bully" wrapped up the day of nonstop rock, with an energetic chorus that left us wanting more.
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