Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Fest 2012 by Sick Sixx

As a serious metal head I am always worried about pre-packaged concert festivals. Shorter set times, bands that would normally headline a tour playing at 3 in the afternoon as you struggle to see them on time thru slow ticket lines and throngs of people. Does a touring festival still give back enough to the casual fan that drops half of his paycheck to experience his favorite band?

This year’s Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival made it worth every dime that the fan shelled out. In my opinion this year’s tour was like eating at a buffet of music. You could take a sample of Industrial add a piece of Deathcore and top it off with a slice of Thrash metal on your plate. Whether you are a new fan or a 30 year veteran of the music scene you left a show that finally made you full and not hungry an hour later.

For the new school fan the Sumerian Record’s and Jagermeister stage is the perfect place to mosh your afternoon away. With bands like Whitechapel, The Devil Wears Prada and As I Lay Dying on the Jager Stage to Upon A Burning Body, Dirtfedd on the Sumerian Stage. It was the perfect first plate of food at our buffet.  

For fans like me who can remember seeing Metallica in a club of less than 200 people back in the day the main stage was a metal head’s wet dream. The first band Asking Alexander taught us that the new breed of band can bring it. Then we get to the good part Motorhead followed by Slayer and Slipknot. And like anyone who loves a buffet style meal we are tired, full and want to get home and take our pants off and reminisce about the delicacy we were just served.

Now it wasn’t a perfect meal there was a miss or two. After a 30 year career Anthrax deserved to be on the main stage instead of Asking Alexandria. I have really never gotten a clear cut answer why Anthrax headlined the Jager stage instead of opening the main but it did leave a bad taste in my mouth. The festival grounds had plenty to offer in free giveaways and swag and a performance by the Metal  Mulisha freestyle motocross team.

Whoever booked this year’s show pulled of an amazing feat by giving every metal head no matter what their age a concert that hand’s down beats any incarnation of past Mayhem tours and if you missed it or skipped it you will look back and regret it as some of the bands are getting older and you just never know when you will see such an amazing group of bands put together on one show. Look I’ll be the first to say that the music festival scene in America is not what you’ll get in Europe. It doesn’t have that moment in your life feeling you get when you attend a metal fest over there. But what it was is a killer stop on a brutal tour that will leave any metal fan happy and sated till next year’s show.

Sick Sixx

www.valleyofdeathradio.com

valleyofdeathradio@gmail.com