The Rockstar Energy Drink once again brings forth an amazing tour with the newest addition, The UpRoar Tour featuring Disturbed, Aveneged Sevenfold, Stone Sour, Halestorm, HellYeah, Airbourne, Hail The Villain and New Medicine. The tour kicked off late summer (August) and will bring us into the Fall (October). We actually had the pleasure of catching this tour twice when it pulled into Darien Lake and Saratoga Springs, NY.

Hail The Villain is definitely a band on the rise and one to keep an eye on. For the shows we caught, they were the first to take the stage (after the local openers) and they would kick open the show, engaging the crowd from the moment they took the stage. Vocalist Bryan Crouch has an insane stage presence. Their album revolves around their comic book/video game villain and Bryan takes that character to the stage. It’s really something to see. Musically, they give a tight and superb performance. The band released their debut album, “Population Declining” (Roadrunner Records) this summer, as well as releasing their first comic book that is part of an upcoming series. Their website is like no other band site; it’s a interactive video game where you can upload images of yourself to become your own comic book hero or simply play one of the pre-made characters. They have put together quite a package in a way that hasn’t been done before. Their website is very innovative and a must to check out.

New Medicine is a new addition that is sure to have wide appeal. They are giving North America a taste of what their debut album “Race You To The Bottom” (Photo Finish Records) will sound like, as the album doesn’t hit stores until September 28, 2010. They pack a punch with heavy, hyper-charged guitar riffs backed with powerful vocals that the crowd ate up. The song that stood out the most to me was their heartfelt song, “Little Sister” that was written for the loss of vocalist Jake Scherer’s little sister. He dedicated it to anyone who has lost a loved one. New Medicine is generating a lot of buzz and have a steady following that grows with every show.. You can envision them one day in the future,headlining the WARP tour.

Airbourne, our Australian mates from down under put on one hell of a rock ‘n roll show. They have a high-strung energy, met with a beer drinking, rock-your-socks-off party attitude that was all about just having fun. In a move reminiscent of Angus Young’s solos (AC/DC), their vocalist, Joel O’Keeffe, gets on one of the technician’s shoulders and they walk through the crowd, with Joel never missing a beat on his guitar. Overall, they has a really upbeat attitude; if you are at an Airbourne concert and you don’t have a smile on your face, then you are in the wrong place. Check out their latest album No Guts, No Glory on Roadrunner Records.

Headlining the second stage was HellYeah as they brought one “Hell Of A Time” to the stage. They party hearty, but with a “Cowboy’s Way” of drinking and doing their own thing and not giving a crap about what others think or say. They have a heavier edge and the crowd devoured it. The mosh pits were in full force, the crowd pumped and pushed as close to the front as possible. They really are a great band to see live. Check out their latest album, “Stampede” out on Epic Records.

Kicking off the main stage was Halestorm. Vocalist Izzy Hale has a set of pipes that fill even the biggest amphitheaters. She has a very Joan Jett/Pat Benatar feel but with a harder, more metal edge. The rest of the band has a strong stage presence, which completes the circle of Halestorm. They have an amazing live sound that kicks it up a notch from what their album sounds like, taking it from a 10 to an 11. Check out their self-titled debut album, out on Atlantic Records.

Following Halestorm’s set was Stone Sour.  They kicked off their set with a new song, “Mission Statement” from their latest album, Audio Secrecy (Roadrunner Records). They peformed a mixture of new and popular older songs, which captivated their audience. It didn’t seem to make any difference to the audience that many of the songs were unfamiliar (new album not released yet), the crowd just dove in and absorbed the new tunes. They closed out their set with a noteworthy version of “30/30-150.”

Avenged Sevenfold was next to take the stage. They kicked off the set with an impressive, dramatic theatrical tactic that was sure to catch anyone’s attention.  It starts with one of the crew members on top of the lighting rig that is suspended high above the stage. He puts a noose around his neck, jumps and remains hung high above the stage while the band performs their first song of the night, “Nightmare.” Talk about shock rockers!  They continued on with a stellar performance, with a large production that included pyros and an awesome stage set. This band never disappoints, giving 100% and delivering a strong, solid performance. Vocalist M. Shadows had the crowd in the palm of his hand from the moment the band took the stage, as did the fancy guitar work of Synyster Gates and Zacky Vengeance who were playing off each other, doing solos and ripping up the stage. Kudos go to Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater), who at this point was filling in for their late drummer, The Rev. Since the show, Mike has joined the band as a permanent member. Check out Avenged Sevenfold’s latest album, “Nightmare” (Warner Bros. Records)

Closing out the night was Disturbed. It is immediately apparent that this band has been around and performing for fifteen years. They have a very veteran style, stance and tight, polished sound that you would expect from a band that has been around for 30 years or better. They have a solid performance with a set that incorporates their hits as well as new songs off their album, “Asylum” (Warner Bros. Records) that hit stores Aug 31st.

Overall, the festival was a lot of fun and we had a great time. If you are close to any the remaining dates, it’s a must-see show.

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– PHOTO GALLERY :: NEW MEDICINE

– PHOTO GALLERY :: AIRBOURNE

– PHOTO GALLERY :: HELLYEAH

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VIDEO / INTERVIEW FOOTAGE:

*** COMING SOON ***
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