Operation Kick Ass Festival
Sleep Train Amphitheater
I started out at the ColdCock Stage, which was the small stage at the Festival. We walked in a few minutes before Hell Or Highwater took the stage, totally unprepared for our minds to be blown. HOH walked on with this energetic air, but not only that, their music was great! I loved them!
Then came Attika 7, which was a combo of a bunch of musicians from different bands. They were a lot of fun, but their music was not original. At one point they had an all-girls moshpit which was surprisingly successful.
After A7, we wandered over to the Main Stage to push forward for All That Remains. This was the third time I'd ever seen ATR in concert, and I have to say, this is the best of the performances they had done. They were super into it, and their energy spread throughout the audience. I was a little scared for part of the concert, cause there was this lady next to me who was yelling at people who moshed and threatening to hit them with the drumstick she was holding. Yikes.
HIM came next, and my main goal during their performance was to be at the front by the end so I'd be up front for Halestorm. HIM had music that was alright, but they had NO ENERGY. I can't stand that. They all looked like they were just going through the motions, and the most emotion we ever got from the lead singer were winks at ladies in the crowd. The most entertaining part of HIM's show was when the lead singer stuck the microphone completely in his mouth while singing.
Halestorm was next. I didn't take pictures because, well, it was Halestorm. Again, this was probably the best they had played of the times I have seen them. They played a short set which they had clearly worked on to make better than the past times. Instead of ending with "Here's To Us," they ended with "I Miss The Misery" (featured in a Budweiser commercial). When Lzzy sang "Break In" solo with the piano, the rest of the band joined in halfway and transitioned to the second half of "The Familiar Taste Of Poison." The crowd went absolutely nuts during "Mz. Hyde" and Arejay's drum solo as always. I was literally going to die of happiness, with tears of joy pouring down my face. That's how much I love this band.
Volbeat rocked. They were awesome. I had an amazing time although I had to spend the whole time fending for my life and breathing room. The vocals for this band are just so different and amazing, and their vibe was just super fun and intense at the same time.
Avenged Sevenfold...I wasn't expecting much since I can never get through one of their full albums, but boy are they performers! Fire on the stage, a massive king statue in the background, poofs of smoke and loud bangs in time with the music. All of it just so cool! Plus, they made sure everyone was having a great time. I loved it! At the beginning of A7X, I was looking around the audience and saw none other than Jeanne Sagan of All That Remains standing in the back and watching A7X! Nervously, I walked up to her and basically told her she was amazing, and she hugged me! JEANNE SAGAN HUGGED ME! Great night!
Then came Attika 7, which was a combo of a bunch of musicians from different bands. They were a lot of fun, but their music was not original. At one point they had an all-girls moshpit which was surprisingly successful.
After A7, we wandered over to the Main Stage to push forward for All That Remains. This was the third time I'd ever seen ATR in concert, and I have to say, this is the best of the performances they had done. They were super into it, and their energy spread throughout the audience. I was a little scared for part of the concert, cause there was this lady next to me who was yelling at people who moshed and threatening to hit them with the drumstick she was holding. Yikes.
HIM came next, and my main goal during their performance was to be at the front by the end so I'd be up front for Halestorm. HIM had music that was alright, but they had NO ENERGY. I can't stand that. They all looked like they were just going through the motions, and the most emotion we ever got from the lead singer were winks at ladies in the crowd. The most entertaining part of HIM's show was when the lead singer stuck the microphone completely in his mouth while singing.
Halestorm was next. I didn't take pictures because, well, it was Halestorm. Again, this was probably the best they had played of the times I have seen them. They played a short set which they had clearly worked on to make better than the past times. Instead of ending with "Here's To Us," they ended with "I Miss The Misery" (featured in a Budweiser commercial). When Lzzy sang "Break In" solo with the piano, the rest of the band joined in halfway and transitioned to the second half of "The Familiar Taste Of Poison." The crowd went absolutely nuts during "Mz. Hyde" and Arejay's drum solo as always. I was literally going to die of happiness, with tears of joy pouring down my face. That's how much I love this band.
Volbeat rocked. They were awesome. I had an amazing time although I had to spend the whole time fending for my life and breathing room. The vocals for this band are just so different and amazing, and their vibe was just super fun and intense at the same time.
Avenged Sevenfold...I wasn't expecting much since I can never get through one of their full albums, but boy are they performers! Fire on the stage, a massive king statue in the background, poofs of smoke and loud bangs in time with the music. All of it just so cool! Plus, they made sure everyone was having a great time. I loved it! At the beginning of A7X, I was looking around the audience and saw none other than Jeanne Sagan of All That Remains standing in the back and watching A7X! Nervously, I walked up to her and basically told her she was amazing, and she hugged me! JEANNE SAGAN HUGGED ME! Great night!
 Lead Singer of Hell Or Highwater  Me with the members of Hell Or Highwater  Lead Singer of HIM  A7X's "King" |  Bassist of Hell Or Highwater  Lead guitarist of ATR aka Guitar God  Volbeat |
 | Zoe Adler is a music journalist from Long Beach, California. Besides her website, which is her pride and joy, she works with the GRAMMY Foundation and the Long Beach Independent. Additionally, Ms. Adler is a musician, spending half of her time playing the flute, piccolo, trombone, and marching baritone. She has been with TeenView Music since the very start and hopes to make something of it in the future. |
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