GODSMACK/AUSTIN MEADE – LIVE @ MOHEGAN SUN

On May 28th, Godsmack ended their “Best of Times World Tour” on a high note playing to a sold out Mohegan Sun Arena with Austin Meade for support. This may be Godsmack‘s final tour ever as they have declared an indefinite hiatus. They have also stated that their 2023 8th studio album, Lighting Up The Sky, will be their last. It was a glorious show but bittersweet for their fans as many have grown up listening to Godsmack‘s hard hitting brand of kickass music.

Austin Meade opened the show which initially seemed a little bit of a mismatch but as his set progressed his music hit home with the audience. His style is definitely different than Godsmack‘s even though like Godsmack, his songs surely deliver a charge. More on the straight rock side, Meade’s music has a strong heartland vibe. He mixes in a little country and adds a bit of soul to create an impressive singular groove. His band was compromised of excellent musicians that knew how to enliven the crowd.

Photos Jody Wilk Photography

Meade’s 9 song set featured selections from both his 2021 full length, Black Sheep and his 2022 Abstract Art of An Unstable Mind. The first song was “Dopamine Drop” and its shameless intonations delivered a powerful wallop. I think it actually shocked the room. They got attentive real quick. Other strong songs off of Black Sheep were “Deja Vu” and “Happier Alone”. Abstract delivered “Violation Delight” and “Red Roof Estates” which keep the throng feeling good. Meade closed out with his audacious new single, “Blackout”. It was the perfect song to end with.

What can I say about Godsmack! They have been a staple in the hard rock ring for ages. They always brought the heat with their pulverizing music. The Massachusett based ensemble have racked up more top 10 rock hits than either hometown heroes Aerosmith or Foo Fighters. That speaks volumes. Lead vocalist and guitarist Sully Erna is a consummate frontman. Lead guitarist Tony Rombola is indivisible with killer riffs and manic solos. Robbie Merrill on bass is a monster slapping out an avalanche of verve while Shannon Larkin’s drumming is dynamic and intense.

Photos Jody Wilk Photography

Before the first song, Sully mentioned how close Mohegan is to Boston and how this felt like an informal gathering of family and friends. He knows how to pull in his fans. The initial song out of the chute was “When Legends Rise” and immediately the audience was on their feet. The arena was a-rocking. “Cryin’ Like a Bitch!” followed. When Godsmack played “Soul on Fire” off of Lighting Up The Sky, the pyro came alive. And I mean pyro. Flames were shooting up practically to the roof of the stage. I felt the heat 20 rows back. Rammstein would have been proud.

Photos Jody Wilk Photography

All the while the audience was hopped up. “You and I”, “Something Different” and “What About Me” continued the onslaught. “Bulletproof” further drove the throng into sonic heaven. “Awake” and an unabashed rendition of “Voodoo” slayed. All throughout, pyro was leaping around the band. A major highlight in any Godsmack show is “Batalla de los tambores” where Larkin and Sully battle it out on opposing drum kits. This did not disappoint. The arena erupted afterwards with tons of loud cheers.

Photos Jody Wilk Photography

Godsmack finished off their set with a ferocious “Whatever” and their colossal recent single, “Surrender”. The encore was something special. Sully sang “Under Your Scars” solo playing the piano. Then the band burst into the Beatles classic “Come Together” and tore into a spellbinding “I Stand Alone” which brought the house down. One could see this was an emotional night for all the members of the band. Knowing that a magnificent chapter in one’s life is coming to end is hard. Kudos to Godsmack for enriching the lives of their fans with unforgiving music. This was a night to remember.

Taking a quote off of Godsmack‘s website, Erna states:

“We are in the best place we’ve ever been in our lives. Somehow, I feel like we were guided like the band was important enough to stay together. We learned to love each other as brothers. We climbed the highest mountains and got over them without breaking. It was an emotional moment when we got to that realization. We actually shed a few tears and gave each other big hugs. ‘Let’s go enjoy our lives.’ This isn’t the end. This is just a new beginning because the best of times is still to come.”

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