GODSMACK / DOROTHY – MOHEGAN SUN ARENA
By Donna Marie Eriquezzo
Godsmack – Rise Of The Rock World Tour – Mohegan Sun Arena – 10/24/26 – with Dorothy
Saturday night at Mohegan Sun Arena was all about rock and roll, and Dorothy brought her own type of fire and hype to the show. Opening for Godsmack is no small feat, but Dorothy Martin and her band showed the crowd that they belong on that stage. Dorothy has a powerful, gritty voice that grabs your attention. Add her stunning looks, killer leather outfit and her music which has a bluesy, old-school sound mixed with modern hard rock and you have something quite special.
There’s an edge to her style that just feels raw and real. She’s not just up there singing songs — she brings an attitude and a presence that fits perfectly with a night of hard rock. You can tell she puts her soul into her music.
Dorothy is an American rock band formed in 2014 in Los Angeles and consists of Dorothy Martin on vocals, Jake Hayden on drums, Sam Koltun on guitar, and Elliot Lorango on bass. Rockisdead was released in 2016 followed by a few more albums and her single “Tombstone” was released in 2025 featuring Slash.
The set included songs like “Down to the Bottom,” “The Devil I Know,” “Gun in My Hand,” “I Put a Spell on You,” and “Rest in Peace.” Each song showed a different side of the band’s sound, from blues-inspired rock to heavier, guitar-driven music. Their performance gave the crowd a taste of what Dorothy is all about. I have to say that “Medicine Man” was definitely my favorite song by her. Just the passion in that song alone could be felt throughout the arena.
The band was tight and the bass and guitar players definitely nailed it. The crowd was pretty lame in the beginning but she finally yelled “Cmon people, your at a rock n roll show, stand the fuck up!” And finally the crowd got into it. My second favorite song was the last one on their set list called “Elevate”.
Sharing the stage with a band like Godsmack is a great opportunity, but Dorothy has her own identity and sound. She was a great opener and helped set the tone for what was to come. If you haven’t checked out Dorothy yet, she’s definitely a band worth giving a listen to, especially if you love hard rock with powerful vocals, heavy guitars, with a little blues mixed in.
GODSMACK
Godsmack brought The Rise Of The Rock World Tour to the Mohegan Sun Arena. They’re celebrating more than three decades of hard rock and I had the chance to photograph them for the first time. If you’re a concert photographer, you know those first three songs are a whirlwind. The lights are flashing, the music is blasting, the guitars are ripping, and you’re trying to catch every moment before your time in the pit is up. There’s nothing like being right up front with your camera, looking up at a band like Godsmack. Sully Erna has a commanding presence onstage, and the energy coming from the band is intense. I can never get enough of or sick of Godsmack.
I can honestly say they do not have a song I do not like. Between the lighting, the movement, the expressions, and the power of the music, your constantly looking for that one shot that captures the feeling of the entire show. Those first three songs go by quickly. Once the photo pit time was over, it was time to get out of the way and let the rest of the night unfold. As much as I love being behind the camera, there’s nothing wrong with stepping back and enjoying the show, too.
Godsmack opened their show with “When Legends Rise” and what a way to get the crowd going. The whole arena could feel the energy palpitating from the stage as Godsmack once again enveloped us in their musical magic. Next they went in with “You and I” and “Generation Day”. It’s so nice to see Godsmack back in their home area as the band is from Lawrence, Mass and were formed in 1995.
Sully Erna who is on vocals as well as rhythm guitar, and Robbie Merrill on bass have been with the band since the beginning, for 31 years. In 2024 Sam Koltun stepped in as lead guitarist and he did not disappoint. I thought he put on a stellar performance. On drums, former Dream Theater powerhouse Mike Mangini officially joined the band in June of 2026. And wow that double drum solo along with all the songs were killer. They both do a standup job as new additions to Godsmack.
When they got to the song “Keep Away”, Sully told the story of when he bought an $80 guitar at a pawn shop for Tony Rombola to use because he didn’t own a guitar at the time, and this guitar was responsible for writing the hits on their entire debut self-titled album. Then they went into an excellent cover of “Rocky Mountain Way” which really hit the spot. Then again there isn’t anything Godsmack performs that I don’t like.
I was wondering how the double drum solo would go and I was not disappointed in the least. I don’t think this drum solo can ever get old and Mike Mangini definitely pulled it off. The encore came well too quickly with Godsmack performing “Under Your Scars”. It was a powerful and emotional moment.
Sully spoke about The Scars Foundation, which is a non-profit organization to raise awareness and give resources for severe depression, addiction, mental health struggles, and suicide prevention. He dedicated this song to anyone who has battled these personal demons or felt completely alone. This song touched me personally and holds deep meaning to me. The last two song s of evening were “Bulletproof” and “I Stand Alone”
What an amazing night this was, First seeing Dorothy for the first time and who I am looking forward to seeing again in the future and Godsmack. I have no words for it. As always they entertained and delighted Mohegan Sun Arena for a few hours on a Saturday night in October. A stellar last show for this tour and where better than home for Godsmack!
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