http://knac.com/article.asp?ArticleID=6435




KNAC.COM's RockStar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival Tour Diary: Starting with Seattle
By Newsferatu, Writer
Monday, July 14, 2008 @ 11:50 PM



KNAC.COM is pleased to sponsor the inaugural tour of the RockStar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival. This page is intended to evolve while our contributors from across the country file reports, photos and more from their experiences when the tour drops by their home towns.

Let's get Started with out Pacific Northwest contributor, Krishta Abruzzini:


Seattle

White River Amphitheater
Auburn, WA
July 9, 2008

It’s the kick-off day for the RockStar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival tour; Mayhem an appropriate moniker. With the promise of a lot of sonic aggression, twenty-thousand-something people all wanting to be the one that pushes their way to the front of a pit, 100 degree weather, and for a little more fun, throw a little beer on that equation, then watch the mayhem unfurl.

The tour offers fourteen bands and three stages. The bands all play back to back timeslots on the different stages, so preplanning is pretty essential if there are several bands you want to see.

HOT TOPIC STAGE

Black Tide
The Red Chord
36 Crazyfists
Suicide Silence
Underoath
JAGERMEISTER STAGE
Jager Band
Airbourne
Walls of Jericho
Five Finger Death Punch
Machine Head
MAIN STAGE
Mastodon
Dragonforce
Disturbed
Slipknot

The tour also features the Metal Mulisha Riders, which is an insane display of extreme moto-cross. It’s not listed in the program, but around 4-5pm, second stage area, you’ll see the incredible acrobatics these guys exhibit across the late afternoon sky.
It’s always amazing to me to see a tour of such magnitude pulled off with little issue, tore down only to start over the next day in another city. I arrived in time to see the set-up of Mayhem; stages being set, the seamstress hemming curtains and someone’s torn pants. The bevy of yellow shirted pubescent security guys being militantly drilled and given more power than they’ll ever have in real life and the freedom to exercise it. The young and vibrant Black Tide boys riding their skateboards around all-things-business without care.

I headed backstage, to the press area to prepare for the day. A young girl with ridiculously big sunglasses with more power granted to her than even the security guys possessed was fettering about, explaining to a yellow shirt the significance of passes, and if one didn’t have the appropriate pass, they would have to stand five feet from the invisible barrier. No exceptions. The press would absolutely have to stand in the direct sun and only be able to observe those with better passes be fed and given cold beverages under a well shaded and covered deck. What some call backstage, I like to think of as a glorified cafeteria with cooler kids. But hey, it was only $15 for a plate of synthetic nachos and a drink on the outside.

I have to give a big thank you shout out to press coordinator, Amanda Moore, who procured a small, but at least momentary blister saving tent for the press to share between interviews. She rocks! I will confess, out of pure journalistic venture, I did step one foot within that imaginary barrier. I’m really disappointed to report that nothing happened. I was hoping for bells and whistles, or to at least be thrown to the ground by a yellow-shirt with lots of screaming and “cops” style action; but alas, nothing.

I headed back into the venue to check out the show. I was amazed at how a nearly empty amphitheater less than an hour prior had multiplied into literally thousands of people. It was awesome to see so many people come out to support this music. The second stage was packed like koi fish on a feeding frenzy. The Red Chord had just taken stage and commanded the audience’s attention. I was bummed, as I had just missed Black Tide’s set, the heavy rockers all under the age of 20, and one of the bands I really wanted to see that day. With only 30-minute sets and back-to-back lineups, it’s tough to see it all.

I headed back to the press area where I was escorted back to meet David Draiman (singer Disturbed) and John Moyer (bass). Not only the singer of one of the most successful bands in the industry, David is also one hell of a savvy businessman and possesses an extreme level of hyper-intelligence. We sat down briefly, as most of the interviews that day were limited to two to three questions. It was refreshing to find that both David and John were articulate and very gracious individuals.

KNAC.COM: What made you decide to release three different versions of Indestructible? (Indestructible is Disturbed's third consecutive #1 debut on the Billboard 200)

MOYER: It wasn’t our idea.

DRAIMAN: It was the record label (Reprise/Warner Music Group). The whole idea is trying to add value to the product. (David at this time goes off the record to protect his interest with the label). There were film crews filming the entire process of the recording. We thought it was all for one release.

KNAC.COM: How many more albums are you contracted with Warner?

DRAIMAN: This one and one more.

MOYER: But with a year between records and recording time, it could take anywhere from four to six years. It’s a good problem to have though (laughs).

KNAC.COM: With the debut of your new album in June, you have become one of only six rock bands ever to release three consecutive #1 albums. What a great accomplishment.

DRAIMAN: It feels great! It’s nice to be able to beat the odds and buck the trends. Just to have our debut number increase by 15% versus the last record debut, and the whole industry has seen a 30% reduction, so we’re not only beating the odds by meeting it, but we’re increasing it by 15%. That’s kind of an anomaly.

KNAC.COM: Especially in the industry as of late and the invention of mp3s, downloads and pirating.

DRAIMAN: Well, it never really has been very easy, unless you were one of the hair bands out of the 80’s. The only way to get a hold of the music then was to buy the product. We’re fortunate in that we were able to put together a product of material that our fans feel like getting the whole thing. They’re dedicated. 90% of the feedback I get from our fans is that they download music to see what it’s like, and then they go buy the record. They want the lyrics; they want to know how it got made. There’s something to be said about having a physical piece of the band itself.

KNAC.COM: I get that, but so much of the younger generation today downloads this overly compressed music into a little box and thinks it should be free. They’re not even hearing the music the way it was recorded, or intended to be heard.

DRAIMAN: Truth be told, that no matter what happens over the course of the next few years, the fans are still there. People are hungrier for music than they ever have been. Look at Nine Inch Nails, look at Radiohead and how they market their records. There are a limitless number of options. The question is what you feel most comfortable with and how much faith you have with your record deal. I personally would have no problem, once this deal is done, going independent, getting a distribution deal, getting in with indie promoters and then adios! Let’s sell this fuckin’ thing online. Let’s do it completely digital. I don’t give a fuck. Download the artwork, download everything. Go for it. The digital age is a beautiful thing. The only reason it’s become this skeleton in the closet is because the labels didn’t spend the last ten years preparing. They could have been ahead of the game. They could have had the next version of the mp3; something that is not as compressed with sounds of DVD quality Audio, that doesn’t take up as much file space. They could have been ahead of the curve. (David at this time goes off the record to explain how he could viably come up with a process that not only encourages unlimited downloading of hi-def music for the fans, but doesn’t hurt the artist or label financially either) I was actually supposed to go on Nightline, to talk about it but I got a call from Warner Bros that strongly encouraged me not to do it.

(At this point, David goes off the record again and our interview time ran out soon thereafter. Out of deserved respect for him, I will not publish what he asked to keep private).

On the way out of my interview, I ran into Zakk and Gabriel from Black Tide. While it’s completely unconventional and I’m sure mortifying to these guys, I’ve got to say it, they’re absolutely adorable. Zakk tells me he loves KNAC.COM and his favorite DJ is Will.

While the age factor for these guys (they range from 20 down to 15) has only been a problem once; they got kicked off the Jägermeister stage at Ozzfest because it was alcohol sponsored. The fans were so outraged; they eventually brought them back onto the tour on the main stage.

When I asked Zakk how it all started for them, he began telling me about the birds and bees. Reality is, they played a few gigs and house parties, and ultimately talked their way into a main showcase at the 2006 Florida Music Festival. This landed them multiple calls from major labels and an opening slot for Ozzy Osbourne and Lamb of God. That simple. It may seem that it’s the novelty of age that landed them a deal, but the truth is, these boys back it up. A definite not-to-miss on this tour, you can see them at the Hot Topic Stage (times vary, show up early!)

Trying to get out of the hot sun, I ended up sitting in the cooler main stage venue, watching the sound check for Dragonforce. Here’s where I’m just not qualified to give an opinion, but it’s never stopped me previously, nor will it now. Honestly, I’m not sure how to even categorize this band. With so many sub-genres within the metal world; Grindcore, death metal, hardcore, groove metal, nu-metal, metalcore, scenecore, power metal, brutal metal, prog rock…I’m just not sure where these guys fall. Is there a genre called Dungeons and Dragons metal?

I know people are going to hate me for this. I will say, on a positive note, watching the drummer was pretty incredible. He pulled off flawless quads and fills seemingly without effort. While I’m sure there’s a lot of talent in this band, and technical ability aside, I’m just not getting much emotion from any other instrument. It was kind of like watching dueling Yngwie Malmsteen’s masturbating their guitars.

What I will give to these guys is the acknowledgment of “most challenging track” on Guitar Hero III with ‘Through the Fire and Flames’. While I’m not sure if it’s harder to play it on the game or with a real guitar, the award of most challenging with its technicality is well deserved.

Backstage again I ran into Corey Taylor, singer for Stone Sour and Slipknot. I asked him to do a little video piece for KNAC.COM, which he was happy to do. Sadly, with me being the complete video dork, I clicked the wrong button and only caught a snippet of him saying some unintelligible word. I do remember him saying something about needing to listen to KNAC.COM or there would be a terrible outbreak of the herpes virus with no salves to cure it. I’m pretty sure his management reprimanded him for it, as I heard word they were out watching him. I later caught up with him and he couldn’t repeat the piece. I think he got grounded for playing with me.

I got to talk to Five Finger Death Punch’s Zoltan Bathery and Darrell Roberts. Another of my favorite bands out for this tour, the charming Hungarian born Zoltan explains that it is he who has hired all of the players for FFDP, and while he claims it’s somewhat of a democracy, I believe he is ultimately the boss in that camp. Why not? He just makes it easier on the rest of the band to not have to make major decisions.

Another band to see is the Australian AC/DCesque Airbourne. These guys are incarnations of old AC/DC Bon Scott era rock. Dubbed by many as “pub rock,” these guys love the moniker and have opened for The Rolling Stones, Motley Crue and their favorite, Motorhead.

I stopped by to say hello to band mates, Walls of Jericho. With such a cute little redheaded singer, Candace Kucsulain certainly is one pissed-off broad sonically. Meeting her, she just seems so submissive and sweet. Hearing her perform you’d swear the bowels of hell were spewing its contents. I love to see a girl penetrating the very male dominated metal world and kicking their asses nonetheless. The band has recently worked with Corey Taylor on their new release of ‘Redemption’. Showing a softer side of the band, they do a cover of The Animals’ “House of the Rising Sun”. Definitely another band to check out.

As the day wrapped, the time came for Disturbed to take the stage. Being wheeled out with a straight jacket and mask, looking like Dr. Lecter he peels away the costume and simply states to the audience, “We are…Disturbed”, both creepy and oh so rock and roll. Standing to the side, I could see that the audience singing nearly every lyric and collectively as if in unison moving with a groove.

As Slipknot was just about to go on, I noted a distinctive difference in the fan base of the two headlining acts. Respectfully, many of the Disturbed fans moved to make room for the seemingly more aggressive, S&M mask wearing fans of Slipknot. I made my way into the pit to take pictures just as the smoke machine unleashed its thick white veil over everyone within the first few rows’ heads. It was an eerie few moments to not be able to see anything or anyone with an almost unnatural silence for what was taking place. It was soon replaced with a loud explosion of pyro and guitar/bass/drum playing monsters replacing the thick smoke. It was such a nightmarish, surreal experience. Where was Beowulf to help kill my monstahs? Maybe I should have been a little nicer to Dragonforce. Dammit.

Considering the length and heat of the day, the pure aggressive man-heat driven music and all varying substances being ingested, it was pretty amazing to see how peaceful and respectful most people were at the show. I only saw one broken nose, and a guy who attacked a medic that was trying to help him get his head bashed into the pavement by a bunch of yellow shirts. Two casualties out of twenty-thousand is not too bad.