Day 2
Saturday was the day the weather caught up with us. I was sure to arrive early so I would be all set up in time to catch Them Evils when they kicked things off at noon. However, it was not to be. Doors were held due to approaching thunder and lightning. Them Evils set was rescheduled for Sunday and moved from the Bud Light Stage to an early kickoff of the Monster Main Stage.
Once doors did open, I made my way to the Main Stage for New Years Day. I had recently caught a performance from New Years Day while on tour with In This Moment a few months earlier, so I was excited to catch them here. Immediately following their set, I ran over to catch Wilson at the Bud Light Stage. This performance was billed as the unveiling of a new era for Wilson. They brought the same attitude to the stage as they have in years past. Their staple party-rock vibe has given way to a more straight-ahead rock show. I’m excited to see what new material Wilson has to unload on us soon.
Asking Alexandria took the main stage next, with their first trip back to Rock on the Range since Danny Worsnop returned to vocal duties. As expected, their set was well-received. It’s a safe bet they’ll maintain their slot on the main stage the next time around, and likely get an even later spot in the day.
Next up was an extra special treat. I was able to catch Stone Sour on the Zippo Sessions Acoustic stage. Over the last three years, this has become quite a staple at Rock on the Range. Fans can buy a Zippo lighter and receive a free pass with to an unnamed artist later in the day. As fans arrived, they had no idea who they were about to see perform. Stone Sour was arguably the biggest act to perform on the Zippo Acoustic Stage this year, performing a handful of tracks including a cover of Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game.”
It was at this point that the weather returned. The stadium was under mandatory evacuation for the next three hours. While just about all of the remaining performances were re-scheduled and the 10:30 end-time was extended until 1 am, I was bummed to see Bullet For My Valentine’s set unavoidably scratched. Once doors were opened again, the festival organizers did a fantastic job of taking full advantage of the three stages to make sure everyone else was able to perform. The updated schedule was quickly published and the evening carried on.
Three Days Grace was the first act I attended after the show resumed. This was the first time I’ve been able to catch them since Matt Walst replaced vocalist Adam Gontier. For a vocalist with such a unique and powerful sound, I was shocked at how well Walst stepped in and took the helm. Their performance was likely Saturday’s surprise hit for me, purely because they delivered beyond all expectations.
Trivium closed out the Zippo Encore Stage on Saturday, with a blistering set including several tracks from their latest release “The Sin And The Sentence.” Trivium have become a staple at Rock on the Range, as a sure-bet any year they have a new release out. Given the schedule change-up this evening, and the fact that they were now right up against Stone Sour’s set on the main stage, it was impressive to see how many people had crammed the side-stage to see their set.
The night was closed out by a one-two punch from Stone Sour and Avenged Sevenfold. Stone Sour was up first, wrapping up their “Hydrograd” tour, which included an early date here in Columbus last year pre-album release. Corey Taylor and crew didn’t disappoint! After treating a small group of fifty or so fans earlier in the day to the acoustic set, they now cranked up the intensity and performed in front of the entirety of those in attendance. They played through a quick set, including new and old hits including “Song #3” and “Through Glass.”
Lastly, Avenged Sevenfold brought “The Stage” tour to Rock on the Range, opening with the self-titled song from that album, and including other hits like “Hail to the King,” “Nightmare” and “Bat Country.” Unlike their last stop at Rock on the Range in 2014, this performance featured a largely stripped-down stage, making use of massive video screens in lieu of props, which were so heavily featured previously. This all amounted to a much more intimate experience with the crowd, as the band were free to move all over the stage. Avenged Sevenfold’s latest effort is arguably their least-commercial attempt in the last decade, but their live set proves that their show is only getting stronger!
