Aftershock: Godsmack, bringing the heavy

Sully Erna, Godsmack, Aftershock 2018

Link to the Aftershock 2018 photo gallery at the end of this post

The magic of festivals: there's something for everyone. Hard rock and metal has a wide spectrum of sounds, and as one of the folks running from stage-to-stage throughout the days of the event, we photographers see and hear all the shades. At the top end of my own, personal spectrum at Aftershock festival this year were Godsmack. They brought the heavy. (NOTE: Very shortly after Aftershock, Godmack cancelled their current tour due to the very sad loss of Tony Rombola's son. Click here for the press release and keep Tony and his family in your thoughts.)

Godsmack, Aftershock 2018

It's been a few years: last time I saw Godsmack live was at an earlier Aftershock, back in 2014, when there was different festival layout and Godsmack were headlining but playing on the third stage, had (we thought) brought pyro but didn't use it (fire risk), but were on fire all the same.

Godsmack Aftershock 2018

This time, at Aftershock 2018, Godsmack played on the Discovery stage in the early evening: darkness had fallen, the stage lights were on and... interesting. Sully Erna was perfectly lit, but the rest of the band lurked in the shadows, only giving us glimpses now-and-again. (After three or four songs, Sully Erna asked for the stage lights to be extinguished, and for the audience to provide the lighting... cell phones, lighters, flashlights. It was quite magical.)

Lit by the audience: Godsmack playing Aftershock 2018

Godsmack's Aftershock 2018 setlist included When Legends Rise (title song from their last album, released April this year), 1000hp, Voodoo, and ended with Bulletproof and I Stand Alone. (You can find the full setlist here.)

Sully Erna, Godsmack, Aftershock 2018

For more information, visit Godsmack's website, Facebook and Twitter.

Full photogallery for Godsmack at Aftershock 2018, click here!

(For all the Monster Energy Aftershock reviews and photos, go to the home page.)