Friday, July 22, 2016

Five Finger Death Punch at Chicago Open Air, and new video out today!

Ivan Moody, vocals, Five Finger Death Punch
Ivan Moody, Five Finger Death Punch, at the first Chicago Open Air
Sunday 17th July, it's evening, dusk is falling, and Five Finger Death Punch are on stage on the third day of the very first Chicago Open Air; a little late beginning, the previous act ran long... we lost the sound for a very short moment part-way through, and the stage lighting was a little timid, maybe just in contrast to the gathering thunderstorm which, thank goodness, held off; but nothing else is ever timid, sky or reserved with these guys. Not the music. Never the music. Full-bore-all-barrels-firing, Five Finger Death Punch brought the show to all the many fans who made up the huge audience.

(I've never seen Ivan Moody smile so much during a show. Take a look at the photo gallery: see what I mean? Yes, there are a lot of photos. Yes, there's a Share button. You know what to do.)

Jason Hook, guitar, Five Finger Death Punch
Jason Hook, Five Finger Death Punch
From Lift Me Up through to the band's closing song for the evening, pretty much a tradition, it was The Bleeding... we were all singing along. Complete strangers and best friends in a huge crowd, joined by the song, singing loud into each others' faces, grinning too.

Chris Kael, bass, Five Finger Death Punch
Chris Kael, Five Finger Death Punch
Festival sets are always a condensed, best-of-radio-play selection of a band's songs; FFDP's set included Lift Me Up, Never Enough, Got Your Six, Bad Company, Jekyll and Hyde, Wrong Side of Heaven, Under and Over It, and finished with The Bleeding... which was probably the moment that melted more stone-cold metal hearts than ever before, when Ivan Moody invited young fan Chylynne on stage, who sang her heart out. Showing no fear before the huge audience--over 75,000 attended the three-day event--and it was clearly an emotional time for Ivan, and for lots of us watching. (There are several videos online now of the song, I'm sure you know how to use Google by now.)

At the front!
Yes, you may have seen Chylynne before, if you were at Rock on the Range. But no, she wasn't just at Chicago Open Air for Five Finger Death Punch. This little lady, with her family, had been in, or close to, the front row of the main stage from early on day one of the festival, wearing her FFDP t-shirt, right through until she was invited on stage late in the evening of day three. Crowdsurfing like a hero (with a parent or friend in tow). Cheering the bands all through the festival. All day. All three days... Those of you who like to turn up just for the late-late show? Ask Chylynne what you miss! (It's a lot.) There are more photos in the People of Chicago Open Air collection, linked from this post, click here!

Zoltan Bathory, guitar, Five Finger Death Punch
Zoltan Bathory, Five Finger Death Punch
And today... Five Finger Death Punch have released a new video, for I Apologise, from their latest album, Got Your Six. It speaks for itself. It's moving, it has a message, and I hope that everyone who knows someone suffering from an addiction, or who is struggling themselves, hears the message. There's only one person who can make the change. Just one.

Here's the video:




Five Finger Death Punch are on tour all over the place for the rest of the year: USA, Canada, Europe, Mexico for one date tomorrow, July 23rd... and I'm still trying to work out the best intersection between the FFDP tour and the Marillion tour because there really, really must be a way to see both, as they are both on the road in the USA at the same time in October!

Five Finger Death Punch
Five Finger Death Punch, Chicago Open Air
Ivan? You know that cuppa tea is still on offer, right?

All the photos:  http://www.alisontoon.com/-/galleries/music/five-finger-death-punch/ffdp-coa-2016

Riki Rachtman and Ivan Moody on stage at Chicago Open Air
Riki Rachtman (Heaadbangers' Ball) and Ivan Moody, Chicago Open Air

Thursday, July 21, 2016

Ministry: at the church of industrial metal

Al Jourgensen, vocals, Ministry
Al Jourgensen, Ministry
One band that I somehow didn't ever expect to be lucky enough to see, let alone photograph, in person, live on stage: Ministry. And if I hadn't been at Chicago Open Air this weekend... who knows if that opportunity would come around. Read Al Jourgensen's autobiography, and know that he prefers being shut away in a studio making music to being on the road and on stage. Know that in 2008, Jourgensen disbanded the band, saying it was the end... but then reformed Ministry in 2011. Who knows what's coming next?

Ministry
Ministry, playing at Chicago Open Air
Heavy, heavy, industrial metal, Ministry, together with Friday's headliners Rammstein, rule the genre, with Jourgensen's band coming into existence about 12 years before the German group formed in Berlin.

Johnny Depp may say that he based his characterization of Jack Sparrow partly on Keith Richard, but today the movie character bears a far closer physical resemblance to Jourgensen, who also sports as many piercings as a pincushion, a pirate's cheeky smirk, and nips nimbly around the stage while playing some of the heaviest music you're likely to hear anywhere. A bit like the engine which powers some underground, dark-but-purposeful machine; the setlist included newer songs Hail To His Majesty (Peasants), Punch in the Face, and oldies such as LiesLiesLies, Just One Fix and The Missing.

Al Jourgensen, vocals, Ministry
Al Jourgensen, Ministry
Ministry are heading to Europe for more tour dates in August, back to the USA in September. Check their tour page for details,

Full photogallery: click here to go to the Ministry photogallery from Chicago Open Air.

Al Jourgensen, vocals, Ministry
Ministry

New music from Rag'N'Bone Man... Human



Rag'n'bone Man just released this video for his latest single, Human... another good one from the British singer with a major underground following... if you haven't heard him before, take a listen. Find out more on his Facebook and website.



Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Where to begin... three days of Chicago Open Air... and I choose, letlive

Jason Aalon Butler, vocals, letlive
Jason Aalon Butler, letlive, in the crowd at Chicago Open Air
Three days of intense, heavy, loud, even-heavier-again, music. Three days with one of the best festival lineups you're likely to see in a very long time, if you are a metal fan; Slipknot, Five Finger Death Punch, Disturbed, Korn, Chevelle and Rammstein, just to list the final two acts of each day... and remembering that the show started before noon, with performers on two stages, one after the other, with little, if any, time between each. More than 75,000 people attended over the three days of the weekend, the crowd was truly enormous, especially when everyone came into the main stadium together to see the headliners; everyone ate well, drank well, were generous to good causes including FXCK Cancer and Take Me Home... and enjoyed so much music. There was something for everyone, with varying degrees of heaviness, ranging from the brilliantly heavy, heavy, heavy French Gojira to sweet-and-cheerful Baby Metal (who drew a huge crowd to the second stage).

And among all the delicious-looking-and-sounding burgers with heavy-metal names like Five Finger Death Dog and The Midway Monster Dog, something that yours-truly-vegetarian-celiac could actually eat and really enjoy: the Kimcheesy Fries!!! After carrying around sixteen pounds of camera equipment and water bottles there and back, there and back, all day, beginning-to-end, between the two stages throughout the hot, humid (and on Friday, occasionally torrential), days, that food was very welcome indeed. Judging by the number of people eating, everyone found something to enjoy from a huge variety of gourmet "man foods' plus the regular stadium concession stands.

Jason Aalon Butler, vocals, letlive
Jason Aalon Butler, letlive
I will be sharing photographs from almost every one of the artists' performances. It will take a little time; there are quite a few (that's a typically British understatement... OK, it's a huge understatement... a few, yeah, right, a few) to work through, edit and publish, And the challenge, when faced with a festival's worth of photos: where to begin? With my own long-time favourites, Five Finger Death Punch and Pop Evil and Gemini Syndrome? Or with the band that so many were there to see, Slipknot? With dramatic and photographically-enticing In This Moment, or one that so many are asking me for already, Ministry? So many to choose from! A bit like a deer frozen in headlights, not knowing which way to jump. How to choose?

And so. I've decided to start with letlive. Here are my first band photos from Chicago Open Air. I begin with letlive, a new band to me this weekend, and here's why.

letlive (no capital, it's not a typo) are energy personified; dramatic, without a doubt; at one point, singer Jason Aalon Butler tied half the pit photographers up with his mic cable, on the way to leaping into the crowd; he sprayed water, he jumped, he ran, he screamed, the sound as metal as anything else you'd hear at the festival. And then suddenly, they are playing melodic, almost a ballad.. a beautiful surprise.

letlive
letlive
letlive have so much energy you'd think they were powering the thunderstorm that landed as a spectacular and resounding grand finale to the Chicago Open Air weekend. Their latest album, If I'm the Devil... is out now.

And another reason I'm starting with letlive? They'll be appearing at the Boardwalk in Orangevale, next Friday, 29th July. Thought those of you from the Sacramento area might like a preview... and a reminder to buy tickets now. Because at under $20, you'll have a night to remember.

More photos from letlive at Chicago Open Air in the photo gallery: click here!

Loniel Robinson, drums, letlive
Loniel Robinson, letlive
Here's a video of letlive's performance at Chicago Open Air: https://www.facebook.com/chiopenair/videos/263235877387922/   Legendary status indeed!

If you're not in Sacramento, check out other tour dates for a town near you on the band's Facebook. Friends and family in the UK and in Europe: they are heading your way at the end of the year!

Chicago Open Air was produced by Danny Wimmer Presents, Live Nation, and Toyota Park, with the support of the Village of Bridgeview and Bridgeview Mayor Steven Landek. And I really really hope it's the start of an annual event for Chicago.  Every city needs its metal fest!!!!

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

People of Chicago Open Air: YOU ROCK!!!

Superhero crowd surfers
Superhero surfers, and superhero security, Chicago Open Air
So here we are... the day after. Three days of wonderful fun and music at Chicago Open Air, at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Ilinois, just down the road from Chicago's Midway airport, and the first ever Chicago Open Air metal and rock festival. I have the distinct impression it won't be the last!

Toon's Tunes/Cameras and Cargos, aided-and-abbetted by partner-in-crime Andy Wright of Andy Wright Studios/DeadFly Media, was there for the entire, loud, heavy-as-a-lost-planet, exciting, exhilarating, happy weekend; check out both @alisontoonphotographer and @only1andywright on Instagram too!

Front-row fans


But before we get into the music photos and reviews... before the singers and guitarists, the new favourites and the ones-I'd-travel-the-world-to-see-again... you know what we do here by now. It's all about you, the People of Chicago Open Air. Because without you, my dears, there wouldn't be any festivals, there wouldn't be any fun, the bands would have no-one to play for, and life would be that much less interesting.

So let's say a huge THANK YOU to all the bands and performers from this past weekend--it was wonderful, wonderful! We'll tell more of your story shortly...

Crowdsurfers at Chicago Open Air


People of Chicago Open Air, you were wonderful!

You were insane, and I mean insane, crowdsurfers; not only regular festival surfers, but guys with delivery boxes, mothers with their daughters on their chests, and a team of true superheros!!! You took selfie-movies while you surfed, and you were upstaging everyone!!! And you, the team of red-shirted security, who were there to catch the surfers, every one, no matter how fast they came over that barrier, no matter if they arrived three- or four-at-a-time. You were all awesome!!!  (Sacramento: take note--CHICAGO CROWDSURFERS RULE!!! Are you going to let that one ride? Get ready for Aftershock!!!)

Superhero crowd surfers
Superhero crowdsurfer in the arms of security
You were security, and you were friendly and helpful and you bounced the beachballs back into the crowd, and I saw you spraying water on the people at the front of the tens-of-thousands of people when it was really, really, hot, and scooting them out through the pit to safety if it was all too much.

You kept the festival grounds and facilities clean and tidy, and you did it with a smile, and I think you were enjoying the music, too!

Event staff
Work crew for the weekend!
You had the crazy job of climbing up the swinging, suspended jumbotron screen, to work on it, when nobody in the audience knew you were there. And you assembled and dissembled the stage lights and pyro and special effects and the stages themselves, up all night, working while the rest of us were sleeping a few hours before the next day's show.

Working on the jumbo TV screen
Working on the huge screen

Jose Mangin
Jose Mangin, announcing the festival
You worked as part of the festival and you presented the performers, or you took students through the Music Experience and talked to them about the music business. You greeted the performers and made sure everything ran on track and on schedule, all except for Mr. Manson, but I guess he's his own boss and we'll leave it at that, because Ivan Moody already said his bit  ;-)

You sold the tickets and you publicized the event, and you made sure there was a stunning, yes stunning, line up for this show. And you were ready in case the storms that were threatening arrived, (and indeed, the last night of the festival finished with a huge symphony of thunder, lightning and rain).

Metal and rock fans, Chicago Open Air
Happy happy happy
You worked at the food trucks and hot ovens and grills, and cooked and prepared and served lots of yummy man (and woman) food. You poured us drinks and served us with water and Monster Energy and somethings-stronger, sometimes a lot stronger, and one or two of us were dancing funny, wobbly dances by the end of the day, but still came back for more the next morning, confused and dazed but ready to start all over again.

Metal and rock fans, Chicago Open Air


But most of all, you were there to enjoy the music, in your tens of thousands; you wore whatever the hell you felt like: from almost nothing but string to a woollen cape, superhero onesies, lederhosen, stiletto heels, Doc Martens; a banana suit, more tattoos than a Navy of sailors and enough piercings to sink their ships; beautiful dresses, camo pants, F**K YOU t-shirts and FXCK Cancer bags to support that organization's wonderful work, and you donated to Take Me Home (or bought a hug, same thing) to help rescue needy animals.

At the front!
You came from Chicago (of course), but you also drove 11 hours from Kentucky and further. You came by plane from Denmark and Sweden and Japan and Canada, and like me, from California, and yes, it darn well was worth it, and yes, we'd drive all the way back there again in a heartbeat.

It was that good.

You even stood for hours, and hours, to have the chance of meeting Rammstein. Some of you in Lederhosen. I saw you. You did. You wore Lederhosen. And makeup. Came straight from the office to the festival, right?

You too can be a banana
Happy Banana
You went from one stage to the other and back, time and again, and some of you must have identical twins or metal doppelgangers, because I saw you in the front row at both stages, and I have the photographic evidence to prove it. How the heck did you manage that???

At the front!
At the second stage
You created a huge, live, monster of a crowd, which swirled and breathed and kept popping up and out all of those surfers, and you let at least one rock star walk upon your waters. You moved like the ocean in the night, full of metal horns and middle fingers and at least one inflatable body part (what? why???)

In the crowd
Part of the crowd. Just one small part. 

Oh my, People of Chicago Open Air, did you have fun? I know I did! Can we do it all over again, soon?

(People of Chicago Open Air: I think you should all come to Aftershock in Sacramento. Chicago may have raised crowdsurfing to fine art, but Sacramento is the home of the Circle Pit and the Wall of Death. Let's get some cross-pollination going! Superhero mosh pits!!! Superhero-festival-smack down!!!  Now there's an idea...)

More, many more, or rather, many, many, MANY more photos in the People of Chicago Open Air photo gallery -- click here -- and more will be added as the other photos are edited. Feel free to use the Share button, that's what it's there for (it's in the top right corner of each photo, and looks like three dots joined by two lines)

Music photos on their way very soon! Bookmark http://camerasandcargos.com, "like" our Facebook page, follow the Instagrams at the top of this story, or follow @alisontoon on Twitter for updates. And check out that photo gallery in case you find your own happy smiling face. I know you are there!

At the front!
Front row, main stage

Monday, July 11, 2016

Jack-in-the-Box Freestyle Motocross at California State Fair... wow!!!

Motocross
Freestyle motocross, California State Fair
When you watch the freestyle motocross at the California State Fair, you see the riders and their bikes jump up from a ramp above a hard, concrete, empty pool, yet-another victim of the California drought. In a split second, you see the riders perform acrobatic feats with names like "Superman"; handstands, twists, turns, one-handed, no-handed; and then get back on the bike in time to land on the down-ramp, before returning, to jump again, and again. Three shows a day, at 3 pm, 5 pm and 7 pm, every day of the fair.

It's loud: the bikes rev and roar. The crowd cheers. One jump is surpassed by the next, and the next. You wonder how the riders do this. There are ski-lift chairs passing close overhead; the floor is close, hard, and the descent is fast.

But take a look at the aeriel ballet that these guys perform...

Motocross
Motocross at the California State Fair

Motocross
Watch me, I'm flying
Many more photos of the Jack-In-The-Box sponsored Freestyle Motocross in the California State Fair photogallery (and also in the Motorbike and Motocross gallery, which includes pictures from the 2015 State Fair). Take a look at the graceful moves... and then remember, they have but a split second to do this, get back on the bike, and land it safely. And realise what an extreme sport this is.

Motocross
Freestyle Motocross

Race six, Sunday, at California State Fair: story of a race

Out of the gate, race six, Sacramento card at the California State Fair
Leaving the gate, race six
The mile-long races start, and finish, in front of the grandstand at the Sacramento race track within the California State Fair; you get to see the horses leave the gate, and cross the finish line, right in front of you. This is the story of one race--race number six on the Sacramento card. The horses were 1) Al's Uncle, 2) Delta Ranger, 3) Saint Adalbert, 4) Ahasuerus, 5) Warren's Joe T., and 6) Volkonsky.

Horse races are incredibly fast. Don't blink.

Race six, Sacramento card at the California State Fair
Racing away...

Race six, Sacramento card at the California State Fair
Along the back stretch...

Race six, Sacramento card at the California State Fair
Here they come!!!!
And the winner was number 6, Volkonsky, ridden by jockey Frank Alvarado, trained by John F. Martin, and owned by Clay R. Sides, wearing purple silks with a gold rattlesnake on back, black cuffs and gold sleeves.

Race six, Sacramento card at the California State Fair
Volkonsky, heading for the finish line!

Race six, Sacramento card at the California State Fair
Jockey Frank Alverado and groom playing catch with the crop after winning race six

Race six, Sacramento card at the California State Fair
In the Winner's Circle
More horse racing next weekend at the California State Fair, and the following Thursday to Sunday, too! Don't miss it! Click here for more info.

Saturday, July 9, 2016

A day at the races! At the California State Fair!

Starting gate
Starting gate
Sacramento's horse racing track, part of the Calexpo complex, and during the California State Fair, home to several days of horse racing, on the flat! Not harness racing! Just horses and their jockeys, going fast... very, very fast.

Today's card had eight races in Sacramento; other races from around the country were also shown on big screens. You could spend your whole day at the races, while still inside the State Fair... for a moment it felt like we were back in England, living a Jilly Cooper novel, because there was even a guy in a red coat blowing a horn to announce the preparation for each race.

Don't You Want Me
Don't You Want Me, winning race 8 
Before each race, the horses, warming up on the track; excited, nervy, highly-strung, ready to burst into speed, each accompanied by a buddy horse and rider.

The jockeys, perched so high on the backs of their steeds, like birds ready to take flight. And then the horses are at the gate... and they're off!!!

Don't You Want Me
Out of the gate: horse racing at California State Fair
So fast. So very, very, very fast. Thoroughbred power, thoroughbred speed, and every horse with a documented pedigree and bloodline. They thunder past, and the race is already over.

Horse racing
Heading to the home stretch
More races tomorrow, Friday to Sunday next weekend, and then Thursday to Sunday the last weekend of the California State Fair. It's free with your entry to the State Fair, you can place wagers ("pari-mutuel wagering", like the Tote in the UK), and you can even win up to $300 in the Win, Place or Show promotion, for free... for simply guessing the winner of a race. See the information booth for more info!

More photos in the California State Fair photo gallery, and more to come!

Horse racing
Racehorses and buddies

First day of the 2016 California State Fair... and this weekend has the perfect weather!

Motocross show
Motocross and the ski lift
Yesterday was the first day of the 2016 California State Fair, and we spent a happy evening in the petting zoo, the fairgrounds, watching horses, a motocross show, and eating deep-fried cheese curds for the first, and definitely not the last time, this summer.

Petting Zoo
Two-year-old Luna and a goat, in the petting zoo
There is so much to see and do at the State Fair that you cannot fit it all into one visit--that's why it's billed as the best 17 days of summer, it's here for seventeen days!

Motocross show
Motocross, California State Fair
So what's new this year? You'll probably notice the ski lift straight away; it runs from one side of the fairground to the other, giving an arial view of the entire fairgrounds. It also makes the motocross display really interesting, as the bikes appear to jump high enough to take a ride on the lift, or for a lift rider to hitch a ride on one of the bikes! I was wondering about timing a ride on the lift to coincide with the motocross... that might happen before the seventeen days are over!

Wave swinger ride
Wave Swinger and Midway fairground, California State Fair
The midway--the huge fairground--is arranged a little differently this year. There are some new rides for those who like hurtling through space at the speed of sound, and the belle of the fairground, the Wave Swinger, is positioned a little closer to the main entrance--probably because of the ski lift--which is going to make photographing her more tricky this time. Photographers: there's your challenge!

Poop hat prize
Win a poop hat!!! No, please don't... the giraffes and pigs are much cuter!
Fairground prizes: after last year's slightly-baffling prize bagels--the giant, stuffed, cuddly-toy bagels, not fairground-food bagels, the theme this year appears to be giraffes and pigs, including some really-enormous Peppa Pigs, one of which I really must try to win. But there are also Poop Hats. Yes, you heard it here first. You can win a Poop Hat at the State Fair!

Please, go win a Poop Hat, wear it, so that I can, and will, call you Sh@thead. OK? Seriously... WHY??? Please, go win a giraffe, instead!

Food: I headed straight for the cheese curds. More exploring to be done!

Sacramento Sherriff's Posse
Sacramento Sheriff's Posse
Today, there is horse racing, acrobats, much much more.... and... wait for it... CLYDESDALES. They are on at 5.30 in the horse arena according to the posted schedule. There have to be Clydesdales!!!

Tonight's show:  Chicago's alt-rock-pop-punk band the Plain White T's ! All the concert info can be found here on the State Fair website. There are lots of stages and much music, all around the fairground!

More photos here in the 2016 California State Fair photogallery, and more will be added! See you there!

Thursday, July 7, 2016

California State Fair opens tomorrow!!!

Riding the WaveSwinger on a sunny day

What are you most looking forwards to? The hypnotist? The llamas? The deep-fried-bacon-wrapped-chocolate-on-a-stick? Riding on the midway fairground rides? Catching a show? The kids' art show? The horse shows and the horse racing? (Did you know you can sponsor a horse race, and have a box to watch the races... and dress up in a big hat if you want to!) The hot tub sales (does anyone ever buy one?) Queen Nation Chaka Khan, or one of the many other shows happening each day and evening? Deep-fried cheese curds (they are on my list)... or maybe bungee jumping? And the fireworks!!!

Whatever you love at the State Fair, and whatever you find new to love this year, it all begins tomorrow! (And the weather forecast for this weekend is just perfect.)

All the info is here on the California State Fair website! Seventeen days of fun in Sacramento... see you there!

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

Chicago Open Air: preview playlist!


If you're going to be at Chicago Open Air, in less than two weeks, you're probably making your list of must-see bands, planning arrival time and food-and-liquid time, sleep time (we can sleep when we're dead), meetups with friends, exploring all the other cool stuff that will be happening at the festival too... so as usual before a big festival, I'm giving you a list of seven bands from a little earlier in the day than the headliners, performers who you really shouldn't miss.  (And if you don't have tickets yet--get a move on or you'll be too late!!! It's a stunning lineup, the headliners are killers, and the entire weekend is going to be amazing!

Pop Evil:  4.25 pm, Main Stage, Saturday: Pop Evil manage to wed hard, heavy rock, melody and metal with some incredibly gut-wrenching and soulful, emotional undertones; check out their recent album UP, a review of their visit to Sacramento not long ago, and this, Dead in the Water; somehow they make me want to dance, while ripping out my heart at the same time:



Gemini Syndrome, 11.20 am, Second Stage, Sunday: Whatever you do, make sure you're there for this! Get up early, order triple-espresso from room service, stay awake all night, whatever... YOU HAVE TO HEAR GEMINI SYNDROME. OK???  With the imminent launch of their second album, Memento Mori as an eagerly-awaited second installment of a trilogy which began with the stunning Lux, I personally can't wait to see them again. Here's Anonymous. Do I need say it again? Be there, 11.20 am Sunday!



In This Moment, 3.55 pm, Main Stage, Friday: The first time that I saw In This Moment a few years back, I wasn't very impressed. The sound wasn't good... no, it wasn't... and I spent the first three songs of the show taking photos from the pit while carefully trying not to step on the tongues or eyeballs-on-stalks of all the male photographers who had obviously never come across anyone like Maria Brink and her dirty nurses before. However, the last time I saw them, in Reno on tour with Five Finger Death Punch and Papa Roach, something clicked; the drama and show, the really good music, and the pain behind them, all came together into a show that I'm really glad to have experienced. In This Moment are very visual, and you'll want to make sure you can see the stage for this one! This is The Fighter from the last album, Black Widow, as a taster:



Beartooth, 1.20 pm, Second Stage, Saturday: ready for some pure, wake-me-up-from-a-coma, energy? Check out Beartooth, be ready for a big pit, put your mosh head on and be there! They are really loud, and they like to break stuff :-)  This is Aggressive from their latest album of the same name, released last month:


Nothing More, 1.55pm, Main Stage, Saturday: they do rock, they do alternative, they do ballad, they mix in some prog, and you have Nothing More... this is Here's to the Heartache from their self-titled album, a gentle introduction:



Alter Bridge, 5.45, Main Stage, Saturday: I've been waiting a long time for this!!! "A bit like Creed but without the god stuff and much better..." I admit it. I said that once about Alter Bridge, and yes, there's a good reason for it, and if you do your research you'll understand. Seriously, seriously good music, Alter Bridge  will be one of the highlights of the weekend. There will be so many highlights you won't need to switch on the lights for six weeks when you get home. Here's Addicted To Pain, from the album, Fortress,: if you enjoy metal with a touch of prog and some brilliant guitar, don't miss Alter Bridge.




Through Fire, 11.50 am, Second Stage, Friday: getting the festival off to a steaming-hot start will be Through Fire; you may not have heard them yet, but you'll want to hear more: their album Breathe is out now. Get to the show early, there's a full day of fantastic music, and this is just the beginning; don't miss Through Fire!!!



Oh and of course I can't resist... there has to be a Five Finger Death Punch song in the playlist. Yes I'm cheating. They are not the last band of the day, so I can include them here, because you know what? Five Finger Death Punch, Pop Evil and Gemini Syndrome all the same weekend???? That's a dream... whether my dream is your dream, I do know this; Chigaco Open Air is going to be a blast!!!  See you there!

Five Finger Death Punch, 7.20 pm, Main Stage, Sunday... and this is My Nemesis, from Got Your Six. Got yours???