Lola BlackThere was something in the air going into the Carolina Rebellion 2015 weekend that had everyone from the promoters to the fans to the staff at the venue with a feeling that it was going to be one for the books. The sold-out event had fans lining up like cattle being led to the slaughter hours before the gates opened. Once the guards had given the signal, the fans charged through the gates in hopes of getting a spot up front at one of the two main stages. This year’s event added a fourth stage into the mix and separated the two main stages so far apart that they were in different zip codes.
Day One had two relatively new bands starting out the day as NeverWake and Lola Black soon had the crowd worked up and ready for more. Danny Worsnop’s new band We Are Harlot made their Rebellion debut and won the crowd over in no time. By the time they took the stage, many of the pasty white people in attendance we beginning to look like boiled lobsters as the temps started to rise. It seems that sunscreen, as well as deodorant, were both in short supply. Well, the beer wasn’t in short supply, so maybe that’s why so many didn’t seem to care about these important necessities of an outdoor festival.
PeripheryPeriphery delivered an intense set on the tiny Jagermeister stage to a crowd so huge that it made some of the other bands a bit green with envy. Rock and roll veterans Cheap Trick schooled the crowd consisting of many who weren’t even born yet when their career started. Robin Zander’s vocals are still amazingly strong and Rick Nielsen tossed more guitar picks into the crowd then all the bands combined that day. Papa Roach was up next and delivered a set that had pretty much the entire massive crowd gathered at the Rebellion stage singing along. Jacoby Shaddix continued his tradition of crowd surfing at this year’s event and the fans went nuts.
Sammy HagarSammy Hagar and the Circle, consisting of Hagar, Michael Anthony, Jason Bonham and Vic Johnson, took the stage and delivered Van Hagar tunes, Zeppelin tunes and much, much more. Hagar even donned one of Ric Flair’s classic Nature Boy robes, sent to the show by Flair and gave a big Woo since he was in Flair country. Marilyn Manson took the stage next and delivered a set that was classic Manson, in more ways than one. Luckily, Korn closed out Day One in a major way as they performed their now classic debut album in its entirety. It was the first time that many Korn fans had ever heard many of those songs performed live. Jonathan Davis and the guys were having a blast up there on that stage.
Butcher BabiesDay Two saw higher temps, blistered bodies and still a lack of deodorant. While Day One was heavy on testosterone, day two featured quite a bit of estrogen with some of the top female fronted bands in the country. The Butcher Babies got the crowdsurfing kicked off in high gear as Heidi Shepherd encouraged the fans to “ride the wave” up to the stage and shake her hand. Maria Brink and In This Moment performed a tight set of recent hits that was very theatrical and one of the most visually stimulating shows of the weekend. Lzzy Hale proved why she has one of the best voices in music today as she and Halestorm delivered a set that was as hot, if not hotter, than the sun beating down on the fans.
SlipknotSpeaking of great voices, you may have heard of Slash’s lead singer. No, not Axl, but an even better singer by the name of Myles Kennedy. Slash and Myles delivered selections from Slash’s solo career as well as classic Guns and Roses songs. Kerry King and the almighty gods of thrash Slayer gave the crowd a performance that was classic Slayer, full of intensity and power. It’s hard to compete with a performance like that, but Slipknot proved that they could as they closed out day two. The masked metal madmen ended the long weekend with one of, if not, the best performances of the entire weekend. Corey Taylor, whether fronting Slipknot or Stone Sour, knows how to command a stage and an audience. He and the band brought the intensity and delivered it with each song performed.
Overall, the 2015 Carolina Rebellion was a huge success. Rock and metal was well represented over the weekend and although I don’t have the official attendance figures, they were somewhere in the 80,000+ ballpark for the weekend. Fans were treated to well over thirty bands, plenty of free meet and greets and lots of tasty food and left exhausted, blistered and covered in dust. Before the mass of cars even made it out of the parking lot…the planning for the 2016 Carolina Rebellion had already begun.
By: Johnny Price, Lead Senior Journalist
Monster Energy Carolina Rebellion is proudly sponsored by Monster Energy, Bud Light, Jack Daniel’s, Jägermeister, Crazy Dave’s Music Experience, Zippo Encore and more to be announced.
Monster Energy Carolina Rebellion is produced by AEG Live, Danny Wimmer Presents, and RockHouse Presents, and is part of the World’s Loudest Month festival series. The World’s Loudest Month features the biggest names in rock music performing in eight distinct concert atmospheres across the country in April and May.
