SHOW REVIEW: HardDrive Live Tour featuring Tremonti & Trivium

The hardDrive Live Tour featuring Tremonti, Trivium, and Wilson stormed the stage at the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom, and left their mark on the floor of this historic venue. The Casino Ballroom is set oceanside in Hampton, NH. Opened in 1899, the Casino Ballroom is not a casino in terms of how we think of them today. At the time of this venue’s opening, the word “casino” was Italian for “summer house” and came to describe a social gathering place. Having played host to some of the biggest names in entertainment such as Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, U2, and comedian Jerry Seinfeld, the Casino Ballroom was ranked #23 in the top 100 Worldwide Club Venues by Pollstar in 2010. There isn’t a bad place in the house, making it a great venue to see a show. 

Taking the stage first was Wilson. One word they use to describe themselves is “real” and there is no doubt they are the real deal. Nothing says it better than their bio: “Real LIFE. Real LOUD. Real SWEATY. And real fucking FUN!” Equipped with their debut album, Full Blast Fuckery, Wilson is on track for success. They were definitely a great choice for the opening slot of this tour. 

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Next up was be co-headliner Tremonti, consisting of Garrett Whitlock on drums and Eric Friedman on guitar (both from the band Submersed), Tanner Keegan on bass (standing in for Wolfgang Van Halen who is currently on tour with Van Halen), and the bands namesake – lead guitar/vocalist Mark Tremonti. In my opinion, this is one of the best metal bands to hit the scene in the last decade. What started out as a solo project has morphed into a full-fledged band. For those thinking they are getting another version of Alter Bridge (a band I love by the way) or Creed – think again. What you are getting is Mark’s love for true old school metal. Influenced heavily by Tremonti’s love for bands like Slayer and Metallica, this is a huge departure from his other projects. On this tour, fans can expect to have their faces smashed with a blistering 14-song setlist that would be an even distribution of the two great albums they have put out, their debut, All I Was, and sophomore effort, Cauterize. These guys are tight and put on one hell of an energetic show. This night marked my third Tremonti show this year, and if they were to play local seven days a week, I’d be there. If you haven’t checked out Tremonti yet, what the hell are you doing? Get over to their website to pick up a copy of their first two records, and if they are coming to a city near you, make it a priority. You will not be disappointed; I guarantee it. 

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Closing out this dual headline show was Trivium. Formed back in 2000, they released their seventh album, Silence in the Snow, on October 2, 2015. Trivium is another band heavily influenced by old school metal, with their own diverse mix of some scream vocals, reminiscent of more modern thrash. Now, I’ve seen Trivium on a number of occasions but none bigger than their appearance at Download Festival at Donnington Castle in the U.K back in 2006. At the time, I wasn’t familiar with them, but there was no doubt the Brits knew them. Over the course of the weekend with bands like Metallica, Guns N Roses, and Tool taking the stage it seemed as though Trivium drew the most interest, especially from the fans in VIP. After that night, I could  see why. Trivium kicked the shit out of Donnington and have continued kicking ass since. Every time I see them, I know I’m going to get a powerful performance, and the evening of this tour was no different. Now I’m not a regular follower of Trivium, but their live show is worth your time. They would match Tremonti’s 14-song setlist ending off a great night of METAL! For around $25 a ticket, this show is a steal. Get off your ass, and get to this show!

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