Godsmack and Volbeat are making their way across the U.S. and Canada and they made a stop in Omaha last night (4/23) bringing with them fresh-faced rockers Stitched Up Heart. Godsmack is supporting their latest record “When Legends Rise” released one year ago this week.
Kicking off the show was Stitched Up Heart from Los Angeles. They had a hard-rock/metal feel with clean melodic vocals. Lead singer Mixi bounced about the stage swinging her wild blonde hair, whipping the crowd into a frenzy! The band played several songs from their latest release “Never Alone”, but they also pulled out a new track my personal favorite of the set “Straight Jacket.” I talked with bass player Randy after the show and he mentioned that the band has a new record coming and their current single “Lost” features Godsmack front-man Sully Erna. It’s great to see legends like Godsmack giving a new band a helping hand. Randy also mentioned that Stitched Up Heart has played Omaha a few times at Shamrocks. I’m sure the next time Stitched Up Heart does a headline show in Omaha it will be at a much bigger venue now that they are getting exposure to thousands of fans every night. Keep your eye on this band, they just might sneak up on you!
After Stitched Up Heart were the pop-rock masters Volbeat. I have to admit, before the show, I had only heard Volbeat’s radio singles and a handful of songs on Spotify. After seeing them perform live I have a feeling I’ll be going down the Volbeat rabbit hole. These guys were amazing! Not only did they play all their greatest hits, they had two awesome covers, the first being Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire” and the Dusty Springfield smash “I Only Want to Be With You.” It’s very rare in this age of disposable music to find a band with such an abundance of hits. Nearly every song felt like it was played on radio at some point. Volbeat is touring in support of their latest release “Let’s Boogie! Live from Telia Parken”, a live record and video available on CD, Vinyl, DVD, and Blu-Ray. The band’s performance was recorded in front of over 48,000 fans! It’s crazy to see how a band may draw a few thousand fans in one market like the Midwest, but in Europe they can sell out stadiums.
This was Volbeat’s first time in Omaha as their appearance at River Riot in 2016 was cancelled due to weather. The band made plans to make up that show a few months later but ultimately scrapped the date due to scheduling conflicts. Lead singer Michael Poulson thanked the crowd for sticking with them all these years and that he was really happy to finally be playing Omaha. Volbeat will make another appearance August 8 at Pinnacle Bank Arena with Slipknot, Gojira, and Behemoth. After seeing all the love Volbeat was getting from the crowd I expect that show will sell out quickly.
Finally, it was time for the legends to rise. A huge Godsmack banner covered the stage and a mix of Aerosmith, Beastie Boys, and Queen came over the house stereo. Fans waited anxiously for the boys from Boston to arrive. The house music stopped, a giant bang popped, and the banner dropped to reveal the heavy hitters Godsmack!
Godsmack started the set with their latest single “When Legends Rise” from the album of the same title. Immediately fans starting throwing the horns and singing along. Sully and crew bounced from one side of the stage to the other trading riffs. Kicking things up a notch, Godsmack launched into “1,000 Horsepower” complete with giant flames. It was cool to feel the melting heat being so close to the stage!
Godsmack kept the hits coming with songs like “Awake”, “Voodoo”, and “Keep Away.” The fans were psyched to see all their favorites and I watched as folks waved, fist-pumped, and danced the night away. There was a diverse crowd of people young and old. For some it may have been their first show, but for many, it was a reunion of friends re-living their glory days with the music they loved in high school and college. Either way, there were smiles all around.
Stitched Up Heart super fans!
Little Montgomery’s first show was a banger! The family that rocks together stays together!
Josh and Ben had a blast!
These ladies sang along to every word!
Godsmack has proven to be one of the biggest rock bands in the active rock scene and with shows like this I’m sure they will have continued success for years to come!
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