Festival Review: Chicago Open Air 2016 Day 2

The first day of Chicago Open Air 2016 gave us some amazing performances, but we’re thrilled to move the focus to our of coverage to Day 2 (Saturday). Every day is a great day for rock music, but the second day of this festival was especially perfect. The weather was as good as it possibly could be (partly cloudy and a high of 77°!), and a fantastic set of bands were slated to play. Saturday’s lineup was split right down the middle, with the main stage focusing primarily on hard rock bands, and the side stage bringing the heat and keeping the show metal. It made for an interesting experience as we traversed back and forth between stages – almost like we were alternating between a really great change-up and an unhittable fastball.

Thanks to a great experience on Friday, we learned the lay of the land, and spent more of our day Saturday enjoying the other “experiences” that Chicago Open Air 2016 had to offer. My personal favorite was the Monster Energy Experience, where we spent a good deal of time talking to fans from all over the world. (The free monster was a great pick-me-up as well!). We also put way more thought into food on Saturday, which was a far cry from the stadium food that these festivals used to feature. ‘Gourmet Man Food’ was on full display at this festival – I had meals that included a killer spicy shrimp po’boy, a thick and juicy Hawaiian burger, and a pulled pork/mac and cheese sandwich that was life changing. We ate like kings!!

Alright, enough niceties. As good as the food was, that’s not what is still ringing in my head two weeks later. Saturday gave us countless opportunities to see incredible shows and get lost in the lights. The day would feature great bands like Nothing More, Beartooth, Breaking Benjamin, Gojira, Alter Bridge, and so many more. To end the night, we’d hear from two titans of industry, Korn and Disturbed. Chicago Open Air 2016 Day 2 – it’s go time.

Festival Review: Rock on the Range 2016 Day 2

Rock on the Range 2016 started out with a bang on Friday (coverage here). Saturday stacked up to be just as good – bands like Parkway Drive, Lamb of God, Five Finger Death Punch, and Rob Zombie made the lineup feel a bit more metal-focused than the first day, at least on paper. That being said, the day was still chocked full of variety, with bands like Lacey Sturm, Aranda, Pop Evil, and Clutch to cleanse the pallet. We headed to Mapfre Stadium from our hotel, stopping at Kroger (as we do every single ROTR day) for a made-to-order breakfast and the ever-crucial Monster Rehab. I grabbed a poncho on the way out of the store on a whim, juuuust in case it decided to rain on Saturday. Best decision ever: As painful as it was to wear something with an Ohio State logo on it, it was totally worth it. (Sorry folks, but The Music Pill is in Indianapolis, in the heart of Hoosier country).

It rained pretty much all day on Saturday, but try as she might, Mother Nature couldn’t put a damper on Rock on the Range. Saturday’s crowd was every bit as rowdy and engaged as the crowd from the day before, in spite of the cold and rainy weather. As the day progressed, it turned into a sloppy mess, but that didn’t stop it from being a fantastic day of music.

Speaking of music – lets get to it! Following a similar format as the Day 1 (Friday) blog, I’ll discuss the shows that were rock solid first, and then move on to a few that were slightly disappointing. Finally, I’ll explore the shows that really blew my mind in a bit more detail, and try to describe what made them so great.

Day 2. Let’s do this!

Rock on the Range 2016: Lineup Announcement

Rock on the Range released it’s lineup on Monday, and after two days of letting it marinate, I had to get some thoughts down on what is sure to be a fantastic, record-setting weekend in Columbus. Rock on the Range is North America’s biggest rock festival, and they are celebrating their 10th anniversary this year. For the eighth straight year, The Music Pill will be gathering our crew and heading from Indianapolis to Columbus to participate in the chaos.

Here is a breakdown of the lineup, including my opinion on the headliners, a breakdown of many of the middle-of-the-pack bands, a few bands that have something to prove, and some can’t miss bands that you may never have heard of. Hope you enjoy!

Rock on the Range 2015: Day 2

Ever since Rock on the Range went to the three day lineup, day 2 has always started the same. I wake up super early: I’m sore, tired, and dehydrated, and I have a brief period where I mumble to myself “There is absolutely no way that I can do this for two more days.” Just another great part of having 15 years of concerts under your belt. However, once we get ourselves together, get some food in our stomachs, and get to the venue, things start to turn around. We start tailgating, the music starts blaring, and slowly but surely, my excitement overcomes my soreness. Saturday’s lineup featured a great list of bands, including several brand new to the scene, a couple old favorites, and the chance to see legendary Judas Priest. It was a warm, rainy day on Saturday – with lots of clouds to block the hot sun, and lots of chances to see some great bands. Game Face time. Rock on the Range 2015 Day 2. Let’s do this.