Northern Invasion
May 9th, 2015
Somerset, Wisconsin
Somerset Amphitheater
50,000 Attending
SOLD OUT!
Second Stage:
Cold Kingdom
Crobot
Starset
We Are Harlot
Young Guns
The Pretty Reckless
Anthrax
Halestorm
Main Stage:
Thousand Foot Crutch
Motionless In White
Falling In Reverse
In This Moment
Three Days Grace
Volbeat
Five Finger Death Punch
Slipknot
http://northerninvasion.com/
Brand new to the World’s Loudest Month Festival Series, Northern Invasion hits the Great White North in 2015! 13 hours. 2 stages. 16 bands. Over 45,000 people attending. One giant community.
Like so many others, this is where I most feel at home. Seeing amazing bands live on stage, surrounded by thousands of fans who share the same musical interests that I do, is a spiritual experience. Before the first band even hit the main stage, the crowd was already buzzing about their excitement. Those lucky enough to be the first through the gates got the chance to see Slipknot’s massive stage being put together. I can only guess at the number of selfies taken with the Devil’s Head in the background.
It’s just around noon. The crowd in front of the second stage was swelling. Minneapolis natives Cold Kingdom took the stage to early cheers and applause. Today would be the first time many of us would be seeing many of these bands live. Today’s crowd would be the largest that Cold Kingdom have ever played in front of, but there were no hints of doubt in this band. Vocalist Dani Engum whirled around the stage with a confidence that is rarely seen in today’s musicians, leaving the crowd wanting more.
Crobot would be another band to take the stage that myself and many others had never before seen live. Crobot’s unique brand of psychedelic rock was just the thrust the crowd needed to amp up their energy and get a few thousand people ready for their long day of rock and metal.
Canadian rockers Thousand Foot Crutch kicked off the mayhem on the main stage shortly after 1pm. The band’s high energy set pushed the thriving masses even further, setting the pace for today’s festivities.
Starset were next up on the second stage. For those of you wondering, it was spectacular. For a band that highlights their live set with flashing masks and large LCD screens, the fact that their set was during the day did nothing to diminish their stage show. Even without the stage effects the band dazzled the crowd of nearly five thousand fans. During My Demons, the final song of the band’s set, vocalist and founder Dustin Bates lept off the stage and leaned into the crowd for a massive sing-along.
Next up on the main stage were one of the bands I was most looking forward to seeing; Motionless In White. You’re probably thinking that seeing a bunch of goth dudes bouncing around the stage during the daylight would be bizarre, but these guys from Scranton, Pennsylvania know how to put on an amazing show no matter what time of the day. The band’s unique fusion of metalcore vocals with thrashing industrial music served the perfect amount of energy to really get the crowd amped up. Seeing bass player Devin Sola take the stage dressed as Leather Face was a brutal indication as to which direction the band’s set list was going to go. Tracks were played off of the band’s current release, Reincarnate, and their previous album, Infamous. Vocalist Chris Motionless dedicated their performance of Break The Cycle to the guys in Five Finger Death Punch. Sadly though, Maria Brink of In This Moment didn’t join the band on stage for Contemptress.
We Are Harlot shredded through another blistering set on the second stage as that stage’s crowd began to swell. The band’s authentic rock style of music was well accepted by the fans, most of which were fan’s of vocalist Danny Worsnop’s previous band; Asking Alexandria.
Falling In Reverse took the main stage next. This would be my first time seeing the band live, and to be honest I’d never heard of them before. Falling In Reverse’s style of music fit great with the rest of Northern Invasion’s line-up, and caused more than a few female audience members to be lifted up on their boyfriend’s shoulders and express their admiration of the band by exposing their breasts. Personally, I wasn’t that impressed with the band.
British rockers Young Guns hit the second stage next, but unfortunately I couldn’t make my way through the crowd in time to photograph their set. These five Brits know how to rock though. Their music is the type of pop infused rock that had the crowd bouncing.
The sun was beating down on Somerset, the crowd was getting antsy and a slight breeze wasn’t cooling down the excited crowd enough. None of that mattered though when Maria Brink and her merry rabble masters hit the main stage. It was the moment that 40,000 people have been waiting for. Brink raises the bar for stage shows with full of costume changes for each of the band’s 6 songs. Blood Girls, props and various stage designs enhance the mood of each song played. The apocalyptic make-up and costumes that drummer Tom Hane, lead guitarist Chris Howarth, guitarist Randy Weitzel and bassist Travis Johnson wear enhance the bombastic music and overall theme that In This Moment has adopted. In This Moment’s live show has evolved into a true theatrical spectacle. Any diminished thoughts about the dismal heat are instantly cast away as Brink’s overwhelming stage presence, commanding voice, and artistic persona hauls the audience deep into In This Moment’s world. It looks amazing and sounds gigantic throughout the natural amphitheater.
The Pretty Reckless were next on the second stage. The band sounded amazing, but I got the impression that Taylor Momsen just wasn’t feeling the energy of Northern Invasion. She gave 100% on stage as far as vocals go, but when an artist cuts the photographers after the second song, that usually means they’re not in the mood to be photographed live for whatever reason. The band’s set list was a perfect mix of tracks from their two albums though, and it was amazing to look behind me and see a few thousand people singing along with Momsen.
Now we’ve come to that time of the festival that I was most intrigued for. Today would be my 10th time seeing Three Days Grace live, but my first to see the band with new vocalist Matt Walst. I’d not seen these guys on stage since 2011, and I admit it was a bit weird hearing Walst singing Adam Gontier’s music. That being said, the band still knows how to pump up a crowd. Personally though, I would have rather heard the band play more music off of Human, and focused more on the fact that this is a new evolution for the band.
Fun Fact: Drummer Neil Sanderson played in Groundswell and played in Oddball which is currently Thousand Foot Krutch.
As the weather finally started to cool off, Anthrax were set to heat things back up. Still recovering from the thrashing set upon us by The Pretty Reckless, thousands of screaming fans were ready to welcome the band that helped open the doors to authentic heavy metal and made the genre accessible to the mainstream. Having been a band for almost 4 decades, these guys still know how to rock. The band’s six song set consisted of two covers, two tracks from their 2011 release and two from the band’s 1987 album. These veteran musicians have spent the past four decades honing their skills and continue to put on an amazing heavy metal show every time they step on stage.
Allow me to talk about the crowd at this time. Can you imagine how chaotic it can be with 50,000 people packed into an area the size of a few football fields? Well wipe that imagine from your mind. It could have easily turned into Lord of the Flies, but having that many fans of the heavier genres of music all in one place was the most inviting, friendly environment I’ve ever witnessed. Those attending Northern Invasion were one giant family. If someone fell down, they were picked up. Crowd surfers didn’t have to worry about being pick-pocketed on their journey. In fact, I witnessed one lucky surfer get his wallet back after being carried over the barricade. People were sharing water (and beer) with each other. Even the meet and greet lines were a safe place. Fans exchanged stories, and comforted those overcome with the emotions of meeting their favorite bands. Bands that inspire them to a better place. And that it was a festival like Northern Invasion should be about. A gathering or like minded individuals who unite into one massive community.
Only 4 bands remained for the festival. Next up were Danish rockers Volbeat. These four guys, true gentleman of the music scene, had earned their place as being one of the last band’s to play Northern Invasion. Vocalist Michael Poulsen knows how to work the crowd, and uses his on stage charisma to entice the fans to the point of near rioting, then gently bring them back to their sanity. Guitarist Rob Caggiano, formerly of Anthrax, worked the stage like a caged tiger, tossing guitar picks into the crowd from either side of the stage.
Volbeat are one of those bands that I would travel to see play live. Their 11 song set list was the perfect mixture of fan favorites and other tracks from their length catalogue.
Halestorm would be closing out the second stage tonight, and I couldn’t think of a band more perfectly suited to do so. Tonight would be my 8th time seeing Halestorm since 2006. They were the first band I officially photographed as Revenant Media for the 2006 Winter Fresh Sno-core tour, and they instantly won me over.
It’s an incredible honor to have watched this band grow from giggly teen-agers, to heavy hitting rock stars. The band’s 8 song set was a mixture of fan favorites from their 3 full length major label releases, and showcased these your men and woman’s true talent on stage.
There was just enough time after Halestorm’s final song, I Miss the Misery (which had a few thousand people singing along with Lzzy), for the masses to make their way back to the main stage for Five Finger Death Punch.
My first time seeing FFDP was in 2007 when they played the second stage for the Family Values Tour. Since then, the band has released 6 full length studio albums, headlined numerous tours, and played all around the world. Having the chance to witness Northern Invasion was special to me for numerous reasons, one being the opportunity to see so many of the bands that I’ve been following for almost a decade grow from small venues to playing in front of fifty thousand people.
Seeing FFDP live is an unforgettable experience. These five men know how to push their fans to the limits of an all out chaotic riot, but vocalist and founder Ivan Moody still maintains control of the crowd’s energy. Moody paced around the stage wielding a billy-club for the band’s opening track, Under and Over It. Drummer Jeremy Spencer, in full skeleton paint, trashed behind his drumkit for the band’s full 10 song set. Moody’s mic stand, which he rarely used, was a HR Geiger-esque skeletal hand holding a pistol. Guitarist Zoltan Bathory head-banged just as much as FFDP’s fans did the entire time the band was on stage. The band’s energy level never faltered, and neither did the crowd’s. In fact, after 12 hours and 14 other bands, the crowd was at their pinnacle of excitement. Overall, FFDP were the perfect addition to Northern Invasion, and a brilliant choice to play before Slipknot.
Our journey was about to come to an end though. The curtain was lowered on the main stage, and soon enough the moment we’d all been waiting for. We all knew how Northern Invasion would end, but were we really prepared for the Hell that Slipknot was about to unleash upon us?
As XIX began to play, the crowd, enveloped by the chilly dusk air, burst to life. Tens of thousands of voices raised in unison. Those singing voices turned to primal screams of delight as guitarist Jim Root played the opening chords of Sarcastrophe, and the curtain was slowly lifted. From the instant that the Nine Lords of Metal were in view, the seething crowd unleased their own Hell upon Somerset. Vocalist Corey Taylor wasted no time getting down to business and whipped the crowd into a frenzy.
Sarcastrophe turned into The Heretic Anthem, and the fires of Hell burst forth from the stage. Fan favorite Psychosocial kept the brutal momentum going as Chris Fehn and Shawn “Clown” Crahan donned their marching band drums. Psychosocial was followed by The Devil In I as percussionists Fehn and Crahan’s kits were raised to dizzying levels and spun around in tight circles, sampler Craig Jones’ and DJ Sid Wilson’s platforms were surrounded by blistering pyrotechnics. Jones made his way to Crahan’s kit numerous times during the band’s set, climbing it and flinging himself off.
Taylor took a moment to address the crowd, asking if we’d like to hear more material off of the band’s latest release, .5, The Gray Chapter. As the crowd screamed and cheered their approval, the band unleashed AOV, a track only recently added to the band’s live set.
The highlight of Slipknot’s set for me though was the way that Sulfur bled seamlessly into Killpop, a track I had hoped the band would eventually be playing live. The ramp that led to either side of the center stage drum kit was bathed in flames, and the giant Devil’s head that sneered at the crowd was drown in sickening shades of green and blue light. Taylor trashed around the burning stage, screaming “Die and fucking love me” and the crowd surfers crashed against the barricades.
Taylor, not one to leave a crowd unappreciated, thanked the fans for their continued support after such a long hiatus, and was genuinely grateful for the chance to play to another sold out festival.
Before I Forget melted into Duality as the band, and the crowd, maintained their already high energy level. The traditional “Jump the fuck up” of Spit It Out was a brilliant spectacle to be a part of. As the band took a moment to catch their breathe, Taylor asked if we had enough in us for another one, then chanted duh duh duh, duh duh duh before the crowd caught on and joined him. To hear tens of thousands of voices screaming CUT, CUT, CUT, ME UP with Taylor was something that I’ll never forget, and was the perfect way to finish their set.
But the crowd refused to believe the night was over and Slipknot weren’t done with us. As the fans began to chant SLIP-KNOT, the scratching from Wilson’s DJ booth in the form of 742617000027 echoed across the amphitheater and into the bodies of all those attending heralding Slipknot back onto the stage.
The band finished brutalizing the crowd with a blistering performance of (SIC), and our beloved National Anthem, Surfacing.
-Funny-, one of the hidden tracks off of .”5, The Gray Chapter”, played as the band left the stage. Taylor thanked the overwhelming masses for their love and time, to which the crowd responded with still loud screams and cheers. Slipknot’s set list was a brilliant mixture of tracks from their lengthy catalogue. It was great to hear the band embrace their current album and play so many new tracks.
Slipknot were meant to be experienced in a setting like Northern Invasion. In fact, each band who played today was. Sitting in my car, waiting to exit the festival grounds and make my way back to Omaha was the perfect opportunity to reflect on Northern Invasion. While no stranger to the massive festival scene, Northern Invasion felt more like home than any other concert I’d attended.
The crowd, while aggressive at times, were some of the friendliest I’ve ever encountered. Each band that attended the Monster Energy Drink autograph booth was gracious and welcoming. Without a doubt, Northern Invasion changed the mindset of more than a few people for the better. Here’s to 2016 and beyond.
