Locobazooka 2002
July 21, 2002
Westfair Amphitheater, Council Bluffs, Iowa
Words and photos by Adam Tibbott
Photos digitally restored and edited from original Kodak film.
LOCOBAZOOKA rolled into the Westfair Amphitheater with a lineup that perfectly captured the sound of the era.
Filter, Sevendust, and Mushroomhead headlined a stacked day that also featured Audiovent, Nonpoint, Mad at Gravity, Dragpipe, Dry Cell, and Earshot.
I don’t remember a lot from this chaotic day, and not many of the photos I took survived the numerous life-fires from the past few decades. There was one special moment that still sticks out, though. The day was hot with minimal cloud cover, and no rain in the forecast. During Sevendust’s set, clouds started to roll in, offering a bit of welcomed shade. As the band played Angel’s Son, a brief cloud burst released a light mist onto the crowd. It was a cool reprieve from a hot day, and an even more touching moment for the band.
“Angel’s Son” was written by Sevendust’s Lajon Witherspoon and Clint Lowery as a heartfelt tribute to James Lynn Strait of the band SNOT. Strait tragically died in a car accident in December 1998 along with his dog Dobbs. The song originally appeared on the posthumous compilation album Strait Up, which featured contributions from Strait’s bandmates and other artists in honor his memory. The gentle rain felt like an approval from Strait, giving the performance even more emotional depth.
The rest of the day was beautiful chaos. From crushing riffs and industrial grooves to melodic hard rock, the festival felt like a snapshot of heavy music in 2002. More than two decades later, LOCOBAZOOKA remains one of those unforgettable summer festival tours that helped to capture the height of the nu metal era.
