[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he 7th annual Rockstar Mayhem Festival just made its stop in Clarkston, MI. This year’s lineup featured some of the biggest names in the hard rock and metal scene. Some of the acts included Avenged Sevenfold, Suicide Silence, Asking Alexandria, Miss May I, and Mushroomhead to name a few.
The Coldcock Whiskey stage featured some of the most heavy hitting bands of the day. Suicide Silence, Miss May I, Mushroomhead and Cannibal Corpse all drew massive crowds throughout the day. This marked Suicide Silence’s first Mayhem performance since the passing of former vocalist, Mitch Lucker.
More performers included Veil of Maya, Emmure, and Body Count, featuring superstar Ice T.
The main stage performers were Trivium, Asking Alexandria, Korn, and headliners Avenged Sevenfold. Trivium took the stage first and made sure to set the tone for what was to come for the rest of the night on main stage; good ol’ fashioned rock and roll.
Next up after Trivium was Asking Alexandria. This was their second time playing Mayhem, but it was their first time being on the main stage. They kept things simple with only a setup of lights forming their initials “AA.” The band played some of their heaviest songs, but decided to slow things down a little with their ballad “Moving On.”
Vocalist Danny Worsnop was performing with an injured foot, but that didn’t stop him from proving to the crowd that they deserve to be on the main stage.
The third act on the main stage was Korn. This marked the second year the band played Mayhem and they did not let the fans down. The whole band was super tight as a whole, and really got the crowd moving. There was a sea of people just bouncing around to the beat of the music.
Vocalist Jonathan Davis gave the crowd what they wanted when he showcased his famous scatting/beatboxing. The band hit many fan favorites including ‘Got The Life,’ ‘Freak on a Leash,’ and ended the set with ‘Blind.’
The headliners of the night were Avenged Sevenfold. One thing they are known for is an elaborate stage production, which they did not disappoint.
The stage setup featured a skeleton with a crown and sword sitting on a throne of skulls, and more pyro than anyone can imagine. Instead of throwing a curveball and switching up the setlist, Avenged Sevenfold stuck to their usual setlist and played things safe. Some of the songs the band played were ‘Shepherd of Fire,’ ‘Bat Country,’ ‘Hail to the King,’ and ‘Unholy Confessions.’ The highlight during their set was the song ‘So Far Away’ which is a tribute to their late drummer, The Rev. During this song, the whole crowd illuminated in a glowing of lighters and cell phone lights. It truly was a sight to be seen.
All in all, this years Mayhem Festival proved to be a success with fans leaving the show with talks of their favorite sets and what stood out to them.
