The temperature rose to a high of 95 degrees. The humidity was relentless. The water was four dollars and fifty cents a cup. Who cares? Definitely not the metal fans who gathered by the thousands to Jiffy Lube Live in Bristow, Virginia for day sixteen of the 4th Annual Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival. A gigantic inflatable can of the popular beverage sat between the two side stages and was visible to those waiting in line as a recognizable symbol of the festival's past history.
Upon entry merchandise booths greeted the masses as they walked through the gates. For a lot of metal heads this is the only time they may be able to actually buy a t-shirt of their favorite band right off the shelf and not have to wait for an on-line mail order. Anyone who thinks metal went out of style long ago in the early 90's was wrong. The fans came out of the woodwork and helped support the music they believe in.
The line up was split into three separate stages. The Jagermeister Stage and the Revolver Stage were side by side with staggered time lines that eventually lead to the Main Stage upon a hill in the distance.
Silvertung opened the Jagermeister stage with a fast paced intensity and entertaining stage presence. Being form Baltimore they weren't too far from home and represented their turf in a classic metal fashion. Red Fang guitarist Brian Giles explained to the crowd that lead singer/ bassists Aaron Beam had an extreme hang over and was not going to be available for their set. So the rest of the band covered down for their friend and kept the show moving anyways. Unearth performed their set with supreme force. Vocalist Trevor Phipps walked right to the edge of the stage immediately for an in your face presence. Guitarist Ken Susi jumped down into the press pit, stepped on the barricade and busted out some riffs up close among the fans. Hardcore super group Kingdom of Sorrow took the stage with high energy. Vocalist Jamie Jasta rilled up the crowd and kept the pace moving. Headlining the stage was Swedish death metal icons In Flames. They nailed their set with flawless precision. Their sound was great. The opening song choice “Cloud Connected” from their album "Reroute to Remain" set the tone for the rest of their performance.The Revolver Stage was opened by Straight Line Stitch. Lead singer Alexis Brown head banged with lighting speed while displaying a versatile range of both aggressive and melodic vocals. Bassist Jason White owned the stage with a braced stance bringing a thick rhythm
section to their relentless style. All Shall Perish lead by front man Hernan Hermida brought the brutality to the Mayhem Fest with their opening song “Wage Slaves” off their newest album “This Is Were It Ends”. Suicide Silence pierced the muggy air with their cut through melodies and high pitched vocals. The crowd responded with a nasty pit and sea of crowd surfers showing their support. Machine Head took the stage upon the beckoning call of their fans chanting over and over. Singer Rob Flynn commended the audience with respect for staying so energetic in the extreme heat. He later doused the crowd with a plastic cup of vodka to cool them off. They continued their set with raging aggression and performed the song “Locust” from the soon to be released album called “Unto the Locust” .The main stage had a change of setting with a more traditional arena style with lights and smoke. Trivium opened the stage with a great performance for the modern metal fans.
Megadeth provided timeless thrash metal classics such as “Symphony of Destruction”. Dave Mustane later gave away a flying V guitar to a Sirius satellite radio Liquid Metal contest winner. Godsmack played next announcing that this show was actually the one hundredth Mayhem Festival of the 4 year old concert series. Sully Erna brought out all the crew members and head organizers of the Mayhem Fest which included Rita Haney; girlfriend of the late Daryl “Dime-bag” Abbott. Together on stage the group commenced taking shots in unison to celebrate. Disturbed closed the festival with a studio quality performance. The pyrotechnics and strobe lighting added an interesting visual flare. They also sent a message of support to all the men and women of the United States armed services who are currently risking their lives downrange in Iraq and Afghanistan.At the end of the night everyone walked away satisfied with their live metal fix. Cups of beer, crushed Rockstar Energy Drink cans and cigarette butts lay scattered on the ground. Fans still chanting the lyrics of their favorite bands staggered to their cars. The vendors closed up shop and prepared for the next show. This day proved that the lack of over the top mainstream publicity will never kill the metal scene. Word of mouth, internet and die hard fans is all we need to survive.
