Heavy Music Concerts
Aftershock Festival 2021 Rocked by Metallica, Misfits, Machine Gun Kelly, Mudvayne, Rancid, and More: Photos + Video
After being forced to pull the plug on last year’s event due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Aftershock festival returned to Discovery Park in Sacramento over the weekend, and put on an even bigger (and louder) event than in years past. With a newly expanded four-day lineup and two nights of Metallica, the California rock extravaganza was nothing short of yet another success for Danny Wimmer Presents. The newly added Thursday bill featured Bay Area thrash legends Death Angel, Exodus (with drummer Tom Hunting playing his first show back after recently undergoing successful cancer surgery) and Testament. Also on the opening-day lineup were Anthrax, hardcore upstarts Knocked Loose, and headliners Cypress Hill (who replaced Faith No More, who themselves had replaced Limp Bizkit). Day 2 (Friday) ...
KISS’ Gene Simmons Has Spinal Tap Moment During Concert Platform Malfunction: Watch
KISS singer-bassist Gene Simmons nearly fell when a descending platform malfunctioned during the band’s concert on Saturday (October 9th) in Tampa, Florida. The scary moment occurred as KISS descended to the stage for the opening number “Detroit Rock City.” As Simmons, Paul Stanley, and guitarist Tommy Thayer dropped down on separate risers, the crowd gasped when Simmons’ platform suddenly became uneven and started wobbling. Simmons held his balance until the platform appeared to right itself, though it continued to shake unsteadily. The platform never made its way all the way down, leaving Simmons suspended for a while longer than his bandmates, until he finally hopped onto the stage and continued playing the song. Advertisement Related Video The incident was like something out of th...
Paul Stanley Sets New Timeframe for Final Show of KISS’ Farewell Tour
Paul Stanley has revealed new plans for KISS‘ ongoing “End of the Road” farewell tour, which the band now plans to wrap up in early 2023. The final outing was supposed to conclude with a July 17th, 2021, concert in New York City, but because the band essentially lost a year and a half to the pandemic, that timeframe has significantly shifted. “I believe strongly by the beginning of 2023 we will be finished,” Stanley told Ultimate Classic Rock, adding that KISS will likely stick with New York being the last city they play. “It seems only natural to be in New York. That is where the band started, and that was really the background for the band getting together and writing these songs and played loft parties and played clubs starting with an audience of probably 10 people. It seems we should ...
Uniform Unveil “The Shadow of God’s Hand” Video Ahead of US Tour with Portrayal of Guilt
Uniform have unveiled the music video for “The Shadow of God’s Hand” ahead of their upcoming fall US tour with Portrayal of Guilt and Body Void. The track hails from Uniform’s excellent 2020 offering, Shame — one of our top heavy albums of the year. The video was directed by John Bradburn and evokes singer Michael Berdan’s intensely personal backstory regarding the song. “The central theme behind ‘The Shadow of God’s Hand’ are the inherent contradictions present in conventional Christianity,” Berdan explained via a press release. “I was brought up with this idea of ‘act right or you’re going to hell.’ I’ve listened to family members as they worried themselves to tears over the fate of a loved one’s soul.” Advertisement Related Video He continued: “To me, the concept of a punitive God ...
David Lee Roth to Ring in the New Year with Las Vegas Residency
David Lee Roth will help Sin City ring in 2022 with a residency at the House of Blues Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino. The five-night stand will kick off with a New Year’s Eve show and include four gigs in early January. The Van Halen singer originally kicked off a residency at the same venue in January 2020. He had more dates planned for that year, but the pandemic forced him to cancel the remaining Vegas shows. Now, he’ll return roughly two years later, playing December 31st, as well as January 1st, 5th, 7th, and 8th. A look at the 19-song setlist from his last 2020 date at the House of Blues Las Vegas shows the singer performing 11 Van Halen classics (including the band’s cover of The Kinks’ “You Really Got Me”), as well as solo tunes like his own hit covers of “California...
Tool Announce Massive 54-Date Tour for 2022
Tool will the return to the road in 2022 for an expansive tour that includes shows across the US, UK, and Europe. All told, Tool will play 54 concerts between January and May of next year. The tour officially kicks off on January 10th in Eugene, Oregon — the location of the next show Tool had been scheduled to play before canceling their 2020 tour due to the pandemic. It’s been a particularly rough pandemic for frontman Maynard James Keenan, who contracted COVID-19 not once but twice. The singer surmised that he likely contracted COVID the first time during the band’s February 2020 tour of Australia and New Zealand. He also revealed that he had been dealing with longterm symptoms, include lung damage. Thankfully, earlier this year, he told Heavy Consequence that “everything’s grand” when i...
Guns N’ Roses Announce New EP, Perform “Hard Skool” Live for First Time: Watch
Guns N’ Roses have announced the new Hard Skool EP, arriving February 25th. The band also played the new song “Hard School” live for the first time on Sunday (September 26th) at a concert in Baltimore. The four-song EP includes “Hard Skool,” previous studio single “ABSUЯD,” and live versions of “Don’t Cry” and “You’re Crazy.” It will be available on cassette, CD, and digitally. A 7″ vinyl version will be available on June 24th, featuring just “Hard Skool” and a live version of “ABSUЯD.” “Hard Skool” is the second previously unreleased Chinese Democracy-era track to be officially released as a single in 2021. Unlike the more industrial sound of “ABSUЯD,” Guns N’ Roses go old-school on “Hard Skool.” Advertisement Related Video As the footage from the Baltimore show attests, the track is an u...
Metallica Perform “The Black Album” in Full from Back to Front at Louder Than Life
Metallica treated fans at Louder Than Life to a full performance of “The Black Album” on Sunday night (September 26th). In honor of its 30th anniversary, the metal titans played the mega-selling LP from back to front at the festival Louisville, Kentucky. The gig was Metallica’s second of the fest, having been booked to play two distinct sets on Friday and Sunday night. On Friday, Metallica played no songs from “The Black Album,” perhaps hinting that a full album performance was coming on Sunday. The Sunday set started with three songs from other albums — “Hardwired,” “The Four Horseman,” and “Welcome Home (Sanitarium).” Then, a 30th anniversary “Black Album” interlude was played with video images of the band members (including former bassist Jason Newsted) before Metallica launched into th...
Ministry Postpone US Tour to Spring 2022, Tap Melvins and Corrosion of Conformity as Support
Industrial legends Ministry have pushed their US tour from this fall to spring 2022 “out of an abundance of caution for the health and safety of the band, fans and venue staff.” The new itinerary comes with new support acts, as the Melvins and Corrosion of Conformity take the place of Helmet and Front Line Assembly. The outing will now kick off March 6th in Baltimore, Maryland, and run through an April 18th date in Seattle. The route will hit most regions across the US. Advertisement According to the press release, “some of the original show dates have regrettably been canceled as some venues are not available for this updated time period; as well, some new show dates have been added.” The band also plans to announce even more shows in the near future. Billed as the “Industrial Strength To...
Mastodon and Opeth Announce Co-Headlining Fall 2021 US Tour
Mastodon and Opeth have announced a co-headlining fall 2021 US tour with support from Zeal & Ardor. The coast-to-coast trek kicks off November 16th in Asheville, North Carolina, and heads up the East Coast before routing through the South. After hitting the West Coast, the tour wraps up on December 5th in Denver. Mastodon will be out in support of their forthcoming album, Hushed and Grim, recorded over a 12-month period with producer David Bottrill. Openers Zeal & Ardor should also have new music in their setlist, with the avant-metal act set to drop a new self-titled album on February 11th, 2022. Advertisement Related Video Meanwhile, progressive metal vets Opeth played one of the last theater shows we saw prior to the pandemic. The band looks to head back out in support of its mo...
In Photos: 2021 Inkcarceration Festival Fueled by Slipknot, Mudvayne, Rob Zombie, Mastodon, Halestorm, and More
The 2021 Inkcarceration Music & Tattoo Festival took place this past weekend at the Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield, Ohio. The three-day event was headlined by Slipknot, a reunited Mudvayne, and Rob Zombie. The Ohio State Reformatory is best known as the Shawshank Redemption prison, providing a macabre setting to the massive rock festival. Mega-promoter Danny Wimmer Presents signed on as a co-producer of Inkcarceration this year, and the sold-out extravaganza featured an overall attendance of 75,000 over the three days. Slipknot headlined the Friday night (September 10th) bill, with singer Corey Taylor sporting his new mask. The masked metal band’s set was preceded by performances by Mastodon, Killswitch Engage, The Hu, Steel Panther, and more. Advertisement Related Video Mudvayne’...
After 50-Plus Years, UFO to Play Final Shows Ever in 2022
UK hard-rock and metal pioneers UFO have announced their final run of shows ever. The band will close out a touring career of more than 50 years with a farewell outing split into two legs in 2022. Having formed in 1968, UFO are one of the bands that bridged the gap between hard rock and heavy metal, influencing countless acts along the way. The band still features original members Phil Mogg (vocals) and Andy Parker (drums), along with keyboardist Neil Carter (who played with UFO in the ’80s and rejoined the group in 2019), guitarist Vinnie Moore, and bassist Rob De Luca. The 2022 tour will take place over two European legs, the first starting June 20th in Hannover, Germany, and running through a July 16th show in Enderndorf, Germany. The second leg will launch October 15th in Sint-Niklaas,...
