After two cancellations due to Covid-19, the Twin City Takeover finally rolled into Minneapolis, Minnesota and filled the Target Center for a night of music. It was a five- band bill headlined by Godsmack and featured Three Days Grace along with Asking Alexandria, Wage War and Lilith Czar. 

Lilith Czar hit the stage first with the rocking track “Feed My Chaos.” The track is taken from her newest record, ‘Created From Filth And Dust,’ which was a rebirth of sound and style for Juliet Sims. Lilith Czar is her alter ego which saw her blonde hair replaced with jet black hair and a shift to a heavier rock sound as opposed to pop. It is always a tough spot to be in when you’re the opening act and going on early. People are still filing into the venue but she made the moment hers and showcased her voice and style brilliantly. Draped in a red dress she stuck with material from the new album and hit “Lola,” “King,” the cover “Edge of Seventeen” from Stevie Nicks and “100 Little Deaths,” which goes back to her Juliet Sims era, but both the cover and that track are on the newest album. Her short set ended with “Anarchy” which left me wanting to see her again as this was my first time catching her and hopefully, she will make her way back here again soon.

When you looked at the line-up, there was no question what band was going to bring the most aggression to the Target Center and that is exactly what Wage War did. Opening with “Relapse” from the newest album, ‘Manic,’ they set out to destroy the place. It was forty minutes of an all-out sonic assault as they ripped through an eight-song set that included “High Horse,” “Teeth,” “Godspeed” and “Circle the Drain.” There wasn’t any doubt that they had a lot of fans anticipating their set as the energy amped up instantly as soon as they started. Wage War have been kicking around since forming in 2010 under the name Empires in Ocala, Florida. Every release has shown the bands growth, capped with that brilliant latest album, and they continue to build their fan base by utilizing every minute of stage time to get their music in the ears of anybody that will listen. 

Asking Alexandria opened with “Alone Again” which appears on the latest release ‘See What’s On The inside’ which came out in 2021. The British rock band from York, North Yorkshire have been mainstays in the metalcore genre and have built up an extensive catalog of material over seven albums. The band has continued to explore other avenues of sound as they have incorporated a more melodic approach with anthemic rock songs as opposed to sticking strictly to the metalcore playbook. Despite the change in aggressiveness, the live sound is still boisterous and rips as it comes off the stage. The set was ten songs and the bulk of the material was pulled from the ‘Like a House on Fire’ and ‘Asking Alexandria’ releases which included “Antisocialist,” “Down to Hell,” “The Violence,” “Into the Fire” and the closer “Alone in A Room.” I’ve seen these guys so many times over the years and they always pull of their stuff very well and give you a good show and this performance was no different.

“So Called Life” from the brand-new record ‘Explosions’ opened the set for Three Days Grace. It was the start of a ten-song set that saw the band focusing on the hits of the catalog, and a little bit to my surprise, they have quite a few. I lost track of this band after the first two albums and when vocalist Adam Gontier split from the outfit I completely lost touch with the band. This was my first time seeing the band live and I was pleasantly surprised just how great they sounded and the non-stop energy the newer front man, Matt Walst who took over vocals back in 2013, had throughout the set. The obvious cuts like “Animal I have Become,” “Never Too Late,” “Riot,” “Home” and “I Hate Everything About You” were certainly the backbone of the night and rightfully so as the crowd sang every word but I really liked “Mountain” and “Painkiller” as well. It was one of those shows where I fully realized how many hits this band has and why they continue to draw fans to their shows. The sound was so tight and each song sounded perfect as Brad Walst (Bass) and Neil Sanderson (Drums) handled the rhythm section while Barry Stock handled the guitar along with Matt Walst also doing some guitar. That live experience, as I have always said, is so important as it’s an hour commercial to showcase what you are and give people an opportunity to buy in and this show made me a believer in Three Days Grace.  

Godsmack have almost three decades under their belt. The band formed in 1995 in Lawrence, Massachusetts and have accumulated a tremendous amount of success over seven studio albums. The quartet of Sully Erna (Vocals, Guitar), Robbie Merrill (Bass), Tony Rombola (Guitar) and Shannon Larkin (Drums) took to the stage with “I Stand Alone” to a very excited crowd. The band has had three consecutive number-one albums on the Billboard 200 along with 25 top ten radio hits, including 18 songs in the top five so its quite apparent, everybody knows a Godsmack song or two, even if you were there to see some of the other bands and were not a die-hard fan. The hard-hitting set included “Keep Away,” “Speak,” “Straight Out of Line,” “Awake” and “Whatever.” The stage had a simple set-up of amps with flame throwers lined in front of the them which was first unleashed during the third song of the set called “1000hp.” Although time continues to march at a tremendous pace, the band sounds and feels just as did decades ago. Not much has changed as Erna still sounds as impressive as he ever has and the music still pummels in a glorious heaviness that first put the band on the map. The encore included Erna playing piano on “Under Your Scars” and then closing the show with The Beatlescover “Come Together.” This show was just another reminder of the legacy of Godsmack and how important they were in the musical landscape in the late 1990’s and 2000’s. It seems like just yesterday when the appeared at Ozzfest in 1999 along with the likes of System Of A Down, Deftones and Slipknot. Bands that were just starting to navigate themselves in the music industry and now are some of the biggest bands we have today. These are the guys that are inspiring the bands we will hear in the future. Truly, another great show from Godsmack. 

The Varsity Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota welcomed Dorothy as she brought her “Gifts From The Holy Ghost Tour” for a night of uncompromised rock-n-roll. It was night that would feature two other bands that soak themselves in the classic rock sound that seems to be on a bit of a revival in the current musical landscape. 

The first band to hit the stage was Classless Act. The band features Derek Day (Vocals), Dane Pieper (Guitar), Griffin Tucker (Guitar), Franco Gravante (Bass), and Chuck McKissock (Drums). Hailing from Los Angeles, California, they embodied a supercharged version of 70’s rock fused with a modern-day bombastic sound that comes off the stage fast and loud. The songs were laced with catchy hooks and melodies with a couple stand-outs being “This Is For You” and “Give It To Me.” Knowing that this was the first time for most of the audience seeing and hearing them, they threw in a great cover of the GNR classic cut “Civil War” towards the end of the set that people really got into. I was really impressed by these guys and loved how they attacked the night. They may have been the opener but they were there to be seen and heard and leave an impression on every person in that venue and I truly believe they did. Classless Act is something to start paying attention to. 

Another band straight from the Southern California sun, Joyous Wolf, opened the set with “Quiet Heart.” The band consists of Nick Reese (Vocals), Blake Allard (Guitar), Greg Braccio (Bass), and Robert Sodaro (Drums) and they have a sound built on the blues that hits your soul. Joyous Wolf dropped the EP ‘Place in Time’ back in 2019 which showcased their infectious grooves and melodies that are intertwined all over that release. We finally got a brand-new track called “Fearless” last year and it was a highlight of the show hearing it played live. The strong rhythm sections allow Allard to shine as he effortlessly delivers his guitar parts with a tasteful precision of notes that seem to dance around the other instruments. The lasting image of a Joyous Wolf show is definitely the antics of Reese. Along with being the mouthpiece of the band, he can also be labeled the acrobatic of the group as well. He is all over the stage and does jumps, spins and splits as he works though the set. He also cut the crowd in half and jumped from the stage, over the barrier, into the cleared runway to further ignite the crowd. He was non-stop energy from start to finish. The band ripped through a nine-song set list that closed with “Mother Rebel.” Joyous Wolf is certainly one of those young bands that continue to show they are a force and hopefully their next album can take them up to another level. 

The headliner, Dorothy, hit the stage with the tune “Down to the Bottom.” Vocalist Dorothy Martin instantly showed the power of her voice and the command of the stage. Her band in simplest terms, absolutely smoked. The skill of the musicianship was obvious as they provided the jet fuel for Dorothy to showcase her talent and take the songs to another level sonically. The first quarter of the set included “Gun In My Hand,” “Ain’t Our Time To Die” and “What’s Coming To Me.” I was a bit surprised that the material was from the past albums ‘ROCKISDEAD,’ ’28 Days In the Valley’ and older singles as opposed to hitting with newer cuts. She also slipped in a great cover of “Sweet Dreams” from the Eurythmicsbefore getting to some songs I was anxious to hear. Her third album, ‘Gifts from the Holy Ghost’ just recently dropped and we finally got a couple tracks from it. Both songs, “Rest In Peace” and “A Beautiful Life,” are stand-outs off the newest record that features a lot of driving guitar rockers. The set contained twelve songs that seemed to fly by. Some other songs that made the set were “Medicine Man,” “Raise Hell,” “Flawless,” and “Freedom.” Every song came across in pristine form and for me, the first time seeing them, solidified the strength of the material and talent of the performers. 

This is a really great tour package. Every band offers a different twist of sound while all being based in the good old rock genre. The night was full soaring guitars and powerful vocals that kept the night rolling at a an extremely fast pace. If you’re a rocker, this tour is for you. 

Shinedown brought The Revolutions Live Tour to the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota withThe Pretty Reckless and Diamante in support. The bar is always set high when it comes to Shinedown putting on spectacular shows and you could feel the anticipation as people filed into the venue. As the night played out, it was apparent that all three acts rose to the occasion and put on fantastic shows.

Diamante started the night with her hit “Ghost Myself.” She has the flair and style of a pop music star but also has a bite that lends itself to hard rock. She dropped her second record ‘American Dream’ in 2021 which showed the artists growth from her debut ‘Coming In Hot” which was released in 2018. She has continued to hone her craft by extensive touring and the opportunity to open this run of dates with Shinedown has allowed her to introduce herself to thousands of people every night. Her set consisted of “Haunted,” “American Dream,” “I Love Myself for Hating You” and a cover of the Goo Goo Dolls hit “Iris.” As with most opening acts, the set was short and came and went very quickly. What she lacked for in time, she made up for with quality. Her voice sounded fantastic and she seized every moment to give the crowd an entertaining set and lasting memories of her hook induced songs that stick with you long after she has left the stage. 

It has been a very long time since anybody has seen The Pretty Reckless on stage. In fact, the last tour was back in 2016-2017. For fans, it’s been a long wait, especially after dropping, what could be, their best album to date, ‘Death by Rock and Roll,’ back in early February of 2021. The band is led by vocalist Taylor Momsen and when she took the stage and kicked into the Soundgarden cover “Loud Love” the crowd let out a tremendous roar. Your immediately struck by the strength of her vocals as she invited you into her world. They pulled out the track “Since Your Gone” from the “Light Me Up” release second and then the title track from the newest record. The way Momsen delivers her vocals, changes up styles, from all out power to raspy seduced venom, gives The Pretty Reckless it’s uniqueness and sound. Call them hard rock, alternative, post-grunge or whatever you want, I simply think they douse themselves in good old-fashioned rock-n-roll and light the match. Although the vocalist steals most of the praise and attention, the band is top-notch and supply the foundation for which Momsen stands on. Guitarist Ben Phillips, bassist Mark Damon and drummer Jamie Perkins really brought the songs alive in their full sonic thunder. Other songs from the night included “Going To Hell,” “Heaven Knows,” “And So It Went” and “Take Me Down.” It was great to see The Pretty Reckless back on stage, they absolutely killed it and sounded like a band that is now on a mission to make up for lost time. 

What can be said about Shinedown that already hasn’t been said? They pride themselves on bringing a bombastic live show and energy that engulfs the venue from the very first moment they take the stage. Shinedown Nation is a loyal one and they love this band, so the pressure is always on to produce a bigger, better and more exciting show than the one before it. This tour is the introduction to the new album coming called ‘Planet Zero.’ The album was supposed to have dropped on April 22, but due to delays in physical product, the wait will be a little longer as it now will be released on July 1. The stage was unique, a narrower one that shot much further into the crowd which gave many fans a front row view of the stage. In front of the drums was giant screen. After a short clip about the band getting ready to tour again after covid, a giant door, that was the screen, opened up and band walked out to the middle of the stage. From that moment it was on, they unleashed the pyro, blasted into one of the new cuts called “The Saints of Violence and Innuendo” and the crowd went nuts. The brilliance and aggressiveness of the song cut though the venue, a song truly served best in a live setting. The energy coming off the stage was being quickly shot back at it from the people rocking with the cut. Then when the moment seemingly can’t get any better, it does, as blasts of fire shot through the floor of the stage adding another shot of adrenaline to the moment. The show didn’t slow with the next two songs played either as “Devil” and “Planet Zero” hit next. Shinedown members Brent Smith (Vocals), Zach Myers (Guitar), Eric Bass (Bass) and Barry Kerch (Drummer) understand a concert is more than just playing the songs, it also is delivering an experience, a moment where the only thing that matters is that music, in that venue, with Shinedown. They work hard to bring everybody into the show and it shows by the response they get every night. The set as usual, is packed with powerhouse songs and hits. “Cut the Cord,” “Enemies,” Bully,” “45” and the closer “Sound Of Madness” always go over big. They also take some time to slow it down and bring up a piano from underneath the stage and acoustic guitars and played “Simple Man,” “Call Me” and a cover of the Foo Fighters “Wheels” with Myers and Bass on vocals. It’s a pretty simple formula but so few bands pull off such an exciting show tour after tour like Shinedown does and ‘The Revolutions Live Tour” is just another great example of what they do and how they do it.