Tag Archives: Chicago Open Air

Chicago Open Air Day Sunday: Tool, Gojira, Fever 333, & More [Review and Photo Gallery]

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Fever333

One of the benefits about less bands at Chicago Open Air this year was being able to sleep in before leaving on the second day. Since there were less bands this year, the event didn’t kick off until 2:30, instead of noon like past years. At the same time, it was strange heading in there for day two knowing that we had already arrived to the last day of the fest when it would’ve normally not even been the halfway mark of the festival yet. With that said though, we couldn’t wait to get out and catch seven fantastic sets from Alien Weaponry, The Black Dahlia Murder, Fever 333, In This Moment, Gojira, The Cult, and the legendary Tool. Continue reading →

Chicago Open Air Saturday: SYSTEM OF A DOWN & More [Review and Photo Gallery]

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System Of A Down

Last year in mid July I saw down at my house without much to do. It was sad knowing that the same weekend over the previous two years was spent catching several fantastic acts like Rammstein, Gojira, The Dillinger Escape Plan, and more at the Chicago Open Air festival. When the news came that the festival wouldn’t be happening in 2018, I was devastated. I had made several friends and memories both years at the festival and was really looking forward to it again. It was promised to return in 2019 but many people were unsure that it would actually happen. In September, it was announced that Chicago Open Air would be returning, but it was weirdly worded. It was said that it would now be titled “A Day In The Park” and would take place the same weekend as the new Danny Wimmer Presents festival, Sonic Temple. Many of us were unsure what this meant exactly, but we knew that the festival definitely was not going to be the same. Eventually the lineup was rolled out in January, and the “A Day In The Park” vision never really happened. Instead, the event was two days with only one stage. This was different compared to the previous years as it was three days with two stages. Despite being a small lineup, there were several killer acts on it to keep me happy like System of a Down, Tool, The Prodigy, Gojira, and ten more acts. Continue reading →

Chicago Open Air Spotlight: Knocked Loose

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Today’s artist is Knocked Loose.

On Saturday, May 18th, Kentucky hard hitters are bringing down their gritty, beatdown sound to the Chicago Open Air stage at SeatGeek Stadium. Similar to Vein, the heavy sounds of Knocked Loose typically just make their way into the small and dark venues to fit the type of music that they bring to the table. They have grown immensely in popularity though and are making their way up to larger venues. Before making their way to Chicago Open Air, the band will be on the road for roughly a month with The Acacia Strain, Harm’s Way, Sanction, and Higher Power. Their huge, heavy sound filled with slow-tempo breakdowns are sure to impress and devastate all the metalheads in the stadium that day to prep them for the bands following them like Code Orange and Meshuggah.

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Chicago Open Air Spotlight: Code Orange [Official Videos]

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*Every week from now until Chicago Open Air gets here we will be releasing an article about a band playing the festival to get you familiar with them.*

Today’s artist is Code Orange.

To close out the epic trio of hardcore acts on Saturday, May 18th, Code Orange brings their off the wall sound to the Chicago Open Air stage at SeatGeek Stadium. This group has been on my radar for quite a while. ‘I Am King’ dropped in 2014 and absolutely scared the hell out of me when it was released. The ferocity, fury, and anger that the record brought changed the way that I listened to extreme music. This was the last album that they released as Code Orange Kids before eventually dropping the “Kids” from their band name. I got to see the band once at this stage at Rock on the Range and was left thoroughly impressed. The ability that Jami Morgan had of controlling a crowd while killing it behind the kit was awing to watch. They have came a long way from then though in terms of live performances and with their music.

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Chicago Open Air Spotlight: Vein [Official Videos]

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*Every week from now until Chicago Open Air gets here we will be releasing an article about a band playing the festival to get you familiar with them.*

Today’s artist is Vein.

On Saturday, May 18th, the fast rising hardcore band Vein makes their debut at Chicago Open Air. It’s going to be extremely interesting to see what the band is like performing in a large venue like SeatGeek Stadium as they usually play in much smaller venues so that people get the full experience of how intense they are live. Since forming in 2013, hardcore punk band Vein has made a strong case for themselves as one of the best up and coming metal bands out there right now. The quintet’s ability to put together crazy and unpredictable shows similar to The Dillinger Escape Plan has got their name out there to fans looking for a thrill in live performances. Touring with bands like Code Orange (also on Chicago Open Air) and Twitching Tongues gives you an idea of what you’ll be getting yourself into before going to see them.

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Chicago Open Air Spotlight: ALIEN WEAPONRY

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*Every Tuesday from now until Chicago Open Air gets here we will be releasing an article about a band playing the festival to get you familiar with them.*

Today’s artist is Alien Weaponry.

On Sunday, May 19th, the young New Zealand thrashtastic trio in Alien Weaponry brings their immense sound to SeatGeek Stadium for Chicago Open Air. Brothers Henry and Lewis de Jong formed the band back in 2010 before they were even teenagers. The third member is Ethan Trembath. The trio bases a lot of their lyrics off of their Māori ancestry, which all three of them have. Most of their songs are also performed in the native language, te reo Māori. The band really took off last year and saw international success with the release of their debut album, ‘Tū’ via Napalm Records.

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An Interview With Senior Vice President of Festival Talent At Danny Wimmer Presents, Gary Spivack!

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Gary Spivack has one of the toughest jobs in American when it comes to the music industry. He is the Senior Vice President of Festival Talent At Danny Wimmer Presents. He is responsible for finding and booking all of the bands that play the DWP Festivals all across the country that we so passionately look forward to year after year. Those festivals include: Fort Rock, Welcome To Rockville, Carolina Rebellion, Rock On The Range, Northern Invasion, Chicago Open Air, Aftershock, Louder Than Life, Bourbon & Beyond and Rock Allegiance. It is nearly impossible to please every fan that attends these festivals. There are always going to be bands there that they don’t like, or possibly even hate, and in return there are also going to be bands there that they absolutely love. Regardless how amazing the lineup is there will always be complaints along with the praise. However, year after year Gary Spivack is able to book not only some of the most iconic or nostalgic acts in the country but also book those up and coming bands that we instantly become new fans of. New bands are given the opportunity of a lifetime when they get booked on these festivals. They take the stage and have the chance to instantly gain thousands of new fans if their performance impresses the crowd. Gary is not only the person in charge of festival talent he is also a fan, and immensely passionate about music. Gary Spivack and the entire Danny Wimmer Presents team continue to impress us year after year with the wide variety of acts they bring to the stage to entertain us.

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Interview: FOR WE ARE MANY “We Are Next To Bands That We’ve Idolized” [Video]

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This 5 piece metal band formed in 2012 in Michigan and has been making a name for themselves ever since. Last year the For We Are Many won an opening spot on the Chicago Open Air Festival through a contest on Reverb Nation. 1000’s of bands and they came away as the winner which lets you know immediately this band doesn’t mind competition and they certainly showed they are winners. If that wasn’t enough, prior to this the band in a similar contest or audition process also won a slot on the Vans Warped Tour as well a year or so ago. Though the band has had to fight for spots on theses festivals I believe they have now established themselves as an act that stands their ground and can entertain and please a huge crowd of fans. Because of their jaw dropping performance at Chicago Open Air the band was also invited to play the Louder Than Life festival in Louisville, Kentucky which like Chicago Open Air was also organized by Danny Wimmer Presents. For We Are Many has a true melodic metalcore sound that you have to witness in person just to believe.

 

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Vincent Price of BODY COUNT “We Don’t Have To Play Clubs” [Video]

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Body Count is an Los Angeles based metal band formed in 1990. The group is fronted by Ice-T, who co-founded the group with lead guitarist Ernie C . Ice-T first made his stamp on the music industry as a rapper and moved on to metal when he formed Body Count. The band released its self-titled debut album in 1992. The band encountered controversy over their track “Cop Killer”, which was thought to glamorize killing police officers. Because of this song Body Count was banned from playing anywhere in L.A. The band was already star studded but this news made them even more popular. Ernie C the man responsible for writing the bands music had an integral part of kick starting the careers of both Stone Temple Pilots and Rage Against The Machine as he helped produce their demos. Three out of the band’s original six members are deceased: D-Roc died from lymphoma, Beatmaster V from leukemia and Mooseman in a drive-by shooting. The band released 3 more albums before going on hiatus. ‘Born Dead’ (1994), ‘Violent Demise: The Last Days’ (1997), and then 9 years later released ‘Murder 4 Hire’ in 2006. In 2012 the band advised they were working on a new album and were quickly signed to Sumerian Records. The band released the album ‘Manslaughter’ in 2014 and also unveiled the single and video for ‘Institutionalized’. The single cemented Body Count’s rightful place in the metal world. In March of this year Body Count released their sixth studio album ‘Bloodlust’ via Century Media. The album has star studded guest appearances by appear on the album are Max Cavalera, Randy Blythe and Dave Mustaine. The band has played very few dates since the release of the album, but we were fortunate enough to see one of their only U.S. performances at this years Chicago Open Air. 

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HELL OR HIGHWATER’S Joey Bradford “We Had To Fight For Every Fan We Got” [Video]

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Hell Or Highwater was formed originally as a solo project by Atreyu vocalist/drummer Brandon Saller in 2011 when Atreyu went on a brief hiatus. This material is definitely more upbeat and rock’n’roll while Atreyu was on the darker, metalcore side for most of their career. Hell Or Highwater new album ‘Vista’ released on May 19th. Since forming 6 years ago, the band released their debut record the same year titled ‘Begin Again’ and featured guest vocals on “Go Alone” from M. Shadows of Avenged Sevenfold. One of the things that really stands out to me from this band is the great classic rock sounding guitar work from Joey Bradford and Jon Hoover. Saller is typically behind the kit but he is only fronting the band here while Kyle Rosa is killing it behind the drum kit. Nick Maldonado rounds out the lineup presenting big fills on the bass and works with the synth parts that the band has in certain songs like “Terrorized in the Night”. Continue reading →