2nd Annual Rock Allegiance Lineup Announced – Extended To Two Days

By

Luke Spencer

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May 9, 2016

MONSTER ENERGY ROCK ALLEGIANCE

RETURNS TO PHILADELPHIA’S TALEN ENERGY STADIUM

SEPTEMBER 17 & 18, 2016

AVENGED SEVENFOLD AND ALICE IN CHAINS

TOP A SPECTACULAR LINEUP ALSO FEATURING

SLAYER, THE OFFSPRING, BREAKING BENJAMIN, VOLBEAT & MORE

FOR MUSIC, CRAFT BEER & GOURMET MAN FOOD FESTIVAL

Eat.Drink.Rock.Repeat.

Monster Energy Rock Allegiance returns to Talen Energy Stadium (formerly PPL Park) in Chester, PA, just outside Philadelphia, on September 17 & 18, 2016 with a lineup of over 35 bands on three stages, led by Avenged Sevenfold and Alice In Chains, along with Slayer, The Offspring, Breaking Benjamin, Volbeat and more. Monster Energy Rock Allegiance expands to two days in 2016, after the festival’s single-day debut in 2015 shattered Talen Energy Stadium’s previous attendance high by nearly 10,000 people, with over 26,000 total in attendance.

The initial band lineup for Monster Energy Rock Allegiance is as follows: Avenged Sevenfold, Alice In Chains, Slayer, The Offspring, Breaking Benjamin, Volbeat, Chevelle, The Cult, The Pretty Reckless, Pierce The Veil, Of Mice & Men, Ghost, Anthrax, Killswitch Engage, Chevy Metal, Baroness, Hellyeah, Sevendust, Motionless In White, Buckcherry, Trivium, Avatar, Max & Iggor Cavalera Return To Roots, Jim Breuer and the Loud & Rowdy, Sick Puppies, The Amity Affliction, letlive., Neck Deep, Skindred, KYNG, Young Guns, Crobot, Devour The Day, Twelve Foot Ninja, Dinosaur Pile Up, Death Angel and Hundredth.

A rolling discounted Early Bird on-sale for weekend General Admission and VIP tickets begins Tuesday, May 10 at Noon EDT, continuing through Friday, May 13 at 10:00 AM EDT. Visit www.RockAllegiance.com for complete details. A limited quantity of Early Bird tickets will be available at the following prices, while supplies last:

Early Bird #1: $79 GA Weekend Stands, $99 GA Weekend Floor, $219 VIP Weekend

Early Bird #2: $89 GA Weekend Stands, $109 GA Weekend Floor, $239 VIP Weekend

Early Bird #3: $99 GA Weekend Stands, $129 GA Weekend Floor, $259 VIP Weekend

Zippo VIP 2-Packs will also be available during the early bird sale for $550 (includes 2 VIP Weekend tickets and 2 commemorative Zippos).

Single day ticket and general weekend packages for Monster Energy Rock Allegiance will be available starting on Friday, May 13 at 10:00 AM EDT. Tickets and VIP packages will initially be priced as follows (increasing in the coming weeks):

GA Weekend: $129 floor, $99 stands

GA 4-Packs: $308

VIP Weekend: $219

VIP 2-Packs: $550

Single Day GA (stands): $44.50

Single Day VIP: $119.50

Monster Energy Rock Allegiance VIP packages include: Stadium-level VIP main stage viewing, floor-level VIP viewing area for the west main stage, dedicated entrance lanes into the festival, VIP area with shade and picnic tables, VIP restrooms, special food and beverage offerings (for additional purchase), and a commemorative VIP laminate.

Hotel discounts for Monster Energy Rock Allegiance are available through Curadora at: https://curadora.com/events/rock-allegiance-2016-c21ee149/. For full details about all tickets, hotel and VIP packages, visit www.RockAllegiance.com.

In addition to three stages of top rock bands, Monster Energy Rock Allegiance features a craft beer and Gourmet Man Food experience celebrating what makes Philadelphia cuisine famous, unique and delicious.

Monster Energy Rock Allegiance is proud to support beer entrepreneurship with a celebration of local breweries and specialty drafts hailing from throughout the nation. The initial lineup of regional and national craft beers at Monster Energy Rock Allegiance is as follows: Evolution Craft Brewing Co (Salisbury, MD), Fordham & Dominion Brewing Company (Dover, DE), New Belgium Brewing (Fort Collins, CO), Starr Hill Brewery (Crozet, VA), Tröegs Independent Brewing (Hershey, PA) and Victory Brewing Company (Downington, PA).

The initial Gourmet Man Food lineup for Monster Energy Rock Allegiance includes: Braz-B-Q, Chickie & Pete’s, The Cow & The Curd, Dos Hermanos, Dump ’n’ Roll, M.A.T.T.’s Gourmet Sliders, Mama’s Meatballs, Seoulfull Philly, Sum Pig and The Tot Cart.

Monster Energy Rock Allegiance producer Danny Wimmer of Danny Wimmer Presents says, “When we came to Philadelphia last year, we knew there was a demand for this kind of festival in the market, but the response exceeded our expectations. Growing to two days in our second year was an obvious decision, and we’re looking forward to giving fans an even better experience in 2016.”

“Last year’s Monster Energy Rock Allegiance was a huge success on so many levels,” adds Geoff Gordon, Live Nation Philadelphia Regional President. “We were proud to bring this venue their first ever concert; a record-setting, sold out smash hit. The audience had such a great time enjoying a unique experience of music and lifestyle — we knew in 2016 we could turn it up a notch!”

Monster Energy Rock Allegiance is produced by Danny Wimmer Presents, Live Nation, and Spectra at Talen Energy Stadium.

Talen Energy Stadium is a state-of-the-art Major League Soccer stadium that serves as the home to Philadelphia Union and is located at 1 Stadium Drive in Chester, PA, just outside Philadelphia.

The festival is fueled by Monster Energy. Additional sponsors include Jack Daniel’s, Zippo Encore, The Music Experience, Take Me Home, and Fxck Cancer/Dyin2Live, with more to be announced.

For more information on Monster Energy Rock Allegiance, visit:

Website: www.RockAllegiance.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/rockallegiance

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rockallegiance; @RockAllegiance

Instagram: @RockAllegiance / #RockAllegiance

Talen Energy Stadium social media accounts:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/talenenergystdm

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TalenEnergyStadium/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talenenergystadium/

To receive advance notice and special offers to future Talen Energy Stadium events, join the free Talen Energy Stadium CyberClub here.

Photos: TRIVIUM at WELCOME TO ROCKVILLE in Jacksonville, FL 4/30/2016

By

Luke Spencer

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May 8, 2016

Photos of Trivium at Welcome To Rockville in Jacksonville, FL. All photos taken by Luke Spencer on April 30, 2016.

Trivium performed on the main stage on day one of Welcome To Rockville. The band is currently on tour with Sevendust and promoting their latest album Silence In The Snow which came out last fall. You can purchase the new album or stream it for free on Amazon Prime here = Trivium – “Silence In The Snow”

Photos: 3 DOORS DOWN at WELCOME TO ROCKVILLE in Jacksonville, FL 4/30/2016

By

Luke Spencer

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May 8, 2016

Photos of 3 Doors Down at Welcome To Rockville in Jacksonville, FL. All photos taken by Luke Spencer on April 30, 2016.

3 Doors Down closed out the Metropolitan Stage on day one of Welcome To Rockville to an enormous crowd ready to sing along with their hits from the early the late 90’s/early 2000’s. The band is currently promoting their newest album Us and The Night. You can watch the first single from the album titled “In The Dark” by clicking here = 3 Doors Down – “In The Dark”

Photos: TEXAS HIPPIE COALITION at WELCOME TO ROCKVILLE in Jacksonville, FL 5/1/2016

By

Luke Spencer

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May 8, 2016

Photos of Texas Hippie Coalition at Welcome To Rockville in Jacksonville, FL. All photos taken by Luke Spencer on May 1st, 2016.

The band took to the stage with THC’s singer Big Dad Ritch saying the following:
“It’s waaaaaay to f****** early. I’ve only been able to have two shots of Whiskey so far.”
*crowd laughs*
“But that’s okay cause I’ve already had five joints.”
*crowd cheers*

You can watch the music video for the song “Angel Fall” from their latest album by clicking here = Texas Hippie Coalition – “Angel Fall”

Photos: CANE HILL at WELCOME TO ROCKVILLE in Jacksonville, FL 4/30/2016

By

Luke Spencer

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May 7, 2016

Photos of Cane Hill at Welcome To Rockville in Jacksonville, FL. All photos taken by Luke Spencer on April 30, 2016.

New Orleans’ Cane Hill opened day one of Welcome To Rockville. The band is about to go on tour with Asking Alexandria and Bullet For My Valentine while supporting their debut album which released this past October.

You can purchase Cane Hill’s self-titled debut on Amazon by clicking here = Cane Hill on Amazon

Photos: BRING ME THE HORIZON at WELCOME TO ROCKVILLE 2016 in Jacksonville, FL 4/30/2016

By

Luke Spencer

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May 7, 2016

Photos of Bring Me The Horizon at Welcome To Rockville in Jacksonville, FL. All photos taken by Luke Spencer on April 30, 2016.

Bring Me The Horizon brought their smoke stacks to day one of Welcome To Rockville and featured songs from their latest album That’s The Spirit. Oli Sykes gave instruction to the crowd for those who didn’t know what a circle pit was, but the crowd was on top of it and had it set in under 30 seconds.

Their new album can be purchased on Amazon or streamed for free on Amazon Prime here = Bring Me The Horizon’s “That’s The Spirit”

You can watch my review of “That’s The Spirit” by clicking here = Album Review: Bring Me The Horizon – That’s The Spirit

Album Review: Avatar – Feathers & Flesh

By

Luke Spencer

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May 6, 2016

The circus is back to tell a tale about stopping the sun from rising in Avatar’s new concept album Feathers & Flesh.

You can see my interview with Avatar at Welcome To Rockville by here = Interview with Avatar at Welcome To Rockville 2016

You can see my photos of Avatar live at Welcome To Rockville by clicking here = Photos of Avatar Live at Welcome To Rockville 2016

https://vimeo.com/165599334

Text Review:

Clowns are a universally frightening image. When you pair that with intense growling, haunting lyrics and blistering loud metal, you can create more nightmares than the phrase “Future President Donald Trump. The band behind all of these elements however is now proving that this dark and imaginative imagery paired with new headbanging anthems is some of the best music the current metal world has to offer.

Avatar is another example of Sweden producing some of the best metal in the world. After several successful albums and radio singles, Feathers & Flesh is introduced as the capstone to the band’s discography for one huge reason: Feathers & Flesh is a concept album. And not only is it a full concept with a narrative and characters, but an accompanying book is being sold to help tell the story because the words just won’t fit inside a CD booklet.

It was two years ago we were introduced to Hail The Apocalypse and the bombastic and powerful singles Vultures Fly and the album’s title track. Just like those songs to that album: it was only the tip of the iceberg. With Feathers & Flesh, hearing only one song does not even scratch the surface of an album this layered.

Good metal with a thematic story that is carried by volume and speed and double bass drums and a range in vocals and blistering solos is rare. Having a good story to match it all is even rarer. The best way to explain the plot itself is to go by Johannes Eckerstrom’s own description: “It’s a fable about an owl who goes to war to stop the sun from rising. It’s a tragic story of someone ultimately being set up to fail. She will learn many lessons and encounter many other creatures with ideas of their own. In the end, however, one must ask if something was learned at all.”

In a sense this sounds like it is being built up as a true fairy tale and reminiscent of Aesop’s fables. But when Avatar started releasing songs from Feathers & Flesh, EVERYONE who heard it knew that Avatar were not only becoming unhinged with their potential, but that this story would be loud and ferocious. It became clear that the new album would be as wild and heavy as it unique.

The opening of this album with Regret and House of Eternal Hunt is now the mark of quality I play for people when I want to show them what Avatar is capable of. The double bass drums and guitar riffs carry the heavy hard rhythm and Johannes’ voice is so strong and present that it’s impossible to not feel it in your pulse. Both guitars complement each other and the bridge solo puts this entire song on another planet.

Even when the song dips down in speed to reset the flow and add a dynamic to the story, the song STILL feels just as engaging when the guitars and drumming are at full volume. When people talk about how gorgeous metal can be and nonmetal fans give a funny look, this is the type of song that should be referenced. It’s creative and flows but still drives home just how intense a band can get while not screaming into an open mic and hitting open notes and snares for four minutes straight.

And while listening through Feathers & Flesh, you notice quickly that Avatar is capable of going at different speeds. They can be as melodic as a symphony but still feel hard as steel. This is also helped with the fact that every track feels more like a chapter. The characters and story come in a sequence and you understand the mood of each moment as the album goes on due to how well the music is crafted.

When you hear songs like For The Swarm and House of Eternal Hunt you understand just how heavy Avatar can get, but you also get a ballad like Fiddler’s Farewell that breaks up the intensity. It’s becoming uncommon to hear metal vocalists really take the time to sing, but Avatar are proof that it can be done well in songs like Fiddler’s Farewell and New Land.

The music has different songs to fit the mood, while at the same time all connect to each other. This concept album feels complete from beginning to end. Nothing feels out of place both in the story or the music. And while the story is icing on the cake, it’s the music that Avatar have created in this album that will blow you away.

When you see a scary clown and hear loud screaming: your brain naturally goes into defense mode. When the name Avatar is attached, it breaks the synapses and you instantly love the horrifyingly beautiful music and imagery presented.

Overall, Feathers & Flesh may stand as the band’s opus and proves Avatar should be named with many of the higher regarded metal bands today. It’s the metal album you can play from the start and be happy about getting whiplash from headbanging but also love how relaxing the quite moments are. In 2016, you can’t say a clown can’t make you happy.

10/10

Photos: SICK PUPPIES at WELCOME TO ROCKVILLE in Jacksonville, FL 5/1/2016

By

Luke Spencer

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May 6, 2016

Photos of Sick Puppies at Welcome To Rockville in Jacksonville, FL. All photos taken by Luke Spencer on May 1st, 2016.

Sick Puppies took to the main stage at day two of Welcome To Rockville in front of 20,000+ in a sweaty, body surfing sea of faces. The band is getting ready to release their new album Fury which can be pre-ordered on Amazon by clicking here.

Photos: SEVENDUST at WELCOME TO ROCKVILLE in Jacksonville, FL 5/1/2016

By

Luke Spencer

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May 5, 2016

Photos of Sevendust at Welcome To Rockville in Jacksonville, FL. All photos taken by Luke Spencer on May 1st, 2016.

Sevendust played one of the two main stages on day two of Welcome To Rockville. Lajon Witherspoon brought up how we at rock and metal shows are brothers and sisters that look out for each other. The point was proved as the day went on and the crowd reached upward of 45,000 people. The band performed songs from their latest album Kill The Flaw.

You can listen to Sevendust’s Grammy nominated song by clicking here = Sevendust – “Thank You”.

Photos: A DAY TO REMEMBER at WELCOME TO ROCKVILLE in Jacksonville, FL 5/1/2016

By

Luke Spencer

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May 5, 2016

Photos of A Day To Remember at Welcome To Rockville in Jacksonville, FL. All photos taken by Luke Spencer on May 1st, 2016.

A Day To Remember played the main stage on day two of Welcome To Rockville by shooting confetti into a crowd of over 20,000. The band coming from a few hours away in Ocala engaged everyone with beachballs and Jeremy Mckinnon took his singing into the crowd.