{"id":29822,"date":"2013-06-02T08:12:56","date_gmt":"2013-06-02T13:12:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/?p=29822"},"modified":"2014-02-08T08:12:44","modified_gmt":"2014-02-08T13:12:44","slug":"live-rocklahoma-2013-concert-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/2013\/live-rocklahoma-2013-concert-review\/","title":{"rendered":"LIVE! | Rocklahoma 2013"},"content":{"rendered":"

by Zane Cash<\/span>
\n– Photojournalist —<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Rocklahoma<\/p>\n

Rocklahoma 2013 promised to be the biggest Memorial Day party around and that was an understatement! The three-day festival kicked off on Friday, May 24 in beautiful Pryor, Okla. with near perfect weather and people from all over the country who were ready and waiting to rock-n-roll. From the moment you arrive at your campsite and your feet hit the dirt, you realize that for the next three days, you will be having the time of your life and it almost feels like you have entered a completely different world.<\/p>\n

This was the biggest year ever for Rocklahoma, with about 90 percent of ticket holders camping on the grounds, there was a party to be found from sun up to sundown all three days of the festival. There are people from all walks of life attending this festival simply because the mix of the lineup makes it a very unique experience and with over 70 acts appearing on multiple stages, there is something for everyone to enjoy. This was also the first year that Rocklahoma completely sold out their VIP section, along with the Groupie, Roadie & Rockstar packages which gives festival goers upgraded parking, reserved upfront seating, and access to the VIP tent that includes all you can drink Bud Light, soft-drinks, coffee, iced-tea, water and an amazing assortment of food, served buffet style.<\/p>\n

\"halestorm\"From the moment the gates open at Rocklahoma, There is great live music on three stages inside the festival grounds. The Retrospect stage features a lot of bands that are on the rise and making a name for themselves in the music industry. Bands like London\u2019s Dungeon, The Last Vegas, Black Tora, Firstryke and more brought everything they had to the stage and put on a very up close and personal live performance.<\/p>\n

Across the pasture (literally), the Hardrock Stage or second stage had so many talented big named bands, some of which probably felt like they deserved to be on the main stage with longer set times but still gave it everything within them to impress the crowd and make sure they got their money\u2019s worth.<\/p>\n

The main stage is where the biggest parties of the weekend took place with headlining performances from Bush, Guns N\u2019 Roses, Bullet For My Valentine, Alice In Chains, Cheap Trick, Korn and other bands over three days.<\/p>\n

Day one of Rocklahoma was an extremely busy day, trying to run around and check out as many bands as possible. Hardrock Haven started the day at the Retrospect Stage listening to the sounds of London\u2019s Dungeon who had a great crowd gathered at the tent awaiting their performance. Next, it was on to the main stage for All That Remains, who released their sixth studio album late last year entitled A War You Cannot Win. Even though there were some sound issues on the main stage, the band still gave it their all and played songs from that album as well as crowd favorites like \u201cThis Calling\u201d & \u201cTwo Weeks\u201d.<\/p>\n

Next up on the main stage were the ’80s rockstars of the band Ratt who had rejoined forces with their original bassist Juan Croucier and came prepared to play their crowd favorite like \u201cRound & Round\u201d as well as many others.<\/p>\n

By this time, the crowd had really filled up the festival grounds and were ready and waiting to see Papa Roach who are on the road in support of their latest album, The Connection. As he is known to do, Jacoby Shaddix decided to get up close and personal with the fans as he took the microphone into the crowd so he could be closer to the fans. They put on a great live show and played hits like \u201cBurn\u201d, \u201cGetting Away With Murder\u201d, \u201cForever\u201d, \u201cScars\u201d and \u201cLast Resort” to name a few.<\/p>\n

The next band of the day was Clutch from Germantown, Md. who are on the road in support of their latest release entitled Earth Rocker. These guys have been playing shows as a band since 1990 and they put on one of the best shows of the day. Playing the self titled track \u201cEarth Rocker\u201d from the new album, as well as other favorites like \u201cElectric Worry\u201d, they had the crowds attention from start to finish.<\/p>\n

\"Rocklahoma\"Finally, the sun had went down as we all had been hoping it would and it was time for a guitar auction to help with victims of the Moore, Okla. tornado. A guitar that was signed by Gavin Rossdale of Bush was auctioned for $3,000 just before the British rock band took the stage. The energy from the crowd was insane as Gavin Rossdale appeared into the spotlight. The entire band was filled with energy as if the crowd was giving it out and they were taking it in. Opening the show with the crowd favorite \u201cMachinehead\u201d really increased the party mood and feel. They then went on to play favorites like \u201cThe Sound Of Winter\u201d, Everything Zen\u201d, \u201cGreedy Fly\u201d, \u201cLittle Things\u201d as well as a completely brilliant cover of \u201cCome Together\u201d by The Beatles where Gavin decided to leave the stage and walk throughout the crowd signing with people and giving hugs and high fives. He came back on stage with almost no shirt and then decided just to remove it altogether. They put on a very entertaining live show and also played the crowd favorite \u201cGlycerine\u201d towards the end of the set.<\/p>\n

Now it was finally the moment that we had all been waiting for. After standing around waiting for a little over half an hour, Axl Rose and Guns N\u2019 Roses finally took the stage and the crowd was glued to their performance, hoping to hear their favorite GNR song live or to have one special moment with one of the band members. The 30-minute wait paid off and then some because GNR played a very long set and the crowd ended up getting to hear almost 30 songs live. Including hits like \u201cWelcome To The Jungle\u201d, \u201cIt\u2019s So Easy\u201d, \u201cMr. Brownstone\u201d, \u201cLive & Let Die\u201d (Wings cover), \u201cSweet Child O\u2019 Mine\u201d, \u201cNovember Rain\u201d, \u201cKnockin\u2019 On Heaven\u2019s Door\u201d (Bob Dylan cover dedicated to the state of Oklahoma), \u201cPatience\u201d, \u201cParadise City\u201d and more. There was also an awesome piano solo by Dizzy Reed as well as covers of \u201cAnother Brick in the Wall Part 2\u201d (Pink Floyd cover with Alx on piano) and \u201cThe Seeker\u201d (The Who cover). It was a perfect way to end a very epic day of live music in Pryor, Okla.!
\n\u3000
\nDay two at Rocklahoma was another very busy day filled with so much great live music that it would be impossible to cover all the bands but we did our very best to cover as many as possible. The second day for Hardrock Haven started at the main stage watching one of the most talented bands in the music business today, Halestorm. Halestorm took the stage with so much confidence that you knew they were going to put on a killer show. Lzzy Hale looked extremely beautiful as always and belted out crowd favorites like \u201cFreak Like Me\u201d, \u201cLove Bites (So Do I)\u201d, \u201cI Get Off\u201d, \u201cI Miss the Misery\u201d and the band even played a perfect cover of \u201cStraight Through the Heart\u201d in memory of the late Ronnie James Dio. (RIP)<\/p>\n

Next up on the main stage was Christian rock band Skillet from Memphis, Tenn. who\u2019s new album will be out later this year. They are very passionate about what they believe and they don\u2019t try and force their beliefs on you during their show but they do take the time to let you know that they love their God and that they do believe. The crowd cheered very loud when John Cooper (lead singer of Skillet) informed them that the band Skillet is not ashamed of the gospel of Christ and really got into some of the crowd favorites like \u201cHero\u201d, \u201cAwake & Alive\u201d, \u201cMonster\u201d & \u201cThe Last Night\u201d. Skillet also played a few songs from the new album before finishing their set.<\/p>\n

\"Bullet\"<\/p>\n

Next, it was time from heavy metal band Bullet For My Valentine from the United Kingdom. With a backdrop of bloody hands from the Temper Temper album, Bullet For My Valentine took the stage with an extreme force. Knowing that they were one of the only HEAVY metal bands of the weekend, you could tell that they really wanted to bring the metal and put on a great show. Playing songs like \u201cYour Betrayal\u201d, \u201cWaking The Demon\u201d, \u201cRiot\u201d and \u201cTemper Temper\u201d as well as crowd favorites \u201cScream Aim Fire\u201d and \u201cTears Don\u2019t Fall\u201d, the crowd was huge during their entire set.<\/p>\n

Finally, it was time for the last band of Saturday night at Rocklahoma and that was the legendary Alice In Chains. They didn\u2019t play that long of a set but the songs they did play were extremely powerful and a little bit creepy because the new singer, (William DuVall) sounds a lot like Layne Staley (RIP) when he and Jerry Cantrell harmonize together. They were very interactive with the fans, making eye contact and singing with those who knew the words. The set included songs like \u201cThem Bones\u201d, \u201cCheck My Brain\u201d, \u201cHollow\u201d, \u201cDown In A Hole\u201d, \u201cNutshell\u201d, \u201cWould?\u201d and many more. There was also a very beautiful tribute to Layne Staley and they ended the night with crowd favorites \u201cMan In The Box\u201d and \u201cRooster.\u201d Everything about Alice In Chains performance was near perfect and the crowd even got to meet Jerry Cantrell\u2019s father who came out and said a few words to the audience!
\n\u3000
\n\"skillet\"Day Three and the final day of Rocklahoma was mostly spent trying to remind ourselves that our legs did in fact still work and that there were still more great bands to see! The bands we decided to cover on day three started with the extremely funny Steel Panther on the main stage. The entire crowd spent pretty much the whole show laughing and having a great time. If your face didn\u2019t hurt from smiling after the Steel Panther set, you probably weren\u2019t paying attention and that was probably because you were watching all the females in the crowd who didn\u2019t mind showing a little skin. Their set included songs like \u201cGirl From Oklahoma\u201d, \u201cAsian Hooker\u201d, \u201cCommunity Property\u201d, \u201c17 Girls in a Row\u201d and \u201cDeath to all but Metal\u201d.<\/p>\n

The next band on Sunday at Rocklahoma was Hollywood Undead on the main stage and they knew how to get a crowd excited. Not only did they play a pretty long set but they also brought a child from the audience (who was wearing a Hollywood Undead shirt) up on stage for an entire song. They played songs for the crowd like \u201cUndead\u201d, \u201cTendencies\u201d, \u201cBeen To Hell\u201d, \u201cCity\u201d & \u201cHear Me Now\u201d. They were also joined on stage by Fieldy of \u201cKorn\u201d for the song \u201cEverywhere I Go\u201d.<\/p>\n

The final band of the weekend for Hardrock Haven at Rocklahoma 2013 was the band Korn on the main stage. Many people were very excited to see Korn live simply because they were reunited with their original guitarist, Brian \u201cHead\u201d Welch for one of the first times in over eight years. You could tell by watching Korn on stage at Rocklahoma that they really wanted to be there and that they were having the time of their lives. The sound was extremely tight and Jonathan Davis\u2019 vocals have never sounded better. It was an intense live show, filled with energy and emotion.<\/p>\n

They started the show off with \u201cBlind\u201d which really got the crowd in the mood to party hard. Then it was \u201cBall Tongue\u201d \/ \u201cIt Takes Two\u201d \/ \u201cLodi Dodi\u201c, \u201cTwist\u201c, \u201cChi\u201c, \u201cFalling Away From Me\u201c, \u201cNarcissistic Cannibal\u201c, \u201cComing Undone\u201d and \u201cDid My Time.\u201c Then Jonathan Davis broke out the bagpipes and they played \u201cShoots & Ladders\u201d \/ \u201cSomebody Someone.\u201c Also on the set list was \u201cHere To Stay\u201c, \u201cHelmet In The Bush\u201c, \u201cNeed To\u201c, \u201cLies\u201d and the encore songs were \u201cGet Up!\u201d, \u201cGot The Life\u201d and they ended the night with \u201cFreak On A Leash.\u201c It was one epic weekend and definitely a festival that you want to put on your calendar for next year!<\/p>\n

\"Guns<\/p>\n

Headliners included: Guns N\u2019 Roses, Alice In Chains, Korn, Bush, Cheap Trick, Bullet For My Valentine, Papa Roach, Skillet, Hollywood Undead, Steel Panther, Asking Alexandria, Ratt, Halestorm, Device (with David Draiman), All That Remains, Escape the Fate, Dokken, Clutch, Motionless In White, Big Wreck, The Sword, Young Guns, Thousand Foot Krutch, Otherwise, Red Line Chemistry, Mindset Evolution, Heaven\u2019s Basement, We As Humans, American Fangs, O\u2019Brother<\/p>\n

Retrospect Records Stage featured performances from: The Last Vegas, London, Wildstreet, Mad Max, Bai Bang, Lynam, De La Cruz, The Glitter Boys, Black Tora, Sunset Riot, Firstryke, Ragdoll, Hessler, Switchblade Scarlett, Nasty Habit, Sister\u2019s Doll, London\u2019s Dungeon, Rhyme, Emerald City, Wicked, Down n Dirty, Station, Ruff Justice, Mystery, and Fist of Rage.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Zane Cash – Photojournalist — Rocklahoma 2013 promised to be the biggest Memorial Day party around and that was an understatement! The three-day festival kicked off on Friday, May 24 in beautiful Pryor, Okla. […]<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":29866,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8804],"tags":[466,3014,349,2065,7379,329,1596,188,1182,6123,5181,2642,236,2774,528,4263,5993,4496,7582,6673,74,6156,503,7584,1228,426,2016,7580,7583],"class_list":{"0":"post-29822","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-arcconrvw2013","8":"tag-bullet-for-my-valentine","9":"tag-bush","10":"tag-cheap-trick","11":"tag-clutch","12":"tag-de-la-cruz","13":"tag-dokken","14":"tag-escape-the-fate","15":"tag-guns-n-roses","16":"tag-halestorm","17":"tag-heavens-basement","18":"tag-hessler","19":"tag-hollywood-undead","20":"tag-korn","21":"tag-london","22":"tag-lynam","23":"tag-mad-max","24":"tag-mindset-evolution","25":"tag-motionless-in-white","26":"tag-obrother","27":"tag-otherwise","28":"tag-papa-roach","29":"tag-ragdoll","30":"tag-ratt","31":"tag-red-line-chemistry","32":"tag-skillet","33":"tag-steel-panther","34":"tag-the-sword","35":"tag-thousand-foot-krutch","36":"tag-young-guns"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29822","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29822"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29822\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/29866"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29822"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29822"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29822"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}