Aftershock shakes Sacramento

Donning her best platform boots and Gene Simmons’ demon-facial area paint, Oakland’s Jessica Tarkis was completely ready to rock and roll all night at the Aftershock Songs Competition in Sacramento.

“I’m listed here to see arguably the finest band in the entire world, KISS!” claimed the 36-12 months-old rocker.

Tarkis wasn’t by itself. Tens of hundreds of fans packed in front of the Jack Daniel’s Phase to see the legendary band headline the 2nd day of the Aftershock Music Festival at Discovery Park. Scores of people today flocked to the festival, celebrating a ten years in existence, to capture acts like Slipknot, Rob Zombie, My Chemical Romance, Muse and dozens of other performances in excess of the 4-working day festival.

“It feels like we are at Disneyland,” reported Mark Overton from North Carolina.

Overton wasn’t pondering Happiest Location on Earth as a lot as unlimited traces winding by way of the park. Some waited for hrs to capture a shuttle bus from the Cal Expo, only to be greeted by another very long line to get into the festival, acquire goods, go to the bathroom or purchase meals.

It is a festival, so crowds are anticipated, but some felt like they were being shelling out extra time in traces than viewing the awesome bands hitting the 4 levels. To the festival’s credit score, some of the very first-day kinks ended up streamlined by day two.

Massive posters showcasing artwork from Aftershock earlier and existing dotted the landscape, blended with a sprinkling of outsized album addresses giving a myriad of selfie chances. The huge facial area of Rob Zombie was one particular of the well known picture places for some to update their social media accounts. Zombie took to the Kolas Phase on working day one, demonstrating he can even now get the Zombie fanatics into a frenzy. Slipknot put the exclamation on Thursday’s exhibits with a pyro-induced, head-banging spectacle.

By working day two, some rockers identified their strides as others sought out shade to relaxation and recuperate from the past day. Band following band, the crowds grew more substantial, along with the desire for the bottles of water passed out by security to the masses standing in the sweltering heat. By 4 p.m. Clutch direct singer Neil Fallon was experience the heat. With sweat pouring down his confront, he thanked the crowd for becoming troopers for keeping down their spots in the blazing solar.

For quite a few, the surprise band of working day two was uncovered on the Kolas Stage, wherever Chris “Motionless” Cerulli and Motionless in White commanded the crowd with an energetic overall performance that remaining wave immediately after wave of crowd surfers dumped into the pit spot in front of the phase.

As the sunshine gave way to the night, the sea of darkish-colored fan apparel in entrance of the DWP Stage bit by bit commenced to transition to white. The adjust signified one thing. There would be blood — lots of it. The out-of-this-earth costumed band GWAR took to the stage with their blood-spewing theatrical antics to encourage “The New Darkish Ages” album, launched earlier this yr.

As GWAR dismembered figures on stage, covering the crowd with blood-like goo on the DWP Stage, the Jack Daniel’s Phase was quietly making ready for the KISS Army. Four large statues — at least 100 feet tall — of the band associates have been erected at the front of the stage. As the display exploded with the drop of a large KISS banner, in genuine rock god fashion, the rockers descended from the heavens on platforms in normal KISS style and in clouds of smoke with fireworks and explosions to carry out “Detroit Rock Metropolis.”

The encounter was guaranteed to be remembered by the enormous group, witnessing that even even though Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley are in their 70s, they can continue to “rock and roll all night and celebration each working day.”

As working day two arrived to a near, some Aftershockers had gotten their fill, whilst others headed for relaxation and recovery in planning for two additional times of festival exciting that includes bands like My Chemical Romance and Papa Roach on Saturday with the Struts and Muse wrapping factors up on Sunday.