Godsmack & Staind at Walnut Creek, NCGodsmack & Staind kicked off their summer tour last week with shows in St. Louis, Missouri, Raleigh, North Carolina and Virginia Beach, Virginia. I had the opportunity to cover the second show of the tour last Thursday night in Raleigh, NC at Coastal Credit Union Music Pack at Walnut Creek. The show was loaded with hard rock, crazy fans, powerful vocals, aggressive guitar riffs and a signature drum battle (but more about that later).

Godsmack and Staind are touring in support of their new albums. Godsmack’s 8th and final studio album Lighting Up the Sky released earlier this year in February of 2023 via BMG. The 11 song album was co-produced by vocalist/guitarist Sully Erna and Andrew Murdock (Avenged Sevenfold, Alice Cooper). Musicians Tony Rombola on guitar, Robbie Merrill on bass and Shannon Larkin on drums.

“Soul On Fire” official music video from the new album Lighting Up the Sky (2023)

Godsmack’s live set included 4 singles from the new album “Soul on Fire” , “Surrender” , “You and I” and “What About Me”. Godsmack’s set had a classic heavy sound which features “high-voltage and high-energy” as Sully Erna mentions. It wouldn’t be a Godsmack show without massive pyro and 20 feet high flames shooting out of the back of the stage. Godsmack is bad ass.

The set also included classic hits like “When Legends Rise” , “Voodoo” , “Bulletproof” and “Under Your Scars” before finishing with their iconic closer “I Stand Alone”.

I mentioned a drum battle earlier. For years, Godsmack has a mid-show drum battle that shows off the skills of drummer Robbie Merrill and singer Sully Erna (yes Sully) on the drums. It’s a really unique part of the show. Sully Erna emerges from back stage on a custom Yamaha drum set. Both Erna and Merrill’s drum set’s literally spin around while they guys play back in forth on AC/DC covers and other classic rock jams. It’s a nice break in the set that really show’s off the talent of the band we know and love as Godsmack.

Staind’s upcoming album, Confessions of the Fallen is set to release on September 15, 2023 via Alchemy Recordings/BMG. Staind actually opened their set in Raleigh, NC with the new single “Lowest in Me” which is the only track currently released on the new album. Starting their set with the new single was exciting way to start the show and get the fans jumping.

Aaron Lewis, lead vocalist of Staind mentioned he wanted to “modernize the sound and bring us up to date” with the new album. Let’s be honest, it’s been 12 years since Staind has released any new music so fans are eagerly anticipating any new music. Guitarist Mike Mushok, Johnny April on bass and Sal Giancarelli on drums.

Staind’s live set featured hits like “Right Here” , “So Far Away” , “It’s Been A While” and finally closing out with “Mudshovel”. Fans were also treated to an acoustic version of “Epiphany” by Aaron Lewis.

Nothing More was originally slated to provide opening support for this tour but dropped out last minute due to personal issues within the band. Fortunately for us, Mix Master Mike of notorious hip-hop group Beastie Boys stepped in and provided an opening DJ/turntablist set as well as a custom mashup of Queen’s “We Will Rock You” as the walk out song for Godsmack.

Godsmack and Staind have also announced additional tour dates for this Fall with opening support from hard rock legends like I Prevail, Atreyu and Jason Hook (formerly Five Finger Death Punch) new band Flat Black.

You can view additional tour dates on Godsmack’s website.

godsmack.com/tour

Amazon Music, Bandsintown join forces to help artists sell more merchResponding to the growing importance of merch as an income stream for musicians, Amazon Music and Bandsintown have collaborated to launch a new merch integration. Starting today, fans can shop. Continue reading
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Amazon Music partners with Bandsintown for new merch integrationFans can now shop for merch via artist profile pages on the Bandsintown website and app
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TuneCore partners with MBW as exclusive supporter of ‘Trailblazers’ interview seriesTrailblazers highlights forward-thinking entrepreneurs in all corners of the globe, from North America to Latin America, Europe to Asia-Pacific, Africa and beyond
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Songwriters are using AI Generated voices for song pitchesSome may see it as cheating while others find it genius, however no matter what you think AI will not be stopped by creating new strides for music professionals. by. Continue reading
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How to film a music video on a small budgetNot everyone has access to fancy high-tech recording equipment to make a music video, but luckily you don’t have to. This easy-to-follow guide gives helpful tips and strategies to produce. Continue reading
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HIMA Will Present Pro Panel Symposium: "Production to Placement"HIMA (Hollywood Independent Music Awards) will present "Production to Placement," wherein an A-list group of production and music licensing experts will share vital information, solutions, method and tricks of the trade so you can have broadcast quality recordings that can land a sync deal.

See details HERELIMITED OCCUPANCY SO SECURE YOUR SEAT TODAY!

Moderated by John Anderson, a.k.a. Hot Tub JohnnieA highly accomplished Music Publishing Executive, John Anderson serves as the CEO and ringmaster of Hunnypot Unlimited. This multifaceted organization specializes in discovering and nurturing emerging music talent by providing Music Publishing, Artist Representation, Marketing, and Film & Television Placement services. See more HERE

6:00PM – 9:00PM Hang On To The Dream Theater, Hollywood & Highland Complex (above The Hard Rock Cafe) 6801 Hollywood Blvd, Suite 200, Los Angeles, CA 90028

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS & MORE INFO

NOTE: HIMA annual members get free admission to this event. Coupon code to bypass entry fee will be sent directly to annual members.

Believe revenues up 17.9% YoY in first half of 2023 to EUR €415.4 millionParis-headquartered music company Believe has published its financial results for the first half of 2023
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Deezer lowers revenue forecast for FY 2023, with no net global subscribers added in latest quarterDeezer generated EUR €233.2 million in overall revenue in H1 2023, up 6.5% year-on-year at constant currency
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Music Merch study shows what’s selling and other 2023 trends in merchA new study by atVenue offers an in-depth look at trends in music merch sales, including what’s selling and what’s not. The data was derived from the company’s point-of-sale technology,. Continue reading
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Time Management Hacks for Musicians [Bobby Borg]Author, teacher, and artist advocate Bobby Borg shares some time-saving tips and hacks that can help every musician focus on what really matters – the music. from Bobby Borg [Video. Continue reading
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Top 6 Apps for Music Producers: LALA, AudioMovers, Tracklib, Landr, Splice & SoundtrapLooking to become a better and more successful music producer? These 6 tools can help you reach your full producing potential. By Joseph Capalbo from SoundFly Technology is revolutionizing the. Continue reading
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Classical Highlights for July 2023The Linos Piano Trio (pictured) gave us a notable performance of Ravel. Other new releases you might want to hear are violinist Daniel Hope's New Music for a New Century and piano concertos by Rautavaara and Martinu played by Dalia Stasevska.

New Music Critique: RashaannRashaannContact: rashaann10.karma@gmail.com

Web: linktr.ee/rashaann_karma

Seeking: ReviewStyle: Hip-Hop

N.Y.C. emcee Rashaann channels the old school on his latest release Far From Home. The title track clocks in at over 8 minutes, and, right out of the gate, Rashaann raps quickly reflecting on his past and present, encouraging through the lessons he’s learned. Given the length, you can imagine there is movement, though we feel there is not enough variance in his delivery or the smooth jazz instrumental. “Unfinished Business” features an exciting crunch rock guitar on a loop. The song sounds like a cypher by De La Soul or Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, with multiple guests and fluid verses. “Times Like This” is emotional and observational, with enticing soul samples spiced up with Rashaann’s jokes and wordplay.

Dua Lipa faces new lawsuit over ‘Levitating’ as producer Bosko Kante sues for alleged copyright infringement on remixesLawyers for Bosko Kante, a music producer, engineer and entrepreneur, filed a complaint on Monday (July 31)
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