Dr. Rock's Music Adventures: Rock On The Range, Columbus, Ohio 5/22/16

The final day of Rock on the Range 2016 featured a more alternative/modern rock feel to the lineup and sunny weather. We were lucky enough to arrive while Highly Suspect was on stage and snagged a very nice location in Section 125 to "camp" for the rest of the day/evening in comfortable seats.

Notes on the bands:

Highly Suspect

A band from Massachusetts that features Johnny Stevens and twin brothers Rich and Ryan Meyer. They feature a hard, alternative rock sound. I hope to hear more from these guys in the future. Nice set!

The Struts

Wow! What a lively, classic rock with an alternative twist sound from these guys from the UK. From the Mercury meets Jagger lead singer Luke Spiller to the solid sound from guitarist Adam Slack and the excellent rhythm section of Gethin Davies and Jed Elliot, these guys are built for a nice career. My son Sam was able to grab their autographs at the FYE tent -- cannot wait to see these guys again!

Death From Above 1979

The DFA79 are from Canada and this was my third time seeing them live in the last year. I LOVE their sound. The vocals, drums, and bass guitar sound all meld together into a hard alternative sound that just sounds great. This was another excellent performance! Their song "Trainwreck" is one of my favorite songs of the last 5 years.

Wolfmother

I was lucky enough to catch these guys at RotR a couple years ago, but my son Sam had never seen them. We were both very pleased with this set! Lots of top songs and album cuts! Nice guitar intro on "Joker & the Thief" and overall an excellent performance.

Bring Me The Horizon

I was not previously aware of this band but their performance was very solid. I'd love to see these guys again. An interesting twist: English band with a lead singer wearing a Bernie Sanders t-shirt performing an anti-Trump song!

The Deftones

I have not heard too much of their material previously, but have liked what I heard. This was an interesting show with lots of varied songs and excellent musicianship. Really good set.

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Today's headliner might not be a classic RotR band, but fit in perfectly to this day's lineup. This was our second time seeing the Peppers, and this show did not disappoint. The band added some between-song instrumental flourishes and then repeatedly launched into hit after hit. Lead singer Anthony Kiedis was in fine form though the Peppers were forced to cancel last weekend's performance when he was ailing. Flea was in stellar form with much energy and excellent playing. Guitarist Josh Klinghoffer really impressed all night. An excellent set and a fine way to end the weekend.