Rock On The Range, Columbus, Ohio May 20, 2016 - Day 1

     My son Sam and I attended Friday's Rock On The Range at the Columbus Crew's Mapfre Stadium on May 20, 2016. We arrived about 4pm and headed over to the FYE Tent to see if we could get any autographs. Disturbed's session was sold out already, so we headed over to the Ernie Ball Stage. 

Bands we saw: Asking Alexandria, Machine Gun Kelly, Megadeth, Shinedown, and Disturbed. It rained from about 7 pm until the next morning. Although some people seemed to head for home early due to the damp weather, the rain did not dampen the spirits of those who stayed and the bands who played. Some notes:

Asking Alexandria

A metalcore band from England, Asking Alexandria put on a good show. Their songs show a variety of styles.

Machine Gun Kelly

My son Sam really looked forward to this show and was not disappointed. Exuding confidence and backed by a solid band and DJ, MGK put on a rousing set. They played quite a few of their songs and did a lively cover of Blink 182's "All The Small Things". MGK vowed to play the main stage next year.

Megadeth

I recall the heyday of Dave Mustaine's Megadeth in the '80s and '90s. I had never seen them live. The current lineup of this thrash metal classic group includes original members Mustaine and bassist David Ellefson. They had a very good set with their music accompanied by videos and short animated clips that added to the live effect. Happy I saw them!

Shinedown

I have listened to many Shinedown songs over time but had never seen them live. The band took to the main stage on Friday night and performed all their hits and many album favorites. The band sounded very solid and Brent Smith was in excellent voice throughout their performance. An excellent addition to RotR this year!

Disturbed

My son Sam would have stood in a hurricane to see Disturbed live. The band sounded terrific and David Draiman was in excellent voice (I do not know how these vocalists don't shred their vocal cords!) throughout the evening. Although classics like "Down With the Sickness" sounded great, I was excited they did a mid-set group of covers that included "The Sound of Silence" (Simon & Garfunkel), "Animal" (Nine Inch Nails), "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" (U2), Baba O'Reilly (the Who), and "Killing in the Name Of" (Rage Against the Machine) featuring a surprise guest vocalist: Jacoby Shaddix of Papa Roach. An excellent, highlight-filled headline show.

     We will be back on Saturday and Sunday for more rock 'n' roll.

Ernie Ball Stage 

Asking Alexandria on the Ernie Ball Stage 

 Machine Gun Kelly of Cleveland, Ohio

 Machine Gun Kelly on the Ernie Ball Stage

 Crowdsurfing at the Ernie Ball Stage during the MGK set.

MGK  

 Disturbed on the Monster Main Stage.

Disturbed as the finish covering "The Sound of Silence" on the Monster Main Stage.