The Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival hit Cincinnati yesterday almost as hard as the heat. With temperatures hitting highs of around 97º, the heat was almost unbearable for the metal heads who packed Cincinnati's Riverbend Music Center for one of the biggest metal tours in America. Misting stations and garden hoses were readily available for anyone who needed to cool off after crowding into the amphitheaters to see any of the 9+ opening acts, including side-stage headliners Trivium and Swedish death metal band In Flames, winners of two Swedish Grammis awards and Album of the Year by Swedish website P3.
In Flames bassist Peter Iwers says that he doesn't mind the small stages, although the band are used to performing on main stages around the world after the past few albums saw great success. "The sidestage is fun though. I enjoy both, but I always look at it from a brighter point of view. It's always harder to have a bigger production and you're so much closer to the people this way," he says. In Flames are currently promoting their latest album, Sounds of a Playground Fading, released last month. The album debuted at #27 on the Billboard Top 200 list in the US.
Mainstage acts included Machine Head, Megadeth, Godsmack, and American metal giants Disturbed headlined the event, closing the 10-hour festival with a fiery performance. After the show, Disturbed frontman David Draiman invited Mayhem Festival co-founder John Reese onstage where he was surprised with a video of touring bands and family wishing him a happy birthday. His 50th birthday fell on the day of Mayhem's Cincinnati stop.
The fourth annual Mayhem Festival continues to tour across North America. Touring resumes July 22 in Mansfield, Mass. For a complete list of tour dates, venues, bands, and for tickets visit www.rockstarmayhemfest.com.
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