Day two of Maine's Impact Music Festival kept the momentum from the previous night running strong start to finish!
Headlining day two was Boston’s own Godsmack, who showed that even though their musical styles may have changed over the years, they can still put on a hell of a show! They kept the crowd moving and thriving through a selection of their newest hard rock anthems such as “When Legends Rise,” and “Say My Name,” as well as hits from their iconic back catalogue such as “Awake,” and “I Stand Alone.”
Gothic/symphonic rock icons Evanescence brought a darker, more atmospheric vibe to the evening, yet at the same time lit up the waterfront. Boasting a strong background of recognizable favorites, Evanescence provided a refreshing change to a lot of the more aggressive fare that the day provided. That being said, we cannot discount for a second, the ramp up in intensity that day two brought to the table.
Killswitch Engage is always a ton of fun to see live, giving a flawless balance of crushingly heavy riffs and insanely catchy melodies to follow. This of course balanced with the band’s entertaining sense of humor, mainly provided by guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz. Killswitch never fails to liven up the night!
Throughout the day, Impact Fest provided another diverse day of hard rock and aggressive metal stylings. From the well established classic hard rock riffs of Buckcherry getting the crowd on their feet to the younger, up and coming acts like Joyous Wolf showing Maine what they have to offer the ever expanding metal scene. One thing about the day was certain, I have never seen a vocalist perform from on top of a porta potty before (I’m sure I’m not alone in this, but who knows?) This all changed when I watched FEVER 333 perform. This group aggressively brandished some of the most frantic, explosive energy I have seen in a long time. If you ever have the opportunity to see them, I highly recommend that you do so.
To wrap things up, day two of the festival brought with it a lot of reflection, both personal and on a wider scale. On a personal note, upon seeing the lineup for this day of music, I noticed that a lot of the bands performing were bands I listened to constantly when I was in high school and college. Bands like Godsmack, Killswitch Engage, and All That Remains were what helped me through a lot of rough times in my life, helping to see me through and come out stronger. To be able to have the opportunity to return the favor in my own way years later, I realized just how much things have changed for the better.
This, to me, is what makes the Impact Music Festival such a wonderful event. A lot of those in attendance have gone through such hard times, but were able to take solace and gain confidence in themselves through the music of these bands that are still going strong to this day. It says a lot about the staying power of these groups, as well as the love, support, and strength of the fans who they have affected in the best ways.
This, to me, is the impact of Impact Fest.
GODSMACK
EVANESCENCE
KILLSWITCH ENGAGE
BUCKCHERRY
BEARTOOTH
FEVER 333
MAMMOTHOR
ALL THAT REMAINS
CROWN LANDS
JOYOUS WOLF
