The 2009 ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL

COMCAST CENTER Mansfield, MA
COMCAST THEATER Hartford, CT
Live show review by Lena Lamoray

The 2009 ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL, so great you have to see it at least twice.  This year’s festival was headlined by MARILYN MANSON and additional main stage acts were BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE and SLAYER.  The JAGER stage featured STEMM, GOD FORBID, ALL THAT REMAINS, TRIVIUM, and SOUL MADE VISIBLE.  The HOT TOPIC/EXTREME METAL stage had WHITE CHAPEL, BEHEMOTH, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, JOB FOR A COWBOY and CANNIBAL CORPSE.

MARILYN MANSON played a mix of new stuff and older stuff although no truly classic fan hits off of PORTRAIT OF AN AMERICAN FAMILY like GET YOU GUNN, LUNCHBOX, MY MONKEY or so on.  I guess an hour just isn’t enough time for everything but I would of liked to hear at least one.  What does a long time MARILYN MANSON fan have to do to get another taste of that classic goodness?  The combustible bible was a cool touch although nothing can compare to the GUNS, GODS & GOVERNMENT tour when MARILYN MANSON cultivated into something unreachable with his hydraulic lifted evolving self.    It was great to see TWIGGY on stage with him again and TOURNIQUET was a musical masterpiece.  I can’t wait until MARILYN MANSON tours again and hopefully we get to spend more time with him on his musical excursion.

BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE gave it their all and succeeded in making a functioning wall of death.  They always involve their fans in getting the show started.  They opened up the main stage but had all the momentum to headline it.  KILLSWITCH ENGAGE are local heroes and excited the crowd with their practical joke stage antics.  They even come equipped with their party shirts on and ADAM D. even fights crime with his superhero physique and cloak of satin.   They also made a good point, Massachusetts does look like a “flexing arm”.  SLAYER had the best lighting of the night with a nice blend of colors and beams.  Every photographers dream lighting! 

ALL THAT REMAINS rivaled the headlining acts and were a crowd favorite.  BEHEMOTH those crazy fun guys from Poland that are always getting themselves banned.  They were awesome to watch and had the best make-up on the tour.  CANNIBAL CORPSE had the roughest fence tearing down crowd.  Everyone’s favorite vintage murder mystery and by far the best HUNTER episode, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER brought their fun metal thrash and humor to the masses.  Other featured acts were WHITE CHAPEL, JOB FOR A COWBOY, SOUL MADE VISIBLE, GOD FORBID, TRIVIUM and STEMM.