Blue Ridge Rock Festival Day 2, featuring Alice Cooper, Gojira, Halestorm, Theory of a Deadman, Underoath, and Sevendust, took place September 9 at the legendary Virginia International Raceway.
Every band on the bill brought something unique to Day 2. Sevendust was kicking off their 20th anniversary Animosity tour, bringing a unique energy to the stage. Underoath’s frontman, Spencer Chamberlain, delivered his signature vocal prowess and aggressive performance to the masses. Turning the corner a bit, Canadian band Theory of a Deadman brought a variety in sound—from classic to heavy rock—ending the set with the country song, “Friends in Low Places (Dewayne Blackwell cover).” Halestorm’s frontwoman, Lzzy Hale, blew everyone away with her powerhouse voice, especially in “Back From the Dead” and fan favorite, “Freak Like Me.” French death metal band, Gojira, filled the Monster stage with incredible energy complete with an amazing pyro display. And Alice Cooper’s set featured a haunted castle backdrop shrouded in fog, creating the perfect ambiance for his ghastly theatrics, finished with an extended version of crowd favorite, “School’s Out,” with a burst of confetti.
The 5th year of Blue Ridge Rock Festival (BRRF) hosted 172 bands over 4 days at a massive new venue, the 1,300-acre Virginia International Raceway (VIR) in Alton, Virginia. From Thursday, September 8th through Sunday September 11th BRRF provided 12 hours of continuous rock and metal each day blasting from five stages. With two gigantic main stages side-by-side (Monster and ZYN), one could stay in one place for headbanging heaven, or trek down to the large URW stage and a little farther to the smaller Fan Driven stage. The Heartsupport stage was conveniently located near the vendors at the top/center of the festival. Overall, incredible bands graced every stage, and it was impossible to catch all your favorites!
