2008 Woodie Awards
RockStock strikes Cedar Rapids hard
Five heavy metal bands converge to provide music enthusiasts with an electrically charged show
Sara Dunn
Issue date: 9/15/05 Section: A&E
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Thousands of people filtered through the gates at Hawkeye Downs Motor Speedway in Cedar Rapids for RockStock, presented by Rock 108 on Sept. 3.
Some spectators sat in the stands while others made a beeline for the pit. People became hot, angry and impatient, but then came the first band.
Hinder, a band out of Oklahoma, kicked off the event. The crowd welcomed the band's presence and risqué lyrics.
Next up was the new band, 10 Years. Having a softer sound, vocalist Jesse Hasek managed to calm the rowdy crowd. The performance was laid back until they played their first hit single, "Wasteland." The moment the opening chords played, the crowd jumped in unison and screamed with joy.
Submerged took the stage next and started with an instrumental, showcasing the band's abilities. The performance raised the intensity of the concert thanks to skilled guitarists Eric Friedman and T.J. Davis, a heavy bassline and Donald Carpenter's melodic vocals.
The fourth band to come out was Ill Niño, whose hard rock and metal sound, mixed with tribal undertones drove the crowd into a primal state. Vocalist Cristian Machado enticed the crowd to break all the rules.
Machado encouraged moshing, crowd surfing and a head-banging contest. The crowd followed every command.
Finally came the most popular band, Disturbed. The moment guitarist Dan Donegan touched his guitar the crowd re-energized. Vocalist David Draiman brought a deep philosophical explanation to the new album Ten Thousand Fists. Draiman said it was meant to represent people rising up and rebelling. The fist has been a symbol of strength and change, he said. He asked the crowd to raise their fists in defiance. They did.
Disturbed took the crowd through many emotions, from happiness to anger to being on the verge of tears. Draiman got his message across to another part of this generation. The crowd expected a memorable show and Disturbed delivered.
Some spectators sat in the stands while others made a beeline for the pit. People became hot, angry and impatient, but then came the first band.
Hinder, a band out of Oklahoma, kicked off the event. The crowd welcomed the band's presence and risqué lyrics.
Next up was the new band, 10 Years. Having a softer sound, vocalist Jesse Hasek managed to calm the rowdy crowd. The performance was laid back until they played their first hit single, "Wasteland." The moment the opening chords played, the crowd jumped in unison and screamed with joy.
Submerged took the stage next and started with an instrumental, showcasing the band's abilities. The performance raised the intensity of the concert thanks to skilled guitarists Eric Friedman and T.J. Davis, a heavy bassline and Donald Carpenter's melodic vocals.
The fourth band to come out was Ill Niño, whose hard rock and metal sound, mixed with tribal undertones drove the crowd into a primal state. Vocalist Cristian Machado enticed the crowd to break all the rules.
Machado encouraged moshing, crowd surfing and a head-banging contest. The crowd followed every command.
Finally came the most popular band, Disturbed. The moment guitarist Dan Donegan touched his guitar the crowd re-energized. Vocalist David Draiman brought a deep philosophical explanation to the new album Ten Thousand Fists. Draiman said it was meant to represent people rising up and rebelling. The fist has been a symbol of strength and change, he said. He asked the crowd to raise their fists in defiance. They did.
Disturbed took the crowd through many emotions, from happiness to anger to being on the verge of tears. Draiman got his message across to another part of this generation. The crowd expected a memorable show and Disturbed delivered.