Louder than Life 2017: Bands not to miss
Louder than Life is set to come rolling back into Louisville KY again this year on Saturday September 30th and Sunday October 1st and Photos From The Pit plans to be back on hand to cover all of the action.
2017, once again, brings another solid lineup to Louisville with the Prince of Darkness himself, Ozzy Osbourne (featuring Zakk Wylde) as the headliner on Saturday, with Prophets of Rage on Sunday. As epic as the these two acts are, Rob Zombie, Five Finger Death Punch, Rise Against, Stone Sour, as well as numerous additional incredible acts will also be performing over the weekend as well.
With a who’s who of bands and performances jam packed into a single weekend, it’s easy to become overwhelmed as you plan out your assault of the festival grounds, trying to take in all of the epic-ness Louder than Life has to offer. Fear not, for you’re in luck; as we now present to you our list of bands that you must check out over the weekend…no matter what:
Rolling into Louisville on Saturday, is Grammy award winning Halestorm, fronted by the always incredible Lzzy Hale. Currently on the road, promoting their latest album, “INTO THE WILD LIFE”, Halestorm has produced an amazing and eclectic set of music that is blowing away venues worldwide, with a sound and musical range that only Lzzy can bring. “To me, this album is about independence and the bravery it takes to step into the unknown,” Hale says. “It’s not like we strayed from what we are, it’s just a lot more of what we are.” With Louder than Life still well over 3 months away, the buzz and excitement that Halestorm is generating right now in anticipation of their performance is beyond incredible and one that shouldn’t be missed!
Not to be outshined by the Rock and Roll royalty that will be gracing the festival grounds over the weekend, we are also stoked to see The Pretty Reckless taking the stage on Sunday. Still flying high on their second studio release “Going to Hell”, finds the band rolling into Louisville just before the highly anticipated release of their third album “Who You Selling For”, which is set to be released in October. The four piece band is comprised of Taylor Momsen on vocals and guitar, Ben Phillips on guitar, who have a 10+ year relationship of creating incredible music together. This powerhouse is rounded out with Mark Damon on bass and Jamie Perkins on the drums. What makes this band so unique is their bare all musical style and the way they lay everything out there for people to hear. People relate to the topics in their songs and as a result it’s turned into a passionate and dedicated fan base, while at the same time garnering new fans with every tour stop that they make.
Also playing on Sunday is the incredible duo that makes up the band ’68. The band is comprised of two members: Josh Scogin on guitar and vocals and Michael McClellan on drums. Their album, “In Humor and Sadness” was heralded by Alternative Press as one of 2014’s most anticipated releases of the year and a truer statement couldn’t have been made. “We’ve just broken the tip of the iceberg. We’re really just exploring all the different things we can do,” Scogin promises. “I’ll get more pedals, we’re try different auxiliary instruments, whatever – the goal is to challenge ourselves and challenge an audience.”
Another must see on Sunday is definitely the band Beartooth. Beartooth is an American hardcore punk band formed by Caleb Shomo in Columbus, Ohio in 2012. Their debut EP “Sick” was released on July 26, 2013, followed by their debut full-length album “Disgusting” on June 10, 2014. Their 2nd album “Aggressive” was released on June 3, 2016. “I made the whole thing by myself,” Shomo says of Beartooth’s debut album, Disgusting. “The entire record, front to back, is literally a reflection of my thoughts and my mental well-being at the time. The album captures every end of the spectrum musically and lyrically. I know this may sound strange, but I didn’t write these songs for anyone. I wrote just to write. All of the songs came about because I love writing Beartooth songs. That’s it. I won’t record a song unless I love it, unless I believe in it. I won’t do it any other way.” This bare all style of writing basically lays everything out there to anyone lucky enough to be in attendance at one of their shows. Good or bad, people connect with what Shomo has to say…and it’s obviously paying off as Beartooth continues to gain more fans with each and every tour stop that they make.
So, there you have it…our take on a couple must see bands playing over the weekend during the Louder than Life festival. We’d also be remiss to not remind you to check out all of the kick ass food and drink offerings that will be scattered all over the grounds. Be sure to check out the donuts from Hi Five Donuts, killer hot chicken from Joella’s Hot Chicken and some insanely good BBQ from the guys at Mike’s Kentucky Kitchen. Also, some great drink offerings a plenty from the good people at West Sixth Brewing Company, some local brew from Falls City Beer and probably more bourbon choices in one spot than anywhere else on the planet from Maker’s Mark, Jim Beam and Evan Williams, just to name a few. To say we’re stoked to be back at Louder than Life again this year? That would be an understatement! So you guys there!
