Rock Lansing Throws Down at Adado Park Lansing
The sun is high in the sky, the warm breeze blows through your hair, and there is the promise of killer performances: what more could you want from a festival? That was my exact experience at Rock Lansing on May 10th. With headliners ranging from Conquer Divide to Crobot to a cult-classic like Saliva, the day ahead was nothing short of stellar!
HEARTSICK
The first band I had the pleasure of photographing was Heartsick. While, admittedly, I hadn’t heard of them before, I was immediately blown away by frontman Alfonso Civile’s unique vocals backed by heavy, hard-hitting guitar riffs that you couldn’t help dancing to. With songs such as “Sleep Cycles,” “Sadness,” and “Vice City,” it was clear the band had gleaned inspiration from other Nu-metal staples on the scene, such as Deftones, System of A Down, and Nine Inch Nails, giving them that classic gritty feeling Nu-metal fans both old and new adore. The band has even gone so far as to create their own genre, aptly naming their style “DARKNUCORE.” Overall, they were explosive on stage, and I highly recommend trying this small-town band!
SHALLOW SIDE
Next up was Shallow Side, a band from Alabama originally formed in 2012 that grew to experience great success in just a few short years. In 2017, three singles skyrocketed the band straight to the top, earning them Loudwire’s title “Best New Artists of the Year.” Slowing the tempo down a bit, Shallow Side performed beautifully heart-wrenching anthems such as “Try to Fight It,” “Filters,” and their wickedly popular cover of “Renegade” by Styx. The band had a variety of music, ranging from lyrically powerful songs that hit home to more fun, upbeat, party-like bangers, giving the crowd an experience they’d certainly never forget!
CONQUER DIVIDE
I knew the night was amping up in energy as the next band took the stage, which was none other than woman-owned, founded, and formed: Conquer Divide. The all-female group had gained a healthy amount of traction on TikTok thanks to lead vocalist Kiarely Taylor’s insane range. Taylor showed off her vocal prowess heavily in their most popular song “Atonement,” ranging from floating melodies to guttural screams, all backed by heavy bass, complex riffs, and a thumping drum beat. Their set had the crowd jumping and singing along to every word, with hits such as “Paralyzed” – which takes a complete 180 during the last minute–, “system_failure,” and “Pressure.” I was absolutely enraptured with this diverse band’s performance, and it’s safe to say the crowd was too. If you get the chance to catch these ladies live, don’t miss out!
CROBOT
Next up was a big one: Crobot. Releasing their first album in 2015 with hits such as “Nowhere To Hide” and “Legend Of The Spaceborne Killer,” which combined earned them over five million streams on Spotify, the world was quickly taken by the fun, groovy rock beats and masterfully written lyrics, sung by none other than vocalist Brandon Yeagley. The band performed songs from a mix of their albums, though most notably the song “Low Life” from their 2019 album “Motherbrain,” which earned them over twenty-nine million listens on Spotify and a twenty-nine-week run of Top Ten on the Billboard Mainstream.
Yeagley brought a unique energy to the stage with powerful vocals and plenty of energy to back it, but also doesn’t take himself too seriously, creating an environment where fans feel right at home like they’re right up there on stage with him. The band performed other popular songs such as the more raw, stripped-back song “Gasoline,” giving us those clean, clear vocals from Yeagley and a rhythmic backing track to go with it. They also performed an almost goofy song, “Chupacabra,” but it delivered no less energy than the rest of their set list, and was a fun break in between their more serious songs. Needless to say, Crobot took their spot at the top for a reason, and they did not disappoint!
ADELITAS WAY
Kicking off the next set with a band was the one and only Adelitas Way, a legendary band among the edgy sound of the early 2000’s. Adelitas Way hit the scene with force back in 2009, releasing their top hit “Invincible” that made its rounds not only to the radio and television but into games. The song was so well-received that it even starred as the weekly theme song for the WWE Superstars show and made numerous appearances at live WWE events.
Lead vocalist Rick DeJesus is a well-known face alongside those early 2000’s anthems, such as bands like Papa Roach, Seether, and Daughtry. In 2016, they released the album “Stuck,” with the hit song “Dog on a Leash” that earned them a number five spot on the US Mainstream Rock Chart. Needless to say, AW has paved their path onto the mainstream rock scene and carved a spot for themselves alongside other edgy classics. I was nothing short of impressed by their performance and the crowd was eating it up just as much, if not more!
With popular jams such as “What it Takes,” “Cage the Beast,” and “Still Hungry,” AW delivered on all fronts with those well-loved vocals from DeJesus, smooth guitar riffs from Tavis Stanley, thumping bass-lines from Andrew Cushing, and clean drum rhythms from Trevor Stafford. It was a show every early 2000’s rock lover wouldn’t have wanted to miss.
EVANS BLUE
As the sun set and gave way to stars above, on came Evans Blue, a band with lyrical mastery from lead vocalist Dan Chandler and crunchy, gritty guitar riffs from Parker Lauzon, lending them a standalone sound. While their music has evolved with the years, Evans Blue has always stuck to their roots, lyrics both challenging and comforting in equal measure.
Their top hits, such as “Erase My Scars,” with forty-seven million listens on Spotify, and “This Time It’s Different,” with thirty-six million listens on Spotify, have perfectly captured their essence: a blend of catchy melodies, head-banging worthy beats, and heartfelt lyrics to scream to. It’s no wonder EB is so adored among the 2000’s rock community, given their hauntingly beautiful performance and confident stage presence.
They didn’t hold back on giving us the popular songs, either, with performed pieces such as “Sick of It,” “Erase My Scars,” and “Bulletproof,” tapping into all of those core memories for 2000’s rock lovers both young and old.
AYRON JONES
Second to last was a rocker still relatively new to the scene but no less impressive than the rest: Ayron Jones. This young Seattle rocker cemented his spot at the top five in the charts shortly after releasing his first single, “Take Me Away,” and then shortly after, “Mercy.”
Jones blends his clean, soulful vocals with gritty, crunchy guitar and even some backup singers offering that little extra oomph to some of his songs. While still smaller, Ayron was just as well received as the other bands, and is well-known for his hit singles that were staples on all rock radio stations alike shortly after their release.
While the setlist hasn’t been made available online, some of his focus tracks for his last few performances included “Mercy,” to “Take Me Away” to “Baptized In Muddy Waters.” Jones is quickly rising on the rock scene, so be sure to catch him before he’s headlining arenas!
SALIVA
Last, but certainly not least, were the Nu-metal legends themselves, Saliva, with front man Bobby Amaru leading the charge and infusing the band with new lifeblood in 2011. You might know these cult-classic rockers for their certified Double Platinum-selling album “Every Six Seconds,” and their most well-known song “Click Click Boom.” Or maybe you know them from the grammy-nominated song “Your Disease,” off that very same album. Whatever the case is, Saliva has earned themselves a spot as a household name among Nu-metal and dad rock fans alike alongside other notable names such as Limp Bizkit and P.O.D. Saliva had the exact energy you would expect from them: high and fast.
The crowd had been waiting all night for the legends themselves, and they were far from disappointing. With that familiar mixture of rap, gritty screams, and heavy-driving beats, Saliva performed all of their most adored songs, both new and old, such as “Ladies and Gentlemen,” “Devil’s World,” and the song, “Click Click Boom” as their finishing piece. Whether you knew them only for one song or knew them for every word, Saliva had something for everybody, punching out song after song that kept the audience on their feet the whole night. I’m thrilled I got the chance to experience such a notable band firsthand, and I would easily recommend them to any 2000s rock fan!
THE OVERALL VERDICT
Overall, the day was jam-packed to the brim with talented artists and bands, ranging from small town bands I was sure to love to those big-name rockers that we all love. Between the hyped up crowd, the outdoor setting, and natural ambiance, I couldn’t have had more fun if I tried. It’s no wonder that Rock Lansing has become a yearly staple for Lansing. If you’re ever in the area this time of year, come and enjoy a slice of 2000’s rock heaven for a day!