Instead of a night of winning big and Uncut Gems moments at the Gary ‘sino, I put on my Cookie Monster snapback, oversized Osiris’s, and slammed my favorite Monster Energy to relive my edgy middle school years during Hollywood Undead and Papa Roach on their current Kill the Noise Tour.
The new kids on the block, Bad Wolves, kicked the night off with their metallic intensity and area-style hooks of modern metal that have allowed them to stand out among the rest earning them tour spots with Breaking Benjamin, Five Finger Death Punch, Nickleback, and more. Made up of former members of Bury Your Dead, For the Fallen Dream, In This Moment, and even The Acacia Strain, it makes sense why Bad Wolves is quickly rising to the top and making a name for themselves.
Nu-metal? Crunkcore? industrial hip hop? Rapcore? However you wanna describe them, Hollywood Undead’s set brought me back to browsing my local Hot Topic and terrorizing the local mall with my friends while we took pictures on our sliding or flip phones to update our MySpace pages. The MySpace era and industrial hip-hop OGs delivered a killer set filled with fan favorites, biggest hits, and new tracks for old and new fans alike.
It is sometimes forgotten tthat Hollywood Undead have shared the stage and toured with the likes of Avenged Sevenfold, Asking Alexandria, Black Veil Brides, and more; Once you see them live, it’s apparent their 10-plus years of touring has paid off, as they delivered a high-octane set with visually engaging stage production, hilarious stage banter and charisma (even bringing a fan on stage to shred out on the guitar with the band), and nonstop energy.
Papa Roach have never been scared to branch out of their comfort zone, walking the line between “rap-rock,” electronic, and just straight-up rock ‘n’ roll. Drawing inspiration from old-school hip-hop to hard-rock, Papa Roach continues to deliver a diverse and fearless discography filled with thumping bass lines, crunching guitar grooves, and rock-solid beats that inspired an entire generation of metal-core acts.
What other early-2000s hard rock band can tour with acts ranging from Limp Bizkit to the Vans Warped Tour to Eminem & E-40 to Ozzfest, while still being the embodiment of teenage angst? Papa Roach continue to demonstrate why they’ve stood the test of time for over two decades with a loyal, die-hard fan base consistently sticking with them. Some would say its nostalgia; I’d say it’s a mixture of being taken back to a simpler time in their lives, while still receiving a modern punch. This is why Papa Roach continues to be relevant, keeping true to their roots, while being able to mix it up and progress forward as artists.
Bad Wolves
Hollywood Undead
Papa Roach
