I made it in time for Halestorm, and I’m so glad I did.  Traditionally not a fan of female fronted metal bands (I know…a band is a band, regardless of their gender).  For me, metal is masculine, and while I’m a woman and wish I loved female singers, I just don’t.  However, I loved Lizzy Hale in Halestorm.

What a beautiful woman.  She has stature, and power, and even thought she is beautiful and sexy, she doesn’t flaunt it.  She spends a lot of time on her knees playing guitar or singing her lungs out and has more energy than most people.

Halestorm started of the show with “I Miss the Misery” and “Love Bites (So Do I).

As a photographer, you generally shoot the first three songs.  When it seemed to be the end of song three, the security tapped our arms, and we were on our way out.  However, they turned us back around, ushering us to the stage, as the song was not over.  We were graced with minutes of beautiful shots of the band while Lizzy finished “I Get Off.”

“Freak Like Me” was next followed by “Can U See Me In the Dark.”  

Next up was “Familiar Taste of Poison,” “Takes My Life,” followed by a four-person percussion solo that was cool to see.  This band looks like they really like each other and love what they do.

“I Am the Fire,” “Here’s to Us,” and the band ended with “The Steeple.”

I watched grown women push people out of the way to gain a pic or a drumstick.  I was lucky to sit in the fifth row, next to the dad of a little girl in the fourth row.  She sat next to her mom and had her dad’s phone, recording a very wobbly version of the set.  She was wobbly because she was singing and jumping and seemed mesmerized by Ms. Hale.  The band saw her too, as she was gifted a drumstick and two picks.  Her smile was wide, and her parents looked proud.

The backdrop was interesting.  It looked like a giant piece of taffeta fabric that changed colors and swayed to the bluesy sounds of the band.

I would defiantly see Ms. Hale and her band again. She is a musician and band leader, giving everything she’s got to her fans.

At the halfway point in the tour, the mighty Godsmack took the stage.  I hadn’t seen them in a few years, and Sully even mentioned it had been a few years since he had been here.

Sully thanked the crowd and talked about how clean the air in Portland is.  He also commented on how handsome and burley the men were, and said, “Oh my god! The women here!”

Throughout the show Sully spoke to the crowd as if they were old friends.  “We are on our 27th year since the record came out.  Next year me and the handsome man next to me (pointing to the band member on his right) will have started this band 30 years ago!”

He also said, “This (Portland) is a special place for us, and here we are again in an arena full of fucking rock fans, and I can’t tell you how happy I am.  I think it deserves a little bit of a toast.  Can I have something to drink?”  and he turned to the side stage area.  “I want a shot, like a big fucking shot of tequila.”  “And gentlemen!  Pay attention?  Tequilla is a natural fucking aphrodisiac, so she will like it too!”  “

He mentioned he needed this break to have a little breather from singing.  He raised his glass and said, “So here’s to Mother Fucking Portland!” and took a swig.  He then passed the giant drink to the front row and told them to be nice and pass it on.  He did ask the crowd if anyone had covid, and to be mindful of that.  He didn’t actually say mindful, but that was the gist.  The crowd went wild!

Just before they broke out into “Keep Away,” Sully yelled: “Portland, should we wind it all the way back to the first fucking song that Godsmack released back in nineteen mother fucking 98!” The crowd went insane, and the band began while the crowd sang back louder than the band played.

The stage looked huge compared to the pretty stationary men of Godsmack.  Stationary for the first part, that is.  Sully moved towards the amps with bent knees, looking like he was playing with his friends in his garage, only doing it on a giant stage in front of thousands of people! They soon livened up and it was obvious that they were having a blast.

The crowd was rabid for the old songs that every single person knew and sang along with it seemed.

If you’ve seen Godsmack before, you know what it felt like, only on this night, everyone was happy, Sully was talkative (and said many iterations of “fuck” – but the crowd LOVED it!

No matter how long they stay away, Godsmack will always be beloved by the fans in Portland, Oregon.

The entire set-list included:

  • Surrender
  • You and I
  • When Legends Rise
  • 1000hp
  • Cryin’ Like a Bitch!!
  • Speak
  • Straight Out of Line
  • Awake
  • Keep Away
  • Voodoo
  • Batalla de los tambores
  • Whatever
  • Encore
  • Under Your Scars
  • Bulletproof
  • I Stand Alone