Shinedown: The Next Generation of Classic Rock
Posted on September 13, 2022 at 9:43 AM by The Biker Lawyers
Shinedown brings the boom to Cedar Rapids, Iowa!
What could easily be considered the biggest rock show of 2022 in Cedar Rapids, just went down at the Alliant Energy Powerhouse this past week, and yes, they brought the boom!
If you listen to rock music at all, you know who Shinedown is.
“The next generation of classic rock…”
They are what I would like to consider, the next generation of classic rock, which is really odd to say because in many ways they are at the age of being a classic band…nearing 30 years old!
That’s a scary thought, isn’t it?
Anyway, Shinedown is freaking Shinedown man, I don’t think there is a better way to describe them, they are the PREMIER band these days that any age, gender, ethnicity, whatever can get into…it’s music for everyone… just as music should be, right?
Planet Zero World Tour
Shinedown was setting out on another tour and this time, they made their way to the Alliant Energy Powerhouse in Cedar Rapids and brought with them emerging artist Jelly Roll.
The show also happened to be the 30th Anniversary of Rock 108 which was pretty epic. This show was a super sell-out of a show where the arena had to keep opening up pockets of seats to accommodate how many people were going to be at this show which was estimated at over 7,500 rock fans, which yes, that is a LOT of people.
Backstage with Shinedown & Jelly Roll
Not to brag but my co-workers and I got to be treated to hanging out on Shinedown singer Brent Smith’s tour bus before the big show! So naturally, we were escorted back, and then out of nowhere, we cross paths with the one and only Jelly Roll, which was UNEXPECTED!
We stopped with him for a minute and Jelly was super grateful for what the radio station was doing for him as he currently has top songs in rock radio AND country…not many, if any, artists can say that.
We continued our trek and got onto Brent’s bus and shot the shit with him for about 20 minutes. We started talking about music, family, touring, and, well, living! 20 minutes flew by but we covered a lot of ground. Did you know the Lead Singer of Shinedown actually does not own a house? He lives on tour buses and in hotel rooms!
The question I wanted to ask is, does he like….own anything? I kind of wished I’d asked but regardless, it was a great time!
Jelly Roll Takes the Stage
Then the show began and Jelly Roll was on stage, let me tell you, DO NOT DOUBT JELLY! That dude can rock, rap, country, whatever….he’s just a talented guy, but, in my humble (biased) opinion, his rock stuff was the best. It’s very rare for an opening act to have like pyro and a light show, but Jelly brought it all man and it really surprised me! I don’t know too much of Jelly’s other stuff, but performing ‘Dead Man Walking’ was easily one of my favorite moments of the show for sure.
Shinedown Shines Strong
Then the big kahuna, Shinedown was set to hit the stage…and holy crap, they HIT the stage with pyro, explosions, energy, and all! They were there to conquer and that’s exactly what they did. Playing oldies and newbies like 45, The Crow and the Butterfly, Enemies, you name it, they probably played it.
I have been lucky to see Shinedown on multiple occasions, including them being an opening act which is crazy to think that was so long ago at this point.
The Message of the Night
Easily my favorite thing of the night was the message. Both bands were highly preachy about mental health, being there for each other, and saying that it’s ok.
In today’s world, where seemingly everyone is angry about something, stressed out, or feeling overworked, it was nice to go to a rock show and just BE ya know?
That’s why I enjoy concerts. Going to a concert is more than just going to listen to your favorite band sing your favorite songs. It’s a shared experience for a couple of hours of no worries, feeling the music, and not THINKING about everything else. I feel if more people attended concerts, it wouldn’t fix the issue of mental health, but you’d at least have an (often much-needed) escape- if only for a few hours.
About The Biker’s Ambassador of Rock
If you live in the Cedar Valley in Iowa, you probably know Ned. If not, you surely know his voice! Ned, the Music Director at Rock 108, is known for his energetic personality, wild spirit, and love for all things Live rock. In an epic collaboration with Rock 108, Ned will be presenting excellent inside experiences to our motorcycle riding community exclusively here so subscribe to the blog and check back every week to see what Ned’s up to next!
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