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Rock fest invades Schaghticoke

Jun 01, 2016 intern Music, News, The Spot


Rock fest invades Schaghticoke

Trivium - Photo by Jim Gilbert / NYSmusic.com


“Who here is actually from Schaghticoke?” asked Lzzy Hale, the lead singer and guitarist of Halestorm, to a crowd of thousands on Saturday night. “Like, 10 of you?”

She had a point. The rural Rensselaer County village has an official population of 592, per the 2010 U.S. Census.

But at this weekend’s Rock ‘N Derby festival at the Schaghticoke Fairgrounds, the small town could be heard for miles around. Over 50 metal bands — defined liberally enough to classify Lamb of God and Collective Soul under the same umbrella — performed over three stages and three days in the first-ever iteration of the festival.

The top stage, the Derby Stage, may have been a bit far, located at the other end of the property from the other performance sites — the Rock N’ Stage and the Arena Stage — but it was worth the walk, especially with bands that appealed to the younger crowd. Five Finger Death Punch, A Day to Remember and Shinedown each had a night to headline and play hits to the enamored patrons banging their heads in the lawn.

The latter two groups each paid acoustic homage to Lynyrd Skynyrd with A Day to Remember jamming to “Sweet Home Alabama” and Shinedown getting its crowd to sing in on the band’s now-famous rendition of “Simple Man.”

But the crowd was more than a chorus; it looked the part too. Speckled in the audience were masks matching those of Ghost and Hollywood Undead, locks of hair that covered faces like Claudio Sanchez from Coheed and Cambria and Capital District heritage representing the area’s own State Champs, who played their punk rock on Saturday afternoon.

At the Rock N’ Stage, the first generation of metal fans found its home. On Saturday night, Anthrax and singer Joey Belladonna turned the calendar back to 1987 with “I Am the Law” and “Caught in a Mosh.” The upstate New York vocalist’s energy was apparent throughout, straining his vocals as the crowd echoed his chants and fistpumps.

On Sunday, the second stage rocked out to Sixx:A.M., led by Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx, before Megadeth arrived in an atypical somber mood, given the circumstances.

In the light of the previous night’s news — the passing of the band’s former drummer Nick Menza — the performance was emotional, including a 30-second moment of silence in Menza’s honor, before a drum solo that perhaps honored the man just as well. Candles and flash-lit iPhones waved in the wind as Dave Mustaine’s voice trembled for his original bandmate.

Inside the Arena Stage screamed the loudest bands of the weekend, as the tattooiest metalheads of all moshed and danced in the dust of the indoor venue: a horse stable. Amid the smell of dung and hay, bands like Beartooth and Rings of Saturn ricocheted their heavy sound waves off the metallic ceiling, creating an environment that was insane at best, and insufferable at worst.

But that was not the only instance of metal crashing on a dirt floor in Schaghticoke over the weekend. On Saturday and Sunday afternoons, an on-site demolition derby provided for an exciting diversion from the noisy rock shows. Cars crunched and engines flared — with volume and with flame — as the drivers fought to the death of their automobiles.

A Day to Remember bassist Neil Westfall tried his luck himself in the treachery as a special guest driver, but the headlining member’s fortunes were quick to fade, finishing 15th in his heat of 18 cars.

Although not guaranteed to turn into an annual festival, Schaghticoke’s first metal weekend seemed to be a success. Some complaints existed  — maybe sweep the media barn next time? — but local vendors made significant profits and visitation numbered in the thousands. For those thrilled to see dozens of their favorite bands in the Albany area, Rock ‘N Derby was not only a Day to Remember, but perhaps a Weekend to Remember.

Five Finger Death Punch - Photo by Jim Gilbert / NYSmusic.com
Five Finger Death Punch – Photo by Jim Gilbert / NYSmusic.com
Avatar - Photo by Jim Gilbert / NYSmusic.com
Avatar – Photo by Jim Gilbert / NYSmusic.com
Demolition Derby - Photo by Jim Gilbert / NYSmusic.com
Demolition Derby – Photo by Jim Gilbert / NYSmusic.com
Halestorm - Photo by Jim Gilbert / NYSmusic.com
Halestorm – Photo by Jim Gilbert / NYSmusic.com
Anthrax - Photo by Jim Gilbert / NYSmusic.com
Anthrax – Photo by Jim Gilbert / NYSmusic.com
A Day to Remember - Photo by Jim Gilbert / NYSmusic.com
A Day to Remember – Photo by Jim Gilbert / NYSmusic.com
Trivium - Photo by Jim Gilbert / NYSmusic.com
Trivium – Photo by Jim Gilbert / NYSmusic.com
Sevendust - Photo by Jim Gilbert / NYSmusic.com
Sevendust – Photo by Jim Gilbert / NYSmusic.com
Collective Soul - Photo by Jim Gilbert / NYSmusic.com
Collective Soul – Photo by Jim Gilbert / NYSmusic.com
Ghost - Photo by Jim Gilbert / NYSmusic.com
Ghost – Photo by Jim Gilbert / NYSmusic.com
Nikki Sixx of Sixx A.M. - Photo by Jim Gilbert / NYSmusic.com
Nikki Sixx of Sixx A.M. – Photo by Jim Gilbert / NYSmusic.com
Dave Mustaine of Megadeth - Photo by Jim Gilbert / NYSmusic.com
Dave Mustaine of Megadeth – Photo by Jim Gilbert / NYSmusic.com
Shinedown - Photo by Jim Gilbert / NYSmusic.com
Shinedown – Photo by Jim Gilbert / NYSmusic.com

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Empire State Plaza Events

9 hours ago

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It would have been better if it didn’t start early. We waited to come at 5:30 because of the cold and got there 2 minutes before the finale. Not happy about that at all. You have a schedule for a reason.

Lol

Seriously! I intentionally arrived w/ a few minutes to spare because of how cold it was tonight. Didn't want to have my 2 year old out any longer than needed. Got there and the tree was lit already and the fireworks were going off. Very disappointing!

Did anybody ever pick up the drone? 😩😩😩

Thank u❗❗❗❗

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Why did you start the fireworks early? It said on FB tree lighting and fireworks 5.30- 6 but they started at 5.20 and we and many others missed them. People were running down State St as soon as they heard them start.

Honestly, I never head out until I hear the fireworks, but I enjoy them every year. Maybe next year I'll plan ahead. Thanks as always for the December fireworks!

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Clear out the bus stops on Rt. 9 Watervliet/Latham. Kids are standing in road! The stop right ahead of the circle had about a dozen people balancing on iced over roads. A little further down a mother was body shielding her toddler while they waited for the bus...once again in the road because the stop was snowed in. Shameful!!

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Download the Cityfinder app for trolley stops and real time arrivals at your fingertips! 📱
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The trolley lit up...

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There's the trolley yayyy

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