Rob Zombie brings the Freaks on Parade Tour to Las Vegas with help from Mudvayne, Static-X, and Powerman 5000 for a night of heavy metal not to be missed.
It’s Saturday night in Las Vegas and there is a massive tour on the agenda for heavy metal fans. The Freaks on Parade Tour promises to be a jam-packed night of heavy music and the near-capacity arena crowd cannot wait. The night kicks off with Powerman 5000 and Static-X. Unfortunately, the media is not in the venue for these two bands but from what the crowd is saying, they both put on high-energy, fun sets that really got the crowd going.
Mudvayne is up next and the crowd has been waiting for this. They are packed along the floor and pressed against the railing. Those who have been lucky enough to see Mudvayne before know what to expect but since the band has recently gotten back together from their hiatus which began in 2010, this will be the first time for many in attendance.
It is unique to see a band with this length of history be all original members but that is pretty much what this band is, with the addition of some touring musicians. Chad Grey (vocals), Greg Tribbett (guitar), Matthew McDonough (drums), and Ryan Martinie (bass) have all been with the band since forming in 1996/1997. Most in attendance are familiar with Grey’s other work as the frontman for Hellyeah but while Mudvayne is similar, it is a totally different style of a show. This is not a big theatrical production, just the band and their music along with their makeup which complements the songs.
They open with “Dig” and right then the crowd is transported back to what they loved about this band before moving into “Under My Skin” and “-1.” Grey is on the risers, in the crowd, and all around commanding attention. The set progresses with other favorites like “Death Blooms,” “Not Falling” and “Dull Boy.” The crowd is loving every minute of it, singing along before the 11-song set closes with “World So Cold” and “Happy.” The crowd is pumped up and the overall feeling is that this set was worth waiting over a decade for, but they hope they won’t have to wait that long again.
It is now time for the headliner. While you could argue this is a co-headlining tour, there is no way that Rob Zombie doesn’t command attention and own the lead spot. While Mudvayne’s stage show is visually paired down, allowing the musicians and the music to shine, Zombie’s is the opposite. There are video screens all over the stage and a huge zombie platform in the middle. Despite Rob Zombie being more theatrical as a band, the musicians still manage to shine on their own. John 5 (guitar), Piggy D (bass), Ginger Fish (drums), and, of course, Rob himself all capture your attention along with the videos that play. It is hard at times to decide where you are going to look but everything is so captivating that there is no wrong choice and that adds to the energy and excitement of the show.The set opens differently from many in past tours with “The Triumph of a King Freak (A Crypt of Preservation and Superstition),” “Superbeast,” and “Meet the Creeper.” The stage show continues to impress as it goes on with the dancing robot and creeper, large inflatable balloons in the crowd, and even some fake snowfall. The video screens play various images from many of the music videos and at one point, the trailer for Rob Zombie’s new movie The Munsters plays. The set moves through all the favorites “Living Dead Girl,” “More Human than Human,” a White Zombie song and others like “Dead City Radio,” “Never Gonna Stop,” and “House of 1000 Corpses.” These are all the songs the crowd wants to hear and they are singing along and hitting the giant balloons to keep them flying through the air until the very end of the set with culminates with another White Zombie song, “Thunderkiss 65,” and “Shadow of the Cemetery Man.”
With a 14-song set, it is easy to see why this could be viewed by some as a co-headlining tour but the production and the intensity of Rob Zombie live makes it clear this is their show with some great friends as part of it.
Four bands on one lineup is a big tour and to have all four bands deliver so that everyone in the crowd is happy from start to finish is an impressive feat but that is exactly what this show does. You will be hard-pressed to pick your favorite band when you see this tour. They all bring something amazing to the night. Be sure to catch this show when it comes to a town near you!ROB ZOMBIE
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