Louder Than Life
Kentucky Exposition Center, Louisville, Kentucky, USA, 27, 28 and 29 September 2019
After the successes of ‘Hometown Rising’, and ‘Bourbon and Beyond’ the previous two weekends, it was Louder Than Life whom closed the 2019 festivities by DWP in Louisville, Kentucky. With more than 128,000 spectators over the weekend, this made the 5th edition of Louder Than Life the largest rock music festival in America!
Let us remember that last year, Champions Park, had flooded and forced the cancellation of the festival only a few days before the event. With record attendance, the addition of a 100% country festival (Hometown Rising), and a brand-new site, it can be said that DWP can be proud of what they accomplished this year.
Saturday
Even more beautiful, warmer and busier, Saturday was probably the most anticipated day for most of us. Newcomers to the rock industry had the chance to participate and share this major event with some of the biggest names in music, some of whom have been together more than 20 years. Suicidal Tendencies, Stone Temple Pilots, Dropkick Murphys, Halestorm, Ice Cube, Godsmack and the one and only Guns N’ Roses all played today.
A surprising performance this day was the enthusiasm and participation of spectators during Ice Cube’s performance… especially in a rock/heavy metal festival. No special effects, props or musicians, Ice Cube, whose real name is O’Shea Jackson, and his MC performed his greatest hits bringing back fond memories of the 1990s-2000s. That’s probably why he got a positive response from an audience so different from his.
Despite a slight delay in his entry on stage, Axl Rose and the guys in Guns N’ Roses were very generous with their time and performed more than twenty of their most successful hits, as well as a few covers. I was very surprised to find that after the performance of “Welcome To The Jungle” which was only the4th song of the set list, the site began to empty. Perhaps due to the oppressive heat of the day and the fact that they were 45 minutes late to start? Its possible.
The highlight of the day, based on the comments heard on scene and on social media, without a doubt, was the performance of Dropkick Murphys. Although their stage time allowed them to perform only 6 of their best-known songs, the Celtic-flavored punk-rock band was able to pick-up new fans, and be rediscovered by old ones. Even after a 23-year career, they keep the same spirit and desire to interact with the crowd. It was a gigantic party on stage and in the audience.
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