Rock Allegiance/Rock The Cans – Rochester NY

Genesee Brewery’s annual “Rock The Can” concert did just that! When the Rock Allegiance tour pulled into the downtown brewery in Rochester NY on September 16,2011. Papa Roach, Buckcherry, Puddle Of Mudd, POD, Red, Crossfade and Drive A gave a stellar performed to the sold out crowd.

It was an early 4:30 set time for Drive A to kick off the show and the crowd was just starting to arrive. With their punk/emo style, those who were there early were completely entertained. You couldn’t help but to take notice of the guitarist jumping high in the air as Drive A’s set was packed with high energy. Check out their latest album The World In Shambles. They will join Black Veil Brides this November after the Rock Allegiance tour.

Second to take the stage was Crossfade with an interesting blend of Heavy Metal with Post-Grunge. With five years between album, eager fans couldn’t wait for them to released their third studio album this summer entitled, We All Bleed. They closed out their set with their 2004 hit single, “Cold” which is only a taste of what this band is about.

The crowd had filed through the gates nicely by the time the third band on the bill Red took the stage. A train whistle blew drawing all eyes front and center as the Nashville natives kicked off the set with “Feed The Machine” off there latest album Till We Have Faces album. The performance lives up to their impressive reputation, even with one man down, their guitarist had to go home due to a family emergency.

The sun was setting and the spirits were high when the fourth band, POD (Payable On Death) took the stage. They really know how to get the crowd pumping and the fists in the air. Of course there set was packed with hits like “Youth of A Nation” and “Alive,” even if you only remotely tune in to the rock stations, you would recognize these tunes. Their rap rock was just what the crowd was ready to hear. The bill was so diverse, which really gave new life to the crowd with each performance.

There was time to grab another quick beer before band number five would take the stage. Puddle of Mudd was next on the bill. The new line up seems to have done the trick for vocalist Wes Scantlin and guitarist Paul Phillips. The new band members have seemed to breath new life into the group. Not that I didn’t love them before, but as a whole, the band feels like they have a better chemistry between member, taking them back to genuinely having fun. The energy easily spilled over into the crowd, making this one of the best performances that I have seen Puddle Of Mudd give. They released a cover album titled “re:(disc)overed” on August 30th, which they played “Gimme Shelter” (The Rolling Stones cover) and “Old Man” (Neil Young cover) between the normal hits “Pycho,” “Away From Me,” “Stoned,” “Blurry,” “Control” and closing with “She Hates Me.” What wasn’t there to love.

As night moved in, so did the chill in the air while we waited for Buckcherry to take the stage. It wasn’t long before it was “all lit up again” and “It’s a Party” every day when Buckcherry takes the stage. Vocalist Josh Todd is extremely charismatic and very entertaining to watch dancing around on stage; while guitarist Stevie D. and bassist Jimmy “Two Fingers” Ashhurst were extremely fun to watch playing off one another. It was an excellent set with “Everything” “Rescue Me” “All Night Long” “It’s A Party” “Next 2 You” “Lit Up” “Sorry” and closing the set with “Crazy Bitch.” Buckcherry will be playing with Guns N Roses starting in late October and running into November and will also be part of the Ship Rocked! Cruise in the end of November.

Closing out the night was co-headliner Papa Roach. With over 14 million albums sold and their seventh studio album just released in August 2010, it’s a no brainer why the crowd was psyched to see this band. They kicked off the set with a punch, with their hit “Getting Away With Murder.” They went on to play other fan favorites like “Burn” “Forever” and “Between Angels and Insects” before closing out their set with “The Enemy” and “Last Resort”

Overall, this was a really fun line-up. Each of the bands held their own, giving a diverse show. The bands on the bill all have different styles of music and from set to set, there was a unique stage presence and showmanship. Keep an eye out for this tour at a city near you. Here are the following dates:

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