Local Bands Get Their Mics in the Door and Get to Share the Stage with Sevendust

By Jennifer Russo

Getting to see headlining national acts and amazing local bands who are heading towards national status all in one day for just $25…where the hell can you do that, you ask? Well, in Fitchburg, as a matter of fact!

So you’re a concert snob and only go to venues sporting well laid out seating plans with varying ticket prices, super fancy stage lighting, and various merchandise sales booths and food carts that threaten to empty out your entire life savings? Yeah, I didn’t think so. A big warehouse-style place with hot dogs, pizza, and beer is definitely where it’s at ~ this show was more like an indoor cookout with some seriously kick-ass live music. No complaints here.

So HardDrive comes along and gives local best-of-the-best rock acts the opportunity to play for an all-ages audience in true national concert style. Having been a part of this great music family for a number of years, I’m proud to sit back with my notepad and enjoy a bunch of my friends’ bands revved up and sharing a stage with Sevendust and 10 Years as well as opening acts Since October and Anew Revolution.

Diecast, Thurkill’s Vision, Crimson Bile, Spaulding, Hell Within, and Prospect Hill are just a few of the familiar faces that graces the stage with their talent. They hit the spotlight and got their chance to show why they’re worthy to play alongside established rock legends.

I had a chance to catch up with Sevendust’s LaJon Witherspoon ~ Sevendust was there promoting their newest album Cold Day Memory, which LaJon says attempted to try something new. “I wanted to sing,” he tells me. “I don’t feel like all rock music has to be heavy as dog-sh*t. There’s emotion and we’re at an age now where were married and have kids and it adds a different element to our sound.” He says that he feels very fortunate to have guitarist Clint Lowery back with the band as well. “I feel like we had this puzzle that was really cool and we could show it to everybody and we had it in a frame, but it was missing that piece.”

When I asked him what he would say to the local acts there at the show who so emulate his band, he answers that they should “…keep playing and stay true to their art, but also be a good business man or woman. Play out as much as they can, because that’s how we got discovered. We always let the passion drive us even when there were obstacles that tried to take us off the path.”

Who knows, maybe one or all of the bands I’ve come to know and love with hit the top ten in the near future.

For more information on the HARDDRIVE LIVE tour, go here: www.harddriveradio.com