Review: Papa Roach – Rock City – 18 March 2015

How do you describe a Papa Roach live show? Raw. Energetic, fun. There are many words you can use to describe these guys on stage.Having seen these guys put on a cracking show at the Arena as part of the Taste of Chaos Tour in 2010 (when they outshone headliners Disturbed) I was really looking forward to seeing them headline the far more suitable Rock City, and they certainly lived up to my expectations.

The band came onto stage led by front man Jacoby Shaddix who was bursting with energy and wasted no time getting the crowd going. They kicked off with “Face Everything And Rise”, and had the crowd exactly where they want them, with Jacoby seemingly as impressed with the crowd as they were with the band.This was a true crowd of Papa Roach lovers who knew each song word for word, there is just something electric and mesmerizing when a crowd sing in unison. Unsurprisingly the bands two best known hits “Scars” and “Last Resort” were the highlights of the night, with the place erupting in unison as the crowd sang along to both. Hearing around 2000 sing “cut my life into pieces, this is my Last Resort” as one was a brilliant moment. Other stand out tracks on the night included “Hollywood Whore”, “Getting Away With Murder” & “Kick In The Teeth”.

Jacoby was a true showman, feeding off the crowds energy, engaging with the fans and staying on stage with the rest of the band as Rock City started to empty at the end of the gig. These guys have always been a band I remember from my teenage years, however over the last few years they have grown more and more causing me to rekindle my love of them, as I am sure has been the case for many, something you could feel at the gig.

Personally I didn’t want the show to end, I could have spent hours and hours just listening to these guys live, I certainly can’t wait for the chance to see them perform live again and if you have not caught them live then you need to. They will blow you away

Review by Geri Patterson, Photographs by Mike Zimorski