105.7 The Point Pointfest 33 @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheater St. Louis, MO

Words and pictures by Duane Clawson
In the blink of an eye, another Pointfest has come and gone.  Pointfest is always a great time for all involved.  Journalists, photographers, and PR folks are reunited at one of the first festivals of the season.  Pointfest floundered a bit last year as they attempted to change their lineup with a mellower, more alternative sound.  Last year’s abrupt change produced low attendance numbers and an overall less than enthusiastic response on social media.  Luckily for all involved, the good PR folks at Pointfest noticed the error and took steps to rectify it this year!  This, the 33rd installment of Pointfest, brought some heavy hitters to the main and side stages.  As with any festival there are assorted hits and misses but rest assured, I’m here to report that Pointfest had way more hits than misses. A mix of good weather and a better lineup ensured this year show would be largely successful.


Some of the lesser known bands to grace the side stages were Rev Nation, Lori’s Puppets, Young Guns, and Highly Suspect.  All of these bands put on great to good sets and kept the sold out crowd interested and the crowd surfers riding a never-ending wave!  At the top of the side stage list were Yelawolf, Shaman’s Harvest, and Greek Fire.  Meg Myers turned in the weakest set of the afternoon as she seemed unsure of herself and not ready to perform.  One of the side stage highlights for me was Yelawolf.  A blazing mix of rap and rock, Yelawolf picks up where Kid Rock left off.  Yelawolf worked the crowd like a seasoned veteran as joint was tossed onstage, a request for a lighter was made, and the response was a barrage of lighters tossed in the direction of the stage.  To finish off a fine afternoon of music, local boys Greek Fire, who were brought on stage by Jackass's Steve-O, brought it home with a raucous performance which included much interaction with the appreciative Pointfest throngs!

This revamped version of Pointfest would also restore a hard and heavy lineup to the main stage.  The Used were in the lead off position on the main stage but somehow fell flat as their lead singers antics did not quite match the band’s sound.  A quick recovery was made by the much anticipated performance of Chevelle.  Chevelle did not disappoint as their brand of fire and brimstone rock had St. Louis bouncing and swaying to such favorites as, “Hats Off to the Bull”, and “Face to the Floor”.  All of this set the stage for a thunderous set by post grunge forefathers, Seether.  For the most part, Seether’s lighting matched their sound, dark with the occasional flash of color.  “Gasoline”, “Fake It”, “Broken”, and “Remedy” cracked the night open and the air surrounding the vast amphitheater and filled with all things rock and roll.  Last but not least, to wind down my 11+ hour day of rock mayhem was Breaking Benjamin.  Alt Rock, alt metal were the core of Breaking Benjamin's performance as they covered a vast history of the band in a roughly 75-minute set.  Front man and band founder Benjamin Burnley, stopped singing abruptly to break up a fight, as couple of audience members appeared to be fighting over a girl.  Breaking Benjamin showed their diversity as they played snippets of Pantera’s “Walk”, Nirvana’s “Heart-Shaped Box”, and “The Imperial March Theme” from Star Wars!  As I reflected on the day’s events, in my hour and a half wait to get out of the parking lot, I’ve concluded that this year’s Pointfest was proof that the customer is always right. Pointfest, keep up the good work!  Thanks to the Pointfest organizers for having us and a big thanks to Hollywood Casino Amphitheater staff for their hospitality.  Photos of the festival below:

Lori's Puppets
Rev Nation
Highly Suspect
Shaman's Harvest
Young Guns
Yelawolf
Meg Myers

Greek Fire
The Used
Chevelle
Seether
Breaking Benjamin
Contributed by Duane Clawson
105.7 The Point Pointfest 33 @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheater St. Louis, MO 105.7 The Point Pointfest 33 @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheater St. Louis, MO Reviewed by Scott Rowe, Editor on June 10, 2015 Rating: 5
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