Godsmack / Halestorm / Monster Truck @ Family Arena, St. Charles, MO

Words and photos by Duane Clawson

“No technology can replace the energy of a live rock show” - Sully Erna

Godsmack’s lead singer, Sully Erna, made two things perfectly clear during his brief interactions with those witnessing this tour-ending performance. Number 1, he doesn’t care for chairs. Number 2, he’s not a big fan of cell phones at a Godsmack show. I’m with you on the last one good sir! The band chose to end their year and a half long tour in St. Charles and I couldn’t have been happier! Being a Godsmack fan for 20 years, I was highly anticipating seeing them live for the first time! Bringing along fellow rockers, Halestorm and Monster Truck, was nothing more than value added!

Canada’s Monster Truck kicked off this triple-bill rock show with their brand of blues-infused rock. Lead singer and bassist, Jon Harvey, has a distinct howl that is guaranteed to part your hair! This band has gained a reputable following since their debut in 2013, leading them to a Juno Award and a spot on a video game soundtrack. I suspect this band will be rocking for many years to come.

After a brief stage changeover, Halestorm was ready to try their hand at winning over some new fans, as an unofficial poll taker I will say, mission accomplished! I first saw Halestorm in 2015 at a festival setting and they immediately garnered my attention! Catching them live for a second time a couple of years later, their show was a bit more polished. Fast forward to 2019, they’ve escalated their game to arena rock levels, with a great light show and a ton of experience! When frontwoman Lzzy Hale cut loose with her first, patented rock and roll growls, the St. Charles audience was eating out of her hand! After this warm up everyone was more than ready for Godsmack.

Drums pound, strobes flash, and stage smoke billows, ushering in the star attraction of the evening, Godsmack! A healthy Sunday night crowd is rocking from the get go to the instant classic, “When Legends Rise” followed in rapid succession by classics such as “Crying Like a Bitch”, “Voodoo”, and “Awake.” For the most part, lead singer Sully Erna lets the music do the talking but when he speaks you should probably listen. First off, Sully addresses the presence of folding chairs on the floor of Family Arena. Erna seeks accountability for the not-very-rock-and-roll chairs but alas no one steps forward. Plan B. Urging female empowerment, the Godsmack frontman encourages the ladies to stand on their seats. Many do, now to seal the deal. “Guys if you’re lucky tonight, you just might get to see some boobs!” Spotlights on, shirts up, Erna smiles approvingly knowing now this is truly a rock and roll show!

Sully also tackles the issue that currently plagues live shows...cell phones. No one is watching your FaceBook Live, no one wants to see your shaky blurry video. Yes, I captured a few still images on my phone, even shot some video of the drum battle, “Batalla De Los Tambores”, because that was super cool! But I did not hold my phone up for the entire show, reference annoying guy in front of me. This was a rock show and I was soaking up as much as I could! Rant over. After a rousing version of “Whatever”, the main set was complete. For the encore, Sully gets intimate and personal with the song “Under Your Scars”. The band started a foundation this spring called the Scars Foundation, a non-profit charity that deals with depression, addiction, and related issues.

The slowed tempo of “Scars” would not close out the night as the band is joined by Arejay from Halestorm and Jon Harvey from Monster Truck for a cover of “Highway to Hell”. As the night and the tour wrapped up with “I Stand Alone", I thought to myself, “I may have just seen one of the last true rock bands in the world!” Keep it up Godsmack and I’ll keep coming! Thanks to Godsmack’s management for allowing MTC MAG access to the moment and to the Family Arena for making it all possible.

Photos of the show are below:

Monster Truck