I’ve been a fan of Godsmack for over twenty-five years. I’ve seen them perform quite a few times in different venues across different states, but I was blown away by their show at the Mystic Lake Casino in Prior Lake, Minnesota. The “Vibez Tour” kicked off in Tulsa in mid-February, hitting nearly forty cities nationwide. The band is known for their over-the-top rock n roll shows–most often performing in front of tens of thousands of fans, shooting pyro, and engaging with a mosh pit; it’s always amazing. So, what would it be like to fit the band into a 2000-person capacity theater and play a mostly acoustic set? That’s exactly what the “Vibez Tour” is about– an intimate evening with Godsmack, hearing the stories behind some of the songs and listening to them played with a little less intensity.
The opening act was a young Danish performer named Bastian da Cruz. Honestly, I had not heard of him until I saw his name on the tour promotion, but now he has a new fan. I really enjoyed his set. On the surface, it looked about as simple as you can get– just a guy with a guitar. But that wasn’t it. This guy has more soul than most performers I’ve seen. He was a master at his craft, playing his guitar flawlessly, and singing in a way that invoked emotion. Bastian was so authentic, you can’t help but like him. I can’t recommend this artist enough. It was a great way to start the evening.
During a half-hour break, the stage was set with candles, incense, gargoyles, and a large screen blanketed the back wall. As a huge clock rotated ominously, the band (Sully Erna- vox/guitar/piano/percussion, Robbie Merrill- bass, Tony Rombola- guitar, Shannon Larkin- drums) took to the stage opening their set with Pink Floyd’s “Time.” They proceeded to play “Love-Hate-Sex-Pain” and “Voodoo.” The last time I saw the band perform, it was evident that Sully was tired of performing “Voodoo.” Since 1998, it has been one of their biggest hits. I’m sure having been played live for over 25 years it must get very tiring playing the same song hundreds of times! This performance, however, seemed much different than the last. Maybe it was the smaller venue and intimate crowd, or simply the “vibez” the band is giving from this tour, but the band seemed to perform “Voodoo” with much more energy than ever before. It was refreshing.
Another cool aspect of this tour is that they are playing a handful of songs that haven’t been performed much live. It took me a moment to recognize “Turning Into Stone” because honestly, I haven’t listened to that song in a while. I got super excited when I heard rain as an intro to the next song because I assumed they would start “One Rainy Day” and I was correct in my assumption! The sludgy- Alice In Chains type riffs and Sully’s soulful, yet gritty vocal performance make it one of my favorites on the “IV” album.
Godsmack has always done well at recording and performing covers, this night was no exception. The screen was trippy, Robbie’s basslines groovy, and Tony’s solos were otherworldly when they played Led Zeppelin’s “No Quarter.” I think they jammed that one for well over ten minutes! Another crowd favorite was “Nothing Else Matters” by Metallica. This song was featured on the band’s 2012 “Inspired” album, so although we have already heard it on a recording, there is something special about hearing it sung live. I don’t think there was a silent voice in the theater. Sully also had a very thought-provoking way of introducing the song I’ve been meditating on the last few days.
Long-time fans of the band know that acoustic songs have been a staple since the early years and many have received radio play and had incredible success as singles. Such was the case with “Serenity” and “Touche.” Visually, nothing particularly unique happened on the screen when the band played these two songs, but I found myself getting lost in the music itself. The energy, flow, and blend of music and vocals created a surreal atmosphere. I think it was the same atmosphere that Godsmack hoped for when they envisioned this tour coming to life.
Godsmack released their final album in 2023 and it was about time this Minnesota crowd heard songs from that album. Sully introduced “Truth” by sharing where he was and how he felt when writing it. He is an incredible songwriter and musician, this time placing himself behind the grand piano as he sang the emotional lyrics about losing a friend. Two other new tracks performed were “Growing Old” and the album’s title track, “Lighting Up the Sky.” Both songs were stunning to hear live. Videos of the band accompanied the latter-mentioned song on tour for the last 25 years.
“Lighting Up the Sky” may have been the last album, but it wasn’t the last song of the night…Sully re-emerged on the stage, sat behind the piano, and gave a heartfelt “thank you” to everyone “for supporting the band for a quarter of a century.” He then introduced and played “Under Your Scars,” a song used to promote The Scars Foundation. The Scars Foundation is an organization that helps in suicide prevention and education surrounding mental illness. Here is the link if you want to support this good cause. As the band busted into their heaviest song of the night, “Bulletproof,” the crowd erupted in cheers and stood to their feet. Ending the set, the band teased several classic rock songs before closing with “Long Train Runnin” by the Doobie Brothers. It sounded so good you would’ve thought it was Godsmack’s song. Sully switched between singing, harmonica, and bongos. It was an amazing evening. If you can still catch one of the final dates of the “Vibez Tour,” don’t miss it!
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