Crue Fest 2008

GM Place: Vancouver, BC
August 11, 2008

Trapt was on first, and did the best they could with such an early time slot, as Crue Fest started at 5pm, while most people would be out downtown finishing dinner before heading to the show. Trapt focused only partly on songs from their new album, “Only Through The Pain,” that hit shelves August 5th and was recorded in Vancouver last year. Notable tracks included “Who's Going Home with You Tonight,” and “Curiosity Kills.” “Headstrong,” probably one of the only tracks most were familiar with, received the best response. Nothing special was done for the Trapt set, which consisted of a still frame with blue-purple lights.

Nikki Sixx, of Motley Crue, created a bit of excitement when he first appeared on stage to showcase his side project, Sixx: A.M. Starting with the “Heroin Diaries Intro” poor audio quality for the first song left much to be desired for the rest of the performance. Attendees settled down once they realized it was rock music that wasn’t anything overly special. The guitar solos were very 80’s sounding, however, and were impressive. Track highlights included “Tomorrow” and “Life Is Beautiful,” which was accompanied by a flashing light show.

A red banner and a smoke-filled stage welcomed Papa Roach next. Dividing the attendees into a “good” side and an “evil” side, excitement brewed throughout the crowd; the first genuine excitement of the evening. “Metamorphosis,” Papa Roach’s new album will be released in October 2008, and will be a real treat if each track can stand out like “I almost told you ‘I Love You’” Adding to the excitement, front man Jacoby Shaddix ran through the stadium stands, to give more fans an up close view. And, of course, a Papa Roach performance would not be quite the same without their long time hits “Broken Home,” and “Last Resort.”

Backed by a neon purple Butterfly, Buckcherry and their extremely sexually charged singer Josh Todd, were next up to showcase their new album “Black Butterfly,” that hits shelves September 16th. Apparently, according to Todd, your purpose in life is to “eat, sleep, and procreate.” Stories of cocaine use, and how guys need to find a “crazy” girl, who is willing to try anything, filled the moments between each track. Fan favourites “Crazy B*tch,” and the slower “Sorry,” were great to hear live.

As excited as Papa Roach and Buckcherry managed to make the crowd, nothing compared to the feeling in the stadium when Motley Crue finally hit the stage. Backed by “Los Angeles” spelt backwards, fireworks, and flames consumed much of the set. During “Shout At The Devil,” flames spit out from behind Tommy Lee. A highlight was the Jimi Hendrix guitar solo done by Mick Mars. “Saints of Los Angeles” brought the lead singers out from the other bands, for a different rendition.

The track “Mutherf*cker of the Year” only possessed potential to grow on you. Tommy Lee also featured his special camera that focuses on every rock stars favourite part of the female anatomy. This video urged crowd participation, as girls lifted their shirts to expose themselves. The last part of The Crue’s set included many favourites, such as “Girls, Girls, Girls,” and “Looks That Kill.” “Home Sweet Home” ended the evening.

Motley Crue just released their first new album in a decade, which did not seem to matter to any fans in attendance. Regardless of the long overdue new tunes, the popularity of Motley Crue lies primarily on the image they created for themselves way back when, though their affiliation with the insanely popular video game “Rock Band” cannot hurt, either.

+Darcy Fettback