On Friday, July 19th, 2024, Upheaval Festival in Grand Rapids, Michigan opened its gates for the first of the two day festival. The event was held at Belknap Park, a baseball field with plenty of space for the three stages set up. With events like these, the uncontrollable weather is always a concern, but excitingly, the weather was perfect. With the sky as blue as the ocean, no clouds in sight, the sun shining brightly, and a light breeze in the air, the conditions were perfect for a jam-packed day of music.
Even though I’ve been an avid concertgoer for several years now, I had yet to actually attend a festival before, so I admit to being a little nervous. In the past year or so, I’m sure we’ve all heard of the horror stories from some of the recent music fests, and naturally, I didn’t want my first festival experience to be like one of those. Thankfully, Upheaval Festival was anything but that. From the beginning, it was clear that everything was well organized, and everything ran smoothly. Once the VIP were let in, everyone else filtered in, searching for their day’s spot. The three stages set up across the ballpark made for a little bit of walking, especially in regards to the Lookout stage which was situated at the top of a long hill, but thankfully, shuttles ran back and forth all day, which made the trek a breeze.
As soon as the gates opened, the excitement in the air was evident. I stood off to the side to get pictures of people as they came in, and I had so many people posing for me with wide smiles, while others were completely oblivious to my presence but no less enthusiastic as they chatted with their friends. Their eagerness was contagious, and soon everyone was buzzing as they waited for the first bands to begin.
The day ran exactly as scheduled, which is always something to be impressed about. If a band was scheduled for 4:05, they began promptly at 4:05. It made planning out the day that much easier and stress-free. The event organizers did a fantastic job of making sure everything was working properly, such as when the lines for the shuttles got a little backed up and they added more shuttles.
Security is also to be commended for their diligence in keeping the crowd safe as concert goers surfed the crowds in waves. If anyone signaled to them that a person was hurt, security would immediately leap over the barricade and into the crowd to help them.
All of these things made the first day of my first festival experience a memorable and seamless one.
The first band I got to see was on the Upheaval Stage: Flat Black, a metal band from Las Vegas, NV. Even though people were still filtering onto the grounds, those who were present were thoroughly engaged in the half-hour set. The band’s hard sound was the perfect introduction to the day, and vocalist Wes Horton encouraged everyone to wave their arms along to the song, which they happily obliged. By the time they finished their set, the festival goers were ready and excited for a full day of music.
Once Flat Black’s set finished, I made my way over to the Rising stage, the smallest one the festival hosted. Most of the bands at this stage were local acts, which I thought was fantastic. I always loved getting to support local and smaller bands, and this stage was the perfect opportunity for that.
The first band to play there was Sinshrift, a four-piece alternative metal band from Phoenix, AZ. Not many people were able to make their way over to the Rising stage for their set unfortunately, but those who were there had a great time rocking out to the heavy and melodic tunes they played. The band performed with as much energy as if they were playing to an arena-filled crowd. I’ve no doubt we’ll see more from Sinshrift in the future.
Because the next set overlapped with Sinshrift, I had to leave early to make my way up the dreaded hill to catch Citizen Soldier’s performance on the Lookout stage. Coming from Salt Lake City, Utah, this rock band is one I’ve been trying to see for a while, so I was thrilled to finally see them live, and I was not disappointed. With gritty vocals, empowering and emotional lyrics, and intense instrumentals that emphasized the band’s message about mental health, Citizen Soldier’s performance was a memorable one.
Next up back at the Upheaval Stage, was Saliva, a rock band formed in Memphis, TN. Saliva brought the energy in the field up a few notches as their five members took to the stage in a storm. Vocalist Bobby Amaru encouraged the crowd’s participation, and his engagement with them was fun and entertaining. For the first time of the day, crowd surfers were lifted into the air to surf to the heavy beats, while the rest of the crowd jumped up and down in response to Amaru’s prompting. Each of the five band members brought an infectious energy to their dynamic stage show.
Once Saliva finished their set, I headed back to the Rising stage to see the first part of Sick Century’s set. As a metal band from York, PA, their music was expectedly hard-hitting, and the crowd that had gathered was completely engaged in the set. I’m bummed I was unable to stay for the entire performance, because what I did see was entertaining, and I couldn’t help but rock along to their sound with the rest of the audience.
It was time to head back up the hill, but thankfully for the festival’s shuttle system, it was made a lot easier than having to climb up and down for every band. Next on the Lookout stage was Austin Meade, a southern rock artist, and his touring band. While Austin Meade’s sound was a little mellower than some of the other bands playing that day, the set was still entertaining, and the musicians on the stage injected their performance with vigor as they moved about. The blend of country and rock and roll is not always one that I enjoy, but Austin Meade’s music was pleasant to the ears, and the more upbeat songs were easy to jump along to.
Back down the hill at the Upheaval stage, it was time for Of Mice & Men, a metal band from Costa Mesa, CA. Of Mice & Men’s sound was hard and heavy, which was instantly reflected in the moshing and crowd surfing from the audience members. The intensity of their instrumentals and guttural vocals were paired with lots of energy from all of the band members as they played. Drummer Valentino Arteaga’s drum solo highlighted his powerful playing, and once the song finished, he raised his arms up and down above his head, causing the crowd to erupt in cheers. Then, during the final song of the set, vocalist Aaron Pauley joined the crowd on the barricade, much to everyone’s delight.
Back at the Rising stage, it was time for metalcore band, A Sense of Purpose from Cleveland, OH to play. They were a crowd favorite among the locals who packed into the small area around the stage to see their set, and while I wasn’t able to stay the whole time because of more overlapping set times, what I did see was impressive. Their stage presence was absorbing, so much so that I probably stayed a little longer than I should have before going back up the hill.
The next band was on the Lookout stage, one I’d never heard of before, but one that managed to blow me away with their non-stop energy. Ayron Jones, a rock artist, and his touring band brought a fantastic mix of grunge, hip-hop, soul, and rock music to the festival, expertly combining the genres. Bassist Bob Lovelace and guitarist Matthew Jacquette were especially expressive in their playing, and it was obvious how much fun they were having with their crowd interactions. Meanwhile, Ayron Jones was a captivating frontman with a clean and smooth voice that complimented the technical playing from Lovelace, Jacquette, and drummer Malachi Johnson.
Down the hill, Killswitch Engage, a metalcore band from Westfield, MA, took to the Upheaval stage in a swarm of energy as their heavy riffs rang out through the grounds. About halfway through the first song, vocalist Jesse Leach leaped off the stage before singing with the crowd on the barricade for a few moments. Towards the end of the song, he ran the length of the barricade, high-fiving everyone before jumping back onstage and resuming his performance without missing a beat. Guitarists Adam Dutkiewicz, Joel Stroetzel, and bassist Mike D’Antonio were a delight to watch as they made dynamic poses and expressive faces at the crowd. During the first two songs, though, Leach called for the band to stop playing as people in the crowd were getting injured. I have to give props to his care and attentiveness to the crowd. The second time it happened, he told everyone to be careful, take care of each other, and be sure to hydrate–reminders that were certainly appreciated. Once that was taken care of, the band put on an electric performance, and by the time they finished, Leach called the crowd “fun” and thanked security for keeping everyone safe.
The last band to play the Rising stage on Friday was Another Day Dawns, a hard rock band from Leighton, PA. I got to see them the last time they played in Michigan, but because of a mix-up with credentials, I missed the first half of their set, so I was excited to see their whole performance this time. Once the band began to play, the crowd surrounding the stage and watching from the hill went wild. The band’s enthusiasm, combined with their friendly engagement with the crowd made for a great show. I always appreciate when bands take the time to interact with fans, and it almost felt like a conversation as vocalist Dakota Sean bantered with members of the crowd between songs. He also expressed how incredibly honored they were to be headlining the Rising stage, especially since the band recognized several people in the crowd from attending their other shows. They clearly have some loyal fans, and it’s no wonder why with a performance as captivating as this one was.
Back up the hill was the Lookout stage’s headliner, Sevendust, a rock band from Atlanta, GA. The day’s energy continued as Sevendust opened their eleven-song set with “Pieces,” the crowd immediately going wild as they headbanged and moshed. Vocalist Lajon Witherspoon was a whirlwind of energy as he moved about the stage before leaping onto the speakers, where he’d encouraged the crowd to raise their hands in the air and sing along. This level of engagement was kept up throughout the entire set, which was impressive. At the back of the stage, drummer Morgan Rose could be seen wailing away on the drums. Rose’s mouth and nose were covered by a painted mask, which added an air of mystery to him. Up front, bassist Vinnie Hornsby played an impressive five-string bass while he and guitarist Clint Lowery ran around each other, switching up sides and allowing everyone in the crowd a full view of their expert playing.
I’m honestly surprised that Sevendust wasn’t playing the mainstage with how popular they were. The crowd was so packed into the Lookout area that it was nearly impossible to move around. For those who didn’t make the trek up the hill, Witherspoon told the crowd to turn and scream down at them to show everyone how much fun they were missing. The crowd roared. Sevendust is not a band to be missed.
Finally, it was time for night one’s main headliner on the Upheaval stage, the one everyone had been waiting for. Godsmack, a rock band from Lawrence, MA did not disappoint as their intricate lighting set up brightened the stage, illuminating drummer Shannon Larkin, who stood above his drumkit, examining the crowd as they cheered for the band to start playing. Godsmack opened with “When Legends Rise,” a perfect choice that set the tone for the rest of their set. In just the first few songs, I saw more crowd surfers and moshers than I had during the entirety of the day, which is definitely saying something because there had been a lot of crowd surfers. With so much energy coming from the crowd, it was hard to imagine that the band would be able to match it, but they absolutely did, especially Shannon Larkin who was a complete beast on the drums, with his dynamic expressions being extra entertaining.
Speaking of entertaining, vocalist Sully Erna was quite the comedian between songs. His easy banter and hilarious jokes made the performance feel incredibly personal, which is not an easy feat considering the size of the crowd they played to, but he managed it well. The audience laughed along, creating a relaxed atmosphere between songs. At one point, Erna told the crowd to “celebrate the moment,” and everyone most certainly did as they sang at the top of their lungs to some of the most iconic Godsmack songs. There were many highlights during Godsmack’s set, including when Erna got to showcase his talent on the drums as he played in tandem with Larkin on a second drumkit. Then, to the crowd’s delight, the band played instrumental snippets of AC/DC’s “Back in Black,” Aerosmith’s “Back in the Saddle,” and Metallica’s “Enter Sandman.” Once they exited the stage after playing “Whatever,” the crowd went wild as they cheered for another song, and Godsmack delivered as they played a three-song encore, ending with the iconic “I Stand Alone.”
Day one of the Upheaval Festival was a memorable one, and a fantastic introduction to the festival scene for me. By the time I got back to my lodgings, I could barely keep my eyes open, but I felt incredibly fulfilled, and I couldn’t wait for day two.
I’ve always been the creative type, but nothing quite beats how it felt the first time I picked up a camera. Once I photographed my first concert, I knew I had found my passion. As an avid concert-goer, getting to combine my love of music with my love of photography is like a dream come true!
