Adelitas Way performed at the Blue Ridge Rock Festival in Danville, Virginia on September 10, 2022.

Rick DeJesus, Trevor Stafford and the band were outstanding. If you know, you know, but if you don’t, you are missing out on one of the best acts in rock and roll today.

Check out https://blueridgerockfest.com/ for news on the 2023 Blue Ridge Rock Festival, coming back again in September.

For the latest album news and tour dates for Adelitas Way, go to https://www.adelitaswaymusic.com/.

Adelitas Way photos from Blue Ridge Rock Festival 2022:

BRRF22 Adelitas Way

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Adelitas Way at Blue Ridge Rock Festival 2022 first appeared on Game On Media.

The 5^th annual Blue Ridge Rock Festival took place in Alton, Virginia on September 8 – 11, 2022. Day 3 was a wet one, with a slow and steady rain throughout most of the day and into the night. Thankfully there were no lightning storms forcing evacuations, which has seemed to plague so many outdoor rock festivals.

Once again, there were too many bands playing too many stages, and the concert you missed was probably as good as the concert you saw.

Between dodging raindrops and hiding under stages protecting my camera equipment, I was able to capture Butcher Babies, Adelitas Way, Powerman 5000, Mushroomhead, Starset (both acoustic and electric headliner set, complete with pyro and fireworks), Motionless In White, Skillet and Tenacious D featuring Kyle Gass and Jack Black.

The show I didn’t see included The Dead Daisies, Crowbar, Upon A Burning Body, The Word Alive, Apocalyptica, Black Veil Brides, Ice Nine Kills, Queensryche, From Ashes To New, God Forbid, Thrice, Pierce The Veil, Gwar, Pennywise, I Prevail and Slipknot.

Sion (featuring Howard Jones) and Lacuna Coil (featuring Cristina Scabbia) were late scratches, and unfortunately did not perform.

Despite days of exhaustion, muddy grounds and soaked clothing, the crowd never let up on their passion and physicality.

Tickets and campsites are already selling well for next year, proving that die hard metal fans will endure anything to experience the power of live music, and the feeling of connecting with other people who are just as mental about metal as they are. Go to https://blueridgerockfest.com/ to get yours.

BRRF22 Day 3

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Starset, Tenacious D, Motionless In White and Skillet Power Through Day 3 of Blue Ridge Rock Festival 2022 first appeared on Game On Media.

Blue Ridge Rock Festival 2022 has announced their full lineup and daily schedules, and we cannot wait for this event to start its engines. With the world-class lineup in place, plans for the new venue at Virginia International Raceway are taking shape. Ghost, Mudvayne, Slipknot and Disturbed are the main headliners on Thursday through Sunday, September 8-11, 2022, with a bonus Wednesday night event featuring Puddle Of Mudd. This time around, you won’t have to worry about miles of walking and figuring out which artists you will miss. There will be two main stages, side by side, without overlapping of major bands.

Wednesday’s warmup lineup is Puddle Of Mudd, Alient Ant Farm, Cold, Crazytown, Burden Of The Sky, Kings County, Last Nights Villain.

Thursday kicks it off proper with Ghost, Ice Cube, Falling In Reverse, Stone Temple Pilots, Anthrax, In This Moment, Daughtry, Jelly Roll, Nothing More, Pop Evil, Sleeping With Sirens, Spiritbox, We Came As Romans, Bad Wolves, Kittie, Shadows Fall, Hinder, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Attila, Hawthorne Heights, The Union Underground, Red, Counterparts, A Skylit Drive, Comeback Kid, Fire From The Gods, Unearth, Norma Jean, Smile Empty Soul, Palisades and more.

Friday gives you Mudvayne, A Day To Remember, Halestorm, Alice Cooper, Gojira, Underoath, Down, Theory Of A Deadman, Sevendust, Badflower, Candlebox, Insane Clown Posse, In Flames, Hatebreed, All That Remains, 3OH!3, Buckcherry, Electric Callboy, Bad Omens, Memphis May Fire, Whitechapel, Zero 9:36, Slaughter To Prevail, Saving Abel, Dayseeker, Bleeding Through, Fit For An Autopsy, Nita Strauss, Emo Night Brooklyn, Blacktop Mojo, He Is Legend, Silvertung and more.

Saturday is just insane, with Slipknot, Tenacious D (Jack Black & Kyle Gass), I Prevail, Pennywise, Skillet, Pierce The Veil, Motionless In White, Ice Nine Kills, Nelly, Starset, Black Veil Brides, Thrice, GWAR, God Forbid, Apocalyptica, Queensryche, Fit For A King, Adelitas Way, Lacuna Coil, From Ashes To New, Chelsea Grin, Mushroomhead, Powerman 5000, The Plot In You, Stick To Your Guns, Sion, The Acacia Strain, Municipal Waste, Butcher Babies, Terror, Upon A Burning Body, The Word Alive, Crowbar, Kublai Khan, Redlight King, Hollow Front, The Dead Daisies and more.

You had better save something for Sunday, because it is relentless – Disturbed, 3 Doors Down, Lamb Of God, Seether, New Found Glory, Killswitch Engage, Hollywood Undead, Saliva, Wage War, Knocked Loose, Grandson, Fever 333, The Amity Affliction, Silverstein, Story Of The Year, Baroness, Hoobastank, The Devil Wears Prada, Enter Shikari, Suicide Silence, Demon Hunter, Nonpoint, John 5, Lacey Sturm, Texas In July, Erra, Stray From The Path, Tetrarch, Attack Attack!, Silent Planet, Otherwise, Twiztid, Jeris Johnson, Project 86, Icon For Hire, Hed P.E. and more.

Go get your tickets and your campsites or hotel reservations. All the info you need is available at https://blueridgerockfest.com/. See you there!

Here are some examples of last years epic performances at Blue Ridge Rock Festival 2021:

BRRF21 Blue Ridge Rock Fest 2021

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Ghost, Mudvayne, Slipknot and Disturbed to Headline Blue Ridge Rock Festival 2022 first appeared on Game On Media.

The Fan Driven Lineup for Blue Ridge Rock Festival 2022 has not even revealed 3 of the top 6 artists, but it is already set to be the American rock music festival of the year.

This year’s event has moved to a real facility, the Virginia International Raceway. It will rock your world with: 4 Full Days. 5 Stages. 1 Epic Pre-Party. 3 Electrifying Club Experiences. 171 Total Artists.

Uniquely Powered by a Record-Setting 285,000+ Fan Votes, the lineup features returning favorites and unique shows.

There is an almost impossible amount of special shows planned for Blue Ridge Rock Festival 2022. These include Anthrax 40th Anniversary, Saliva Exclusive Reunion with Josey Scott, Sevendust performing “Animosity” in its entirety, Starset returning for a special full production nighttime set, God Forbid reunion show, Shadows Fall reunion show, All That Remains performing “The Fall Of Ideals” in its entirety, Electric Callboy exclusive U.S. festival appearance, The Devil Wears Prada performing “Zombie” in its entirety, Fear Factory reunion show, Demon Hunter playing in Virginia for the first time in a decade, Saving Abel featuring the return of original vocalist Jared Weeks, The Union Underground reunion show, Mushroomhead rare 2022 appearance
Texas In July reunion show, A Skylit Drive original lineup reunion, Siamese U.S. debut, Close Your Eyes reunion show, and the global debut of Sion featuring Howard Jones & Jared Dines.

Despite several high-profile acts yet to be announced, the lineup for Blue Ridge Rock Festival already features a Who’s Who of the rock world: Slipknot, Disturbed, Ghost, 3 Doors Down, A Day To Remember, Lamb Of God, Alice Cooper, Tenacious D, Falling In Reverse, I Prevail, Stone Temple Pilots, Seether, Gojira, Skillet, Pierce The Veil, Killswitch Engage, Hollywood Undead, In This Moment, Motionless In White, Ice Nine Kills, Jelly Roll, Down, Nelly, Nothing More, Theory Of A Deadman, Wage War, Pop Evil, Badflower, Knocked Loose, Candlebox, Starset, Black Veil Brides, Thrice, Sleeping With Sirens, In Flames, Jinjer, Gwar, Apocalyptica, Grandson, Spiritbox, Puddle Of Mudd, The Amity Affliction, We Came As Romans, Bad Wolves, Hatebreed, Silverstein, Kittie, Queensryche, Insane Clown Posse, Story Of The Year, 3Oh!3, Hoobastank, Hinder, Zero 9:36, Bad Omens, Fire From The Gods, Butcher Babies, Adelitas Way, Attila, Nonpoint, Lacuna Coil, Lacey Sturm, Powerman 5000, Alien Ant Farm, Nita Strauss, Blacktop Mojo, Otherwise, Islander, and so many more.

Do not miss your chance to be at the premier American rock music festival of 2022. This has sold out before, and it will sell out again. 100 days from now, you will be thanking me.  https://blueridgerockfest.com/festival-passes/

Photos from Blue Ridge Rock Festival 2021:

BRRF21 Blue Ridge Rock Fest 2021

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In 100 Days, Blue Ridge Rock Festival 2022 Will Blow Your Mind first appeared on Game On Media.

After getting its start with 2 events in Concord, Virginia, followed up by the Covid-delayed logistical nightmare of last year’s massive 4 day event in Danville, Virginia, the Blue Ridge Rock Festival is finally getting a new home which promises to deliver on its promise as America’s premier fan-driven rock and roll experience.

This year’s event will take place over the extended weekend of September 8 – September 11, 2022. The venue hosting this event is the world-class road racing track Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia. Fans who endured the troubles of the past in order to witness the greatest collection of live rock and roll, and are ready to come back for more, will be rewarded with a location that is set up for large crowds, camping and entertainment.

Despite all of the issues last fall, the musical performances and production were top notch. The festival took on a partner, changed to a better venue and continues to ask fans to help choose the artists who will perform at the 2022 edition.

Check out their website to stay up to date on lineup announcements, and to buy tickets before it sells out again.

Photos from Blue Ridge Rock Festival 2021:

BRRF21 Blue Ridge Rock Fest 2021

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Blue Ridge Rock Festival Finally Gets The Venue It Deserves first appeared on Game On Media.

Adelitas Way performed at the Blue Ridge Rock Festival in Danville, Virginia on September 9, 2021.

Check out https://blueridgerockfest.com/ for news on the 2022 Blue Ridge Rock Festival coming back in September.

For the latest album news and tour dates for Adelitas Way, go to https://adelitaswaymusic.com/.

BRRF21 Adelitas Way

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Adelitas Way at Blue Ridge Rock Festival 2021 first appeared on Game On Media.

2020 has been an atypical year for the music industry. The usual album and tour cycles have been turned on their heads. Some bands chose to hold their albums for when touring starts up again. Some bands found creative ways to release their albums, many with livestreams to go with it. Other bands took the opportunity to record and release unexpected music, and much more of that will be coming in 2021. This year, we really embraced things that were new. That could mean bands that were new to us, famous friends going solo, or EP’s written in direct response to the current world events. Here are our Five Fave: 2020 Rock Albums.

#5 – Bring Me The Horizon – POST HUMAN: SURVIVAL HORROR / FEVER 333 – WRONG GENERATION

Bring Me The Horizon and FEVER 333 both produced EP’s this year, reacting in real time to current events. POST HUMAN: SURVIVAL HORROR clocks in at 32 minutes. WRONG GENERATION is a tight 18 minutes. Combined, they make a respectable album’s worth of material, so we are recognizing them together. BMTH created the song of the year – pandemic category – with “Parasite Eve”. F333 delivered the song of the year – social justice category – with SUPREMACY. The rest of each EP is full of on-topic desperation and immediacy, with cathartic releases of aggression and anger. Together, they will stand as the soundtrack to 2020.

#4 – Clint Lowery – God Bless The Renegades

Clint Lowery, guitarist / back-up vocalist / songwriter from Sevendust, has worked on several solo projects before, but this is his first proper album. He followed it up with a full band tour, opening for Alter Bridge, one of the best shows of the abbreviated touring year. This album shows all of his passion, thoughtfulness and musical beauty. He even managed to squeeze out another EP, “Grief & Distance”, during the pandemic.

#3 – Adelitas Way- Shine On

Rick DeJesus and Adelitas Way keep pushing ahead and pushing boundaries. With guitarist Tavis Stanley leading the way, and Tre Stafford and Andrew Cushing manning the rhythm section, this band continues to explore what rock and roll is, and they have cranked out a ton of great material over the past few years. “Shine On” is full of empowerment and encouragement, things we all need right now.

#2 – Corey Taylor – CMFT

As if leading two of the most prolific and successful bands, Slipknot and Stone Sour, wasn’t enough, Corey M-F Taylor reached Mark Tremonti status by creating a third incredible band. Corey grabbed his guitar, a piano and several of his closest friends and took a journey through the history of rock and roll, complete with a hip-hop collabo with Tech N9ne. “CMFT” is a brilliant album from a bunch of guys clearly having fun.

#1 – H.E.A.T – H.e.a.t II

H.E.A.T is a bit confusing, but let’s see if we can figure them out. I discovered them on the Monsters Of Rock Cruise, where hair metal bands from the 1980’s performed, but they are a modern act. Their singer has been Erik Grönwall for the past decade, including on this album, yet he has left the group and original vocalist Kenny Leckremo has returned. “H.e.a.t II” is their 6th album, and they labeled it as number 2. I give up. I do call it my favorite rock album of the year. Full of energy, anthemic choruses, killer vocals and shredding guitars.

Five Fave: 2020 Rock Albums first appeared on Game On Media.

San Diego’s top progressive metal band Symbolic opened up for Adelitas Way at the Ramona Mainstage in Ramona, California on August 16, 2019. Symbolic always delivers an entertaining and mesmerizing set, with 5 albums worth of material to pack into their allotted time.

Drummer Steven Elias and bassist Bobby Fernandez are in total sync, locking down the low end with flair. Guitarists Louie Borja and Steve Potts provide a twin guitar attack reminiscent of Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Queensryche. Vocalist Scott Bruce has a strong voice with a ton of range and control. Together, Symbolic is a tour de force which totally engages their audience.

Symbolic is proof positive that the original metal scene is alive and well in San Diego. They also reinforce why you should always show up when doors open, because you never know which local band will blow you away with their talent and songwriting skills.

To keep up with tour dates and album releases, check out https://www.facebook.com/officialsymbolic/

Symbolic Ramona 19

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Symbolic Opens Eyes at Ramona Mainstage first appeared on Game On Media.

Hard rockers Adelitas Way returned to San Diego, California to play the Ramona Mainstage, a wonderful club up in the hills. The crowd in Ramona is always ready to rock and sing along with their favorite bands. On this night, they were treated to 2 very talented local metal acts, Unsung and Symbolic. Each band easily won over the room with their fast guitars and powerful vocals.

The fans were totally warmed up for Adelitas Way, and Rick DeJesus interacted often with them, leading them through an extensive catalog of hits. The independent group has also been releasing plenty of singles in recent years, and those songs were received just as well as the classics. Drummer Trevor Stafford is an energetic force behind the dinosaur adorned kit. Bassist Andrew Cushing also contributes acoustic guitar and backing vocals. New guitarist Tavis Stanley, who you may know from Art Of Dying, is a shredding machine with full on guitar god looks and chops. DeJesus told us to talk to our friends and tell them what the f**k they missed, and what they missed is a great bunch of guys who continue to put out emotional music with passionate performances. Don’t miss out next time they come around.

Adelitas Way SD19

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Adelitas Way at Ramona Mainstage first appeared on Game On Media.

2018 was one of the best years in recent memory when it comes to quality album releases from some of the biggest names in hard rock. The most common theme was struggling with the past couple of years, both internally and externally, while searching for a path to better days and a hopeful future.

Most people don’t listen to music on hard media these days, but if any of you happen to have any of these on vinyl, give it a spin and let us know how much better it sounds.

Here are our 33-1/3 favorite hard rock albums of 2018.

	1. Shinedown – ATTENTION ATTENTION Not only a great collection of individual songs that grow on you as time passes, but a concept album exploring the human condition and fragile state of mind. Best song: GET UP
	2. Tremonti – A Dying Machine On Mark Tremonti’s 4th solo album, the band is at the top of their song writing game, and Mark’s vocals are his best yet. Best song: Bringer Of War
	3. Halestorm – Vicious Halestorm continues to elevate, expanding their style and always delivering substance. Lzzy Hale’s voice reaches insane heights on this album, full of swagger and a wink of the eye. Best song: Do Not Disturb
	4. Bullet For My Valentine – Gravity A biting tale of betrayal and redemption, with gnarly guitars and snarling sing along choruses. Best song: Over It
	5. Adelitas Way – Live Love Life An exploration into sound and instrumentation, with a lot of heart. A band that keeps getting better with time. Best song: Still Hungry
	6. Atreyu – In Our Wake This album just moves you physically and emotionally, a nonstop assault on your senses. Best song: Anger Left Behind
	7. Sevendust – All I See Is War Some bands improve with age, and Sevendust is one that keeps writing better and better songs. Best song: God Bites His Tongue
	8. Godsmack – When Legends Rise Godsmack returned with their best work since the first two albums. Killer lyrics and a few chances vocally and musically that really pay off. Best song: Under Your Scars
	9. Like A Storm – Catacombs If you don’t know this New Zealand band of brothers, you are missing out. Creative sounds and meaningful lyrics. Best song: Complicated (Stitches & Scars)
	10. Judas Priest – Firepower The Metal Gods put together their best album since Painkiller, almost 3 decades ago. Shreds upon shreds, and Rob Halford just killing it. Best song: Rising From Ruins
	11. Disturbed – Evolution Disturbed extended themselves on Evolution, exploring new sounds while addressing the lost of loved ones to addiction and depression. While not quite the grand slam that Immortalized, it is still another home run from a band who is now 7 for 7. Best song: A Reason To Fight
	12. Pop Evil – Pop Evil Pop Evil self titled this album, fittingly so as it sums up all of the best qualities of the band. Tight musicianship, inspiring vocals and meaningful lyrics. Best song: Be Legendary
	13. All That Remains – Victim Of The New Disease The mysterious death of founding guitarist Oli Herbert shortly before the album’s release lends an otherworldly quality to this powerful performance. The songs are full of guitars and intense vocals. Best song: Everything’s Wrong
	14. P.O.D. – Circles P.O.D. knocks it out of the park on this one, mixing old school hip hop into their Cali vibe rock and roll. Best song: Soundboy Killa
	15. Alice In Chains – Rainier Fog The last ones standing are still setting the bar for the Seattle sound. Best song: Never Fade
	16. Ghost – Prequelle Perhaps the first concept album based on the Plague and the Black Death which killed off half of Europe, Prequelle is spooky, spiritual and catchy. Best song: Dance Macabre
	17. Nonpoint – X Nonpoint continues their unique phrasing and riffing on their 10th album, another stellar effort. Best song: Fix This
	18. Red Sun Rising – Thread Red Sun Rising continues the hit-making momentum on their second effort, proving that they will be around for a long time. Best song: Veins
	19. Parkway Drive – Reverence This is the heaviest album on the list, and probably tops most metal lists for the year. Very aggressive, but also full of hooks. Best song: The Void
	20. Ice Nine Kills – The Silver Scream Each song is based off of a classic horror movie, a concept that could get corny but never does here, as the tunes stand on their own and the lyrical content touches on an aspect of the movie without becoming cliff notes. Best song: A Grave Mistake
	21. Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators – Living The Dream One of the most complete albums that Slash has delivered in some time. The Conspirators are a tight band and this sounds most like a band album, rather than a solo act. Best song: Mind Your Manners
	22. Five Finger Death Punch – And Justice For None 5FDP has a formula and they are sticking with it. Fast songs, ballads, and interesting cover songs. Best song: When The Seasons Change
	23. Breaking Benjamin – Ember The band who practically invented the rock radio sound does it again, showcasing their immense vocal talent and musicianship. Best song: Torn In Two
	24. Three Days Grace – Outsider Three Days Grace finally comes into its own with this version of the band, ditching the self-loathing for an optimistic view on life. Best song: The Mountain
	25. The Alarm – Equals Legendary rebels The Alarm returned with an outstanding record, still questioning the status quo and pushing for peace. Best song: Peace Now
	26. Dorothy – 28 Days In The Valley Dorothy Martin has one of the best bluesy rock voices that you will ever hear. This trippy album could be the soundtrack to a Quentin Tarantino movie. Best song: Ain’t Our Time To Die
	27. Jonathan Davis – Black Labyrinth The leader of Korn has been quietly working on his solo album for years, and we finally got to experience the fruits of his labor. Very personal and very deep. Best song: Basic Needs
	28. Myles Kennedy – Year Of The Tiger Somehow Myles Kennedy found time between Alter Bridge and Slash commitments to put out a solo album. This is all Myles, which means it is amazing. Best song: The Great Beyond
	29. Suicidal Tendencies – STill Cyco Punk After All These Years A sort of new album, which is actually a re-recording of an old Mike Muir solo album. Doesn’t matter, it’s new to me and it is infectious. Best song: Ain’t Gonna Get Me
	30. Avatar – Avatar Country Dilly Dilly! Avatar returned with an album exclusively about the King. Always heavy and always fun. Best song: The King Wants You
	31. Amaranthe – Helix Amaranthe fears nothing, blending all kinds of music, with three vocalists getting into the mix. Best song: Inferno
	32. Skillet Side Dishes: Ledger – LEDGER, Fight The Fury – Still Breathing The members of Skillet took a hiatus and produced 2 separate EP’s. Drummer/vocalist Jen Ledger put out a strong solo album, co-produced by guitarist Korey Kooper. Bassist/vocalist John Kooper got his metal on with guitarist Seth Morrison. Best song: Not Dead Yet, My Demons
	33. Greta Van Fleet – Anthem Of The Peaceful Army Hot newcomers Greta Van Fleet, the family band with the Zeppelin sound, put out their first full album. While not as strong as their EP From The Fires, it still boasts some great tracks. Best song: Lover, Leaver (Taker, Believer)
	33-1/3. Them Evils – Rollin’ Stoned and Livin’ Free (EP) Them Evils is a throwback rock band on the rise. This EP showcases the promise of what is to come, real rock and roll shaking our asses. Best song: Practice What You Preach

33-1/3 Best Hard Rock Albums Of 2018 first appeared on Game On Media.