Jacob Shaddix of Papa Roach performs at the concert. Photo by Brittani Morales. The air was crisp as the masses of rockers piled into the Aztec Music Hall last Friday. People restlessly buzzed about awaiting the arrival of the bands on stage, at which point the entire building would be filled with the sounds of the evening: a collection of chart-topping rock songs that would be sure to make the night unforgettable.
As people were standing in lines for drinks, with excitement building as they conversed with their fellow rockers about the night to come, the stage lights went down and the crowd piled toward the stage. The night had begun.
The drums and guitars began blaring, filling the large metal building with the sounds of rock. Front man for Papa Roach, Jacoby Shaddix, burst onto the stage and began performing the band’s most recent single, Still Swinging.
After the first song, Shaddix commented on how great it was to be back in Amarillo, after not being able to perform here for a while, and thanked the crowd for always being supportive. Papa Roach has frequently put on shows in the Texas panhandle and has rocked out in Amarillo many times.
After his short speech, Shaddix and the rest of the members of Papa Roach continued the show, performing many of their popular, chart-topping singles and also some of their lesser-known songs. As they performed, the room was filled with energy that would not let up until the band left the stage, and would build up again when the next band began rocking.
Shaddix, known by Papa Roach concert goers as one of the best showmen in today’s rock concert scene, has continually said how awesome it is when he comes to Amarillo and Friday night was no different.
“I just want to thank all of you for coming out tonight and to those of you who have been here since the beginning,” Shaddix yelled at the wailing audience before the last song they would perform that night. “You guys are amazing.”
The crowd screamed back in approval as the band performed its infamous first hit, Last Resort. Before he left the stage, Shaddix was sure to have the crowd show love to the other members of the band by introducing each one before thanking the crowd one last time.
When they left the stage, the big ball of humans who had been bunched together from shoulder to shoulder for about an hour immediately fell apart as people dashed either to one of the portable potties located at the back of the building, or to go grab a drink before the next band came on stage. Many people who were determined to keep the spot near the stage that they had so desperately fought for at the beginning of the show, stayed where they were and some sat down on the ground to rest during the break between bands.
Suddenly, just as it had happened the first time, lights went down and people swarmed to the stage. This time it was Stone Sour who would take the stage. As people whooped and hollered with excitement, ready to continue their evening of rocking out, the music began and Corey Taylor, front man for Stone Sour, began singing the lyrics to their 2010 hit, Say You’ll Haunt Me.
After performing a few more of their heavier songs, the guys from Stone Sour slowed it down a bit with their very first hit single, Bother, and audience members waved their cell phones and lighters back and forth as the slow melody pulsed through the air, giving the crowd a chance to rest somewhat before they began again with the more upbeat songs.
At one point during their set Taylor had the crowd sing the lyrics to Through the Glass, after which he seemed to be quite pleased.
“Wow,” Taylor said with a look of amazement. “You guys are [explicit] awesome.”
As they continued their set, the crowd continued showing support with high levels of enthusiasm right down to the last bars of the last song, and even a little bit after that. Taylor and the rest of the members of Stone Sour were called back on stage by an audience chanting, “Stone Sour, Stone Sour, Stone Sour!” They performed one more song before officially ending the show, pleasing all of the rockers who came out to support them, and who, in turn, received a night of memorable live performances by both bands.
Even after the show was over and there were no signs of it going on any longer, fans stuck around trying to catch a glimpse of a band member or find a keepsake from the bands until the point where security began making people leave the building. It was a sure sign that the evening had been a success for both the bands and the fans.
