Part One: Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival Coverage – Camden, NJ

Oh festivals, you used to be so easy. Getting to Mayhem Fest in Camden, NJ was a bit trying this year. I had to get a few final supplies at Staples on the way to the city, and my memory card broke. Good thing I had the files saved to my phone. Filled our field audio recorder with fresh batteries and a new memory card, but it wouldn’t read the memory card. Went back in to get a different memory card, but that didn’t work either. Decided to fly back home in 15 minutes to look for the old card… Which was nowhere to be found. Flew back to another store which finally had it, picked up a 12-pack to stay hydrated, then back on the road.

About an hour and a half to As I Lay Dying interview time. If I FLEW up 322 to 95, I should be fine. Fuck Murphy’s Law. Channelling my inner Dale Earnhardt Jr, I put the pedal to the metal while cranking Slipknot’s new “best of” through my speakers. Eventually, I sat in silence as I ran through the interview in my head. Excelsior dominates all interviews and this would be no different.

As the Philly skyline came into view, I asked the gods for no traffic, and thankfully, there was none. Could I do GTA insane stunt jump over the Delaware river and cut 20 minutes off of my time?

Damn it. I was out of my nitrous boost.

The shitfest of Camden was immediately evident after crossing the bridge into The Dirty Jerz. I really wish that this venue was on the PA side of the river. Isn’t Camden the Murder Capital of the US? Shady shit around every turn. It’s crazy what danger people will put themselves through to see live music, isn’t it?! I couldn’t help but to think that the “Park Here” signs would lead to the infernal pit of doom. Thankfully, we always park across from the venue.

As the minutes ticked off the clock, Jaegermeister trucks became visible in the distance. Waved closer and closer by the friendly Camden police, I ended up in the closest lot to the venue, and surrounded by a sea of black shirts, excessive piercings, BBQ smoke, and balls to the wall blasts of people’s favorite metal band (most commonly: Slayer).

Pulled my car into a ridiculously tight space, greeted my new neighbors, cracked a cold beer open, and with about 35 minutes to interview time, thought to myself…

‘Damn it. I’m home.’

Keep your eye on moetrainstracks.com for more Mayhem Fest coverage!

MTT Remembers Paul Gray (#2, The Pig) of Slipknot (R.I.P.)

We had the opportunity (and pleasure) to be in the photo pit during Slipknot’s Mayhem Festival stop in Camden, NJ.  Not only was it the first and only time we’d ever seen Slipknot, but was also hands down one of the most insane concert experiences ever.  We’d already been spit on my Marilyn Manson, shredded to death by Dragonforce, but Slipknot took the overall trophy that day.

Paul Gray, the bassist of Slipknot, was found dead on May 24, 2010 in his Iowa hotel room.  Known as #2 or The Pig, Gray made a huge impact on the rock world through Slipknot’s musical contributions.  #2′s death follows very closely after the passing of Ronnie James Dio and Peter Steel of Type-O Negative.  People always say that things happen in threes…

We had the opportunity (and pleasure) to be in the photo pit during Slipknot’s Mayhem Festival stop in Camden, NJ.  Not only was it the first and only time we’d ever seen Slipknot, but was also hands down one of the most insane concert experiences ever.  We’d already been spit on my Marilyn Manson, shredded to death by Dragonforce, but Slipknot took the overall trophy that day.

The first thing that came into my mind as the curtains opened was, “what the fuck is going on?!”  Weird creatures crawling all over the stage, hydraulic lift drums, and mass insanity.  The music was brutally tight, and we were quite lucky to be in the safety of the photo pit… That was till they sent one of their goons running through the photo pit to break up the piece.  (I took a serious gut shot from a guy that must have been 6’7 350 lbs!  I didn’t care.  Sometimes I miss being in the pit!)

It was easy to suspend reality during their set as the music with the visuals seamlessly fused in musical madness.  We were literally leaning on the stage.  Corey Taylor kept spitting loogs all over the photographers (thankfully, I avoided it), and all the band members were in our face.  We had an extremely close view of very well calculated theatrics.  However, I can’t help but to think that those who were back in the crowd got the full sense of what transpired that night, not those in the guarded photo pit.

After our time was up in the photo pit, I quickly rushed to the other side of the pit and got into where the real maggots were crawling.  I didn’t know the history of the band, nor the words to any of their songs, but damn, they were bad ass.  It’s this lasting image that I have of #2.  Paul Gray was doing what he loved, to the people that loved him and his music.

His legacy lives in the music and all of the people he touched.

R.I.P. #2.

– Moe