Rock on the Range: Main Stage Day 2 – Judas Priest, Godsmack, Papa Roach, In This Moment

As sore bodies awoke, spirits were high as Rangers took on Day 2 of Rock on the Range. The Main Stage on the second day was filled with legends, rock anthems, theatrical production and a few surprises.

“Generals gathered in their masses / Just like witches at black masses!” sung by thousands as Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs” served as the intro to fellow legendary metal icons Judas Priest. With 17 studio albums and 40 years of music to their credits, generations of fans gathered to witness some serious riffs and high notes provided by these metal giants.

Whether it’s “Breaking the Law,” “Hellbent for Leather,” or “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’," the crowd rocked out to these tunes we know and love. Most of us partied well into the wee hours of the morning especially with the set ending “Living After Midnight.”

Whether you were “Cryin’ Like a Bitch” or dabbling in “Voodoo,” the voices of Godsmack fans echoed throughout Mapfre Stadium. The most incredible part of their set is the exhilarating drum battle also known as “Batalla de los Tambores” between frontman Sully Erna and the incomparable Shannon Larkin. To say the least, the Columbus crowd went crazy during the set-ending “Whatever” and “I Stand Alone.”

Papa Roach took the stage beforehand as all of the Rangers in attendance sang out anthems “Getting Away With Murder,”  “Between Angels and Insects,” Broken Home” with a snippet of Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” and of course “Last Resort.” The band has a full year of touring ahead of them in support of their new album “F.E.A.R.”

The very theatrical and dynamic In This Moment invaded Rock on the Range with one of the most interesting sets of the weekend. With freaky backup dancers and costume changes, frontwoman Maria Brink and her crew unleashed new tunes “Sick Like Me,” “Sex Metal Barbie” and their title track from their latest album, Black Widow.

The vigor behind Brink and the rest of the band is undeniable and the robustness of the crowd  was especially evident during favorites “Adrenalize,” “Whore” and “Blood.” One brave fan in a wheel chair crowdsurfed as fans lifted her to the front for one of the most moving moments of the entire weekend.

Scott Weiland & the Wildabouts took the stage for a set that offered a smattering of memorable Stone Temple Pilot tracks. Although Weiland looked a bit disheveled throughout the performance, it didn’t matter as he belted out notable songs “Vasoline,” “Crackerman” and “Unglued.”

Of Mice & Men invigorated fans earlier in the day as they cranked out infectious tracks “Bones Exposed,” “Feels Like Forever” and “Would You Still Be There” off of their latest album Restoring Force. Fans were forceful all throughout the set as passionate crowdsurfers made their way to the stage.

Special guest “supergroup” Saint Asonia featuring former Three Days Grace frontman Adam Gontier, Staind guitarist Mike Mushok, Dark New Day / Eye Empire bassist Corey Lowery and the very entertaining percussionist Richie Beddoe (formerly of Finger Eleven) kicked things off on the main stage for their live debut. The band is working on their first full length album set to drop this summer.

Check out our gallery of all of the main stage artists of Day 2 on Rock on the Range above and stay tuned for our coverage of the side stages of that day as well!

If You Missed It, Check Out Our Gallery of the Day 1 Main Stage Acts Below: