It finally came back to Albany. The Anger Management Tour featuring Godsmack, Sinistar, and Limp Bizkit returned from its cancellation date to play before a sold-out crowd on December 10 at the Pepsi Arena. It had a different line-up from the last time it was scheduled to be in Albany. This time there was no Eminem or Papa Roach. New additions were supposed to be DMX and Godsmack, but DMX pulled out minutes before showtime with an undisclosed medical excuse.
First out on the stage was Sinistar. They are a brand new band this year and just put out their first album. They came out and belted out four songs, and then jetted out before being booed off the stage. They were a sad attempt at mixing a cocktail of Korn and Marilyn Manson. They got their biggest applause when they finally turned over the mike to Godsmack.
Godsmack came out extremely fired up. The first thing they did was work to get the mosh pits united and add organization to the madness that occurred on the floor level. They played five songs and then disappeared. The big encore song, "Voodoo," was a chart topper this summer. It brought insanity to a new level inside the arena. Band members were stage diving, and the fans were moshing and crowd surfing everywhere. They gave a great performance and did a good job of turning the crowd’s mood after Sinistar had left a sour taste in the mouths of the audience. If you missed Godsmack this time, they will be back on their own tour in March.
Limp Bizkit’s entrance, which followed Godsmack’s set, was quite the spectacle. The curtain went up and smoke arose from the stage. Then a huge Voltron robot emerged from the depths of the arena. When the arms lifted up drummer John Otto and DJ Lethal were exposed and began mixing and drumming out a nasty little set. Then both legs moved to the side to reveal bassist Wes Borland and guitarist Sam Rivers. Wes Borland came out dressed in a full-length black robe with white circles that lit up during his solos. He face was painted black and white, and his guitars dropped some bass chords that almost blew the roof off. Then the middle of the robot opened up and lead vocalist Fred Durst came running out.
Their play list spanned all three albums and did not leave anyone dissatisfied. From their newest album, Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water, they played "Hot Dog," "Rollin’," "My Generation," and "Take a Look Around." Limp Bizkit had an extravagantly done pyrotechnic display for "Nookie" and "Faith." They also played "Break Stuff" and "Counterfeit."
Despite setbacks ranging from Fred Durst’s laryngitis to DMX not showing, the Anger Management Tour was awesome. It combined great bands, good energy, and a great crowd to produce a night of madness, mayhem, and fun. If the tour makes another stop in the Capital District, I highly suggest you check it out.
