Backstage with Godsmack

The initial meet and greet leads to long lines and plenty of skin for the ever-present sun to torture; much like the green gate barracking us from them. The security guards patrol their spots as if guarding the chamber of a famous king that forgot to tell the world hes not dead. With a click, the gate opens ten feet or so and the faithful march in. I see the smiles, the handshakes and the glassy eyes wishing they were standing in different shoes. That ever-present want to be the rock star reverberates its way to where I stand, about ten feet on the wrong side of the green. The gate closes and I watch stars fulfill dreams with smiles and greetings that will remain in those glossy eyes forever. I stand next to a cop, whos thinking Im going to make a run for it, thinking, This is Godsmack.

I head backstage to follow our camera crew doing an in depth behind the scenes view of Sully, Robbie, Tony and Shannon. Backstage I meet a bluesy Kerouacian cat with a fedora and sunglasses. Hes half my size and while shaking his hand I realize its Shannon Larkin. We chat about the hassles of breaking in a new Harley. He heads down to his designated room, but makes it a point to say hello to everyone he passes. I step back and wonder how one of the most prolific drummers of our time can be so centered.

Five minutes to show and Godsmack emerges in the hall huddled together. Much like the Spartans, the group fills the bottleneck, only to be interrupted with a screaming good luck from Tommy Lee. The five shake hands, then Godsmack heads to the stage. For those about to Rock blares over the crowd as the band takes their turn walking onstage. I spot Sully jumping a few times in the shadow of the Godsmack banner. The mass of electrical cords look like snakes trying to swallow his shadow. An eerie silence falls before he takes the stage. With each step the crowd gets louder, the music gets harder and with what sounds like a whisper, Godsmack comes to life.

They break into Whiskey and the pure force coming out of the sound system stalls your senses. Refocusing to see Sully running the stage and Shannon beating the drums to a rhythm only he knows, Godsmack has imposed its will within minutes. Its not until three songs later, Awake, that the band begins to click. The crowd roars while Sully bellows. Shannon looks delirious pounding the skins.  Robbies bass line keeps the peace while Tony rips through cord after cord. Pyros ignite, signifying the songs gradual fade; their heat resonates through the crowd like a lashing from a priest. I want to see your fists in the air, Sully screams. Angered and riot ready, the crowd obeys and gets pummeled by the next set.

Voodoo leads off the final set. Sullys chants hypnotize the already beaten crowd. Fire explodes with each cymbal tap and a mesmerizing voice leads us to silence. The stage goes dark. Then you hear Shannon begin what seems to be a drum solo. Theres only one band that can pull what happens next off. Sully emerges behind a full set and they begin to feed off one another. The mix of bongo and snare brings life back to the exhausted crowd who scream for more. With two final hits and a raising arm stand, Sully hunkers down and picks up the sticks. Each beat gets louder, faster and harder. The two push each other to a point of musical genius. Before it begins, it ends with Sully disappearing stage left and Shannon keeping the beat.

Stand Alone finishes the set and the band heads off stage. Depleted and breathless, the crowd tries to muster enough to chant for more. Shannon takes his time to walk off, throwing his sticks to the crowd before disappearing behind that mighty Godsmack banner. I walk backstage and watch as the band trickles out of the dressing room and make the trek to their bus. I walk out into the dark night, behind them and see theres no fans or lines, just the droning sound of semis awaiting their turn. Each member walks tall and silent. They must have taken this walk many times. They seem at ease, fulfilled, satisfied. Somewhere within the night they were able to find solitude within their adrenaline high, or maybe just pure exhaustion.  Either way, heres where they are now, walking back to their life in perfect serenity.