Rob Zombie performs at the Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre in Tinley Park on Aug. 5, 2022.
Midway through the Chicago stop on the Freaks on Parade Tour – at the Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre in Tinley Park on Aug. 5 – Rob Zombie welcomed the next generation of fans to “carry on the torch of rock” during a set filled with devilish hits.
“There are two things I really noticed on this tour. One is there’s a lot of people with very long grey beards. Two, there’s a lot of little tiny kids going f*cking ape sh*t. That’s our demographic. ZZ Top and f*cking Sesame Street,” Zombie said to a sea of cheers before dedicating “Scum of the Earth” to the youngsters in attendance.
The crossroads of ZZ Top and Sesame Street is definitely where Zombie and his band – John 5 (guitar), Piggy D. (bass), Ginger Fish (drums) – took fans on what was a wild musical journey with such roadside attractions as horror-show riffs, jump-scare rhythms, monster-fighting kicks and petrifying puppets. Whether performing “Meet the Creeper,” “Living Dead Girl” or a body-shaking take on “Never Gonna Stop (The Red, Red Kroovy),” highlighted by Ginger Fish’s wickedly fast fills, Zombie and company entertained the masses with visual wonders and musical genius.
Rob Zombie performs at the Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre in Tinley Park on Aug. 5, 2022.
Earlier in the night, Mudvayne – touring the U.S. for the first time in over a decade – hosted a sinister set built solidly on the love of metal.
“This is the heavy metal community of Chicago right here,” said vocalist Chad Gray asking everyone to high five a stranger in the crowd. “We are a f*cking family. We are bonded by one common denominator. One thing brought us all here tonight. Heavy metal f*cking music.”
When they weren’t celebrating a shared love of metal, Mudvayne – Gray, Greg Tribbett (guitar) Matthew McDonough (drums), Ryan Martinie (bass) – captivated every eye and ear in the venue as they ventured further and further into the madness of the music. “Severed” and “Dig” were crowd pleasers and “Determined” took things to the next level as Gray toyed with the brink of delirium adding just enough humor to alleviate any real cause for alarm.
Mudvayne performs at the Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre in Tinley Park on Aug. 5, 2022.
Powerman 5000 and Static X were also along for the ride. “I’m with Stupid” and “Push It” got the crowd going during Static X’s performance while Powerman 5000 kicked off the night with a setlist that included “Horror Show” and a dark cover of The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army.”
The Freaks on Parade Tour continues through August. Click here to pick-up tickets and check out photos from Rob Zombie, Mudvayne, Static X and Powerman 5000 performing in the Chicago area below.
Head over to Livenation.com for more information about upcoming shows at the Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre.
(Photos by Laurie Fanelli)
