by Steve Trager
Staff Writer

Does any typical concert package size up to this? Highly doubtful, simply because it has not one but three well-known artists who have earned themselves not only a huge cult following, but numerous radio friendly hits that have signified each artist in a unique way. Even with a short but sweet mini-tour that featured the likes of Godsmack in the hot seat as the headliner, we were also treated to the bizarre antics of the master himself Rob Zombie and perhaps one of the most promising Atlantic Bands, Shinedown, all at a recent rock event at Camden's Tweeter Center. In anyone's mind all bands are great, yet some just seem to either stick out for some odd reason or have this unusual vibe that makes you go out and get all their back catalogs for the ultimate listening pleasure experience.

Opening the show to get the fans warmed up for both Zombie and Godsmack was this incredible band who call themselves Shinedown. Not your typically lesser support band by any means. Shinedown, made up of just four individuals, have churned up a duce of hits with just two CDs. Oddly enough, Shinedown has been in the hot seat since they stumbled onto the rock scene with "Fly From The Inside". There is much to admire about this band who has toured throughout this entire year on various packages, including The SnoCore Tour, to which they co-headlined with Seether. Their quick set that ran them through songs such as "Heroes," "45," "Save Me," , "I Dare You" and their remake version of Lynyrd Skynyrd' s "Simple Man," which always sounded great; even the acoustic version kicks serious ass.

A set change from Shinedown's gear to the most bizarre full production of Rob Zombie, who always has the unusual set design and wardrobe, which stand out as some freak of nature in rock. Nothing says Zombie unless he features all the works that earned him credibility as both a solo artist and the main force behind the legacy band once known as White Zombie.

His full, 60-minute set included "American Witch," "Superbeast," "Dragula," and of course his trademark featured song of the evening, "More Human Then Human."

One more complete set stage to Godsmack's full Production as the 10,000 eager fans could see the backstage video of the band backstage warming up on the screen behind lighting gear. We listened to their intro, which was an AC/DC song to get everyone fully pumped and on their feet. The lights went down and the curtain dropped as Godsmack entered the stage and began to roar with the production volume at its peak with "Straight Out Of Line." They ran through every single hit you have always come to expect to hear from each and every typical Godsmack show.

Nothing screams Godsmack without Sully Erna at the wheel fully pumping the crowd with "Speak," "The Enemy," "Re Align," "Awake," and
"Keep Away."

I personally always enjoyed Godsmack even going way back to when I first caught a glimpse of this band in Tampa, Fla in front of 40,000 people. I was so amazed at this band's energy I knew that this band was going to be around for along time. No words can re-define after six albums later Godsmack is still alive and kicking world wide and rock solid.

Outside of the yet another superior blistering show, this band has always given back to the fans -- and without a doubt on this current mini trek of dates -- Godsmack never leaves the stage without the complete rotating drum solos where Sully and drummer Shannon Larkin both entertained the fans to what has and always will be the best part of the show. This would be the drum solos that featured drums going head to head and face to face in a 360 degree angle to which Sully and Shannon belted out an intense set of solo medleys which was everything from AC/DC'S "Black In Black" to having the fans sing along to Black Sabbaths's "War Pigs." Nothing would make this complete without a few bits and pieces of Led Zeppelin's
"Rock n Roll."

Every band at some point features guitar solos or something to squeeze time in during their show but, I can't exactly remember any Hard Rock band featuring double solos in their sets which makes Godsmack truly unique among every other band out today.

Of course the show wouldn't be complete without "Whatever" and two encores that left The Tweeter Center wanting more "Shinedown" and "I Stand Alone." No set list can satisfy anyone of us simply because Godsmack has more then a dozen hits that we all have to hear at some for or fashion. Never a dull or bad show from Godsmack as they have entertained millions despite lesser radio airplay in some markets over the years. One thing is for sure: Godsmack can come to Philadelphia or even Camden, New Jersey and totally whip fans into shape in just a few songs into their set. Quite a true statement indeed.