Headlined by Rob Zombie, Five Finger Death Punch, Marilyn Manson and Halestorm, the third annual Monster Energy Rock Allegiance lineup will also feature the Lancaster band August Burns Red.
Their set on the Third Stage is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. Oct. 7, the day after their new album, “Phantom Anthem,” drops. Videos for the new songs “Invisible Enemy” (with almost 1.1 million plays on Spotify) and “The Frost” have been online.
Although they’re rock stars that have previously played the Warped Tour and were nominated for a 2016 Grammy Award, it doesn’t change that drummer Matt Greiner has farm chores to do back in Lancaster. “The farm played an integral role in the band’s early career – I’d say, spanning a decade,” he said, noting that their go-to rehearsal space used to be an insulated egg refrigerator on his family’s farm.
Despite August Burns Red’s intense, aggressive and heavy sound, Greiner admitted that he doesn’t listen to much heavy music for fun. “All of us listen to a little bit of metal. Over time, you change. Our influences vary. As J.B. (lead guitarist J.B. Brubaker) and I set out to write each record, we’re just trying to write the best music for our band. We don’t take metal too seriously. That said, there’s a lot of big bands on the (Rock Allegiance) bill. We get along with other bands in other styles of music pretty well. We disappear into a (music festival) crowd pretty easily without getting noticed.”
Would you believe there’s an August Burns Red holiday album that came out in 2012 called “Sleddin’ Hill?”
The Rock Allegiance food lineup includes: Baby Blues BBQ, Chickies & Pete’s, Nico’s Pizza and More!, Sum Pig Food Truck and Lil’ Trent’s Treats.
The lineup of regional and national craft beers had 21st Amendment (San Francisco), Dogfish Head (Milton, Del.), Founders (Grand Rapids, Mich.), Neshaminy Creek (Croydon), Oskar Blues (Longmont, Colo.), Spellbound (Mount Holly, N.J.), Troegs Independent Brewing (Hershey), Unibroue (Chambly, Quebec) and Victory Brewing Co. (Downingtown).
Pennsylvania’s other musical representative at Rock Allegiance, Lizzy Hale of Halestorm, commented in a press release: “We are so excited about being a part of Rock Allegiance 2017. We’ve been busy writing new music for our next record and have been missing the stage. We cannot wait to see all of you and give a loud offering to the rock ‘n’ roll gods.”
See the full schedule and grub and beer lineup at www.rockallegiance.com.
