Photos and Review: Alan Welding
It was a night where heavy riffs met horror-theater spectacle as Corrosion of Conformity, Judas Priest, and Alice Cooper turned Star Lake into a cathedral of rock. Each band brought their own legacy and firepower, giving fans a show that felt both like a journey through rock history and a celebration of its enduring vitality.
Corrosion of Conformity – Raw and Relentless
Opening the evening, Corrosion of Conformity wasted no time in unleashing their Southern-fried sludge attack. Pepper Keenan’s gravel-soaked vocals cut through the humid night air, while the band’s lumbering riffs rolled over the early crowd like thunder. Songs such as Albatross and Clean My Wounds hit with a heaviness that proved why COC have remained cult heroes for decades. Their stripped-down, groove-driven set was the perfect foundation for what was to come.
Judas Priest – Heavy Metal Immortals
Then came Judas Priest, storming the stage like conquering warriors. Rob Halford, clad in his trademark leather and metal studs, still commands a stage as if it were a pulpit and the audience his congregation. His voice — whether growling low or piercing the sky on shrieks during Painkiller — reminded the crowd why he remains the “Metal God.”
The twin-guitar assault of Richie Faulkner and Andy Sneap was razor-sharp, each solo a duel of fire and precision. Classics like You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’, Breaking the Law, and Hell Bent for Leather sent waves of fists pumping in the air, while deep cuts gave die-hard fans their due. When Halford rode his Harley across the stage, Star Lake erupted in a roar that carried well into the night.
Alice Cooper – Shock Rock’s Eternal Ringmaster
Closing the evening, Alice Cooper transformed the amphitheater into a twisted carnival of nightmares and nostalgia. His entrance was pure theater: smoke, shadows, and a band locked in like a finely tuned horror soundtrack. From No More Mr. Nice Guy to I’m Eighteen, every song felt like a chapter in a macabre storybook.
Of course, no Cooper show is complete without the infamous stage props — the guillotine, the straightjacket, the menacing dolls, and a generous helping of fake blood. But behind the spectacle is a band as tight as any in rock, giving the theatrics real muscle. When School’s Out arrived — seamlessly intertwined with Pink Floyd’s Another Brick in the Wall — the crowd was one voice, arms raised high in collective defiance and joy.
Final Verdict
From Corrosion of Conformity’s swamp-soaked grooves, to Judas Priest’s metallic onslaught, and finally Alice Cooper’s grand spectacle, Star Lake witnessed a triple bill that celebrated not just music, but the art of performance itself. It was a reminder that while styles may differ, true rock and roll — in all its power, pageantry, and grit — will never die.