Avenged Sevenfold und Good Charlotte

Avenged Sevenfold always delivers high energy, blow-your-ear-drums-out performances. If you like loud, you will love an A7X show.

I saw them last summer at the Orion Music Festival and was blown away. A lot of the time at a festival you lose some sound since it is outside, but Avenged Sevenfold must have found a new volume level for their amps, because it was louder than some shows that I have been to in small concert halls!

Lead singer M. Shadows was constantly prowling around the stage, shouting at the audience, and keeping the energy up. A lot of people in the crowd did not seem to be die-hard Avenged Sevenfold fans when the show started (which I guess is not uncommon for large festivals), but within a few minutes, everyone was rocking together. With the heavy guitars and smashing drums, it was hard not to get up and jump around and mosh together.

I think I danced or jumped for the entire show, and I was completely spent afterwards. There never seemed to be a quiet moment to catch my breath, which was exhilarating. I had an absolute blast at this show and would never hesitate to go see these guys again. Their live performance is second to none.

I've seen Good Charlotte over 100 times across the US, UK, Japan, and Canada. While some might consider that excessive, I can honestly say it was time well spent. GC shows are, above all else, a lot of fun.

You can expect to hear their hits, as well as a variety of songs from their five studio albums, though in recent years they've replaced early fan favorites, mostly from their self-titled album, with newer material. For the majority of concert goers attending a GC show, the entirety of the performance is spent dancing, singing, and jumping. So basically, for the most immersive experience, prepare to sweat.

Also you can expect to laugh. There is typically quite a bit of, what I like to refer to as, witty twin banter that takes place between brothers and frontmen Benji and Joel Madden. A Good Charlotte show is also a safe bet for families and younger fans, as there is usually little to no cursing or vulgarity.

Good Charlotte is currently on hiatus, but fear not, notable side projects from bassist Paul Thomas and drummer Dean Butterworth (The Strayed), Benji and Joel (The Madden Brothers), and, for the art fans, guitarist Billy Martin's comic book endeavor (Vitriol the Hunter) should keep fans of the talented quintet occupied for the time being.

If you are not currently a fan, I would suggest sampling each of the five releases: Good Charlotte, The Young and The Hopeless, The Chronicles of Life and Death, Good Morning Revival, and Cardiology, as they are all unique records and there is definitely something for everyone amongst their massive discography. In closing, to quote Benji "See you at the show!"