Shake the Ground Fest had Columbus, Ohio Rocking June 5, 2021

It was the first Saturday of June, the sun was shining, the restrictions on gatherings were recently lifted, the energy was high, and the people were happy!  The moment the first riff floated through the air you knew it was real, that you were once again in the presence of live music and smiling faces.  It was a fantastic first full hard rocking day of outdoor music in over a year.  There were food vendors, a tattoo tent, chainsaw art, mosh pits and even a couple surfers.  Shake the Ground Fest was an excellent way to welcome the return of the Central Ohio local music scene and kick it off in full force with many of the up-and-coming heavy hitters.  The bands were excited to finally have a chance to play the new songs they’ve been working on to a live audience.  Every one of them put on a killer performance despite the heat!  After a long and tough year, everyone involved thoroughly enjoyed the day of music, fun, friends, letting loose, and forgetting about the pandemic.  Many people were seen closing their eyes, enjoying the moment and simply “listening to the sound of the crowd.”

Shake the Ground Fest, presented by Filthy Productions and Shakers Public House, had an overall theme of “businesses and bands working together to get the community up and running.”  The fest also supported a wonderful cause with all proceeds going to a Gold Star military family, which are those families who have lost a spouse or immediate family member in the line of duty.  The fest slogan “For the Community, By the Community” was quite fitting for such an event.

Shakers Public House, on the west side of Columbus, Ohio, has recently become a new music venue for the area.  New management has added onto and improved the existing location to be a wonderful music oriented, family and motorcycle friendly venue that hosts a variety of talent weekly.  This was also the inaugural weekend for their large outdoor stage.  The Shakers and event staff did a fantastic job hosting the fest.

 

Headlining the show was Any Given Sin, a hard rock band from Maryland.  They were excited to get onboard to support the cause and made a substantial donation themselves.  Their new single “The Way I say Goodbye” was recently released in March 2021 and is rapidly catching on.  Any Given Sin is scheduled to perform at Wisconsin’s Rock Fest in July.

 

Dread Engine is an electronica rock, metal hybrid band out of Columbus, Ohio.  They are a collaboration of different genres coming together with the working motto of “Many Parts, one Engine.” This motto continues with a recent rebranding, a new lineup, new song structure, and a significantly heavier sound.  They have two new videos for the singles “Send It” and “Change.” Their new album “Parabellum” was just released on June 5th.  Dread Engine has a tour planned later in the year and will be performing at Metal in the Mountains in West Virginia, the Blue Ridge Rock Festival in Virginia, and the Inkcarceration Festival in Ohio.

 

Harmless Habit is a modern rock band from Columbus, Oh.  They’ve been hard at work recording new material with Grammy award nominated producer Taylor Larson since the beginning of the pandemic.  Their first piece of new (original) music called “Still No Paradise” was just released on May 28th, as was the music video.  Four more singles are planned for release throughout the rest of the year according to vocalist Joey Vece.  Harmless Habit is also scheduled to perform at the sold out Inkcarceration Music and Tattoo Festival this September.

 

8lb Pressure is a heavy rock, groove-oriented band that can be enjoyed by veteran hard rock fans as well as listeners of all ages.  They released two new singles, “Betrayed” and “UnFTW”, before the pandemic and are currently in pre-production for a video for “UnFTW”.  8lb Pressure is hitting the studio in June to record four more new tunes, and four other songs are getting finished for recording in July.  A full-length album is planned for release at the end of summer per vocalist Brandon Seymour.  The pandemic was an issue with the band getting together for writing purposes.  Band members had to communicate through zoom, share music ideas through Dropbox, and learn a different writing process.  Although they missed out on some big shows they had booked with nationals.  “We are just excited about being able to book shows and see all our friends rocking out with us again.”  8lb Pressure will be performing with Buckcherry and Adelitas Way in Columbus, Ohio at the King of Clubs on July 30th.

 

Atimera of Columbus, Ohio got the mosh pits started midway through the festival with their hardcore alt-metal sound.  They have a new single and video that came out last fall “I’m a Peacock, You Gotta Let Me Fly!”

 

Layne’s Calling, a rock, alt-rock group from Louisville, Kentucky made Columbus a stop on their Post Apocalypse Tour.  This Pavement Entertainment band was quickly signed after their debut single, “Not Well”.  Their debut EP “Die for It” was released September of 2020.

 

Down Boy out of Nashville, Tennessee was an interesting surprise with a funky soul rock style all their own.  Staying busy during the pandemic, their album “…Let Go” was released October of 2020 and “The Prodigal Sun” album is set to release June 26th.

 

Other local area rock bands performing included  A Decade Apart from Columbus, Ohio and Audiocide of Zanesville, Ohio.

 

AudioCide performing at Shake the Ground Fest in Columbus, Ohio. Photo by: Dragonhawk Photography

 

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By: Dragonhawk Photography