Hard Rock Festival Features Local, Regional Bands - TribPapers
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Hard Rock Festival Features Local, Regional Bands

Haley DeWitt is the new lead singer of Avalon’s Fate. Photo provided.

Asheville – Newly-revamped Avalon’s Fate and Appalachian Renegades are among 28 rock bands in the upcoming Day of Rock 2 Festival.

Performers will make “electrifying sounds of rock music… from classic rock anthems to cutting-edge modern sounds” with “raw energy and passion of live rock performances in an intimate and vibrant setting,” said festival co-founder and managing partner Kreig Mark. He publishes Tru Rock Revival magazine.

Main headliners are Dying Oath and Citizen Kane. Dying Oath is a five-piece band from southwest Virginia. The band said its original tunes feature “edgy, gut-punching growls” of singer Mindy Jackson, “2000s-esque heavy metalcore (intense metal-punk) riffs, and chest-thumping bass and drums.”

Citizen Kane is from Tri-Cities, Tenn., north of Asheville. The four-man band cites its musical influences as “early British metal and American rock.” It delivers “pure metal” with “tube-driven guitars, thundering bass, and powerful vocals.”

Appalachian Renegades (AR) of Asheville “blend classic rock vibes with modern rock sounds, invoking the spirit” of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jack White, and others. It calls its sound “fueled by Graeme Adams’ vocal efforts and saxophone interludes and Cole Ford’s blazing guitar solos.”

The band plays mostly rock covers spanning several decades, released three CDs, and often plays at The Salty Landing in Etowah. AR co-headlined the first Day of Rock festival last October, which had six bands.

Avalon’s Fate

Avalon’s Fate plays original “semi-progressive rock with classic rock elements” and rock covers, band founder Christian “C.J.” Justus noted. He calls their sound a “cross between Rush, Styx, and Queensryche,” with hints of Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, and Black Sabbath heavy metal. They recorded their CD Per Tempus in Nashville. Justus composed several intricate, stirring, pensive numbers.

The group unveils its newest lineup at the festival. This is a sneak peek live set, ahead of months of “writing, recording, and releasing original material” with no live shows, Justus said.

New lead vocalist Haley Colleen Majewska DeWitt has an alto-range voice. She said she’s influenced by The Cranberries’ late Delores O’Riordan on “Zombie,” Concrete Blonde’s Johnette Napolitano, Halestorm‘s Lizzy Hale, and Garbage’s sassy Shirley Ann Manson.

San Diego native DeWitt has covered rock and alt-rock hits with Hendersonville-based Full Length Parachute. They played at the Day of Rock Toy Fest last December, and in The Dugout sports bar in Downtown Hendersonville – near the Mezzaluna Italian restaurant, where she tends bar.

Drummer Robert Hughes reunites with Justus. They started with hard rock Euphoria in 1988-99, initially as East Henderson High students. Euphoria played recent reunion shows, and headlines Avalon Rock Fest III next year. Hughes drums with Crimson Moon and Sinder Ella. His most influential drummers are Led Zeppelin’s John Bonham and Peter Criss of Kiss.

Avalon’s Fate original members are Justus, and Columbia, S.C. native Steven Posey on keyboard. In 2017, they formed 28 Pages, which evolved into Skies of Avalon in 2022 and now Avalon’s Fate.

Posey is creating hard rock songs using artificial intelligence-generated sounds. Posey posted on Facebook his “Build it Up” by @UrbanRobots237. His timely lyrics call for insisting on more honest politicians. “Politicians keep on foolin.’ We’ve been ‘played’ too long. Promises left in the shadow. Broken dreams in sight… Feel the power in our voices. Time to unify… Build it up stronger…”

Posey points to legendary Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman for inspiring him to blend “classical skill with modern rock” for a “dynamic sound that reflects musical prowess and evolution.”

Avalon Fate’s lead guitarist, Carl McDonald, recently moved to Fairview from Charlotte. Enjoying small-town life, he quips that he is “commonly found on a porch, truck tailgate, or wandering around a burrow with a weed whacker.”

Avalon’s Fate plays at Day of Rock 2 on Saturday, Aug. 17, at about 3:40 p.m.

Other Acts

TruRockRevival.com links to Marks’ interviews with many festival participants describing their musical styles and influences. The Corey Stevenson Band formed at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino. It plays “high-energy Appalachian rock — a mix between blues, country, and rock” influenced by Lynyrd Skynyrd, Rush, and Vaughan.

Grindhouse performs “aggressive, melodic heavy rock” drawing from the Allman Bros., Doobies, and Metallica. Counter’s “sugarcore” sound has “metalcore distorted down-tuned guitars,” “catchy hooks,” and “dominant, clean-soaring vocals” with “no screaming.”

Broken Side, based in Knoxville, Tenn., plays “mid-tempo, heavy new alt-metal rock” with three electric guitars. Drowning Leo plays both “heavier” sounds and alt-rock. Caged Affair fuses “alt-rock, pop punk.” Cursor channels The Cure with “big choruses” and “both heavy and beautiful elements.”

Marks said that a portion of proceeds benefit Children’s Hope Alliance for “child advocacy and welfare” in 62 N.C. counties. The non-profit’s purpose is “healing the hurt, providing a safe home, and encouraging a healthy start.”

Buy festival tickets online via www.dayofrockfestivals.com.