Band Captures Explosive Homecoming Performance as 2026 Rise of Rock World Tour Is Revealed
by Paul Cashmere
American hard rock veterans Godsmack are set to release Live At Mohegan Sun on May 1, a career‑spanning live album documenting their sold‑out October 26, 2024 performance at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. The recording captures the band at peak intensity, opening with the thunderous energy of “Surrender” and closing with the monumental roar of “I Stand Alone,” showcasing the precision and power that have defined Godsmack’s live shows for more than two decades.
The Mohegan Sun show also carries profound significance, marking the final performance of the classic lineup featuring Sully Erna, Tony Rombola, Robbie Merrill, and Shannon Larkin. With Rombola and Larkin stepping away from the band following years of relentless touring, the night was equal parts farewell and celebration, a vibrant acknowledgment of Godsmack’s enduring impact on rock music.
Tracklisting – Godsmack: Live At Mohegan Sun
Side A: Surrender, You and I, When Legends Rise, 1000hp
Side B: Cryin’ Like a Bitch!!, Speak, Straight Out of Line, Awake
Side C: Keep Away, Voodoo, Battle of the Drums
Side D: Whatever, Under Your Scars, Bulletproof, I Stand Alone
Frontman Sully Erna set the tone early, addressing the crowd: “You guys have no idea how special a show this is for you tonight. Are we ready to go faster, louder, harder?” That urgency pulses through the album, whether in powerhouse tracks like “Awake” and “Cryin’ Like a Bitch!!,” emotive ballads such as “Under Your Scars,” or modern anthems including “You and I.” Erna reflected on the emotional weight of the recording, stating, “I’ve cried several times watching this thing, but it’s a happy emotion, filled with a sense of accomplishment.”
While the Mohegan Sun performance marked the end of an era, Erna emphasises that Godsmack continues. “It was just closing one chapter and welcoming whatever the new version of our career may be,” he says. That next chapter begins with the Rise of Rock World Tour 2026, featuring Stone Temple Pilots and Dorothy. “Between Godsmack and Stone Temple Pilots, it’s going to be a hit factory,” Erna adds, promising a showcase of “real rock bands that have real musicians playing real instruments.”
The live album arrives alongside the debut of the official live single and video for “When Legends Rise,” capturing the band’s connection to their hometown‑adjacent New England audience. Live At Mohegan Sun will be available digitally, on CD, Blu‑Ray, and double vinyl, offering a full document of Godsmack’s live prowess.
The Mohegan Sun set also reflects on Godsmack’s storied history. Tracks like “Voodoo” and the climactic “Whatever” display the raw energy that first propelled the band from Lawrence, Massachusetts, into international prominence. The show’s “Battle of the Drums,” a signature live spectacle featuring Larkin and Erna, exemplifies the meticulous craft honed over decades.
2026 also marks the 25th anniversary of Awake, Godsmack’s second studio album, which cemented their position among hard rock’s elite. The expanded anniversary edition will feature a new mix of “Why” and a cover of Black Sabbath’s “Sweet Leaf,” offering fans insight into the band’s creative evolution during a pivotal era.
Formed in 1995, Godsmack rose to prominence through relentless touring and a string of high‑charting singles, including “Bulletproof,” “Under Your Scars,” and “When Legends Rise.” Their catalog includes nine studio albums and one live album, with 20 million records sold worldwide, multiple GRAMMY® nominations, and a Billboard Music Award for Rock Artist of the Year. The band’s sound, rooted in alternative metal and post‑grunge but defined by Sully Erna’s distinctive vocals, Rombola’s percussive guitar work, Merrill’s driving basslines, and Larkin’s intricate drumming, has earned them a lasting legacy on the global rock stage.
Godsmack’s Rise of Rock World Tour 2026 will launch on May 7 in Daytona Beach, Florida, at Welcome to Rockville, followed by major North American and European festival appearances. The tour includes Sonic Temple in Columbus, Ohio, and concludes with Rocklahoma in Pryor, Oklahoma, before returning to North American stages in the fall.
Godsmack – The Rise Of Rock World Tour 2026 Dates
Thu May 7 – Daytona Beach, FL – Welcome to Rockville
Sat May 9 – Camden, NJ – MMRBQ Festival – Freedom Mortgage Pavilion
Sun May 10 – Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live
Tue May 12 – Virginia Beach, VA – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater
Thu May 14 – Charlotte, NC – Truliant Amphitheater
Sat May 16 – Raleigh, NC – Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek
Sun May 17 – Columbus, OH – Sonic Temple
Tue May 19 – Franklin, TN – FirstBank Amphitheater
Thu May 21 – Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
Sat May 23 – Huntsville, AL – Orion Amphitheater
Sun May 24 – Orange Beach, AL – The Wharf Amphitheater
Wed May 27 – Irving, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
Fri May 29 – Austin, TX – Germania Insurance Amphitheater
Sat May 30 – Houston, TX – The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Stay updated with your free Noise11.com daily music news email alert. Subscribe to Noise11 Music News here
Be the first to see NOISE11.com’s newest interviews and special features on YouTube. See things first—Subscribe to Noise11 on YouTube
Follow Noise11.com on social media:
Bluesky
Facebook – Comment on the news of the day
