The day has finally come. What every local rock-loving Michigander has been waiting for, Riff Fest season. Every year our local rock radio station 101.1 WRIF likes to host a one-day festival at Pine Knob Music Theatre here in Clarkston, Michigan. It’s always in September but it’s never the same lineup and there are two stages, a smaller stage for opening bands and the well-known main stage for those bigger names. This year we were in for a treat!

Stormstress was up first on the side stage opening up the day with colorful hair and great energy.

Royale Lynn was next to kick down the imaginary door bringing country to a metal show perfectly and even bringing out Danny Worsnop for a duet in the middle of her set titled “ Death Wish “ and an electrifying cover of Flyleaf’s own “ All Around Me “.

The amazing Fame On Fire was next bringing the heat and marking that halfway point of the side stage show with a huge crowd singing and screaming along with them to every word. It was truly brilliant to see how big the crowds are for them after this new album release but this was not the first time they’ve been able to draw crowds on smaller stages hopefully soon we will see them on main stages only. They played a 30-minute set of favorites like “ Plastic Heart “ and ones off their new record such as “ Chains “ and “ Nightmare “ giving the set a good mix of new and old just in case there are a few new listeners out there in the crowd.

Flat Black was last to close out the side stage and get everyone prepared for what’s to come on the Main Stage, Playing popular songs off their new album “ Dark Side Of The Brain “ with a set list that was a little different than the last show cycle of summer’s very own metal festival “ Upheaval” in Grand Rapids but a lot more attention to details and all around a great energy no matter the size of the stage.

The main stage was next with our friends in Sleep Theory playing all the favorites and wasting no time on bringing their R&B flair to the show.

The heavy hitters of Wage War arrived still riding the high of their new album coming out titled “ Stigma “ with almost the whole 50-minute set being all-new music like radio favorite “ Magnetic “ and my personal favorites “ Nail5 “ and “ Tombstone “ with a beautiful drum kit, powerful vocals, and Cyro to cool everything off.

Asking Alexandria to bring all our Warped Tour memories back but unfortunately not playing very many oldies but still bringing that same energy we all know and love.

The great Seether was up next still bringing that grunge energy and playing known songs like “ Wasteland “ with Mother Nature even enjoying the set and adding the perfect atmosphere with mist in the air and playing new music as well with a packed house waiting for the final show of Godsmack.

Starting the show with a mini-documentary of all the band’s accomplishments bringing fans to the now and taking us through the decades of hits like “ Crying Like A Bitch” and newer years like 2018 with Godsmack’s “ When Legends Rise “ making it a perfect night and a nearly sold out crowd to end Riff Fest 2024.