Godsmack bringing its Vibez Tour to Lake Charles

Published 1:18 pm Friday, February 23, 2024

American rock band Godsmack will be making a stop in Lake Charles for the “Vibez Tour: An Intimate Evening with Godsmack.”

They will be performing at L’Auberge Event Center at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 24. The performance is part of a national tour that kicked off earlier this month, and falls almost exactly one year after the release of their more recent album, “Lighting Up the Sky.”

Hailing from Lawrence, Massachusetts, Godsmack is made up of lead singer and rhythm guitarist Sully Erna, bassist Robbie Merrill, lead guitarist Tony Rombola and drummer Shannon Larkin. Their self-titled album –  a remastered version of their debut album “All Wound Up…” – was released in 1998. Over the years Godsmack has explored musical genres like post-grunge, hard rock and various subgenres of metal.

Email newsletter signup

The band has released eight studio albums, one EP and four DVDs, with three consecutive albums reaching number-one on the Billboard 200. This is in addition to 25 top 10 rock radio hits.

Godsmack fans are used to “thunderous pyro-filled” rock shows, but the upcoming performance will be a unique change of pace. On this tour, Godsmack is offering a more intimate, stripped down experience, featuring more “low-key” acoustic and eclectic versions of their hits.

Erna said that the performance is a redux of performances that they did 20 years ago, and is not strictly acoustic.

“It will be a combination of acoustic, electric, and special cover song selections from some of our favorite classics growing up that fits the vibe of this show we’ve designed. There will be some story telling, that’s meant to be raw, exposed and even vulnerable at times.”

The band has been on a journey of vulnerability and transparency for a number of years. In 2007, Erna released an autobiography titled “The Paths We Choose: A Memoir.” Last year, a documentary based on this autobiography called “I Stand Alone: The Sully Erna Story” was released, and is currently streaming on Amazon Prime and Apple TV.

Erna says it “tells a compelling story about one young man’s journey through life and all the challenges and obstacles he faces, in one of the most violent cities in America, and how he overcomes these downfalls in life.”

“It’s about how we sometimes need to be able to rise above them by reaching down inside ourselves, and finding that inner strength to do better, be better, work harder and get to the other side, because there is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. It’s just a son of a bitch getting there.”

He said that while it is hard to put into words the way Godsmack has evolved over the past three decades, the deep bonds that the band’s members have formed over that length of time is akin to being married.

“The experiences we have encountered, and worked through have made us all grow into better people, better band mates.”

Tickets for Godsmack’s performance on Saturday are available for purchase online at www.llakecharles.com/entertainment and other third-party ticket purchasing sites.