Godsmack – PNC Bank Arts Center – Holmdel, NJ – 6/28/2026
Review & Photos by Lori Schneider (IG: @LoriSchneiderPhotography)
Godsmack brought The Rise of Rock Tour 2026 to the PNC Bank Arts Center in New Jersey along with special guests Stone Temple Pilots and Dorothy.
Dorothy
For those experiencing her for the first time, frontwoman Dorothy Martin presented her powerhouse vocals, mix of rock, hard rock and blues influences showing why she continues to earn devoted followers with every show. From the moment she stepped onto the stage with the band – Eliot Lorango (bass), Jake Hayden (drums) and newcomer Nick Perri (guitar) – her vocals went full-throttle rock swagger in seconds. Kicking off the show with “Down to the Bottom”, she performed a 30-minute set with a rock attitude delivering the perfect opening for what followed.
Dorothy can be found online at www.dorothyonfire.com, on Facebook and Instagram @dorothy.
Stone Temple Pilots
A leading band of the 1990s alternative rock movement, Stone Temple Pilots are known for their versatility, blending grunge, hard rock, and alternative rock. Songs written in the 90’s still feel relevant today with frontman Jeff Gutt at the helm, continuing the legacy of the band. While bringing his own energy and deliverance of the music to the stage while preserving what the fans are hoping to feel, the musicianship and performance of the band brings the emotions that still resonate with generations of fans today.
Current members include the backbone of the band, brothers Dean DeLeo (guitar) and Robert DeLeo (bass, backing vocals) and Eric Kretz (drums). Jeff Gutt is known for his powerful vocal range and stage presence, which mirrors the grunge-era spirit of the band’s earlier work. Since becoming the lead singer of Stone Temple Pilots in 2017, Gutt has helped the band continue their legacy and this 60-minute set definitely proved that the legacy continues.
The setlist included:
Dead & Bloated
Wicked Garden
Vasoline
Big Bang Baby
Down
Lounge Fly
Big Empty (Dedicated to Scott Weiland)
Plush
Interstate Love Song
Crackerman
Trippin’ on a Hole in a Paper Heart
Sex Type Thing
Stone Temple Pilots can be found online at www.stonetemplepilots.com and on Facebook Stone Temple Pilots and Instagram @stpband.
Godsmack
The curtain dropped and the wait was over! Godsmack took the stage opening with “When Legends Rise” with a pace that didn’t stop until the last song of the night “I Stand Alone”. Known for their hard rock and metal sounds, with one of the best frontmen in the business, Sully Erna, Godsmack put on a performance that didn’t allow the fans to catch their breath. Sully was both commanding and sincere at times and his vocals as powerful as ever. With newcomer (formerly of Dorothy), guitarist Sam Koltun alongside bassist Robbie Merrill, and another new addition, legendary drummer Mike Mangini, the band did everything fans have come to expect from a Godsmack concert.
Known for their hard rock and metal sounds, Godsmack put on an energetic and intense performance leaving everyone with ears ringing and wanting more. They performed a 15-song set which included “Awake”, “You and I”, “Surrender”, “Keep Away”, “Whatever” and a 4-song encore which included “Under Your Scars” and “I Stand Alone” to end the night. Godsmack definitely delivered the celebration of rock. The night proved hard rock’s abiding spirit still lives on.
The setlist included –
When Legends Rise
You and I
Cryin’ Like a Bitch!!
Straight Out of Line
Awake
Surrender
Keep Away
Love-Hate-Sex-Pain
Voodoo
Batalla de los tambores (with “Back in Black”, “Walk This Way”, “Enter Sandman”, “Moby Dick” and “Tom Sawyer” snippets)
Whatever
Encore:
Under Your Scars
Come Together (The Beatles cover) (with “Stairway to Heaven” outro)
Bulletproof
I Stand Alone
