Returning this year is Black Veil Brides, still dressed in black denim and leather but with noticeably less makeup and hairspray than their 2011 tour debut. They performed prickly pop-metal in the afternoon, including the standout track "Shadows Die," with glammy metal guitar hooks and a jagged violin solo.
"You're only playing for half an hour, so you can go all out for half an hour," BVB singer Andy Biersack told Rolling Stone on the band's bus following their set. "You don't have to worry about later in the set, where you're dying if you try to jump around and do all that stuff. It's fun. Its probably more energetic and acrobatic."
Their version of Billy Idol's "Rebel Yell" included wilder, showier guitar than even original guitarist Steve Stevens. "We'll play it for our fans and maybe the guy in the back throwing beers at us will get to hear one song that he likes," Biersack said.