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As you know our motto here at Music Junkie Press has always been Know Music = Know Life, No Music = No Life. We are strong believers at how music can help, heal, inspire and change us in an instant. It can be the emotional release we need to let go of fears, pain or suffering. It can be the cheers of celebration when we have succeeded or overcome an obstacle. Or it can simply be the best friend who is there for you always, in good or bad times.

Last night, we returned to cover shows after a two month hiatus we took, due to the loss of a family member. We have been in a lull, a rut of simply going through the motions, as we dealt with the day to day routines. Our time was spent barely showing any emotion, because any moment we felt our heart would break open again, and the sadness would flow endlessly. But we decided it was time to return to doing what we love and we headed off to Sacramento for the 98 ROCK Shinedown show. It was exactly what we needed.

The night was filled with music that rejuvenated our spirits. It kicked off with the discovery of a new band, ColdKingdom and they immediately got the crowd ready to rock. They came out with boundless energy from start to finish as they unleashed their hard rock fury unto the audience.

As Lions were up next and they gave the crowd a hefty dose of in-your-face rock! Their music defies the genre boundaries as they bring to life hard rock tracks, wrapped in emotionally charged lyrics and a set that won over the new crowd instantly. They recently released their debut album, Selfish Age in January and their performance of Aftermath, Bury My Dead and The Great Escape were every bit as mesmerizing as the next.

Shinedown finished off the night with an epic performance featuring a stellar precision laser show. The emotion that Shinedown bring to the stage, is immediately reciprocated by the audience. It is spellbinding to watch the crowd as they feel every word, every chord, every note and they make sure that the guys on stage feel their gratitude for their music.

It was one of the best concerts that I have been to in a long time. Maybe because it was the first one back, or maybe because I could feel the music take over my emotions and provide the release I desperately needed. It was okay to feel the pain, it was okay to feel the sadness, it was okay to feel the joy, it was okay to feel the excitement. I felt alive once again and I knew my Mother was watching over us and smiling. Music was very much a part of our care with my mother. Although at times she couldn’t communicate with us, she would squeeze our hand when certain songs were played, sometimes singing or humming along. She smiled endlessly when Ryan would sit by and play for hours for her on his guitar. Even in her final moments, we were gathered around her singing to her. At that moment, I entered a new unfamiliar world without her and my heart was broken. But last night, music was there to help me, heal me and change me. For that, I am so very grateful to Shinedown, As Lions and ColdKingdom.

Make sure to get yourself to a show and feel the music take over you. Visit their social media sites and stay up to date on their latest news.

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Shinedown