Black Stone Cherry closed out an awesome Daytona Bike Week. The Southern rockers brought their raw energy to the stage and delivered one of the best live shows I ever attended. What a killer night.
In 2019 I saw Alice Cooper live in Tilburg. Something special was the support of Black Stone Cherry, who absolutely rocked the house. Their raw energy made me super impressed and I always wanted to see them again. Not in my wildest dreams did I think it would be in Florida, United States, as part of one of the biggest motorcycle rallies. I would have paid good money for this show, but to my surprise it was completely free and came with a support act. I was ready for a night of proper rock n roll!
TIM MONTANA
In what I can only describe as true American spirit, the night kicked off with a guitarist playing the national anthem as I walked up to the stage. Not long after, it was time for Tim Montana to take over. Born in Montana, Tim picked up a guitar around the age of six. Growing up in a trailer without electricity, he taught himself to play by candlelight, a story he proudly shared with us during the set.
These days, he’s racked up multiple hit singles and brought serious energy to the stage tonight. I’ll admit, I had never heard of Tim Montana before this show, but he delivered a kickass set. Great storytelling, great songs, and a blast to watch.
Some personal highlights: Die Today, Savage, Mostly Stoned, and Devil You Know. Watching the band play was pure joy, and early on in the set, I found myself becoming a fan. A great start to what turned out to be a great night.
Watching the band play was such a joy and early on the set I became a fan. A great start of a great night.
GLOBE OF DEATH
As if seeing a great support act wasn’t enough, we were also treated to the Globe of Death. The Urias Family Daredevils jumped on their bikes and delivered a spectacular show. Watching them perform insane stunts in what feels like a super small cage, one that dates back almost a hundred years, was absolutely amazing.
Throughout the show, we got to witness a whole range of jaw-dropping stunts. Starting with just two bikes in the cage doing tricks like The Chase, The Butterfly, and The Pass, the action was non-stop. But the real show-stopper? A girl standing in the middle of the cage while three motorcycles circled around her. Absolutely unreal.
It was such a great addition to an already crazy night. And impressively, it wasn’t the only bike-related moment. Later on, they gave away a Harley-Davidson to one lucky person out of ten who had the key to start it. Super exciting to watch, and a perfect way to tie the whole Daytona Bike Week vibe into the event.
BLACK STONE CHERRY
It feels that the perfect band to headline a motorcycle event in the US of A would be a proper hard rock band. Black Stone Cherry proved tonight they were that band. With a take no prisoner attitude, they kicked off their set straight away with power.
It’s wild to think of Black Stone Cherry as a “new” band when they’ve been tearing it up for over two decades. Guitarist and vocalist Chris Robertson and drummer John Fred Young started jamming together in their teens, eventually teaming up with guitarist Ben Wells and bassist John Lawhon to form the band back in 2001. Their roots in the small town of Edmonton, Kentucky didn’t stop them from making a big noise. Quickly building a local following with their explosive live shows. That momentum led to a record deal and the release of their self-titled debut in 2006. They’ve been steadily putting out music ever since. Their latest album, Screamin’ at the Sky, was released back in 2023.
ROCKIN’ DAYTONA
They walked on stage with confidence and kicked things off straight into Mary Jane.
The crowd packed in tight, fists flying, voices shouting every line in unison. From the first note, the energy hit hard, and it never let up.
The set was stacked with hits: Burnin’, Again, Out of Pocket, and my personal favorite, Stay. The band sounded tight. Chris’s vocals were loud and clear, and his guitar licks brought everything together. John Fred Young was an absolute beast on the drums, hitting with all his might. Ben Wells brought killer energy, playing hard, but rocking even harder. With current bassist Steve Jewell holding down the low end, tonight’s lineup felt complete.
The night ended with what feels are the classic BSC staple hits: White Trash Millionaire, Blame it on the Boom Boom and Lonely Train. Black Stone Cherry are in a league of their own. The band delivers a show packed with raw energy, pure rock ‘n’ roll, and killer riffs and tunes. From the moment they entered the stage to the very last note I was rocking out and soaking in the experience.
Seeing these Southern rockers kick off their 2025 tour at such a legendary event and giving it all in this free concert was insane. The band tore the place apart. I was left sweaty, worn out, and voiceless. But boy, was it worth it. The band took no prisoners and left no stone unturned to deliver the ultimate rock n roll experience. Go see them, go listen to them, go rock out and love it as this band is what the world needs now.
