Review & Photos by Greg Hamil for MPM
There is something about a great rock concert that makes the day of the week irrelevant. Whether it is a Friday night or a Tuesday evening, the combination of crushing guitar riffs, thunderous drums, and a room filled with rock fans can turn an ordinary night into something memorable. That was the appeal of Godsmack and Dorothy’s October 20, 2026, appearance at Milwaukee’s Landmark Credit Union Live.
The evening brought together two bands with different musical personalities but a shared appreciation for loud, unapologetic rock music. Dorothy provided a gritty, blues-influenced opening performance led by the powerhouse vocals of Dorothy Martin, while Godsmack delivered a headlining set built around the aggressive riffs, pounding rhythms, and familiar anthems that have defined the band for nearly three decades.
Having the opportunity to see Godsmack during this particular chapter of its career added another layer of interest. The band was touring with a revamped lineup featuring guitarist Sam Koltun and drummer Mike Mangini alongside founding members Sully Erna and Robbie Merrill. With two new musicians performing songs that have become deeply familiar to longtime fans, there was plenty of reason to be curious about how the current version of Godsmack would approach its extensive catalog.
The evening offered a mix of older favorites and more recent material, with enough variety to showcase several different sides of the band’s sound. The aggressive punch of “Awake,” the haunting atmosphere of “Voodoo,” and the anthemic power of “I Stand Alone” helped illustrate why Godsmack continues to command attention on the concert circuit.
For Milwaukee rock fans, it was an opportunity to experience a veteran headliner in one of the city’s newest concert venues, with Dorothy providing a strong opening chapter to the night.
Landmark Credit Union Live: An Impressive New Addition to Milwaukee
Located in Milwaukee’s bustling Deer District, near Fiserv Forum, Landmark Credit Union Live is a welcome addition to the city’s live entertainment scene. Having opened in February 2026, the venue provides a modern concert environment that falls comfortably between the intimacy of smaller music clubs and the enormous scale of traditional arenas.
With a capacity of approximately 4,500, the building offers a spacious general-admission floor, elevated viewing areas, and modern production facilities. Its design allows for a substantial concert presentation without making the room feel overwhelmingly large.
For a hard-rock show, that balance is particularly appealing.
Godsmack‘s music depends heavily on powerful drums, thick guitar tones, and a substantial low end. A venue of this size provides the opportunity to experience that musical weight while maintaining a relatively close connection to the stage.
The surrounding Deer District also contributes to the appeal. With restaurants, bars, and gathering spaces nearby, the location makes it easy to turn a concert into an entire evening downtown.
As one of Milwaukee’s newest entertainment destinations, Landmark Credit Union Live has the potential to become a favorite stop for established touring artists. A bill featuring Godsmack and Dorothy was certainly an appropriate match for a venue looking to establish itself as a destination for major rock performances.
Dorothy: A Fiery Start to the Evening
Opening for a band like Godsmack is not an easy assignment. The headliner arrives with decades of recognizable hits and an audience eager to hear them, leaving the opening act with the challenge of capturing attention before the main attraction.
Dorothy was a fitting choice for that role.
Led by vocalist Dorothy Martin, the band brings together elements of classic rock, blues, and contemporary hard rock, creating a sound that feels both familiar and distinctive. Rather than depending exclusively on heavy riffs or relentless aggression, Dorothy‘s music frequently emphasizes groove, melody, and the commanding personality of its lead singer.
Martin’s voice is unquestionably the centerpiece.
She possesses a naturally gritty delivery that can shift from soulful and expressive to aggressive and powerful without losing its character. There is an earthy quality to her singing that recalls the great blues-influenced rock vocalists while maintaining a contemporary edge.
That versatility gives Dorothy‘s music much of its appeal.
“Down to the Bottom” is an excellent example. Built around a muscular guitar groove and bluesy rhythm, the song allows Martin’s voice to carry the arrangement. The guitars provide plenty of weight, but the music never loses its sense of swagger.
It is the kind of song that makes sense in a live setting, where the relationship between the rhythm section and vocals becomes especially important.
“The Devil I Know” explores a heavier side of the band’s personality. Its darker atmosphere and more aggressive guitar work bring Dorothy closer to the modern hard-rock sound associated with Godsmack.
Martin’s vocal approach fits that heavier material naturally, combining power with enough melodic control to keep the song from becoming a straightforward exercise in volume.
What makes Dorothy such an appealing opening act is the band’s ability to offer something different without feeling out of place.
Where Godsmack‘s music emphasizes crushing riffs and percussive aggression, Dorothy leans more heavily into blues-rock traditions. The contrast creates a natural progression between the two performances.
The guitar work provides a gritty foundation, the rhythm section maintains the momentum, and Martin’s vocals give the songs their distinctive personality.
Dorothy‘s music also benefits from a sense of authenticity. The arrangements are rooted in traditional rock instrumentation, with the emphasis remaining on guitars, drums, bass, and vocals rather than unnecessary embellishment.
For anyone unfamiliar with the band before the concert, the performance provided a worthwhile introduction. For established fans, it was another opportunity to appreciate Martin’s impressive vocal abilities.
By the time Dorothy‘s portion of the evening concluded, the musical direction was firmly established. The night belonged to hard rock, and Godsmack was next.
Godsmack: A New Lineup, the Same Hard-Rock Attitude
Godsmack has never been a band that relies on subtlety to make its point. Since emerging in the late 1990s, the group has built its reputation around massive guitar riffs, pounding drums, dark musical textures, and the unmistakable voice of Sully Erna.
Those qualities have helped Godsmack remain one of the most recognizable names in modern hard rock.
The Milwaukee concert was particularly interesting because of the band’s recent lineup changes. Longtime guitarist Tony Rombola and drummer Shannon Larkin had stepped away from touring, opening the door for guitarist Sam Koltun and drummer Mike Mangini.
For anyone who has followed Godsmack over the years, those changes are significant. Rombola and Larkin were essential contributors to the band’s sound, and their playing became closely associated with many of its biggest songs.
However, the addition of Koltun and Mangini brings considerable talent into the group.
Koltun, who previously performed with Dorothy, has the guitar skills and hard-rock background necessary to handle Godsmack‘s demanding catalog. His responsibility goes beyond simply reproducing familiar riffs. He must preserve the identity of the original recordings while bringing his own musical personality to the performance.
Mangini, meanwhile, arrives with an extraordinary reputation established through his work with progressive-metal veterans Dream Theater. His technical abilities are well documented, but Godsmack requires a different musical approach.
The band’s songs depend heavily on groove and rhythmic impact. Rather than emphasizing complicated arrangements, the music frequently achieves its greatest power through precision, restraint, and the interaction between guitar, bass, and drums.
That makes Mangini an intriguing addition.
Bassist Robbie Merrill provides an important connection to Godsmack‘s original identity. His low-end playing has always been essential to the band’s sound, reinforcing the guitar riffs and giving the music much of its weight.
At the center of everything remains Sully Erna.
Erna’s voice is one of the most recognizable in hard rock. His delivery combines aggression, melody, and an unmistakable edge that has defined Godsmack since its earliest recordings.
He also possesses the kind of commanding stage personality necessary to lead a band with such a substantial catalog.
With nearly three decades of material available, Godsmack has the luxury of building a concert around familiar songs from several different periods. The Milwaukee setlist reflected that depth, balancing early favorites with more recent hits and allowing room for instrumental showmanship.
A Dramatic Entrance with “When Legends Rise”
Godsmack knows how to make an entrance.
The headlining performance began with a dramatic curtain drop, revealing the band as it launched into “When Legends Rise,” the title track from its 2018 album.
It was a fitting way to begin the evening.
The song’s driving guitar riff and forceful percussion immediately established the musical intensity expected from Godsmack. Its enormous chorus also provided a strong opening statement, combining the band’s trademark heaviness with the more melodic approach found throughout its later recordings.
Erna’s vocals are particularly effective on the track, moving between aggressive phrasing and a broad, memorable chorus.
There is also something appropriate about opening a concert with a song centered on perseverance and overcoming adversity, especially for a band navigating significant personnel changes.
Godsmack has experienced considerable evolution since its earliest days, but the musical foundation remains recognizable.
“When Legends Rise” captures that balance between continuity and change.
The song retains the powerful rhythms and thick guitar sound that made Godsmack successful while incorporating a more polished, anthemic approach.
As an opening selection, it also provided an effective transition into the rest of the set.
Rather than beginning with one of its oldest hits, Godsmack chose material from a later stage of its career, making it clear that the evening would celebrate the band’s entire catalog.
From there, the performance moved into songs such as “You and I,” “1000hp,” and “Straight Out of Line,” keeping the emphasis on heavy guitars and aggressive rhythms.
The selection demonstrated the band’s ability to move between different periods of its career without losing its unmistakable identity.
“Awake”: Godsmack at Its Heaviest
If “When Legends Rise” represented Godsmack‘s more polished, anthemic side, “Awake” brought the focus back to the crushing aggression that helped establish the band’s reputation.
Released in 2000, the title track from Godsmack‘s second studio album remains one of its most recognizable songs.
Its opening guitar riff is immediately identifiable, combining a dark, distorted tone with a deliberate rhythm that gives the music tremendous weight.
What makes “Awake” so effective is the way the instruments work together.
The guitar establishes the central riff, the bass reinforces its low-end power, and the drums provide a relentless foundation. The arrangement is aggressive without becoming chaotic, allowing the music’s heaviness to come from precision rather than unnecessary complexity.
Erna’s vocals add another layer of intensity.
His delivery moves between controlled aggression and outright confrontation, reflecting the frustration and determination embedded in the song.
For longtime Godsmack fans, “Awake” represents an important period in the band’s history.
Following the success of its self-titled debut, the Awake album helped establish Godsmack as more than another late-1990s hard-rock act. Its combination of memorable riffs, aggressive songwriting, and distinctive vocals solidified the group’s position in the genre.
More than twenty-five years later, the song remains a natural fit for the concert stage.
It also provides an interesting test for the new touring lineup.
Koltun must capture the familiar weight and character of the guitar riff, while Mangini’s drumming needs to maintain the groove that makes the song so effective.
Despite Mangini’s extraordinary technical abilities, material like “Awake” benefits most from a direct, powerful approach.
Sometimes the simplest rhythmic ideas deliver the greatest impact.
That philosophy has always been central to Godsmack‘s sound, and “Awake” remains one of its finest examples.
The Musicianship Behind the Music
One of the most interesting aspects of seeing an established band with a revamped lineup is the opportunity to appreciate the individual musicians behind familiar songs.
Godsmack‘s music may sound relatively straightforward compared with some forms of progressive metal, but that simplicity can be deceptive.
The band’s arrangements require precise timing, powerful execution, and a strong understanding of how the instruments interact.
Merrill’s bass playing is especially important.
His lines frequently follow the guitar riffs, reinforcing the rhythmic patterns and creating the dense sound that has become a Godsmack trademark.
Koltun’s guitar work carries much of the melodic and rhythmic identity. From the aggressive attack of “Awake” to the more atmospheric passages found elsewhere in the catalog, his role requires considerable versatility.
Mangini brings an entirely different musical background to the group.
His reputation for speed and technical precision makes him particularly interesting in a band whose music places such a strong emphasis on groove.
Godsmack‘s songs do not necessarily need complicated drum patterns. They need a drummer capable of making every beat count.
That distinction is important.
A powerful backbeat, a well-placed accent, or a perfectly timed fill can create more excitement than an elaborate passage that distracts from the song.
The group’s celebrated percussion feature, “Batalla de los Tambores,” provides an opportunity to explore the more technical side of that musicianship.
The drum battle has long been associated with Godsmack‘s concerts, allowing Erna to revisit his background as a drummer while showcasing the abilities of the musician behind the main kit.
With Mangini involved, the segment takes on an especially intriguing dimension.
The feature also provides a welcome change from the guitar-driven material that dominates the setlist.
Rather than simply moving from one recognizable hit to another, Godsmack incorporates an instrumental showcase that celebrates the rhythmic foundation of its music.
That variety is part of what makes the band’s live presentation appealing.
“Voodoo”: A Darker, More Hypnotic Side
Although Godsmack is best known for aggressive guitar riffs and powerful vocals, some of its most distinctive material relies on atmosphere rather than sheer volume.
“Voodoo” is perhaps the finest example.
Originally released on the band’s self-titled debut, the song stands apart from much of Godsmack‘s catalog because of its haunting melody, restrained instrumentation, and hypnotic rhythmic foundation.
Rather than opening with an explosive guitar riff, “Voodoo” establishes a dark, almost ritualistic atmosphere through repetition and percussion.
Erna’s vocal delivery is considerably more restrained than on songs such as “Awake” or “Whatever.”
His voice takes on a haunting quality that complements the unusual arrangement, allowing the melody to develop gradually.
The result is a song that creates intensity without depending on aggression.
That contrast makes “Voodoo” particularly effective within a Godsmack concert.
After a succession of heavier songs, its slower pace and atmospheric character provide a different musical experience.
The song also highlights Godsmack‘s longstanding interest in percussion and unconventional rhythmic textures.
Those influences have appeared throughout the band’s career, but they are especially prominent here.
In Milwaukee, the placement of “Voodoo” immediately before “Batalla de los Tambores” created a natural connection between the band’s atmospheric songwriting and its appreciation for percussion.
For longtime fans, “Voodoo” remains one of Godsmack‘s most distinctive recordings.
For newer listeners, it offers a reminder that the band’s musical identity extends beyond aggressive riffs and confrontational vocals.
Sometimes a haunting melody and hypnotic rhythm can be every bit as powerful as a wall of distorted guitars.
A Setlist That Celebrated Godsmack’s History
With nearly three decades of material available, Godsmack has accumulated enough recognizable songs to construct a concert around several different periods of its career.
The Milwaukee setlist reflected that depth.
Early favorites such as “Keep Away,” “Whatever,” and “Straight Out of Line” revisited the aggressive sound that established the band’s reputation.
More recent material, including “You and I” and “Bulletproof,” demonstrated the melodic direction explored throughout its later recordings.
The inclusion of Joe Walsh’s “Rocky Mountain Way” provided an interesting classic-rock diversion, connecting Godsmack‘s heavy guitar sound to the blues-based traditions that influenced generations of rock musicians.
“Love-Hate-Sex-Pain” offered another change of pace, emphasizing the more emotional and atmospheric qualities found within the band’s songwriting.
Together, those selections helped create a performance that explored several different musical moods without abandoning Godsmack‘s core identity.
That consistency is one of the band’s greatest strengths.
Whether performing material from its earliest recordings or songs released decades later, Godsmack maintains a recognizable sound built around heavy guitars, powerful rhythms, and Erna’s distinctive vocals.
The Milwaukee performance provided an opportunity to hear those different periods brought together by a new touring lineup.
“I Stand Alone”: The Perfect Closing Anthem
There may be no more appropriate song to close a Godsmack concert than “I Stand Alone.”
Originally released in 2002 and featured on the soundtrack to The Scorpion King, the track has become one of the band’s defining anthems.
Following “Bulletproof” in the encore, “I Stand Alone” served as the final selection of the Milwaukee performance.
Its opening guitar riff is instantly recognizable.
Heavy, deliberate, and ominous, the riff establishes the song’s character before the rhythm section drives the music forward.
The arrangement combines everything that makes Godsmack effective: aggressive guitar work, powerful drumming, a memorable chorus, and Erna’s unmistakable vocal delivery.
The song’s themes of independence and determination have helped it maintain a broad appeal long after its original release.
Erna moves between controlled intensity and outright aggression, giving the arrangement a sense of dramatic tension.
The chorus provides the release, transforming the song into a powerful declaration of personal strength.
Musically, “I Stand Alone” demonstrates Godsmack‘s ability to make straightforward ideas sound enormous.
The central riff is not especially complicated, but its tone, rhythm, and placement within the arrangement give it tremendous impact.
The drums reinforce that intensity, while the bass provides the low-frequency weight that makes the music so powerful.
For longtime fans, the song represents a defining moment in Godsmack‘s career. Its success helped introduce the band to a broader audience and cemented its reputation as one of modern hard rock’s most recognizable acts.
As the final number in Milwaukee, it provided a fitting conclusion to an evening built around the band’s history and enduring musical identity.
Heavy guitars. Pounding drums. Commanding vocals. And a chorus that refuses to be ignored.
It was an appropriate final statement from a band whose music has always celebrated strength, resilience, and individuality.
Final Thoughts: A Night of Unapologetic Hard Rock
Godsmack and Dorothy‘s October 20, 2026, appearance at Landmark Credit Union Live brought together two distinct approaches to hard rock for an evening that celebrated powerful musicianship, memorable songs, and the enduring appeal of live guitar-driven music.
Dorothy provided a strong introduction, combining blues-influenced guitar work with Dorothy Martin’s commanding vocals. Songs such as “Down to the Bottom” and “The Devil I Know” demonstrated the band’s ability to balance soulful expression with contemporary hard-rock aggression.
For Godsmack, the evening represented both a celebration of its history and the beginning of a new touring chapter.
With Sam Koltun and Mike Mangini joining Sully Erna and Robbie Merrill, the band continues navigating significant personnel changes while maintaining the musical identity that made it successful.
The setlist balanced early classics with later hits, providing opportunities to appreciate different aspects of Godsmack‘s sound.
“When Legends Rise” delivered a dramatic opening statement, while “Awake” revisited the crushing aggression that helped define the band’s early success.
“Voodoo” demonstrated the darker, more atmospheric side of its songwriting, and “I Stand Alone” provided an appropriate conclusion with one of the group’s most recognizable anthems.
The percussion feature added another dimension, highlighting the rhythmic foundation that has always been central to Godsmack‘s music.
Landmark Credit Union Live also provided a fitting setting for the concert. Its modern design, downtown location, and mid-sized capacity make it a welcome addition to Milwaukee’s entertainment scene.
Ultimately, what stands out most about Godsmack is the enduring quality of its catalog.
There is a reason songs like “Awake,” “Voodoo,” “Whatever,” and “I Stand Alone” remain recognizable decades after their release.
They are built around musical ideas that do not depend on passing trends.
A great riff remains a great riff. A powerful chorus continues to invite participation. And a rhythm section capable of delivering genuine force can make familiar music feel exciting all over again.
Godsmack has understood those principles from the beginning.
The band may be entering a different chapter of its history, but its musical identity remains rooted in the qualities that first attracted audiences nearly three decades ago.
For those of us who made the trip to Landmark Credit Union Live on October 20, the evening offered an opportunity to revisit those songs, experience a revamped lineup, and enjoy the kind of unapologetically heavy music that has kept Godsmack relevant for so long.
Dorothy brought the bluesy fire. Godsmack supplied the thunder.
And on a Tuesday night in Milwaukee, that was a combination well worth turning up loud.
