The good news for Godsmack fans is the heavy rock troupe from Massachusetts isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
In 2023, frontman Sully Erna described “Lighting Up the Sky,” Godsmack’s ninth studio album, as the band’s last. The quartet would still tour, he said, but something of an ending was implied. But things have changed since then.
Guitarist Tony Rombola and drummer Shannon Larkin retired — “on good terms,” according to Erna — at the end of the tour for that album. Their final performance, in October 2024, is featured on the new “Live at the Mohegan Sun” album. Erna acknowledges that he and bassist Robbie Merrill “contemplated kind of retiring the band … but we were just like: ‘We don’t really want to stop yet. We feel like we have some gas in the tank. We love what we do.’”
Enter Dorothy guitarist Sam Koltun and, more recently, former Dream Theater drummer Mike Mangini. Godsmack toured Europe in 2025 and is now on the road in North America with a new single, “Set Me Free,” recorded with the band Dorothy. “These guys are strong, great players that really do an amazing job at honoring the music,” Erna, 58, says. And, he adds, there may be more music in the future. “Definitely there’s gonna be a new record,” he promises. “I just don’t know when it’s coming.”
“Me and Robbie started this thing together a long time ago,” Erna adds. “It was just me and him to begin with, now it’s back to me and him. So we’re like, ‘Let’s run this thing and see how it feels and how people respond.’ Who knows? We might get surprised and have Godsmack 2.0 for the next 10 years running, which we`d love.”
Godsmack, Stone Temple Pilots and Dorothy perform at 7 p.m. Sunday, June 21, at Pine Knob Music Theatre, 33 Bob Seger Drive, Independence Township. 313-471-7000 or 313Presents.com.
Other music events of note this weekend (all subject to change) include …
FRIDAY, JUNE 19
• Sammy Hagar brings his The Best of All Worlds 2026 tour to Pine Knob Music Theatre, joined by Rick Springfield and Dauzat St. Marie at 6:30 p.m. 33 Bob Seger Drive, Independence Township. 313-471-7000 or 313Presents.com.
Sammy Hagar is enjoying the best of all his worlds — Van Halen and beyond
Rick Springfield likes making good music and rum with Sammy Hagar
• The Portland, Oregon, cabaret troupe Pink Martini joins the Detroit Symphony Pops series for concerts through Sunday, June 21, at Orchestra Hall, 3711 Woodward Ave., Detroit. An Afterdark performance also takes place at 10 p.m. Saturday, June 20, in The Cube inside the Fisher Music Center. 313-576-5111 or dso.org.
• The Righteous Brothers, featuring original member Bill Medley, brings its farewell tour to town at 8 p.m. at Andiamo Celebrity Showroom, 7096 E. 14 Mile Road, Warren. 586-268-3200 or andiamoshowroom.com.
• The Avett Brothers and Faith No More/Mr. Bungle frontman Mike Patton bring their ATTV/PTTN collaboration for a show at 8 p.m. at Hill Auditorium, 825 N. University Ave., Ann Arbor. 734-761-1800 or theark.org.
• Replacements and Guns N’ Roses veteran Tommy Stinson brings his solo show to Small’s, 10339 Conant, Hamtramck. Doors at 7 p.m. 313-873-1117 or smallsbardetroit.com.
• Oakland, California’s High On Fire headbangs in the Pike Room at the Crofoot Ballroom, 1 S. Saginaw St., Pontiac. Doors at 7 p.m. 248-858-9333 or thecrofoot.com.
• The Nashville trio South For Winter comes north for the summer solstice at 8 p.m. at 20 Front Street in Lake Orion. 248-783-7105 or 20frontstreet.com.
• Kloud mans the decks at the Magic Stick, 4120 Woodward Ave., Detroit. Doors at 9 p.m. 313-833-9700 or themajesticdetroit.com.
• Local Man, Sugar Sharp and Capstone Volunteers triple up at the Loving Touch, 22634 Woodward Ave., Ferndale. Doors at 7 p.m. 248-820-5596 or thelovingtouchferndale.com.
• Toronto punk rock troupe the OBGMs tops a four-band bill at 7 p.m. at the Sanctuary Detroit, 2932 Caniff, Hamtramck. 313-462-4117 or sanctuarydetroit.com.
• Pug Fest 4 hosts 11 bands starting at 5 p.m. at the Orchid Theatre, 141 W. Nine Mile Road, Ferndale. Doors at 7 p.m. 586-855-7302 or orchid-theatre.com.
• Marcqu3tte, Taraj, Kiss Your Friends and more will be part of Sol Fest at 6 p.m. at El Club, 4114 W. Vernor Highway, Detroit. 313-757-7942 or elclubdetroit.com.
• Heshima Moja will be featured at the Smoke Jones Juneteenth Celebration at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. at Cliff Bell’s, 2030 Park Ave., Detroit. 313-961-2543 or cliffbells.com.
• Massachusetts indie rock troupe Prewn is joined by Pearl Sugar at 8 p.m. at the Lager House, 1254 Michigan Ave., Detroit. 313-500-1475 or thelagerhouse.com.
• Local favorite Alexander Zonjic plays his flute through Saturday, June 20, at the Dirty Dog Jazz Cafe, 97 Kercheval, Grosse Pointe. 313-882-5399 or dirtydogjazz.com.
• The Cadieux Cafe’s tribute lineup includes a Kiss salute at 7 p.m. and, on Saturday, June 20, a Legends of Punk night with Ramones, Clash and Sex Pistols homages, also at 7 p.m. and both outside. 4300 Cadieux Road, Detroit. 313-882-8560 or cadieuxcafe.com.
• Detroit-born pianist BLKBOK brings his unique approach to Ann Arbor at 8 p.m. at The Ark, 316 S. Main St. 734-761-1800 or theark.org.
• Joan Belgrave celebrates her late husband Marcus Belgrave’s 90th birthday, with Lin Rountree as special guest, at 7 and 9 p.m. at the Blue Llama Jazz Club, 314 S. First St., Ann Arbor. 734-372-3200 or bluellamaclub.com.
• Virtual: The String Cheese Incident streams its 7:15 p.m. show from Charlotte, North Carolina, as well as its Saturday, June 20 show in Charlottesville, Virginia, both via nugs.net.
• Virtual: The jam band Goose livestreams at 7:30 p.m. from New York’s Madison Square Garden at 7:30 p.m. and again on Saturday, June 20, via nugs.net. Saturday’s concert will also stream via Prime Video, Twitch, Fire TV and the Amazon Music app.
• Virtual: “Freedom Needs a Soundtrack,” a six-episode audio documentary about the Tibetan Freedom Concerts during the 1990s that featured performances by the Beastie Boys, U2, Pearl Jam, Rage Against the Machine and others, is now running via freedomneedsasoundtrack.com/listen. The shows are hosted by Erin Potts, who co-founded the Milarepa Fund with Beastie Boys’ Adam Yauch to call attention to the plight of Tibetan Buddhist culture in China.
• Virtual: The Temptations’ Otis Williams is featured in a new episode of “Songs of the U.S.,” an America 250th anniversary series in which he discusses the impact of Motown and music as a tool for education. It’s streaming via the Salt Lick Sessions channel on YouTube.
SATURDAY, JUNE 20
• After saying farewell eight years ago, Paul Simon is back and playing at 8 p.m. at the Meadow Brook Amphitheatre on the campus of Oakland University, Rochester Hills. 313-471-7000 or 313Presents.com.
• Rapper Juvenile brings the 400 Degree Band and more with him at 8 p.m. at the Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre, 2600 Atwater St. at Chene, Detroit. 313-393-7128 or TheAretha.com.
• R&B stalwarts Keith Sweat, Joe, Dru Hill and Ginuwine are part of the aptly named R&B Lovers Tour at 8 p.m. at the Fox Theatre, 2211 Woodward Ave., Detroit. 313-471-7000 or 313Presents.com.
• The Livernoise porch festival will host 30 bands at 10 houses from noon to 6 p.m. in Ferndale, followed by a Rogue After Party at 6:30 p.m. at the Ferndale Project, 567 Livernois St. A full schedule and other details can be found at livernoise.com.
• California indie pop singer Jessica Baio headlines at Saint Andrew’s Hall, 431 E. Congress St., Detroit. Doors at 7 p.m. 313-961-8961 or saintandrewsdetroit.com.
• The Rhode Island Americana quartet Deer Tick pulls up at El Club, 4114 W. Vernor Highway, Detroit. Doors at 7 p.m. 313-757-7942 or elclubdetroit.com.
• The British DJ duo Eli & Fur will keep the dance floor full at the Magic Stick, 4120 Woodward Ave., Detroit. Doors at 9 p.m. 313-833-9700 or themajesticdetroit.com.
• The trio Saving Throw tops a four-band bill at the Loving Touch, 22634 Woodward Ave., Ferndale. Doors at 7 p.m. 248-820-5596 or thelovingtouchferndale.com.
• Guitarist Sean Chambers is joined by the rhythm section from Savoy Brown at 8 p.m. at the Token Lounge, 28949 Joy Road, Westland. Brad Russell opens. 734-513-5030 or tokenlounge.com.
• Bassist Hannah Marks leads her band at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. at Cliff Bell’s, 2030 Park Ave., Detroit. 313-961-2543 or cliffbells.com.
• Metro area rock groups Aqua Monkey, Jourgaran, Mind Riot and Shade O hold a Summer Solstice concert at 6 p.m. at the Diesel Concert Lounge, 33151 23 Mile Road, Chesterfield Township. 586-933-3503 or dieselconcerts.com.
• Singer-songwriters Ben Stalets and Ben Gage ride herd at 7:30 p.m. at the Trinity House Theatre, 38840 W. Six Mile Road, Livonia. 734-436-6302 or trinityhousetheatre.org.
• The Mason Bays Quintet covers jazz, soul and rock greats at 8 p.m. in Aretha’s Jazz Cafe, 350 Madison St., Detroit. 313-887-8500 or jazzcafedetroit.com.
• Toby Keith tribute band, American Ride, pays homage at 8 p.m. at The Roxy, 401 Walnut Blvd., Rochester. 248-453-5285 or theroxyrochester.com.
• Southern Accents — The Ultimate Tom Petty Experience is at District 142, 142 Maple St., Wyandotte. Doors at 7 p.m. district142live.com.
• Singer-songwriter Ellis Paul returns to the Ark at 8 p.m. 316 S. Main St., Ann Arbor. 734-761-1800 or theark.org.
• Pianist Keigo Harikawa and his Quintet play sets at 7 and 8:30 p.m. at the Blue Llama Jazz Club, 314 S. First St., Ann Arbor. 734-372-3200 or bluellamaclub.com.
• A second day of registration for Sylvia Moy Foundation’s Motown in the Studio Program takes place from 1103 at Masterpiece Sound Studios, 1611 Webb St., Detroit. Courses range from Songwriting and Music Production to Audio Recording and Creative Scriptwriting. sylviamoyfoundation.org.
• Virtual: Mountain Grass Unit livestreams at 10 p.m. from Boulder, Colorado via nugs.net.
SUNDAY, JUNE 21
• Gregory Porter, Kierra Sheard-Kelly, Sugarhill Gang and others will be part of Jokes, Jazz and Jams: A Father’s Day Celebration at 7 p.m. at the Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre, 2600 Atwater St. at Chene, Detroit. 313-393-7128 or TheAretha.com.
• Damon Fletcher brings sweet soul music to the Magic Bag, 22920 Woodward Ave., Ferndale. Doors at 7 p.m. 248-544-1991 or themagicbag.com.
• Necromantix, the Rumours and the Loyal triple-bill at Small’s, 10339 Conant, Hamtramck. Doors at 7 p.m. 313-873-1117 or smallsbardetroit.com.
• Philadelphia indie rocker Greg Mendez headlines at 8 p.m. at the Lager House, 1254 Michigan Ave., Detroit. Scarlet Rae opens. 313-500-1475 or thelagerhouse.com.
• Pug Fest 4 continues with 19 bands starting at noon at the Crofoot Ballroom, 1 S. Saginaw St., Pontiac. 248-858-9333 or thecrofoot.com.
• Kelsy Karter & the Heroines rock at 7:30 p.m. at El Club, 4114 W. Vernor Highway, Detroit. 313-757-7942 or elclubdetroit.com.
• Lake Orion’s 20 Front Street hosts a Cookes & Cream open mic night, outdoors behind the venue, at 6 p.m. 248-783-7105 or 20frontstreet.com.
• Dark Thoughts turns out the lights at 7 p.m. at TSDMAAC (Confessional), 15701 James Couzens Fwy, Detroit. 313-462-4117 or sanctuarydetroit.com.
• Erich Goebel and the Flying Crowbars play a 3 p.m. matinee outdoors at the Cadieux Cafe, 4300 Cadieux Road, Detroit. 313-882-8560 or cadieuxcafe.com.
• The Noah Jackson Trio plays for Father’s Day at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. at Cliff Bell’s, 2030 Park Ave., Detroit. 313-961-2543 or cliffbells.com.
• Australian singer-songwriter Steph Strings wraps up the weekend at 7 p.m. at The Ark, 316 S. Main St., Ann Arbor. 734-761-1800 or theark.org.
• Italian-born pianist Rossano Sportiello and his Trio work at 6 and 7:30 p.m. at the Blue Llama Jazz Club, 314 S. First St., Ann Arbor. 734-372-3200 or bluellamaclub.com.
• The Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor hosts a free organ concert as part of Make Music Day at 4 p.m. 603 E. Liberty St. 734-668-8397 or marquee-arts.org.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.theoaklandpress.com ’
