Nu-Metal Night at House of Blues! Ghost LV, Denial, Godsmack’d, and Rose of Sharyn!

Ghost LV, Rose of Sharyn, Godsmack’d, and Denial played the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay on Friday, July 11, 2025.

The House of Blues at Mandalay Bay continues to be a great place to catch a live rock show. On July 11, for what was dubbed Nu-Metal Night, rockers in Vegas got sets from four fantastic Sin City-based tribute bands. With the recent close of Count’s Vamp’d, headbangers in this town are always looking for a great gig in another spot, and this was certainly one I was eager to check out. Other than Ghost LV, I hadn’t seen any of these bands before, but was certainly eager for them even if some are a bit outside of my usual wheelhouse.

One pleasant surprise for this evening was the utilization of a video screen behind the bands to show off group logos and other visuals, further adding atmosphere to the gig. This greatly added to the live feel of the show without ever feeling distracted, and it was fantastic to see the artists take advantage of it.

Kicking off the evening was Rose of Sharyn, a tribute to Killswitch Engage. Killswitch is a band I know next to nothing about, other than the fact that they once covered “Holy Diver” by Dio. Sadly, we didn’t get that tune here, but the band delivered a fantastic set of Killswitch originals. The group’s sound has a surprising mix of more melodic and guttural vocals, which their singer was more than capable of delivering. Again, Killswitch was the one act represented tonight that I lack familiarity with, but I wasn’t disappointed in this performance and am now more curious about their catalogue!

Second up was Denial, Vegas’ tribute to Sevendust. During my high school years, Sevendust had their share of big hits played on alternative rock radio, so it’s unsurprising to see some of Vegas’ finest musicians paying homage to them. Tracks like “Denial,” “Waffle,” and “Black” got high energy renditions from some of Vegas’ finest musicians. While I would’ve loved to have heard the hit ballad “Angel’s Son,” I certainly can’t complain with this fantastic set, and I’m definitely eager to go home and dig out my old CDs now!

The third act on the bill was Godsmack’d, a tribute to Godsmack. Similar to Sevendust, Godsmack was a band that was quite big on the radio during my high school years; of the four bands being paid tribute to on this night, Godsmack is probably the one where I have the highest level of familiarity, though I’m by no means an expert. Complete with a lead vocalist who does a fantastic Sully Erna and looks the part as well, it was a great set with hits from the band’s career including “Whatever,” “Keep Away,” “Voodoo,” and “I Stand Alone,” a song the band recorded for the soundtrack of the film THE SCORPION KING. As with the other sets, there are certainly a few deeper cuts I would’ve loved to hear including “Bad Religion,” this was a killer set.

The one band of the bunch I’d actually seen play prior to this night was Ghost LV. In recent years, I’ve become a fan of the music of Ghost, and I’m damn glad we have a quality tribute to them right here in Sin City, with some of Vegas’ finest musicians. These guys bring atmosphere as few other bands do, and they’re a more than worthy tribute. Their renditions of cuts like “Year Zero,” “Square Hammer,” and “Dance Macabre” get the job done and then some. I also give the band credit for learning newer songs from the band, including selection from the band’s latest album, SKELETA. Ghost LV is one of the best tribute bands I’ve ever seen, and they’re a group I always look forward to hearing live in concert.

Nu-Metal Night at the House of Blues rocked hard, and hopefully we’ll be seeing other events in the coming months with some of Vegas’ finest. It’s always a great venue (though accessing it can be difficult during events going on in the area) and one I’m pleased to watch a rock show at. Don’t hesitate to check out these bands if you get a chance!