DevilDriver performing in San Antonio, Texas DevilDriver
DevilDriver performing during the River City Rockfest at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas on May 29, 2016, with Dez Fafara, Mike Spreitzer, Neal Tiemann, Diego Ibarra, and Austin D'Amond.
Following the dissolution of Marilyn Manson/Korn-aping, nu-metal also-rans Coal Chamber, vocalist Dez Fafara hooked up with guitarists Evans Pitts and Jeffrey Kendrick, bassist Jon Miller, and drummer John Boecklin to form DevilDriver - a rather more extreme band dedicated to the subsequent hardcore-meets-death-metal trends. Signed to Roadrunner like Fafara's previous group, DevilDriver released their eponymous debut to mixed reviews in 2003, and then its even less appreciated follow-up, The Fury of Our Maker's Hand (where Pitts was replaced by Mike Spreitzer), a couple years later. Last Kind Words was released in 2007, again on Roadrunner.

Regardless of public opinion, the band toured relentlessly across the U.S. and Europe behind all three releases. They got their day in the sun when their 2009 album, Pray for Villains, debuted at number 35 on the Billboard 200. After touring with groups like Behemoth and Slipknot, DevilDriver went back into the studio to begin work on their fifth album. Beast, produced by Mark Lewis, was released in 2011. The band would team up with Lewis again for its next album, Winter Kills, which arrived in the summer of 2013 via Napalm Records. The year 2014 saw the departures of drummer John Boecklin and guitarist Jeff Kendrick, which prompted Fafara to put the band on hiatus until 2016. The group did indeed resurface that year, releasing its seventh studio album, Trust No One, which would be the first DevilDriver outing for three new members, ex-Chimaira drummer Austin D'Amond, guitarist Neal Tiemann, and ex-Static-X bassist Diego Ibarra. (Source: AllMusic)
The fourth annual Bud Light River City Rockfest was held over Memorial Day weekend and had over 27,800 in attendance. This surpasses last year's attendance of 26,000 and 23,000 and 14,000 the previous years. The festival had four stages.

Fan Duel Stage
Lynnwood King & The Revival, Mud River, Donella Drive, The Heroine, Wild Throne

AA Best Bail Bonds Stage
Red Sun Rising, Devildriver, Texas Hippie Coalition, The Sword, Hatebreed, P.O.D., Sevendust

Bud Light Stage
Avatar, Pop Evil, Hellyeah, Sixx:AM, Bullet For My Valentine, Megadeth, Scorpions, Disturbed

In addition, the festival included the Hellzapoppin Circus Sideshow that had three performances throughout the day.

DevilDriver contact:
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Photos by Ralph Arvesen:
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