With Black Stone Cherry closing the first part of the inaugural Berzerkus Festival, the crowd moved to the amphitheatre and were directed to the left for the lawn area and seating or to the right for those lucky enough to score VIP tickets. This was a hot mid-September day in the mountains of Pennsylvania, and the second half of this Rock and Roll Circus Extravaganza was underway. You can read Part One here.
Berzerkus Festival
Pocono Mountains, Bushkill, Pennsylvania – 14 September 2024
Words And Photography: Jody Wilk
The first band to grace the main stage of the event was the Battle Of The Bands winner in the original band category, Sick Century. They are an original Heavy Metal band from York, Pennsylvania, and were a killer start to the second half of the festival.
Next up was two-time Grammy nominee Rival Sons, all the way from Long Beach, California. These guys have an awesome rock sound and have a stage presence that kept the fans on their feet for the entire set. They played a short eight-song set during which they were only able to touch on songs from half of their albums.
If you love rock with a ’70s vibe, you can check these guys out on tour in the United States through the beginning of October.
Clutch were next to hit the stage. Boasting an all-original lineup since 1991, these guys certainly put on a tight show for a nearly sold-out crowd of fans. Neil Fallon, the lead vocalist, has to be one of the most passionate singers I have seen. He was very engaging with the crowd throughout his whole performance.
Clutch played an eight-song set, much shorter than the usual 19 songs they have been playing recently at shows. True Clutch fans got a treat as they also changed up their setlist for Berzerkus to include many songs they have not been playing this year. You can catch them on tour in the United States through October.
Nick Bowcott, founder of the Heavy Metal band Grim Reaper, took the stage next to do a tribute to Pantera’s Dimebag Darrell. After Nick’s time in Grim Reaper, he began writing for several music and guitar magazines and co-writing guitar instructional books, including Guitar World Presents: Dimebag Darrell’s Riffer Madness.
Bowcott told us how he got paid to go sit with Dimebag for hours at a time and learn his songs on guitar. He then took us on a fifteen-minute journey through some of Darrell’s most amazing guitar riffs. 
The part of the show that everyone was waiting for was Berzerkus host Zakk Wylde and Black Label Society. With the Amphitheater packed full of loyal Brezerkers, Zakk hit the stage to bring a night full of kick-ass BLS songs.
Black Label Society kicked off with the iconic Funeral Bell and then ran through a set of fan favourites, including the live debut of a song just recently released, The Gallows. You can check out the video for that online here.
Zakk always wows the crowd with his long hair waving back and forth, as well as his leather vest, kilt, and boots. His unique voice, coupled with his own style of guitar playing, draws people in. Dario Lorina has been playing with him for ten years, and it shows.
They do a few solos together and play them note for note in time with each other. It was an amazing sight to see. John “JD” DeServio slays the bass and puts on a stage show like no other.
Halfway through the set, Zakk is on the piano to play In This River, which he dedicates to Dimebag and Vinnie Paul. Black Label Society ended their set with Suicide Messiah and Stillborn, which always leaves the fans on a high note.
Country artist and co-headliner Cody Jinks was last to hit the stage. To many, this seemed like an unusual band to co-headline a Heavy Metal music festival. However, what many do not appreciate is that Cody started out his career playing in a Thrash Metal band, so his roots run deep.
Jinks has ten albums out, three of which have reached number two on the Billboard Country Albums Chart. Cody is an amazing guitarist and brings his backing band called The Tone Deaf Hippies. They consist of two additional guitarists, a bassist, a keyboard player, a drummer, and a pedal steel guitarist.
This stage set was the biggest of all the bands so far and featured multi-levels with stairs and barn doors and plenty of room for all of these amazing musicians. ‘Cody Jinks’ was illuminated in huge neon lights at the back of the stage.
Cody was sporting a BLS shirt, cowboy hat, sunglasses and a glass of talent pouring over. The fans all moved up to the front and were standing for the entire set. 
The Inaugural Berzerkus Festival was a huge success. Unlike many festivals these days, I heard very few complaints. There was plenty of food and clean bathrooms, and every band brought their A-game to the stage.
There was tons of merchandise to buy, lots of vendors, and yeah, Black Label Society. It has been hinted on social media that they are planning the next Berzerkus, so hopefully, it all pans out, and we can do this again.
You would think that 2025 would not be a problem, as most ticket categories were sold out in 2024. If you missed out this year, you do not want to miss the next one.
