Godsmack [ tickets ] singer Sully Erna treats members of his audience belligerently, antagonizing them until they succumb to his every whim. He swears at them and calls them names--and his fans eat up every minute of it.

Early on at Godsmack's Saturday (10/11) show at the Dodge Theatre in Phoenix, Erna was pleased with his audience's response, especially to the opener, the GRAMMY^®-nominated instrumental "Vampires."

"Good evening Phoenix godd--- Arizona. This is the kind of f---ing audience I want to see," said Erna, wearing jeans, no shirt and a bandanna around his head. "We made a decision that although we're touring [behind] 'Faceless,' we're going to play songs off all three f---ing records tonight."

Later, when the crowd fell silent, the singer called them on it.

"There you go, getting quiet again. This oughtta wake 'em up a little bit," he said, scanning the crowd with a video camera.

Godsmack's show was more stripped-down than tours past. There were no gargoyles, pyrotechnics or haunted house sets. Just the band, a stream of green laser lights that projected over the heads of the audience members, and a backdrop of Godsmack's "Faceless" album cover.

During "Situation," lasers searched the audience as smoke slowly, hauntingly arose from the stage floor. During an impeccable version of "Voodoo," audience members hoisted their cigarette lighters, illuminating the theater as red stage lights bathed the band. Fans were invited to sing along to the lyrics "breathe in."

Drummer Shannon Larkin and his kit moved front-and-center for a face off with a second set of drums manned by Erna. Fans raised their beers to the dueling solos. During a break, Larkin and Erna congratulated each other like boxers after a match. Then they continued their battle during an instrumental version of Aerosmith's "Walk This Way." After Erna surrendered his kit, Godsmack broke into its hit "Go Away." The audience fervently sang the hook with Erna, who, in a rare move, showed appreciation.

"That's the Phoenix that I love, baby," he said

One of the most underrated bands in rock, Adema [ tickets ] adequately warmed up the audience with its 45-minute set. Bassist Dave DeRoo lifted his bass almost as if he was threatening the audience. Thanks in part to the Dodge Theatre's crystalline acoustics, lead singer Marky Chavez's voice (like Erna's) was strong.

Kicking off the set with "Co-Dependent," Chavez, the half-brother of Korn frontman Jonathan Davis, nodded agreeably as the audience gave Adema a rousing welcome.

"Thanks for your support. We've been here, like, four times in the last four months. You guys are definitely with your rock," he said before lashing into "Rip the Heart Out."

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