Godsmack headlined the 2026 edition of MMRBQ, the annual rock festival hosted by 93.3 WMMR, on May 9 at the Freedom Mortgage Pavilion in Camden, New Jersey. The performance served as one of the first major appearances for the band’s revamped roster, following their official debut with the new members on May 7 at the Welcome To Rockville festival in Daytona Beach, Florida. You can watch the full concert down below (courtesy of Jim Powers).
The current iteration of Godsmack features founding members Sully Erna on vocals and guitar and Robbie Merrill on bassist, joined by guitarist Sam Koltun and drummer Wade Murff. Sam Koltun previously performed with the group during their European dates in early 2025, while Wade Murff, known for his work with Daughtry, was recently selected to take over the drum throne.
During an April 23 appearance on SiriusXM‘s “Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk”, Sully Erna discussed the transition and his confidence in the new musicians.
“Sam‘s on board now full-time, and he’s gonna be the new player from this point forward. And the drummer that we chose, his name is Wade Murff. He’s worked with Daughtry and some other acts. A fairly under-the-radar kind of guy. A strong player. A great dude. Really good with attention to details, as Sam is,” Sully stated at the time.
He continued: “I have complete confidence in this, although we start rehearsals next week. I’m just really confident that this is gonna be just as good, if not better than ever, because these guys came in with the right attitude. They honored the catalog, they honored the playing. They didn’t try to reinvent it. And as you know, a guitar can sound like a guitar, a drum can sound like a drum. Until you replace the vocalist, that’s when the sound really changes. So I really feel that the fans will be able to come and enjoy the music as they have always known it, because it won’t sound foreign to them, like there’s a new singer singing Godsmack stuff. And plus their showmanship even elevates it a little bit more. I mean, Shannon‘s hard to replace. He’s the GOAT [Greatest Of All Time]. If you see that dude play, he’s a tough cookie to replicate or replace live visually. But this guy, Wade, he’s strong. He’s got some great chops, and he’s really playing the stuff solid. I’m very happy to take them on tour and introduce them. And this is gonna start the next chapter in our life here, Godsmack 2.0.”
Wade Murff, who is based in Los Angeles, began his musical journey at age four. While he cites John Bonham of Led Zeppelin and Alex Van Halen of Van Halen as early inspirations, his aggressive style was largely shaped by Dave Lombardo of Slayer and Vinnie Paul Abbott of Pantera.
The drummer has built an extensive resume as a session and touring musician, with credits including Prong, Sebastian Bach, Orgy, and Doyle of the Misfits.
The lineup change follows the retirement of longtime guitarist Tony Rombola and drummer Shannon Larkin. Their final recorded performance with the band is captured on the new live album and Blu-ray titled Live At Mohegan Sun, which was released on May 1 via Primary Wave. The recording stems from a sold-out show on October 26, 2024, at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut.
Godsmack is now preparing for “The Rise Of Rock” 2026 tour, promoted by Live Nation. The trek begins today, May 10, in Bristow, Virginia, and will travel across the United States and Canada, including stops in Chicago, Denver, and Phoenix, before concluding on September 26 in Nampa, Idaho.
“The Rise Of Rock” 2026 tour dates:
- May 10 – Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live
- May 12 – Virginia Beach, VA – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater
- May 14 – Charlotte, NC – Truliant Amphitheater
- May 16 – Raleigh, NC – Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek
- May 17 – Columbus, OH – Sonic Temple
- May 19 – Franklin, TN – FirstBank Amphitheater
- May 21 – Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
- May 23 – Huntsville, AL – Orion Amphitheater
- May 24 – Orange Beach, AL – The Wharf Amphitheater
- May 27 – Irving, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
- May 29 – Austin, TX – Germania Insurance Amphitheater
- May 30 – Houston, TX – The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion Sponsored by Huntsman
- June 12 – Kansas City, MO – Morton Amphitheater
- June 14 – St Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheater
- June 16 – Grand Rapids, MI – Acrisure Amphitheater
- June 18 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center
- June 20 – Tinley Park, IL – Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre
- June 21 – Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre
- June 23 – Burgettstown, PA – The Pavilion at Star Lake
- June 24 – Toronto, ON – RBC Amphitheatre
- June 27 – Wantagh, NY – Northwell at Jones Beach Theater
- June 28 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center
- June 30 – Syracuse, NY – Empower Federal Credit Union Amphitheater at Lakeview
- July 2 – Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center
- July 3 – Bangor, ME – Maine Savings Amphitheater
- September 6 – El Paso, TX – Speaking Rock Casino (Dorothy only)
- September 7 – Albuquerque, NM – Isleta Amphitheater
- September 9 – Denver, CO – Junkyard
- September 11 – Las Vegas, NV – Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino (Dorothy only)
- September 12 – Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre KUPD UFest
- September 15 – Chula Vista, CA – North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
- September 17 – Anaheim, CA – Honda Center
- September 19 – Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre
- September 20 – Corning, CA – Rolling Hills Casino and Resort (Dorothy only)
- September 22 – Bend, OR – Hayden Homes Amphitheater
- September 24 – Auburn, WA – White River Amphitheatre
- September 26 – Nampa, ID – Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater KQXR XFest
