On July 27 the king’s of Los Angeles sleaze metal, Mötley Crüe invaded the White River Amphitheatre with the second edition of their Crüe Fest multi-band festival.

In addition to Mötley Crüe, Crüe Fest 2 featured main-stagers Godsmack, Drowning Pool, Theory of a Deadman and the Charm City Devils. The tour this year also presented The Monster Energy Stage, with Rev Theory, Cavo, 16 Second Stare and Shram performing for the heavy metal faithful.

For many, including members of the other bands on the bill, as well as fans, the tour offers an opportunity to partake in the heavy metal circus that Mötley Crüe has specialized in since they formed in Hollywood in 1981.

Through the halcyon metal years of the late-80s when their music ruled the airwaves and arenas of the country, through the lean years of the 1990s, when the band fell prey to the metal backlash perpetuated by the advent of the more-serious alternative music wave, the band has managed to remain relevant to their fans.

Among them is Charm City Devils front man John Allen.

“I got the call on a Monday morning about 10,” Allen said. “They said, ‘congrats you have Crüe Fest.’ It was pretty intimidating.”

For Allen, whose band signed to Eleven Seven Records – run by Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx – this past June, the tour marks another stop on what has been a event-filled year for the Baltimore-native.

“It’s insane, it’s been a surreal ride,” Allen said. “It’s been a pretty crazy whirlwind.”

Talking from Cleveland, Ohio, just two shows into the festival’s run, Allen said the crowds and their enthusiasm for the bands have been positive.

“It’s been great, it’s been awesome,” he said. “The only thing we haven’t got is bare breasts, tonight I’m determined I’m going to see some breasts.”

Musically, the Charm City Devils tread a well-traveled road, paved by hard rock pioneers such as Aerosmith, AC/DC and even Mötley Crüe. For fans expecting a reinvention of the rock and roll wheel, you won’t find it here. But you will find spirited, well-executed hard rock with a smattering of punk rock attitude.

Also playing the main stage will be Drowning Pool, who are also with Eleven Seven Records.

According to guitarist C.J. Pierce the chance to tour with Crüe is huge.

“It’s unbelievable,” he said. “We haven’t been on a big festival like this since OzzFest in 2000. It’s been great, it’s a great bill. We get along great with all these guys.”

With his band often considered heavier than most of the bands on the bill and usually drawing a mostly male audience, Pierce said he was enjoyed the first two days of the festival, especially with Crüe’s reputation for appealing to both male and female audiences.

“They have tons of chicks in there,” Pierce said. “More chicks than we’re used to. It’s a welcome surprise.”

For 16 Second Stare co-frontman Chris “Beano” Davis the tour is his bands first big time nationwide jaunt, although the Florida-based band toured with ex-Korn guitarist Brian “Head” Welch earlier this year.

“The reaction so far has just been going crazy,” he said. “I was surprised because it was raining, but I didn’t see anyone leaving. The music was good enough and they stayed around. It’s a dream come true, like summer camp for the big boys.”

Davis, who used to be the drummer but said he took on co-vocal duties because “I guess I’m too pretty be hidden,” said the shows are an opportunity for his band to show off their new sound.

“The band has really done a 180,” he said. “Our new stuff is really aggressive. The other album was a little more rockabilly, I guess. This new one by far takes the cake it’s loud aggressive. It’s more fun and everybody seems to like this style.”

For Allen, from the Charm City Devils, the tour is also a chance for fans of hard rock to get to enjoy a little taste of the 80s heyday of the music courtesy of Mötley Crüe.

“A lot of kids hear about the 80s and the debauchery and good times,” he said. “I think they want a little bit of the escapism. They want to be entertained again. I think this time in our history people could use a good diversion. With the war, actually two wars, two fronts, and the economy. That’s the perfect reason to go Crüe Fest.”