Papa Roach: Who Do You Trust?

Papa Roach is a band that feels like they have been around forever. Even if you don’t regularly listen to their music, you probably recognize at least a few of their songs. I’ve seen them perform many times in concert, especially at outdoor shows, and it always seems like they enjoy coming to Wisconsin. The band consists of Jacoby Shaddix (vocals), Jerry Horton (guitar), Tobin Esperance (bass), and Tony Palermo (drums).

I had the chance to meet Papa Roach at the Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival in Columbus, Ohio. It was truly a right-place, right-time situation. During the festival, they held a few surprise pop-up meet-and-greet opportunities with bands that were performing that weekend. If you happened to be nearby and got in line before they cut it off, you had the chance to meet the band.

Luckily, I was one of the few people who made it in time. The experience was a little different from most meet-and-greets because everything moved very quickly. We weren’t allowed to take photos, and the band members would only sign one item per person. Even though it was exciting to meet them, the interaction itself was pretty brief. There wasn’t much conversation, and at one point Jacoby seemed more focused on watching another band that was performing on a nearby stage.

Even though the meet-and-greet was short, I’m still glad I had the opportunity to meet them. It was one of those unexpected moments that just happened because I was in the right place at the right time. If I ever get the chance to meet them again, though, I would much rather do it at one of their concerts where there are fewer distractions and fans have the opportunity to take photos and talk with the band a little longer.