From The Pit To The Crowd – Epicenter Preview

Less than two months to go, it’s time for a reminder on the inaugural North Carolina festival Epicenter. Danny Wimmer Presents decided to end the prior Carolina Rebellion festival and provide the fans with a brand new festival experience. Set the heart of the mid-Atlantic, Epicenter will be hosted at the Rockingham Festival Grounds in Richmond County, North Carolina on May 10, 11, 12, 2019. The three-day festival promises to bring local vendors, non-stop entertainment, and the surprising feature for most U.S. festivals….no curfew.

The Musical Artists

This new festival will present 65 artists on four separate stages for your entertainment. Danny Wimmer Presents wanted to ensure this inaugural festival will be one to be remembered and to encourage people to come back every year after. And did they ever with this stellar lineup:

Friday, May 10KornRob ZombieEvanescenceMachine Gun Kelly, The Crystal Method, MeshuggahSkilletBeartoothMark Lanegan BandDorothyBlack Pistol FireZeal & ArdorKnocked LooseSlothrustWilsonHands Like HousesHyro The HeroAmigo The DevilArrested YouthVeinBlack Coffee and more TBD

 

Saturday, May 11ToolJudas PriestThe CultBushBlack Label SocietyCirca SurviveYelawolfMotionless In WhiteThe Damned ThingsStarsetGrandsonBadflowerMemphis May FireIssuesHigh On FireWage War,CrobotSylarCounterfeit.Pretty ViciousShvpesDirty HoneyAlien WeaponryHyde

 

Sunday, May 12Foo FightersBring Me The Horizon311+Live+MastodonKillswitch EngageArchitectsTom MorelloFever 333ReignwolfYungbludThe Glorious SonsHo99o9While She SleepsBasementScarlxrdMovementsTeenage WristDemob HappyBoston ManorCleopatrickThe Dirty Nil

 

Friday’s lineup provides us with Korn as the main headliner. The band is no stranger to the Danny Wimmer Presents festivals and have always provided the crowd with stellar performances. Another veteran to the Danny Wimmer Presents festivals, Rob Zombie has provided the crowds with amazing performances. And how could you not love the mix of Korn and Rob Zombie performing back to back on the same night?! Evanescence appearance is part of their Synthesis Live 10 stop tour which will bring back their traditional rock setup over the orchestra from their previous tour. Synthesis was their last studio album released on November 10, 2017. The rap artist and actor Machine Gun Kelly will also be performing. His latest EP Binge was released on September 21, 2018. The Crystal Method was announced as the replacement for The Prodigy due to the unfortunate passing of The Prodigy lead singer Keith FlintThe Crystal Method had just released their sixth studio album The Trip Home on September 28, 2018. The Swedish metal band Meshuggah will get the headbangers and mosh pits running hard. And the ever-popular Skillet will be rocking the festival crowds once again. Hyro The Hero has been on my radar recently with his single “Never Back Down”. He’s supporting his most recent album Flagged Channel. My other personal picks for that day are Beartooth, Zeal & Ardor, Knocked Loose, Wilson, Hands Like Houses, Amigo The Devil, and Black Coffee.

 

Saturday’s lineup appears to be the most talked about with Tool claiming the headlining spot. With a new album coming possibly between May and July it’s very likely Epicenter fans will get to hear some tracks off the new album. Danny Wimmer Presents brings us legendary rock groups of Judas Priest and The CultJudas Priest had toured through Jacksonville in September 2018 supporting their 18th studio album FirepowerThe Cult was on tour in 2018 with Stone Temple Pilots and Bush. And speaking of, Bush will also be performing that day. The British band provides amazing live performances and are still touring for their last album Black and White Rainbows released on March 10, 2017. They are one of my personal favorites to photograph. Zakk Wylde’s Black Label Society will certainly have the fans going crazy. Zakk has been keeping busy with both the Generation Axe and The Experience Hendrix Tours. Black Label Society‘s most recent album is Grimmest Hits released on January 19, 2018. Wage War has been on my radar recently with their single “Low”. My other personal picks for Saturday include Motionless In White, The Damned Things, Starset, Badflower, Memphis May Fire, Crobot, Sylar, Pretty Vicious, and Alien Weaponry.

 

And Sunday’s headliner brings us Foo Fighters. They performed as Sunday’s headliners last year at Welcome To Rockville when they had their first 3-day weekend. It seemed to only make sense to bring them back for this inaugural festival. They had sold out shows all last year in support of their 9th studio album Concrete and Gold. With the 6th studio album, Amo released on January 25, 2019, Bring Me The Horizon has already been out touring to support it and makes a tour stop at the festival. 311 will have the crowd bouncing with their music. The band is releasing a new album expected by Summer 2019. They just wrapped up one leg of a tour and will be hitting the road again in Spring and Summer of 2019 with Epicenter as one of those tour stops. +Live+ will be performing in support of their new EP Local 717. The band will be on tour this Summer and Epicenter is the first stop. Heavy metal Mastodon will be sure to bring the mosh pits back in full force along with Killswitch Engage who had to cancel last year’s performances at festivals due to Jesse Leach requiring vocal surgery. My other personal picks for Sunday are Fever 333, Reignwolf, The Glorious Sons, and Movements.

 

Remember that piece of no curfew I mentioned earlier? Well announced today Epicenter will have the Rockingham Village Stage that will provide after-hours entertainment for the fans. This will include a pre-show party for festival campers on Thursday, May 9 featuring AC/DC tribute act Thunderstruck, Guns ‘N Roses tribute Nightrain and local Charlotte hard rockers Killakoi. The after-hours fun will also include the anticipated reunion of Eddie TrunkDon Jamieson and Jim Florentine from That Metal Show for two sets, Friday, May 10 and Saturday, May 11, as well as the Hellzapoppin Circus SideShow appearing the entire weekend and also at the Thursday pre-party. Also performing on the stage will be:

 

Friday, May 10: Hyro The Hero, Wilson, Arrested Youth

 

Saturday, May 11: Amigo The Devil, Grandson, Crobot

 

Food and Drink
Danny Wimmer Presents affliate concessionaire, Southern Hospitality Concessions LLC provided the food trucks and vendors, with a number of them from the local area. Some of the food vendors include: Auntie Anne’s Pretzel Truck, Electric Sliders, Flip Flop Rob’s BBQ, Gouda Boys, Grumpy’s Homemade Ice Cream, Hibachi 4 Hire, Island Noodles, Master Of Patties, Meltdown Truck, OooWee BBQ, Phat Daddy’s Creole, Pie Baby Wood-Fired Pizza, Porchetta Truck, Spicy Pie Pizza, The Berry Patch, Tica’s Tacos, Ubora Coffee and more to be announced.

 

Fans who are 21 years of age and older can enjoy a variety of alcoholic beverages, a selection of wine from Caduceus Cellars & Merkin Vineyards Wine Garden, which is owned by Maynard James Keenan, vocalist for Tool, A Perfect Circle, and Puscifer, visit the Heavy Tiki Bar which offers cocktails and shade, and other vendors serving local craft beer.

 

Information
Epicenter offers a camping option which offers portable restrooms, showers, charging stations, medical services and access to the pre-show party. Hotel options are also available.

 

The festival is also providing Rockingham Village, an impressive promenade conveniently located immediately in front of the venue. This will be open to campers and other festivalgoers until 2:00 AM daily. Featured vendors at Rockingham Village will include festival merchandise, artist merchandise, lockers for rent, lifestyle shopping booths, a full General Store, coffee shop, craft beer at Headbangers Beer BarCaduceus wine bar, breakfast vendors for campers, as well as late night food served after the main venue closes.

 

VIP options are also still available. VIP tickets include: a VIP entrance to venue; access to VIP lounge area featuring dedicated bar, beverage and food service; viewing of the two main stages; shaded hang area, air-conditioned restroom facilities; and a VIP guest laminate.

 

Additional Epicenter onsite experiences include:

 

  • Monster Energy Experience
  • F.Y.E. Fan Experience
  • The Music Experience
  • USMC (United States Marine Corps)
  • Zippo Experience
  • Fxck Cancer / Dyin 2 Live Dreams Program
  • Take Me Home
  • Jack Daniel’s Experience

 

Epicenter’s inaugural year sounds like a great one. Those who previously attended Carolina Rebellion are sure to love this new festival. Those who’ve never been to a festival will love this lineup. To purchase tickets, camping, and hotel options you can visit the official website at https://epicenterfestival.com.  You can also follow Epicenter on social media here: