From The Pit To The Crowd: Sonic Temple + Art Musical Festival Band Performance Times Review

Festival season is bearing down on us quickly and Danny Wimmer Presents inaugural festival Sonic Temple Art + Music Festival recently released their band performance time listing. The festival runs in Columbus, OH at MAPFRE Stadium from May 17-19, 2019. Unlike Epicenter that is running 5 stages of music, Sonic Temple Art + Music Festival has 3 stages for music and 1 for comedy and spoken word performances. But, fans will have a tougher time determining which artists to go see. The first thing I noticed on the schedule is the Wave Stage and Echo Stage run on the same schedule from the start of the festival each day until about mid-afternoon. Afterward, they run fairly close and overlap with the Monster Energy Stadium Stage. The doors open at 11:30 AM on Friday and Saturday and at 11 AM on Sunday. Let’s break them down day by day with my choices for each day and time slot:

Friday, May 17th

The opening bands start out with a bang on the Echo Stage and Wave Stage with The Jacks and Radattack both playing at 12:45 PM. I’m leaning with The Jacks for the start of the day. At 1:45 PM you have Hands Like Houses and Shvpes at 1:45 PM. These are two bands I wish they separated in different time slots. They’re both excellent and I’d probably change my mind each day as to which to see. Right now, I’d go with Hands Like Houses. The Monster Energy Stadium Stage starts their performances at 2:15 with Badflower. A very good choice for a band that has the hot hand right now. At 2:50 PM you have Cleopatrick and Wage War and I’ll pick Wage War every time (no offense to Cleopatrick). Avatar slides their way in at 3:20 PM and absolutely worth seeing them live. At 3:55 PM you have Ho99o9 and Zeal & Ardor. Don’t miss out on Zeal & Ardor‘s live performance. Absolutely well worth it.

Beartooth stands alone at 4:25 PM and will rock the main stage that day. In the 5 PM hour you have Pussy Riot on Wave Stage at 5:05, Bad Wolves on Echo Stage at 5:10 PM, and Parkway Drive at 5:40 PM on the Monster Energy Stadium Stage. I’d go with seeing Bad Wolves as they put on a killer live set and then run your way over to see Parkway Drive. Parkway Drive will blow your minds with their performance and if they allow their pyro set you’ll love it. At 6:20 you have Black Label Society at Echo Stage and Tom Morello at Wave Stage. This is Black Label Society every time. Halestorm will rock the crowd on the main stage at 7 PM, but if you want something different you can check out Nadya over at the SiriusXM Comedy & Spoken Word Tent followed by Shapel Lacy at 7:25 PM and then Tom Morello at 7:45 PM. The tent closes off with Henry Rollins performing at 8:10 PM. He’s definitely worth seeing for his amazing speeches.

The musical performances wrap up strong with Meshuggah at 7:50 PM at Echo Stage, a band never to be missed, Ghost at 8:40 PM at the Monster Energy Stadium Stage, and then System of a Down wrapping it up starting at 10:10 PM.

Saturday, May 18th

Saturday kicks the Echo Stage and Wave Stage earlier at 12:25 PM with No1Cares and The Plot In You. Two solid bands though I’d go with The Plot In You. At 1:25 PM you have Boston Manor and Evan Konrad where I’d say this is an even split as a pick ’em choice as you can’t go wrong with either one. At 1:55 PM things kick off at the Monster Energy Stadium Stage with Black Coffee, a band I’m truly happy to see getting the main stage, so definitely check them out. At 2:25 PM you have While She Sleeps at the Echo Stage and at 2:30 PM Movements at the Wave Stage. Once again, two bands I wish they pushed into separate time slots as they’re both so good to see. This is a tough choice so I’ll put that as a pick ’em as well. But at 3 PM the fans over at the main stage will be in for a treat with Fever 333. Seriously, do not miss this band. You won’t regret it. At 3:35 PM you get The Black Dahlia Murder over at Echo Stage and Don Broco over at Wave Stage. I’d go with The Black Dahlia Murder for their voracious metal and wild performance.

At 4:15 PM prepare for the main stage to be jammed packed with Gojira hitting the Monster Energy Stadium Stage. Those who have not had the pleasure of seeing them live will be fans for life once they do. They are a do not miss this band. Architects go on at 4:55 PM on the Echo Stage with Mark Lanegan Band at 5 PM on the Wave Stage. I’d go with Architects. At 6:20 PM you have Action Bronson at the Wave Stage and Killswitch Engage at the Echo Stage. Killswitch Engage wins every time for me.

At 7:05 PM the metal gods bless the fans with Lamb of God on the Monster Energy Stadium Stage who is sure to bring the house down. While over at the SiriusXM Comedy & Spoken Word Tent Craig Grass goes on at 7:20 PM followed by Mark Normand at 7:40 PM. The Cult wraps up the Echo Stage at 7:55 PM that night or you can catch Eleanor Kerrigan at 8:20 PM at the SiriusXM Comedy & Spoken Word Tent followed by the infamous comedian and actor Andrew Dice Clay at 8:25 PM.

Saturday night wraps up on the Monster Energy Stadium Stage with the high energy Papa Roach at 8:45 PM and Disturbed at 10:15 PM.

Sunday, May 19th

If you’re actually awake by the time the first bands go on the Echo Stage and Wave Stage at 11:40 AM, you have your choice between Demob Happy or Teenage Wrist. I like Demob Happy here to kick off your day. At 12:40 PM it’s between Scarlxrd and Dirty Honey. Both bands are on the rise, though I prefer Dirty Honey for this one. Amigo The Devil kicks off the Monster Energy Stadium Stage at 1:10 PM while at 1:40 PM Basement and Palaye Royale perform. I say catch Amigo The Devil and then zip over to catch Palaye Royale. Right after at 2:10 PM do yourself a favor and zip back to see The Glorious Sons on the main stage as they are a fun band who gets the crowd interaction going. At 2:40 PM your choices between Black Pistol Fire and Yungblud. I like Black Pistol Fire between the two. Then, it’s a must rush back to the Monster Energy Stadium Stage to see The Struts perform at 3:15 PM. The band has a rock style that’s very engaging and they flaunt it on stage. At 3:55 PM you have The Interrupters and Refused playing where I’d say this is a pick ’em choice as both are good bands.

As we roll into the 4 PM hour the main stage host The Distillers at 4:35 PM. Scars on Broadway play the Wave Stage at 5:15 PM and The Hives are on Echo Stage at 5:20 PM. I love The Hives as the band to see here. The main stage brings Chevelle at 6 PM which their hard rock and who always puts on a great performance. If you go over to the SiriusXM Comedy & Spoken Word Tent you’ll catch Bill Squire at 6:20 PM and Joe Duece at 6:35 PM. While back at the Echo Stage, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts will start rocking at 6:40 PM. Carmen Lynch goes on at 6:50 PM at the SiriusXM Comedy & Spoken Word Tent followed by the legendary Pauly Shore at 7:05 PM.

The festival wraps up on the Monster Energy Stadium Stage with Bring Me The Horizon at 7:30 PM and Foo Fighters at 9:10 PM.

While you may have a hard time determining who you want to see during the overlaps, you truly can’t go wrong no matter what choice you make. Sonic Temple Art + Music Festival is a premier event and fans will have a blast breaking in it this inaugural year.