With no live acts primarily touring through the pandemic, music lovers were at a loss. Venues closed, festivals canceled, and instead of being with their friends in the pit, they were staring at their favorite bands via a screen. As 2021 started to roll forward and vaccines being rolled out nationwide, the music scene slowly changed. Some bands performed in drive-in theaters, socially distanced from the fans sitting in their cars. Others actually took to the road playing in venues willing to host them. Just recently, bands starting announcing full tours again. But, as we get closer to Summer, something wonderful looms over the horizon: MUSIC FESTIVALS!
With all of the festivals canceled for 2020, fans are dying for them to return. And they are returning in full force! I felt the need to point out some of the wonderful festivals that are currently scheduled. These are presented in date order.
Name: Rock Fest
Dates: July 15-17, 2021 (pre-bash July 14, 2021)
Location: Cadott, WI
This festival is running on its 27th year (should have been 28th but the fest was postponed in 2020) and has a long history of providing quality festivals. It sits on 320 acres of land in Central Wisconsin and has nearly 7,000 campsites for festival fans. And the lineup absolutely brings quality and quantity each day.
The pre-bash party on Wednesday, July 14th includes Stitched Up Heart, Joyous Wolf, Royal Bliss, Slaughter, and Queensryche.
Thursday, July 15th has headliners Staind and Rob Zombie. Other artists include Anthrax, Steel Panther, Saint Asonia, Memphis May Fire, Fozzy, Nonpoint and more.
Friday, July 16th has headliners Limp Bizkit and Corey Taylor. That day also includes Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals performing A Vulgar Display of Pantera, Badflower, Of Mice & Men, All That Remains, Tommy Vext, Blacktop Mojo and more.
Saturday, July 17th has headliners Korn and Danzig. Also that day includes Chevelle, Body Count, Pop Evil, We Came As Romans, Gemini Syndrome, and many more.
Food and drink vendors are still to be announced. There is something for everyone at this fest.
You can find more information over at rock-fest.com.
Name: Upheaval Festival
Dates: July 16-17, 2021
Location: Belknap Park in Grand Rapids, MI
The inaugural festival for Grand Rapids, MI had to be postponed to 2021 due to COVID-19. As of right now, the festival is still on schedule. And for an inaugural fest they have a fantastic lineup. July 16th brings in Joyous Wolf, Avatar, Chevelle, and headliners Korn (who just recently had a fantastic livestream event) and many more. July 17th has Stitched Up Heart, Blacktop Mojo, Skillet, Staind, and headliner Rob Zombie. Though the band list is smaller than most festivals, it absolutely packs a punch. The festival will also have a tattoo and art show and food and drink (vendors still to be announced).
You can find more details over at upheavalfest.com.
Name: Summerfest
Dates: September 2-4, 9-11, 16-18, 2021
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Going on it’s 53rd year, it has become known as “The World’s Largest Music Festival”. Over 1,000 performances across 11 stages in 3 day groupings plus a Wednesday kick off concert. And the artist list is a wide variety from all genres of music. Some artists appearing this year include Luke Bryan, Chris Stapleton, Miley Cyrus, Chance The Rapper, Rise Against, 311, Lindsey Sterling, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Styx, and many, many more!
You can find more info at summerfest.com.
Name: Rocklahoma
Dates: September 3-5, 2021
Location: Pryor, OK
Well known for being a huge camping music festival, Rocklahoma has always provided a spectacular lineup for rock and metal performers. Taking place over Labor Day weekend, the festival dropped their lineup including headliners Slipknot, Rob Zombie, and Limp Bizkit. Other bands performing include Chevelle, Halestorm, Anthrax, Falling In Reverse, and many more. Besides food and drink vendors, the festival also has their Miss Rocklahoma contest since 2009.
You can find more info at rocklahoma.com.
Name: Blue Ridge Rock Festival
Dates: September 9-12, 2021
Location: Danville, VA
This festival has one of the most unique experiences than most festivals. Fans vote on who they want to see at the festival. Throughout the year Blue Ridge Rock Festival lists voting options between two or more bands to see who their fans want to see the most. After the voting period is over their staff works on putting together the festival based on these results. This festival is listing 6 stages with 180+ bands fueled by over 90,000 votes.
Thursday, September 9th will have headliners Breaking Benjamin (only festival performance for 2021), A Day To Remember, The Ghost Inside, Halestorm, and Skillet. Also that day includes Spiritbox (debut U.S. performance), Black Label Society, Testament, Sabaton, From Ashes To New, and more.
Friday, September 10th will have headliners Rob Zombie, Limp Bizkit, Rise Against, I Prevail (only performance of 2021), and Chevelle. Other performers that day includes Anthrax (celebrating their 40th anniversary), Asking Alexandria, Clutch, Motionless In White, Fever 333, D.R.U.G.S., and many more.
Saturday, September 11th headlines with Five Finger Death Punch, Megadeth (as part of the Metal Tour of the Year), Lamb of God (part of the Metal Tour of the Year), and Seether. Also performing is Trivium and In Flames (both part of the Metal Tour of the Year), Cypress Hill, Theory of a Deadman, Body Count, Badflower, Avatar, Wage War and many more.
Sunday, September 12th will have headliners Shinedown and Papa Roach (performing their album Infest) plus one artist still to be announced. Other artists include Gojira, Mastodon, Killswitch Engage, Underoath, The Hu, Ice Nine Kills and more.
But, that’s not all. There are a large number of regional bands coming to play referred to as the Rising Stars. These are artists who you may not know now, but hopefully you will see one day playing the big stages. Some of those include Eyes of the Living, Black Satellite, Four Thirty Four, Roachzilla, Breathing Theory, F.I.L.T.H., Detoura, Waking The Sleeper, Misty Eyed, Kill The Imposter, Dark Summer, and so many more.
You will not find another festival in the U.S. with as many bands as this one. The festival’s VIP and Golden Circle tickets have sold out. General Admission is still available.
You can find more info at blueridgerockfest.com.
Name: Inkcarcaertation Music & Tattoo Festival
Dates: September 10-12, 2021
Location: Mansfield, OH
This festival definitely has one of the most unique locations for a festival, the historic grounds of the Ohio State Reformatory as made famous by the movie The Shawshank Redemption. Yes it’s held at a former prison. This festival started and 2018 and this year partnered up with Danny Wimmer Presents “to have the opportunity to bring Inkcarceration to that next level”, per Danny Wimmer. And they absolutely did this year with a great lineup.
Friday, September 10th includes headliners Slipknot with support from Mastodon, Killswitch Engage, Steel Panther, The Hu, Ice Nine Kills and more.
Saturday, September 11th has headliner Mudvayne with support from A Day To Remember, Chevelle, Asking Alexandria, August Burns Red, Pop Evil, and many more.
Sunday, September 12th brings headliner Rob Zombie and support from Halestorm, Beartooth, Motionless In White, Fever 333, Wage War, All That Remains, and more. Plus they bring in some amazing tattoo artists who will be inking during the festival.
Sadly, if you don’t have tickets now, you’re out of luck as this festival is officially sold out!
You can find more info at inkcarceration.com.
Name: Riot Fest
Dates: September 16-19, 2021
Location: Douglass Park, Chicago IL
This festival started in 2005 and is still going strong. With a good mixture of rock, metal, and alternative this is a good festival to see it all. This year Riot Fest pulled no punches with their lineup. Headliners include Nine Inch Nails, Faith No More, DEVO, and Mr. Bungle. Others on the lineup include The Smashing Pumpkins, Coheed and Cambria, NOFX, Taking Back Sunday, and many more. My Chemical Romance was supposed to headline 2021 but pulled their entire tour for the year. They will headline Riot Fest in 2022 and joining them will be The Original Misfits performing their album Walk Among Us celebrating it’s 40th anniversary next year. 3 day passes for Riot Fest just sold out.
You can find more info over at riotfest.org.
Name: Louder Than Life
Dates: September 23-26, 2021
Location: Highland Festival Grounds at KY Expo Center in Louisville, KY
Danny Wimmer Presents has invested a lot into the city of Lousiville and planned to do so for many years. Running three festivals in the month of September that included Hometown Rising, Bourbon & Beyond, and Louder Than Life. And while the first two couldn’t concur this year, Louder Than Life is back and stronger than ever. I might say this is the strongest lineup the festival has ever seen in its lifetime. Expanding out to 4 days this year, Louder Than Life is bringing the heavy to their fans.
Starting off on Thursday, September 23rd with headliners Korn. And a fantastic announcement in the return of Staind. Also, that day will be Cypress Hill, Anthrax, Beartooth, Sevendust, Knocked Loose, Wage War, and more.
Friday, September 24th has headliner Metallica. That day also includes Jane’s Addiction, Rise Against, Gojira, Killswitch Engage, Starset, Avatar, Fever 333 and more.
Saturday, September 25th brings a great mix of music starting with headliners Nine Inch Nails. And prepare yourself for Snoop Dogg, Machine Gun Kelly, Ghostmane, The Distillers, Asking Alexandria, Grandson, and more.
The final day, Sunday, September 26th hits you again with headliner Metallica. Also, Danny Wimmer Presents brings back Mudvayne to the stage. Others include legendary Judas Priest, Seether, Pennywise, Skillet, Sabaton, and more.
You can find more info at louderthanlifefestival.com.
Name: Firefly Music Festival
Dates: September 23-26, 2021
Location: The Woodlands of Dover International Speedway in Dover, DE
If you enjoy more than rock and metal, the Firefly Music Festival may have the options for you. Held over 4 days with a good mix of well-known artists. Headliners for this year include Billie Eilish, The Killers, Tame Impala, Lizzo, Machine Gun Kelly, Cage The Elephant, and more. Other performers include Glass Animals, Blackbear, Taking Back Sunday, Band of Horses, Badflower, Turnstile, and many more. The festival is so popular it already sold out of their VIP and Premium VIP packages.
You can find more info at fireflyfestival.com.
Name: Rebel Rock
Dates: September 24-26, 2021
Location: Central Florida Fairgrounds in Orlando, FL
Central Florida is no stranger to rock and metal. The area has tons of artists who tour through there and some even come from the area as well. But, no one has thought of establishing roots for a multi-day festival here until now. Stage Left Entertainment brings to Orlando, FL the inaugural Rebel Rock. Three days of rock and metal music for the fans at the Central Florida Fairgrounds.
Friday, September 24th has the headliners of Machine Gun Kelly and Limp Bizkit. It also has Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals performing A Vulgar Display of Pantera. Other bands that day include Skillet, Motionless In White, Pop Evil, Hatebreed, Finger Eleven and more.
Saturday, September 25th has the headliners of Five Finger Death Punch and Legends of Wu-Tang. Also performing that day are Underoath, Killswitch Engage, Body Count featuring Ice-T, Devil Driver, August Burns Red, and more.
Sunday, September 26th has headlining The Used and Rise Against. Also performing is Sevendust, Anti-Flag, All That Remains, Emmure, Miss May I, and more.
This is bound to be a great inaugural event.
You can find more info at rebelrockfest.com.
Name: Furnace Fest
Dates: September 24-26, 2021
Location: Sloss Furnaces in Birmingham, AL
Sloss Furnaces was at one time the largest manufacturer of pig iron. Now, it’s a national landmark and the home to Furnace Fest. This year is the 20th anniversary (technically last year but that it was postponded)! This festival is 3 days of mixed music with headliners Underoath, Taking Back Sunday, and Killswitch Engage. Some of the other artists performing include Astronoid, Anberlin, Mayday Parade, August Burns Red, Fit For a King, Light The Torch, and more.
You can find more info at furnacefest.us.
Name: Aftershock
Dates: October 7-10, 2021
Location: Discovery Park in Sacramento, CA
Danny Wimmer Presents spared no expense for this West Coast festival. Held in Discovery Park in Sacramento, CA, there is 4 days of rock and metal for you to mosh, throw up horns, and scream your head off.
Thursday, October 7th starts with headliners Limp Bizkit and Anthrax, Testament, Exodus, Knocked Loose, Fit For a King, and Oxymorrons in support.
Friday, October 8th has Metallica headlining with Rancid, Volbeat, Seether, Dropkick Murphys, Skillet, Suicidal Tendencies and more.
Saturday, October 9th has The Original Misfits headlining with The Offspring, Machine Gun Kelly, Gojira, and Mudvayne (exclusive performances at DWP festivals) plus much more.
Sunday, October 10th wraps up the weekend with Metallica headlining a second night and Social Distortion, Rise Against, Mastodon, Pennywise, In This Moment and more.
Sadly, tickets are no longer available as this festival is sold out!
You can find more info at aftershockfestival.com.
Name: Welcome To Rockville
Dates: November 11-14, 2021
Location: Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, FL
The last Danny Wimmer Presents festival to wrap up the year is in Daytona Beach, FL. This year will be a special one with it being the first time at the Daytona International Speedway. The new venue should provide a lot more space for attendees and vendors. Welcome To Rockville also extends to 4 days in 2021 with a stellar lineup.
Thursday, November 11th has Nine Inch Nails headlining with bands Deftones, Cypress Hill, Stone Temple Pilots, Architects and more.
Friday, November 12th bring in Metallica to headline with Rob Zombie, Social Distortion, Chevelle, Pennywise, Beartooth and more.
Saturday, November 13th has Disturbed headlining (with no other current festival appearances in 2021) with The Offspring, Staind, Lamb of God, Asking Alexandria, GWAR and more. T
he festival wraps up on Sunday November 14th with Metallica headlining their second night, Florida’s own Lynyrd Skynyrd, Mudvayne (exclusive performance at DWP festivals), Mastodon, Anthrax and more.
This should be a very special year with the new venue and 4 day lineup and tickets are still available.
You can find more info at welcometorockvillefestival.com.
So grab your wallets, go buy your tickets, and enjoy what’s to be a spectacular festival season!
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