Photo Courtesy of DWP/@dusana
Welcome to Rockville took over Daytona Beach, Florida, recently and New Noise was able to be a part of one of the biggest music events in the country.
With five days of rock music, this was a show we couldn’t miss. Featuring more than five stages centered around the famous Nascar Speedway in Daytona Beach, the event highlighted 150 world-class bands, all equally phenomenal. The event was extremely organized with the highest level of security. The energy in the air was sizzling and not just due to the hot Florida weather. We had legends such as Breaking Benjamin, POD, Drowning Pool, Limp Bizkit, Nonpoint, Anthrax, and plenty more take the stage. There were some heavy hitters such as Wage War, Atreyu, Imminence, Currents, and Amity Affliction. The list is endless, but we will try to give you as many details as possible.
The show felt almost like a traveling circus of scary rides and fans dressed in exotic costumes. There was never a dull moment, even when we sat down to take a break.
Thursday night had the crowd in a frenzy with Motley Crue. The fans had the best opportunity to see them perform their old music but more importantly their new song ”Dogs of War.”
Nü-metal influencers Disturbed stormed the stage playing all their best tracks. David Draiman brought the house down with “Down With the Sickness”. Their music features such a classic rhythmic delivery. They are known for their energetic aggression and multidimensional ranges of vocals and sound. During “Don’t Tell Me,” Disturbed surprised the crowd with Ann Wilson, vocalist of Heart, who is featured on the recorded version of the song. There was a kinetic energy in their collaboration; it was stunning.
Kim Dracula mystified us with those haunting vocals. This Aussie group throws out the shock value with such force; it’s intriguing music at its finest. “Drown” and “Killdozer” had the fans spinning out. The blend of genres on one set attracted a huge draw.
The festival had well over 200,000 spectators, and shockingly there was still room to breathe. Multiple stages were utilized to accommodate the rotation of the bands and appease the different tastes in music.
Friday night was insane, of course, with a performance from Limp Bizkit. “My Way” was the first slammer from Fred Durst, and the entire mass of people rose to the occasion. Durst re-energized the sunburnt and exhausted fans with his comedic banter about sports and life’s daily problems. At one point he called for an angel and Jelly Roll joined him on stage to sing, “Behind Blue Eyes.” It was completely unforgettable!
As Bad Omens massacred their set with such intensity. Frontman Noah Sebastian sang “Broken Youth,” you could feel the emotions; it was powerful. They performed tracks “Glass Houses” and “Limits” while the hundreds of loyal fans sang along; it was riveting.
Slipknot came out and their music penetrated through the arena. Dressed to kill, they creeped you out in the most beautiful way. New drummer Eloy Casagrande fit right into the mix, brutal as ever. Through the songs “Duality” and “Before I Forget,” the entire venue was trembling, pure madness.
Sum 41 blew the roof off with their high-energy set. They had the crowd singing along throughout their set. I think we all relished those moments as this may be one of their final shows.
Foo Fighters killed it with their two-hour set. They played all the favorites but then surprised us with the Van Halen guitar solo and a guest appearance by Wolfgang Van Halen, frontman of Mammoth WVH. This was such a spectacular moment in time to witness this collaboration.
Evanescence’s headlining performance was brilliant. Amy Lee’s hypnotic vocals carried throughout the entire venue. “Bring Me to Life” was a mind-blowing stunner. “Game Over” was a heavy-hitter track executed perfectly. Their live stage presence is otherworldly.
Sweden’s metal phenoms, Imminence, did not go unnoticed. This stop was a part of their first long-awaited American tour. Otherworldly vocalist Eddie Berg clutched his violin while delivering the most intense performances with tracks such as “Beyond the Pale” and “Paralyzed.” There were moments of serenity throughout the audience when he played the violin. Their appreciation was vocalized on stage; you could feel the love they have for their fans.
Florida boys Wage War hit the Apex stage on Sunday and performed “Nails,” which was pure insanity. There were so many bands and so little time, but we hit all the stages and walked miles for days. This event was so heavily organized on set, and the performances went off perfectly without a hitch. The Welcome to Rockville experience is like no other festival in the country. It’s an event one must experience in this lifetime.
