Lambgoat Goes To: Welcome To Rockville 2024

Festival season hits like a sonic boom every summer, and the sweltering heat only amplifies the intensity. Enter Welcome to Rockville, taking over the International Daytona Speedway in Daytona Beach, FL, hitting like a hurricane of riffs and raw energy. For four days, I braved the brutal Florida sun for this experience, because honestly, it’s one of the few things that make enduring the inferno worthwhile. And yes, I’m a lifelong Florida resident.

Photo: @dusana / WTR

Attending Rockville was a no-brainer. Not just because it’s one of the best showcases of extreme music in North America, but because Limp Bizkit was headlining. Laugh if you want, but there’s something about those Jacksonville rap-rock icons that pulls you in.

Photo: @dusana / WTR

If you’ve never been to Welcome to Rockville, let me break it down for you. This year’s festival drew in a staggering 200,000 fans over the weekend, solidifying its status as North America's largest outdoor heavy music festival. Despite the crowd size, the layout was spacious due to its venue, and a fifth stage added this year to keep things manageable. 

Photo: Johnathan Peters

Lambgoat’s mission was clear: spotlight the rising stars of the metal and hardcore scene. Acts like Fleshwater, Slaughter To Prevail, Movements, Currents, Kublai Khan TX, Drain, Scowl, The Chisel, Spite, Gel, Militarie Gun, Bodysnatcher, Gatecreeper, Gideon, Dying Wish, thrown, and Fuming Mouth stormed the stages alongside veterans such as Slipknot, Crobot, In Flames, Harms Way, Terror, Soulfly, Biohazard, Helmet, Red Fang, Baroness, Fear Factory, August Burns Red, Stick To Your Guns, The Amity Affliction, Shadows Fall, Code Orange, The Ghost Inside, Mr. Bungle, Architects, In This Moment, Polyphia, Anthrax, Judas Priest, A Day To Remember, Falling In Reverse, and Machine Head.

Photo: Johnathan Peters

Mixing with these heavyweights were mainstream giants like Foo Fighters, Jelly Roll, Disturbed, Queens Of The Stone Age, Greta Van Fleet, and Breaking Benjamin. And then there was the nostalgia wave with bands like Kittie, P.O.D., Taproot, Adema, Trust Company, Nonpoint, Cold, Powerman 5000, Drowning Pool, Alien Ant Farm, Orgy, Flyleaf, Sum 41, and of course, Limp Bizkit. It was like stepping back into a late ‘90s/early 2000s Ozzfest time machine.

Welcome to Rockville’s diverse lineup is one of its greatest strengths. It’s the kind of place where a radio-rock-loving 30-something mom and her angsty teen can both find bands to love. It’s a family affair, with generations bonding over guitar solos and growling vocals.

Photo: Nathan Zucker / WTR

The undercard was packed with metal and hardcore bands, making it a prime ground for these acts to win over new fans. People who’d never heard of Terror or Drain left the festival with those names burned into their brains, which is fantastic for the scene. More fans mean more record sales, more merch sold, and more support for these hardworking bands.

Photo: Johnathan Peters

Now, let’s dive into the highlights.

Day 1: Thursday was a whirlwind, starting with a drive down to Daytona and getting credentials by noon. We had interviews lined up with Fuming Mouth and August Burns Red, squeezing in sets from Cold, Spite, and Orgy in between. Seeing Orgy live was a bucket list moment for this nu-metal kid. They even played a “breakdown”, which was epic. Shadows Fall and Soulfly delivered their usual chaos, and Anthrax and Mudvayne closed the night. Mudvayne was a mixed bag – the band was in better shape the previous appearance, but Chad’s screams still need work.

Photo: Johnathan Peters

August Burns Red, on their first Rockville appearance, crushed it, celebrating 15 years of Constellations. Judas Priest, Biohazard, and Machine Head were flawless, and Kerry King’s set was like seeing Slayer without the mob. We ended the night with Mötley Crüe's Vince Neil serenading our exit. 

Day 2: Friday was another scorcher. We caught Alien Ant Farm and split time between Dying Wish and Powerman 5000. Nonpoint, a staple of my youth, put on a solid show. Gatecreeper and Kublai Kahn turned up the heat at the Garage stage. Despite missing our interview with Currents, we caught up with them later. 

Photo: Johnathan Peters

Kittie’s return was a highlight for many in attendance following their show at Sick New World weeks before. Slaughter To Prevail felt like they played a hometown show with the size of the crowd at their intense set. In Flames shredded as usual, and Mr. Bungle’s set was pure genius. Limp Bizkit closed the night with an unforgettable performance, even if the gender reveal mid-set meant no “Boiler.”

Photo: Johnathan Peters

Day 3: Saturday was a bit more relaxed. The Chisel, Red Fang, Baroness, Drain, Primus, Terror, Code Orange, and Queens Of The Stone Age were on our radar. Baroness made up for their weather-shortened set last year with a huge return. The dust bowl Garage stage saw pits raging all night from Terror, Drain and Code Orange. Queens Of The Stone Age delivered a hip swaying, hypnotic set, and we caught a few Foo Fighters songs on our way out.

Photo: Johnathan Peters

Day 4: Sunday started early with Gel and Militarie Gun, both delivering intense sets. Taproot had some sound issues but still brought the energy, with frontman Stephen Richards diving into the pit. Interviews with P.O.D. and Sum 41 followed, with Sum 41 giving a heartfelt chat about their impending farewell. The Chats were a fun, high-energy surprise, playing every song they’ve written. We wrapped up early, missing Slipknot, but they’re a festival staple, so no worries there.

Photo: Nathan Zucker / WTR

Overall, Welcome to Rockville was a blast. From guilty pleasures to hardcore mainstays, the lineup had it all. The food options catered to everyone, and the festival grounds were better than ever with more shaded areas and cushioned turf. If you’re contemplating a festival next year, make it Welcome to Rockville. You won’t be disappointed. It’s a weekend of music nirvana set in the heart of NASCAR’s mecca.

Be on the lookout for our interviews from Welcome to Rockville to follow shortly.