First, there was Carolina Rebellion. A hard rock/heavy metal music festival taking place annually in North Carolina partner with AEG and Danny Wimmer Presents. The fest atmosphere was generally metal music and food.
The first year took place at the Metrolina Expo in Charlotte, NC and each it grows bigger and bigger. The second took place at the Rockingham Speedway in Rockingham,NC. And every year after it was moved to the Rock City Campgrounds at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, NC. And everything was fine until AEG and DWP couldn’t agree on the direction of the festival music business. So, they split. Which cause DWP to go forward with a new plan. They created a new fest and name it Epicenter. And decide to head back to their home at Rockingham Speedway. This time they were focused on not just metal music. But music of all types.
This year festival ran from May 10th to May 12th. And they wanted to bring these festivals to a new level. The festival producers say, “We decided to move our North Carolina festival to Rockingham so we could provide the incredible expanded destination festival that our fans want and deserve. With the move to our new site, we’re developing 140 acres into festival grounds, which will allow us to provide enhanced camping amenities, nighttime entertainment with no curfew, and expanded food and beverage offerings, all highlighted by a massive music lineup covering the spectrum of rock and alternative music. There’s always the next level to strive for – and after 8 great years of Carolina Rebellion, Epicenter is that next level.”
I was happy to go see how DWP had developed this historic event. There was a set place to camp. And if you had to, you were able to leave without any problem.
The inaugural Epicenter Festival line up included: he features Korn, Tool, Foo Fighters, Rob Zombie, Judas Priest, Bring Me The Horizon, The Crystal Method, The Cult, 311, Evanescence, Bush, +LIVE+, Machine Gun Kelly, Black Label Society, Mastodon, Meshuggah, Circa Survive, Killswitch Engage, Skillet, Beartooth, Mark Lanegan Band, Dorothy, Black Pistol Fire, Zeal & Ardor, Knocked Loose, Slothrust, Hands Like Houses, Hyro The Hero, Wilson, Amigo The Devil, Arrested Youth, Vein, Black Coffee, Yelawolf, Motionless In White, The Damned Things, Starset, Grandson, Badflower, Memphis May Fire, Issues, High On Fire, Wage War, Crobot, Sylar, Counterfeit., Pretty Vicious, Shvpes, Dirty Honey, Alien Weaponry, Hyde, Architects, Tom Morello, Fever 333, Reignwolf, Yungblud, The Glorious Sons, HO99O9, While She Sleeps, Basement, Scarlxrd, Movements, Teenage Wrist, Demob Happy, Boston Manor, Cleopatrick & The Dirty Nil.
The first day went well. The only problem was the traffic getting to the festival.
The second day they had corrected the problem of the traffic, and everything was great until the weather changed.
Which at that time they had to shut down the fest and evacuate the grounds. By 6:30 p.m., the festival posted to Facebook a message from the North Carolina State Highway Patrol asking people to stay in their vehicles and not to attempt to drive.
Right after 8 p.m. After the storm passed they (DWP) made the decision to stop the show for the day. For the safety of the fans and bands. Some of the stages were damaged and had to be repaired. the slate for Saturday night – which featured The Cult and Judas Priest and was to conclude with a performance by Tool – was scrapped. When the Sunday schedule was posted, none of those bands were on it. The Sunday headliners, the Foo Fighters, were scheduled to conclude the concert.
The third day went without any problems.
Overall Epicenter was a great festival and is worth checking out next year.
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