Since its inception in 2007, Rocklahoma has carved out a niche as a key event for rock enthusiasts, celebrating the genre's evolution and diversity. Originally envisioned as a tribute to the "Woodstock of the '80s," the festival has grown from a nostalgic homage to heavy metal into a vibrant platform showcasing both iconic acts and emerging talent.
Over the years, Rocklahoma has navigated changes in ownership and direction, but its essence has remained steadfast. Marking a new chapter in its history – now under the stewardship of renowned festival producer Danny Wimmer Presents – this year's festival set up its aims not only to honor its rich rock heritage but also to introduce new elements and organization, reflecting both its legacy and future aspirations.
Friday's festivities kicked off shortly before noon, and the first act we managed to see was Liliac. Originally from Los Angeles and now based in Atlanta, they are a five-member rock band that commands attention even though most of them look too young to order a drink legally. Fronted by the dynamic Melody Cristea, who confidently struts across the stage with the poise of seasoned performers like Lzzy Hale and Amy Lee, the band members — dressed in black and sporting youthful exuberance — kicked off their set with a couple of original tracks: "Rise Up" and "Not Afraid", which served as the appetizer to several other powerful, and well-executed original compositions, with a standout rendition of Dio's "Holy Diver" interspersed among them.
While they may be young, Liliac more than compensates with boundless energy and visible musical talent. Their performance was infused with a gothic vibe that complemented their name, which fittingly translates to "bat" in Romanian, a nod to their parents' heritage. Let's keep an eye on these youngsters, they might have a bright future ahead of them should they continue at it.
Unfortunately, the opening day festivities were halted by Mother Nature, and the festival grounds were vacated in advance of a thunderstorm that lasted well into the end tails of the afternoon, making it impossible for several bands to perform. After the weather cleared up, and while the event's staff worked incessantly to clean and restore the stages and their surrounding areas to the best possible shape, Halestorm kicked things back into gear at 7:00 PM.
The throngs of festival goers were still finding their way into position as Lzzy and company came on stage roaring, with the same energy as if they were playing in a packed arena: pouring heart and soul into every note as Hale commanded the stage with a presence that was impossible to ignore. Their show injected an electrifying vitality, sorely needed after the hours-long pause, and once again Hale wailed, knelt, and screamed to the skies, all while her bandmates masterfully tore up through their set, which even included a section where they all came to the edge of the stage to frantically drum at unison on 4 massive tambors, with the audience cheering up at every drumstick hit.
As the daylight faded into dusk, the Renegade stage became the scene for Kim Dracula's unique fusion of metal, alternative rock, and trap. The music-starved hordes erupted in applause as the masked band members took their places, and Kim Dracula emerged, clad in an old military uniform. It was a fleeting moment of quiet — a brief calm before the storm — before the stage transformed into a whirlwind of frantic energy and headbanging. Kim's signature guttural screams seamlessly blended with rapid-fire verses, a layer above the anarchic sonic landscape – there was even a saxophonist on stage – all set against a backdrop of dim lighting and swirling fog, creating an eerie atmosphere that seamlessly echoed the dark intensity of their hard-to-define musical style.
As night descended over Pryor, one of rock's enduring pillars acts took to the main stage. Yes, years have passed since their groundbreaking debut Fallen dominated the rock charts and MTV's music video scene, yet Evanescence remains as potent and relevant as ever. Amy Lee's voice carried a haunting blend of ethereal quirkiness and deep melancholy, while Troy McLawhorn's intricate guitar solos and riffs wove seamlessly into the band's signature gothic and metallic sound, driven by the thick, resonant basslines of Emma Anzai and the powerful, unyielding drumming of Will Hunt. Their set blended metallic intensity with somber piano melodies, striking deep with the audience and evidencing that Evanescence's legacy is not just enduring but continues to evolve with time.
Wage War has been steadily rising through the ranks of the metal scene, and their performance at the Renegade stage was nothing short of chaos unleashed, much like their new album Stigma is. As the haunting, atmospheric tones of the set opener, "The Show's About to Start," segued into Cody Quistad and Seth Blake's powerful, chunky riffs, the crowd erupted in a frenzy, diving headfirst into mosh pits and surfing over waves of bodies — it felt like a scene straight out of an apocalyptic science fiction movie. Lead vocalist Briton Bond has truly come into his own as a screamer, while Quistad, who handles both clean vocals and guitar, delivered a standout performance. Amidst the swirling fog and bursts of pyro, they turned the entire venue on its head, with the frantic crown nearly bringing down the barricades in response to the sheer intensity of their set. I think is time to recognize that Wage War is a force to be reckoned with, a band ready to conquer audiences of any size.
While some bands might struggle to find their footing after such a break, Avenged Sevenfold roared back into the music scene last year, with an intensity that made it seem as though they had never left. Their headlining performance on the first night of Rocklahoma left no room for doubt—these legends are back, and they were as formidable as ever. Time has only sharpened the skills of M. Shadows and his bandmates, and despite Synyster Gates battling an illness — a fact only revealed later by Shadows, as it was undetectable in their performance — the band unleashed a ferocious set. They kicked off with the frenzied pairing of "Game Over" and "Mattel," a combination that brought forth the complex time signatures, blistering guitar solos, and uncommon songwriting structures present in their latest studio album. As the show progressed into more familiar territory with "Afterlife" at any moment you looked around, there was something almost transcendent with thousands of voices singing in unison, soaring into the night, as the notes of "Buried Alive", "Nightmare" and the closing ode of "A Little Piece Of Heaven" echoed through the airwaves. For almost ninety minutes, Avenged Sevenfold held the crowd in the palm of their hands, leaving the entire Rocklahoma audience in thrall and buzzing with euphoria, and effectively ending the day's tumultuous start on an exhilarating high note.
Saturday's festivities were auspiciously greeted with clear skies and summer-like temperatures, and by the time Badflower hit the Freedom stage the heat was punishing. Two songs in, singer and guitarist Josh Katz engaged the audience, joking about the torridness: "I stepped on stage and saw so many of you with umbrellas, and I thought it was strange, but now I'm telling you, stay under those because it's scorching out here!" Heat notwithstanding, they continued to play with their customary energy, with bassist Alex Espiritu leaping, head-banging, and moving his instrument in every possible direction.
Taking over the same stage later in the afternoon, and under more manageable weather after a 30-minute downpour that whisked away the sun, Skillet turned the dampened atmosphere into one of electric anticipation. Their performance was an exhilarating and ferocious blend of musicianship, amplified by swirling lights and well-planned bursts of CO2. Korey Cooper embodied wild, untamed energy, seemingly possessed by the music, Jen Ledger attacked her drum kit with relentless intensity, Seth Morrison's guitar work was both precise and powerful, and John Cooper was his usual uber-dynamic self, wandering across the stage while singing, either slapping his bass or holding his mic, his undeniable charisma on full display. The set was a sensory jolt, a whirlwind of sound and energy that revitalized the day, dispelling the lingering gloom of the earlier rain and lifting the crowd's spirits after the ominous clouds had recalled the challenges of Friday's weather.
As dusk began to fall, Pop Evil took the Renegade stage with the clear intent to obliterate it. The crowd exploded in loud cheers as the four instrumentalists stormed the stage, diving headfirst into the thunderous, extended intro of "Paranoid (Crash & Burn)." When lead singer Leigh Kakaty stepped forward and unleashed his first vocal lines, the energy in the venue surged to electrifying heights. The back-to-back double punch of "Deal With The Devil" and "Let The Chaos Reign" acted like a spark to a powder keg, the crowd's unruly response to the band's intensity spitballing even more. Kakaty and his bandmates were ablaze with energy, and the massive swarms of fans reveled in every electrifying moment — a relentless high that fueled their entire 40-minute performance.
A Day To Remember took command of the main stage, and right from the start, they had the crowd in the palm of their hands, kicking off their performance with an explosion of confetti that set the tone for the rest of the show. Their setlist was a masterclass in balancing infectious, sing-along hooks like "All I Want", with the kind of heavy, mosh-inducing riffs that left no one standing still like "2nd Sucks". The band's ability to merge intensity with accessibility was on full display, especially frontman Jeremy McKinnon, who poured every ounce of emotion into his performance drawing in even the uninitiated, and leaving little doubt that any potential fans in the audience were likely won over by the time a second confetti explosion during their customary setlist close "All Signs Points To Lauderdale" signaled the end of their presentation.
A sharp contrast in musical styles went down with the arrival of stoner/sludge overlords Clutch, who slowly appeared on stage while the infectious notes of Chuck Brown & the Soul Searchers' "We Need Some Money" played over the PA system. If you've ever been to a Clutch concert before, you already know they are a visceral experience, combining intense musicality and Neil Fallon's commanding stage presence – he doesn't stop moving for the entire duration of their set, however long it might be – with the laid-back yet powerful delivery of his bandmates, who focus on their instruments and leave the spotlight to Fallon. It's the type of band you either love to pieces or don't understand at all, but if you are in the former group, it becomes a communal celebration of their expansive and eclectic discography, and their set at Rocklahoma was no different. To make things even better, their 13-song setlist was almost their Blast Tyrant album in its entirety, likely celebrating its 20th anniversary, only swapping "The Mob Goes Wild" for "Mice and Gods", and also in the same running order of the record.
Throughout their eight-album discography, Disturbed has masterfully woven together the essence of the nu-metal movement into a cohesive and powerful sound, and their headlining show left no doubts about their relevance. Tracks like the set opener, the gut-punching "Hey You," and the bass-heavy, quasi-electronic anthem "Bad Man" hit with full force; and the band effortlessly transitioned to their iconic hits from the early 2000s, delivering classics like "Ten Thousand Fists" and "Stupify" with the same raw energy that made them legendary, proving that time has only sharpened their edge. It wouldn't be a Disturbed show without the deeply emotional and haunting rendition of the Simon & Garfunkel classic "The Sound of Silence," Draiman revealing his ability to shift from his signature aggressive vocals to a smooth, almost crooning delivery, which was also palpable during a poignant rendition of "Don't Tell Me", where Royale Lynn joined him on stage, taking the place of Ann Wilson who sings on the original track. Another standout segment of the evening was their powerful metal take on the Genesis classic "Land Of Confusion," where both Donnegan and Moyer had their spotlight solo moments. Despite many of their songs dealing with themes of deep frustration, and a world scarred by illness, everyone left feeling a bit more whole.
The final day festivities on the Freedom stage started off with Oxymorrons, who certainly brought liveliness in spades. Their sound – a blend of rock and hip-hop – takes some cues from bands like Limp Bizkit (which are also reflected in their extravagant choice of attire) but with a refreshing nerdy charm and campy flair all their own. Vocalists Demi and KI jumped around exuding boundless vitality and trading clever, rapid-fire verses over some infectious guitar riffs. What started as a skeptical crowd (most likely due to the strenuous heat of the early afternoon) quickly transformed into cheering, clapping, and moving along to the beat, completely won over by the band's charisma.
Just ten minutes past 4 PM, and still beneath a relentless sun, California's thrash metal legend Kerry King and his crew unleashed a barrage of heaviness – in an unambiguous disparity with the sound of the band that preceded them – determined to obliterate anything and anyone in their path. Their set was a fierce onslaught of guitar riffs, featuring tracks from King's lauded debut solo album From Hell I Rise, including fan favorites like Where I Reign and Idle Hands. The furious reaction of the audience only grew exponentially as the band tore through the couple of Slayer classics that have been steadily featured in their sets: "Raining Blood" and "Black Magic." It was a merciless, devastating performance that rivaled the intensity of the grueling temperatures, with the spotlight alternating between the soaring vocals of Death Angel's frontman Mark Osegueda and Phil Demmel's electrifying guitar solos, whipping the crowd into a frenzy and igniting an enthusiastic response from the undaunted spectators.
Next up on the same stage were Atlanta's progressive metal advocates Mastodon, in what would become the last show of their current tour celebrating the anniversary of their lauded album Leviathan. Another band that you either adore or skip altogether, Mastodon's music is a seamless fusion of genres, where technical precision meets gritty grooves. Their sound is further enriched by the shared vocal responsibilities among bassist Troy Sanders, drummer Brann Dailor, and guitarist Brent Hinds, plus the tight powerhouse guitar partnership of Hinds and Bill Kelliher, that anchors the band's sonic landscape. We were treated to a journey through the mythic depths of songs like the crushing opener "Blood and Thunder," the expansive "Hearts Alive," and the hauntingly melodic "Megalodon," in a set that unquestionably presented their ability to blend raw power with complex, nuanced musicianship.
As the afternoon began to wane and a gentle breeze swept through the festival grounds, hair-metal stalwarts Winger took the DEB stage, in a set that was punctuated by an unusual scene: in a surprising twist, the crowd erupted into a frenzy of non-stop crowd-surfing – a sight you might not immediately associate with a Winger performance. But these Rocklahomians were here to rock, and rock they did, fueled by the nostalgia of 80's MTV classics like "Rainbow In the Rose," "Headed for a Heartbreak," and "Easy Come Easy Go." Kip Winger and his bandmates were as tight and compelling as ever, which is honestly no surprise as they were always a band with a level of musicianship that far exceeded their contemporaries in the scene, and effectively set them apart from their peers when the Sunset Strip music scene was all the rage.
One of the most diverse young rock bands emerging from Texas, Giovannie and the Hired Guns, stormed onto the Renegade stage just as Winger's final chord echoed through the air. Hailing from Stephenville, Texas, this dynamic five-piece blends alt-metal, red dirt country, Latin pop, Americana, and more, creating a raw and powerful recipe that has taken them from local honky-tonks to the stages of major festivals and arenas nationwide. Though often labeled a rock and roll country band, their presentation was a thrilling combination of heaviness and captivating gusto peppered with a mixture of folklore, a welcome breath of fresh air and variety on a day that had been mostly dominated by heavier sounds.
As dusk settled over the open sky, the air crackled with anticipation as the torchbearers of modern American metal Lamb Of God, made presence. This performance marked the culmination of their co-headlining tour with Mastodon, a tour that honored the legacy of their landmark album Ashes of the Wake. If you've ever witnessed a Lamb Of God show, you know what's coming: unadulterated sonic onslaught. The audience was soon engulfed in one of the day's most electrifying and intense performances, led by the incombustible Randy Blythe, commanding the set with his signature unbridled vim. The multitude – whether in the VIP seating area near the stage or in the more distant general admission section – was swept into a relentless thrashing trip, starting with their staple set opener "Memento Mori", driven by the searing riffs of Willie Adler and Mark Morton, reminiscent of Dimebag Darrell's iconic sound. John Campbell's crushing bass and Art Cruz's punishing drum work created a formidable backdrop, crafting a labyrinth of ferocious anthems, that reached its fiery crescendo with the double feature of fan favorites "Walk With Me In Hell" and "Redneck," leaving the audience in a state of tattered euphoria.
The concluding act on the Renegade stage was Nothing More, and they came out swinging for the fences, with a show that was nothing short of a sensory blitzkrieg, as if this were their final curtain call as a band. Frontman Jonny Hawkins sweat-drenched curls bobbed with every movement as he danced across the stage, microphone gripped tightly, his eyes ablaze with vehemence. Meanwhile, his bandmates maintained a dynamic energy, perfectly in tune with the visual feast of dancing LED lights and swirling fog that was part of their vibrant light show. The audience's fervor reached a fever pitch, with crowd-surfing approaching the realms of complete irrationality, effectively making their performance one of the most captivating of the entire three-day festival, and providing an unforgettable send-off before the event's final set.
When bands hit the road for album anniversary tours, they usually stick to playing the featured album in full, peppering the rest of the setlist with fan favorites or saving those for an encore. Slipknot, however, took a completely different approach with their "Here Comes the Pain" 25th-anniversary tour, which they served up as the main dish on the final day of Rocklahoma. The night began with a relentless assault as the nine men – clad in striking red boiler suits that harken back to their iconic early days, complemented by a selection of vintage-style masks, each one more chilling than the last – tore through the opening trio from their self-titled debut album—"(sic)," "Eyeless," and "Wait and Bleed." After the unrestrained intensity of such a start, frontman Corey Taylor paused to address the feverish crowd, offering his gratitude and setting the stage for what was to come: "We started here 25 years ago, so tonight it is my pleasure to tell you: Welcome to 1999. We have put together something very fuc**ng special for all of you. I'm here to tell you right now, you will not hear a song written after 1999 tonight."
Embracing a raw and unfiltered performance style, and channeling the intensity of their early days when they were still playing gritty club shows – also stripping away the pyrotechnics and elaborate stage setups that have become a hallmark of their recent tours – the biggest metal band to ever come out of Iowa continued tearing through their debut album, in a primal, back-to-basics presentation, which even featured two bonus tracks from the album's import edition, "Me Inside" and "Get This," and two deep cut tracks, "No Life" and "Only One," both of which had been absent from their live shows for years before this tour run, and closing the musical apotheosis with a combination of "Spit It Out", "Surfacing," and "Scissors."
Rocklahoma 2024 is now in the books, but I'll be remembered as a vivid celebration, one that underscored the vitality and diversity of our current rock scene. Rising above the challenges posed by unpredictable weather, the festival's spirit remained unbroken, carried out by the unyielding oomph of the performers and the passion of the audience. Rocklahoma joins the selected group of those rare events where past and future converge in a synergic clash, generating a powerful energy that resonates far beyond the festival grounds. This year's edition has left an indelible mark, and we are confident its pulse will continue to echo for the foreseeable future.
