I am still not sure why I went through all the trouble to list ALL the bands for the 2014 edition of Rockfest but it's done and uploaded already. I feel the visual catches the eye more and makes it more appealing. But then I argue with myself 'it's an amazing lineup, why would any need convincing to go?'
With Rockfest organizers giving only small tidbit of information and a few teaser bands (NOFX, Meshuggah, Bigwig, Despised Icon, etc) that would be attending the festival, most of us were glued to our computer and mobile phone screens to see what was in store for the two days of solid music and good times. March 12th @ 13:00 was when it all went down...
Not bad to start right? Who am I kidding, that lineup right there almost warrants the $99 weekend pass needed to get into the festival. But the fun didn't stop from there, as my eyes grew bigger and the jaw started to drop just a little more as they unveiled even MORE top quality artists like...
Even though last year's edition of this festival was met with some irate customers and stage times clashing between bands, I had much satisfaction with the overall experience of Rockfest. Seeing bands such as Lamb of God and Alice Cooper for the first time planted a seed of contentment in my brain which I am sure was mimicked by the other 80,000+ fans in attendance.
Sure we all had to walk through mud that was once dirt and was mixed with water/urine/beer and yes we all had one or two drunk guys stumbling around us spilling their drinks and yes, we all had a few party goers playing music till 4am. But I feel this is all part of the experience of a festival like this. It brings you out of your comfort zone and surrounds you with fellow concert goers and great music. You think you're the only person in the crowd that doesn't know how to handle the sensory overload?
One of my fondest memories of the event wasn't my favourite band. It wasn't a stupid move from a concert goer and it wasn't a negative aspect from the organizers. It was a band on a side stage named The Acacia Strain. Try and visualize this with me.
Being my first experience with the band, I was aware of the heavy vibe they have with the metal head kids and the touring bands they accompanied lead me to believe they had a great show lineup up. Lead vocalist Vincent Bennett walks out onto an empty stage with a mass of fans crowding the guard rails for a front row glimpse of their commander in charge (at least for the next 30 min set). He says something very simple yet very bone chilling to the onlookers in front of him.
"I don't believe in god, and I don't believe in the devil. There is just me, and I am here for your soul."
At that point the crowd literally exploded into a frenzy of moshing, crowd surfing and chanting. This is when I thought to myself "this is what Rockfest is all about". It wasn't the actual words that were being said and it wasn't the person conveying them over the microphone. It was the instant reaction that he gave to fans who were about to pop with emotional rage/happiness that would eventually turn into one of the biggest and fastest growing moshpits I saw throughout the entire festival.
So whether you have paid $99 for one of the major headliners like Motley Crue/Blink 182, if you paid to get a sense of patriotism from the vast amount of Canadian acts, or even if you paid the weekend pass to see one of your favourite bands doing a 30 minute stint on a side stage, this festival is a fine blend that can suite most people's needs for distortion and a good time.
So join me and the 100,000 others who will start their summer off with a crisp crack of a beer can, a nostalgic poutine for breakfast, and 12 hours of solid music coming at you from 5 stages! I can guarantee you will see more smiles a good times in one weekend than the rest of your summer. And if you have enough time to stash your cell phone away in your pocket and not act like your the only videographer in the place, you can enjoy some memories of the 48 hours you will spend there.
"Well, I guess this is growing up."
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