Daytona Beach, Florida heavy metal festival Welcome to Rockville just wrapped up, and its four days of festivities and shitty weather were full of several memorable moments. Of course there’s no way to cover everything, considering how there were tons of damn people there and tons and of things going on, but here’s just a few of highlights from the four-day-daze.
Poppy’s set got cancelled as soon as it started
Of all the things we clown on Florida for, and trust, there’s no shortage of material, a big one is their weather. Said weather had the damn audacity to interrupt Poppy, and subsequently get her set cancelled.
Scheduled to play on Friday, the second day of the festival, she didn’t even make it 75% through “have you had enough?” before her mic was cut off and a voice came over the speakers calling for the crowd to “take shelter” due to inclement weather, and to keep checking the fest’s social media for updates on when they could resume musical enjoyment. Very very not fun.
While it wasn’t the only time sets were interrupted or delayed due to weather throughout the weekend, Poppy was never able to actually finish her set. Looks like Welcome to Rockville will have let bring her back next year, because #justiceforpoppy.
DevilDriver play “Dig Your Own Grave” live for the first time
DevilDriver debuted some new material on stage with their set, by playing “Dig Your Own Grave” for the first time live. The single comes off their upcoming new album Strike and Kill, and needless to say, everyone fuckin loved it.
Not just because they absolutely killed their set, which the obviously did, but because “Dig Your Own Grave” is just as “heavy and groovy” as all the other DevilDriver sounds we know and love—words frontman Dez Fafara used himself as a description for the band’s newest efforts. If you can’t get enough from watching footage of their Rockville set, don’t fret, because they’re hitting the road again in August.
Nonpoint bring out original bassist Ken MacMillan
This was certainly the surprise they wanted it to be, considering how long it’s been. Nonpoint finished out their Rockville set with a very special guest—original bassist Ken MacMillan. He left the band back in 2011 along with guitarist Zach Broderick to do other things, and they introduced him to the stage in such a nonchalant ass way.
“We got a special guest, make some noise for our original bass player, Ken. You guys know Ken, remember Ken?” vocalist Elias Soriano said on the mic.
“He’s gonna come out and join us for this last song. How many years, 15? 15 fucking years it’s been since we played with this man. Are you ready to have a good time with us? Then get your fucking guns in the air.” No one actually put their guns in the air, which was surprising, because Florida.
Alissa White-Gluz makes her DragonForce debut
Big shit came out of the DragonForce camp with their Rockville set, since it marked the premiere onstage appearance of their very first female frontwoman, Alissa White-Gluz. The band announced her addition to the band barely a few days before the festival even started. It’s a big feat, but not a permanent one, as her position in the band is temporary while perma-lead Marc Hudson battles hearing loss.
Gluz’s addition makes sense, since she’s worked with the band in the past on the single “Burning Heart.” Needless to say, she fuckin killed it, and she’ll make for a more than fine substitute while Hudson recovers.
Hatebreed guitarist Wayne Lozinak returns to the stage after brain surgery
We were all obviously glad to see the triumphant return of Hatebreed‘s guitarist Wayne Lozinak, who’s been in recovery mode after having to get brain surgery in August last year to remove a benign brain tumor. The band’s Rockville set marked his official return to the stage.
“I had brain surgery. I had symptoms at Download Festival, went to the doctor in France the next day,” Lozinak said of the discovery. “It was weird – my lip got numb, then I couldn’t talk. Like it was almost like I was having a stroke.”
Glad to see you back, my man!
My Chemical Romance play hidden track “Blood” from The Black Parade
Alright, considering how My Chemical Romance played The Black Parade in its entirety for their Rockville set, it technically makes sense that this occurred. But also, not really. They basically never play the album’s hidden track “Blood” but chose to do so during their headlining set Sunday, and they did so in a pretty theatrical way.
My Chem are a relatively dramatic band just because, so it makes sense that they’d have some clown (yes, a literal gothy clown a la Art the Clown) pretend to kill them while also doing a striptease of sorts, dripping in fake blood. Taking it even further, the clown ripped his top open to reveal he was wearing a fake bomb vest that caused a big ass onstage explosion (intentionally). What a way to end the festival, I’ll say.