Welcome to Rockville 2023 Recap: Relive the Metal Event of the Year

It may be over, but we here at SiriusXM are still riding the Rockville vibes!

Every year, metal fans flock to Florida to rock out at the iconic four-day Welcome to Rockville festival. With 95 acts taking the stage this year — including Slipknot, Evanescence, and Pantera — Welcome to Rockville 2023 was not one to be missed. Octane’s very own Jose “Metal Ambassador” Mangin was even the festival emcee!

Check out our recap of this year’s fantastic event, and relive some of our favorite moments across all four days.

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The Rockville After Party continues on Rockville Radio until June 3

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Day One

Welcome to Rockville 2023 may have gotten off to a rocky start thanks to stormy weather, but festival-goers weren’t willing to let that dampen their spirits.

Across all four stages, fans were treated to incredible high-energy sets from great acts such as The Cult, Avatar, and Rob Zombie. Despite an evacuation and an altered schedule, the energy for Welsh metalcore band Bullet For My Valentine remained sky-high. A moshing squid could even be seen in the crowd, headbanging to “Waking the Demon”!

Heavy-metal veterans Slipknot delivered an electrifying headlining set in their signature style. As always, their stage presence came with theatrics, including lighting effects, smoke, and Corey Taylor’s boundless energy. With a set list including “Duality,” “Disasterpiece,” and an encore of “Surfacing,” we’ll remember this set for a very long time!

Day Two

Day two kicked off under the Daytona sunshine with early sets from OTTTO, Bastardane, and The Warning. As the evening set in, the excitement for the final act taking to the Octane Stage was tangible — understandably so, as it was the iconic Evanescence! Their set list was filled with fan favorites, including “Lithium” and the famous “Bring Me To Life.”

However, the most anticipated performance of the day – if not the entire festival for many metal fans in attendance – was Avenged Sevenfold’s set at the Space Zebra Stage. This marked their first festival show in five years, which caused even more hype among festival-goers. The band finished their set with the epic eight-minute-long “A Little Piece of Heaven” in a memorable wrap-up to an incredible second day.

Day Three

Saturday brought with it even more sun and epic performances. Although there was some disappointment after Alter Bridge had to pull out of their set for medical reasons, fans still had the chance to rock out with acts including Suicide Silence and Hammerhedd.

When it came to the legendary rocker Alice Cooper taking to the stage, however, he made sure everyone would remember his set. Known for his on-stage theatrics, Welcome to Rockville attendees saw Cooper being “beheaded” by a guillotine. Talk about shock factor!

Metal heavyweights Pantera had the job to close out the penultimate day of the festival, and they definitely delivered. With a setlist including favorites like “Suicide Note, Pt. II,” the band closed out their set to an enthralled crowd with an explosive performance of “Cowboys From Hell.”

Day Four

After three incredible days, expectations were high for the final day of the festival, and it did not disappoint!

Daytona International Speedway was filled with energy, especially for Deftones and Tool, the last two acts of the day and this year’s festival. Fans new and old were left thrilled by Deftones’s exciting performance, while Tool’s singer, Maynard James Keenan, in protest against anti-drag laws, took to the stage in drag, donning red lipstick, a blond wig, and prosthetic breasts. The band gave a fantastic show, and ended this year’s amazing festival on a high!

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If you’re like us and you already can’t wait for next year’s Welcome to Rockville, tune in to hear Best of Rockville on Octane throughout Memorial Day weekend. The Rockville After Party continues on Rockville Radio until June 3!