Rock On The Range Sells Out For Their Third Consecutive Year

Rock on the Range
May 15-17, 2015
Columbus, OH

Rock on the Range has been around for 9 years, setting up in Columbus, OH. Taking over the city for 3 days, ROTR is now the standard to which other rock festivals aim for. After years of Rock fans never having a festival to rival oversea festivals, ROTR is now a place fans flock to from all over the USA as well as fans coming over from Europe to check out as well as become Rangers. This year featured solid headliners and over 60 bands – 20 bands a day and spread out over 3 stages. For fans needing a break from head banging, they could head over to the comedy tent. This year they featured national touring comedians. Fans could also check out the vendors selling their merchandise as well as food vendors offering a more diverse selection of eats than in past years. May in Columbus, OH is sure to be unpredictable, as was the case this weekend – weather bringing rain, high temperatures and very cool nights.
Over the years, ROTR has become a family event. More and more families are coming for a long weekend vacation and sharing together the celebration of music. ROTR did not disappoint with bands crossing many generations. Some of the highlights of Day 1 included the Vamps who are taking the USA by storm after touring with Sixx: A.M. and blowing up big in Japan. Dillinger Escape Plan is a band that you can expect the unexpected and they did not disappoint with a high powered performance. ROTR in the past have tried to explore other genre, namely Rap, but this year hit the mark with Yelawolf. Techn9ne also performed on Sunday. Bringing artists of this caliber, whose underground following appeal to fans of all genres was a bull’s eye hit. Breaking Benjamin were one of the first bands to ever play ROTR and they came home today and sounded just as good. Main Stage also featured Marilyn Manson and headliner, Slipknot.

Day 2 featured rain throughout the early part of the day but did not stop fans from enjoying the day. Surprise guest to open main stage, Saint Asonia – a super group featuring the return of Adam Gontier, former lead singer of Three Days Grace, Mike Mushok guitarist from Staind , Corey Lowery on bass and Rich Beddoe on drums. Fans welcomed back Gontier with open arms. Side stage highlights included Sabaton, guitar God Tremonti, and a band that has caused some buzz with metal fans, Baby Metal – a group from Japan featuring 3 teen girls and backing band. Picture Dragonforce and Ariana Grande did a mashup. While not for everyone, it was a great move by the promoters to have on the bill. For fans looking for a more traditional heavy rock, the Jager stage featured Nonpoint. Fans packed the side of the stage to full capacity as light rain fell to watch Nonpoint killing it and made a statement that they deserve to be on future main stage spots. Main stage band proved why they belong there. In This Moment, who for years played the side stage, took full advantage of a bigger stage as they brought out their full set and played a set that will be talked about all year. While many bands would have a hard time topping ITM, Papa Roach came out and owned it. Singer, Jacoby Shaddix jumped into the crowd and crowd-surfed from the back to the front and not missing a beat as he sang and fist-bumped the fans. Godsmack went 1000hp on stage with hits-after-hits, as well as songs off their new album. Judas Priest closed out the night proving “you’re never too old to rock and roll.”
Day 3 looked to be another day of rain and the festival was even stopped due to lightning in the area. Once the skies cleared, the sun came out and baked the rangers. In the past, the last band to play ROTR allowed fans to leave early after a few songs, but with Linkin Park closing out the festival, there were not many fans leaving until the last song was played. Fans who could not make it to ROTR were able to checkout AXS TV as they broadcasted all 3 days with selected performances.
If this year ROTR is any indication of years to come, you can guarantee next year’s 10 anniversary will be one not to miss. Rock on the Range has proved rock is not dead, as well a winning formula in presenting one of the best festival put on in the world.