From humble beginnings as a one-day event in the Discovery Park of Sacramento, California in 2012, the Aftershock Festival has grown to a 4-day extravaganza of hard rock and heavy metal bands, boasting attendance well beyond its initial 13-14,000 numbers.
With legions of fans numbering over 160,000 and a massive lineup of acts now covering 5 different stages, Aftershock has come to stand as promoter Danny Wimmer Present's West Coast answer to his own famed juggernauts Welcome To Rockville and Louder Than Life festivals East of the Mississippi, and also as a testimony to rock music's continued marketability in the live circuit amid changing musical landscapes, and its 2024 edition proved to simply take things up a notch.
Day One: Celebration Begins with Eclectic Mixtures of Styles And Culminates In Literal Hellfire With Slayer's Triumphant Return
The early afternoon of October 10th, 2024, saw day one kick off with diverse performers, running the gamut of modern rock stylistic expressions. Among the standouts were Southern rocker from the upper Midwest Tim Montana and his support band packing a concise set of attitude-laced power that betrayed his affinity and past work with the likes of Jerry Cantrell and Kid Rock, while the heavy grooves of Bakersfield, California alternative metal stalwarts Adema set the masses in motion through a brooding, seven-song set.
Half an hour was all that the flamboyant modern rock upstarts The Funeral Portrait needed to turn heads with a blend of quirky theatricality, emo-tinged stylings, and hard-hitting hooks. Shortly after newcomer post-grunge outfit Return To Dust, managed by Danny Wimmer himself, also won over many concertgoers with a concise set of banger entries and the right blend of stage charisma and impactful energy.
Frequent festival fixtures and Atlanta, Georgia-born nu-metal icons Sevendust pulled zero punches during a pummeling set on the Shockwave Stage and lost none of their thunder despite longtime lead guitarist Clint Lowery being absent. In his place, Tim Tournier made an impressive showing on the 6-string and proved to fill Lowery's shoes with aplomb, though as always lead vocalist Lajon Witherspoon stole the show with his vibrant stage presence, filling the air with his powerful voice while throwing his body and massive dreadlocks into each note.
By mid-afternoon stage setups would become more elaborate; with 90s hip hop and rap rock trailblazers Cypress Hill bringing in a series of raised platforms for the drums and turntables at each side and a massive skull near center stage as they revved up the masses with ringer performances of classics like "Hits From The Bong" and "Insane In The Brain". Things took a turn into darker and more thoughtful territory with the arrival of Chicago industrial metal titans Ministry upped the ante even further over on the Jack Daniel's Stage with a massive LED screen sitting behind a large iron cross prop as Uncle Al and company delivered a pummeling display of mechanized aggression and politically-charged messaging, coming to a head with blowout performances of "N.W.O." and "Jesus Built My Hotrod".
New York hardcore stalwarts Biohazard exhibited total grace under pressure as a series of technical issues with their equipment had them starting their set on the DWPresents Stage 20 minutes late. But once the music started they quickly found their groove, with guitarist/vocalist Billy Graziadei even stepping out to the barricade and climbing over some people, eventually standing on some shoulders while laying down one pummeling riff after the next.
Modern rock icons Halestorm proved no less formidable from the Shockwave Stage starting at just before 5 PM building up upon their recent and exhilarating presentation at Louder Than Life. Perhaps the fact that this day was also frontwoman Lzzy Hale's 41st birthday was a factor, as the sheer level of energy and enthusiasm that she and the rest of the band projected to the crowd was on another level throughout their 50-minute performance.
The reprising of recent festival performances continued with Rammstein helmsman Till Lindemann via the Jack Daniel's Stage, though this time around the LED screens on stage gave forewarning to the explicit content about to unfold with a "Viewer discretion is advised" banner. The outlandish costumes sported by Till and his support band alone merited an exclusively mature audience, let alone the raunchy lyrics and lascivious visuals that were conveyed as they barreled through graphically infused dosage of pummeling guitars and bizarre stage antics. Meanwhile, nu-metal purveyors with a penchant for the industrial Static X did their best to match the visual extravaganza of Lindemann's quirky theatrics over on the DWPresents Stage with a highly elaborate display of smoke, bubbles, and lighting effects to accompany their mechanistic medley of metallic anthems. The visual largess was matched by a massive sound that persisted throughout their early evening, 10 songs set as frontman Xer0 continued to faithfully emulate the persona of Wayne Static roughly a decade after his tragic passing.
The Shockwave Stage lived up to its name at the stroke of 7 pm when groove metal icons Pantera made their presence known with the subtlety of a sledgehammer to the skull. Zakk Wylde reprised his role as stand-in for the dearly departed guitar god Dimebag Darrel to a convincing end, as did Anthrax's own Charlie Benante for drummer Vinnie Paul, but from the opening resound of heavy-hitting opener "A New Level" to high octane thrasher and closer "Fucking Hostile", the four men on stage masterfully walked the line between paying tribute to the aforementioned Abbott brothers and laying down the metal law for the next generation. It was a clockwork reprise of the presentation that they've brought to the table since the revival of the band as a touring act 2 years ago, but it was no less poignant and no less powerful.
The harrowing apex of this first day of rock and metal fervor culminated with the arrival at the Jack Daniel's Stage by San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal originals, Slayer. Words like "back with a vengeance" just don't quite express the utter magnitude of raw power and visual mayhem that unfolded. Pyrotechnics that seemed to scorch the sky above regularly blazed forth amid a barrage of dancing lights and two gargantuan LED screens showcasing detailed footage of every minute on stage, captured by 26 different cameras that were also filming this extravaganza for posterity's sake.
After a five-year break that honestly felt like an eternity, Slayer came back not just to perform but to decimate everything in their path. Their grueling, 20-song set featured started with the ominous notes of the intro for "South of Heaven", and from there on, it was a relentless onslaught. Noteworthy classics like "Raining Blood", "Seasons in The Abyss" and "Black Magic" alongside newer sonic kill sessions like "Repentless" and "Jihad" sounded as punishing as they ever were, leaving no doubt as to why Slayer will always hold the throne of uncompromised kings of thrash metal.
Tom Araya's voice was charged with a forceful blend of grit and fire, Kerry King and Gary Holt traded riffs and solos to fiery results, and Paul Bostaph's relentless speed beats brought the thunder to the rest of the band's lightning and rain. It was a faultless display of fury and dominance, elevated by the worship-like clamors of thousands of voices: the undeniable display of power from a band that might have been absent but never really left. A fitting end to a day measured in decibels, the world is a much better place now, because Slayer blessed our dark hearts once again, coming back to deliver one more "Divine Intervention."
Day Two: An Explosive Barrage of Punk, Metal, and Alt-Rock Dominates The Soundwaves
The second day of Aftershock 2024 kicked off with a mighty roar on the DWPresents Stage courtesy of San Francisco post-hardcore power trio Black Map. Underscoring their sonic credentials, which had seen them tour with the likes of Bush, Chevelle, and Circa Survive, they made a mighty ruckus during their short set with such auditory diamonds in the rough as "Disintegrate" and "I'm Just The Driver", fueled particularly by the intense yet smooth vocal presence of bassist and helmsman Ben Flanagan, but standing at the top of an impressive wall of sound provided by the rest of the fold.
A little past the stroke of noon Los Angeles hard rock outfit Budderside made their presence known at the Coors Light Stage. Sticking to the same streamlined set that garnered them a strong audience response at the Louder Than Life festival a few weeks back, they worked the crowd well as they displayed their old-school mix of 80s rock and gothic stylistic trappings. Lead vocalist Patrick Stone projected his usual blend of charisma and power, while guitarist Sam Koltun and the rest of the quartet exuded a poise and technical flair that capped off a strong 25-minute performance.
Des Moines nu-metal upstarts Vended delivered a massive showing from the Shockwave Stage under a truly punishing sun. They entered the stage to the soft and consonant fanfare of Soft Cell's hit "Tainted Love", which functioned as a sort of easy listening fake-out that further drew out the raw aggression that would follow with metallic staple entries like "Ded To Me" and "The Far Side", accompanied by correspondingly violent movement by each member of the fold. Lead vocalist Griffin Taylor (son of Slipknot's own Corey Taylor) led the charge as he shouted to the heavens and effortlessly worked the crowd to a mighty roar.
Mexican hard rock trio The Warning came rocking next, donning signature black outfits and engaging the crowd with the same enthusiasm and energy that has made them regular festival fixtures. Lead vocalist and guitarist Daniela Villarreal was the usual show stealer among this three-sister outfit, functioning as both of the Wilson sisters of Heart and also bringing the attitude of Joan Jett to bear on each chapter of their 9-song showcase. Nevertheless, the stage show of bassist Alejandra and the ruckus raised by drummer Paulina were not to be discounted and played an integral role in the boisterous crowd response they had garnered.
New York City pop-punk trustees with a side order of emo Bayside drew an immense crowd to the Soundwave Stage at 10 minutes 5 PM. Consonant melodies delivered in rapid succession and an emphasis on an upbeat yet brooding demeanor was the name of their sonic game as they projected a massive level of kinetic energy between each respective member, though it was tough to take one's eyes and ears off the display put on by guitarist and frontman Anthony Raneri as he ushered in the sea of moving bodies below.
The New York punk rock theme would get a second boost courtesy of Ramones drummer Marky Ramone's band, joined by none other than Prong's own Tommy Victor on guitar. The nostalgia that rang out as this punk original ran through a medley of Ramones classics was palpable and commanded a legion of fans to sing along to such noted staples as "Teenage Lobotomy", "Beat On The Brat" and "Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment" like a time machine back to 1977.
Rounding out a punk trifecta in the late afternoon, melodic hardcore masters from Chicago Rise Against were in rare form as they rocked out on the Shockwave Stage. Though never slouches in the energy department, this quartet seemed extra engaging and entertaining as they explored every crevice of the stage while remaining laser-focused on the crowd. During a riveting performance of "Give It All", lead vocalist and guitarist Tim McIlrath took the occasion to move to the barricade, and proceeded to high-five and grab the hands of attendees in the front of the pit while hitting every note, underscoring 50 minutes of precision-based yet organic showmanship.
The onset of dusk proved the perfect circumstance for gothic alternative metal icons Evanescence as they brought their elaborate show to the Jack Daniel's Stage at a quarter past 7 pm. A heavy share of their set was devoted to their latest and 2021 album The Bitter Truth, with entries like "Broken Pieces Shine" and "The Game Is Over" being featured alongside classic bangers "Going Under" and "Made of Stone" to the elation of the audience. Amy Lee was a continual focal point of passion and energy as she shifted back and forth between animated crowd work from behind the microphone to a more static physical state behind the piano. But as expected, the coup de grace of their set was the closing hurrah of "Bring Me to Life" amid an explosive dance of lights and distorted guitars.
Quirkiness with an eye to the experimental would draw a sizable crowd over at the DWPresents Stage courtesy of Daron Malakian And Scars On Broadway. Though vocalist and guitarist Daron Malakian's showcase carried an obvious affinity with the oddities of his former outfit System Of A Down, the night sky and the crowd observed a far less frenetic and more intimate persona on stage that properly reflected his intended purpose behind the band. It wasn't quite a one-man show given the presence of 3 support members, yet at every turn from the somber reflections of "Guns Are Loaded" and the straightforward rocking of "World Long Gone", there was an undeniable line of communication conveyed almost exclusively from Daron's voice to the crowd, and a haunting one to boot.
Groove metal mainstays Five Finger Death Punch put a lid on the evening festivities in the Shockwave Stage with an explosive showing that lit up the skies above and every soul standing underneath. Ivan Moody once again spotted a kid and his parent in the audience and brought them on the stage (this kid's first name was Dexter), plus asked the audience to cheer for him as he "represented the new generation of rockers." Ivan also threw a bunch of Five Finger Death Punch coined 5-dollar bills to the audience throughout their performance, which consisted of a modified and more streamlined song selection from the one they brought to Louder Than Life. Drummer Charlie Engen delivered a massive solo during their rendition of "Burn MF", and lead guitarist Andy James continued to seamlessly fill the shoes vacated by Jason Hook a few years back, but it was a collective endeavor by the whole band that took an impact-based day of rock and metal to a fittingly explosive end.
Day Three: Old-School Metal Reigns Supreme as Iron Maiden and Judas Priest Deliver Monumental Performances
If the first day saw the metal contingent approaching critical mass, Day 3 would see its explosion, though the final buildup commenced on a gothic/alternative note at 1 PM on the Jack Daniel's Stage courtesy of Anaheim's own New Year's Day. Founder and lead vocalist Ash Costello effortlessly remained the focal point of the band both in performance and visual presentation, eliciting a wild crowd response while laying down the heaviness throughout their 6-song set, hitting the highest peak with their interpretation of Pantera's "Fucking Hostile" about halfway through.
The Shockwave Stage saw a massive turn towards old-school blues rocking nostalgia via Long Beach's Rival Sons. This quartet's affinity for the glory days of Led Zeppelin was worn on their proverbial shirtsleeves throughout their riveting 1970s-obsessed half-hour set, spearheaded by Jay Buchanan's unapologetically Robert Plant-oriented vocal performance and stage presence, though one would be remiss to discount the potency of Scott Holiday's guitar work and the jam band-like rhythm section laid down by Mike Miley at the kit and Dave Beste on bass, codifying a soulful and radically different approach from the lion's share of bands to rock this festival.
The focus shifted back to a modernized aesthetic as New York industrial meets nu-metal trailblazers Dope delivered a showing that underscored the positive sense of their name from the Shockwave Stage. Having stepped up to fill a slot left vacant by Coal Chamber's recent cancellation, their heavy anthems were delivered at maximum volume, which exploded into an early climax during "Bring It On", which was only the second entry of their 6-song set and would not be rivaled until their final number and signature cover of Dead Or Alive's "You Spin Me Round". Helmsman Edsel Dope also proved a master at crowd interaction, and even jokingly said to members of the audience smoking joints that he would join them if he could.
The beginnings of a metal meltdown were in the air surrounding the Jack Daniel's Stage as New York thrash titans Anthrax ushered in a brief yet blistering performance. Every member of the fold was a lightning bolt of kinetic energy, especially vocalist Joey Belladonna as he frolicked about like a wild man barely out of his teens, especially during their raucous final hurrah performance of "Indians" where he sported his signature headdress. Not far behind was returning bassist Frank Bello, who somehow managed to be in constant motion when not assisting Scott Ian with gang vocals and whose mad bass lines on "Caught In A Mosh" and their cover of Joe Jackson's "Got The Time" cut through the air despite the deafening battery of Charlie Benante's frenetic drum work and the mad thrashing riff assault of Ian and lead guitarist Jon Donais.
Post-grunge mainstays Staind brought the tempo down a bit over on the Shockwave Stage during an overlapping set with the previously noted thrashers that culminated in a well-polished and seemingly heavier-than-usual presentation of seven of their signature anthems. Frontman and rhythm guitarist Aaron Lewis retained his signature brooding and intimate presentation and stuck close to the microphone for most of their 50-minute run, while the rest of the band handled the majority of the non-verbal crowd work and stage gesticulations. The audience naturally roared the loudest for smash hit power ballad "It's Been Awhile" and nu-metal infused closer "Mudshovel", but it was a boisterous response from start to finish.
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania natives Breaking Benjamin ushered a comparatively dark and confessional post-grunge musical presentation with a notably upbeat sense of energy from the Jack Daniel's Stage, shortly after. The early warning of dusk that hung in the air at the start of their one-hour set played perfectly into their vibrant visual presentation, which featured heavy use of pyrotechnics and lights. Amid the marathon 13-song set of somber power balladry and mid-paced heavy rock was the personality of lead vocalist Ben Burnley, who once again took the occasion to bring his son on stage and self-deprecatingly told the audience that his song was in training to be his replacement in the future, even going so far as to say that one day he will take a secondary and let the young man take the spotlight.
Los Angeles-born crossover thrash and rap metal icons Body Count conveyed their brand of insanity to the DWPresents Stage for a blistering 45-minute run just before 7 PM. Frontman Ice-T took his man of the people shtick to the audience with zero inhibitions and noted between songs that he preferred performing on stages for greater interaction with hardcore fans. Nevertheless, the larger audience area surrounding the stage proved necessary given the massive crowd that flocked to witness the metallic carnage. Along with a harrowing rendition of Slayer's "Raining Blood" and "Postmortem" to kick things off, a key point of interest was a new offering in "The Purge" off their soon-to-be-released album Merciless, which went over with equal fervor, and featured Ice-T's son Little Ice, who has been with the fold since 2016, going down to the barricades to rev the audience up further with a V For Vendetta mask on.
The elation that erupted around the Shockwave Stage to the words "Good evening Sacramento, the Priest is back!" was so intense it could have cracked the sky, and British heavy metal colossus Judas Priest was more than equal to the occasion. Decked out in his signature black leather attire and chains, Rob Halford was a raging ball of flames from behind the microphone despite his advanced years and might have shattered every window in the place with his piercing high notes had it been an indoor performance. The crowd was equally on fire in response, answering with deafening cheers and moving bodies whether it was new entries like "Panic Attack" and "Invincible Shield" or vintage metallic bangers like "Hellbent For Leather" and "Breaking The Law", though things got especially explosive during the high octane cruisers "Painkiller" and "Rapid Fire", which left all in attendance with the reason why this quintet is often credited with pioneering speed metal.
The arrival of dusk brought an appropriate darkness to the atmosphere circa 8 PM when New Jersey Deathcore trustees Lorna Shore manned the Coors Light Stage. The sheer level of sonic brutality that commenced seemed to transfer all within its reach to an alternate reality. Pyrotechnic flames reached upwards of 10 feet into the air in rapid succession, smoke canyons and explosions while guitarists Adam De Micco and Andrew O'Connor and bassist Michael Yager stood stoically behind their instruments as if deep in meditation. Lead vocalist Will Ramos sounded like anything other than a human being from behind the microphone, laying down harrowing and barely comprehensible screams and shouts to their opening performance of their lauded – and unhuman-vocals pervaded – single "To The Hellfire" as if he were factually taking the crowd there. The epic rendition of the 3-part series "Pain Remains" that closed off their cataclysmic 45-minute set was also a dead ringer for its studio version and kept the sea of bodies below in a constant state of violent motion.
The final hurrah in this evening of heavy metal triumph and one of the two coup de grace of Aftershock 2024 was reserved for NWOBHM originals and legendary masters of galloping heavy metal, Iron Maiden. True to the textbook concept of a headlining band, this six-piece fold of veteran virtuosos brought the definition of metal over a marathon 2-hour set. Bruce Dickinson could very well have been the ringleader of a grand circus as he ran about an elaborate stage setup – a tad more restrained than what is used during their ongoing headlining arena tour – with blaring explosions and lights dancing over a futuristic backdrop, switching his apparel between songs to embody whatever lyrical theme a given song was covering. Newer entries from their 2021 album Senjutsu like "Writing on The Wall" and "Days Of Future Past" garnered an explosive response as effortlessly as frequent live staples "Can I Play With Madness" and "Fear Of The Dark".
Yet the moments where things truly delved into the magical territory were when the familiar staples and token new songs were foregone in favor of deep tracks from Maiden's often overlooked 1986 album Somewhere In Time, which has been a focal point of their current live trek, apropos named "The Future Past Tour". Deep tracks like the two opening punches of "Caught Somewhere in Time" and "Stranger in A Stranger Land" gripped every core fan to their very core as effectively as more frequent offerings from said album in "Heaven Can Wait" and the closing encore performance of "Wasted Years". But it was the long-awaited addition of the mid-80s epic "Alexander the Great" that ultimately stole the show, showcasing the pinnacle of the band's technical flair and transporting all in attendance back to the days when Hellenism almost conquered the entire world. All in all, no mystery remained for any in earshot of this grand extravaganza as to why Iron Maiden has remained an arena staple throughout the world for nearly 5 decades.
Day Four: Explosive Sets from Disturbed, Shadows Fall, and Tom Morello, Among Others, Close Out a Celebration of Aggression and Energy
The fourth and final hurrah witnessed a musical celebration that was drawing to a close while refusing to become a denouement. Among the bands performing during the early hours of the afternoon, fans had the chance to jump onto a time machine into the 2000s by the hand of alternative/industrial metal executors Powerman 5000. Their stock in trade was packed with energy as frontman – Rob Zombie's younger brother Spider One – kept the masses on their toes and moving about, rivaled in stage presence primarily by bassist Murv3 rocking an agro, multi-colored hairstyle while mimicking the movements of a crazed robot. For the entire half hour that this nu-metal mainstay rocked the stage, the audience was perpetually off the hook.
The nu-metal precedent of the day was taken into more of a hip-hop direction with the arrival of Lancaster, Pennsylvania natives From Ashes To New. The dueling voices of frontman Danny Case's forceful yet tuneful wail and the rapper counterpart of multi-instrumentalist Matt Brandyberry channeled the early days of Linkin Park all but to a fault, and the mixture of electronic ambiance and down-tuned stomping riffs had the crowd bouncing throughout their half an hour performance. It was largely an exercise in business as usual for those that have caught them on tour or at prior festivals but delivered with no shortage of enthusiasm or power.
The modern metal template took on a less predictable character just after 2 PM on the Jack Daniel's Stage with the arrival of Ukrainian metalcore sensations Jinjer. Often pigeonholed in the media as just another adherent to a style that's been popular since the late 2000s, they threw down an impressive 7-song set that underscored their highly progressive and individualistic character, spearheaded by a highly theatrical and relentless showing by frontwoman Tatiana Shmayluk that put as much emphasis on her eclectic vocal abilities as her external charm. The only question that was left unanswered by this virtuoso quartet is how they managed to project such raw energy while decked out in totally black attire despite the punishing temperatures.
San Antonio's modern metal advocates Nothing More rocked the masses something fierce from the Shockwave Stage, as their highly charismatic impresario and lead vocalist Jonny Hawkins worked the masses in masterful form and mesmerized with his unique and highly versatile blend of clean and dirty vocal timbres – despite fighting mic issues during the first two songs. He was joined on stage by none other than Disturbed's David Draiman for a rousing duet performance of their recently released single and rocking banger entry "Angel Song", in keeping with the original studio version. It was a high point of a consistently energy-packed set, and also one that is likely to be reprised many times in 2025 as Disturbed's upcoming tour celebrating the 25th anniversary of The Sickness will see Nothing More as one of the openers. Is undeniable at this point that these guys are going places, and I can foresee them as the festival's headliners in less than a decade.
The Soundwave Stage became ground zero for the most brutal performance of the day at close to half past 5 PM, courtesy of Boston, Massachusetts metalcore/thrash metal juggernauts Shadows Fall. This occasion marked their first appearance on the West Coast in over a decade, and they pulled zero punches in delivering the intensity factor to the California masses. It was just one thrashing entry after another, culminating in 11 fast-paced entries of raw aggression delivered with near equal fervor by each of the group's five members, though vocalist Brian Fair often became the obvious focal point, especially during their rendition of "What Drives The Weak" by leaping from the stage and crowd-surfing while continuing to sing. To say that this crowd took this once-in-a-decade occasion to get as riled up as possible would have been an understatement, as the mayhem that occurred rivaled almost any of the biggest turnouts of the four days.
Rage Against The Machine and Audioslave guitarist and virtuoso Tom Morello drew an impressive crowd to the DWPresents Stage in the early evening, heavily featuring familiar material from both bands in question and showcasing his highly skilled ability on the six-string. The show opened with a performance of "Soldier In The Army Of Love" with his 13-year-old son Roman also on guitar and exemplifying a similar level of competence at the instrument, ripping some impressive guitar solos and even playing behind his head while the crowd erupted – noteworthy to mention that Morello said he wrote that song with Roman. Familiar entries from Morello's extensive body of work also made the set, including two explosive medleys of classic RATM entries and a bombastic rendition of "Killing In The Name", which were the tips of an impressive and politically permeated, 45-minute sonic iceberg.
As twilight faded and darkness set in, we had the chance to enjoy a ringer performance by metal icons Disturbed, in what became the last set we witnessed. It was largely a reenact of the 13-song slough that they delivered to the Louder Than Life masses a few weeks prior, but they carried with even more fire and intensity, easily making them a standout performance among the hundreds of bands that graced the Aftershock stages. Dancing lights and massive pyrotechnics capped off an energy-infused performance as heavy-hitting bangers like "Ten Thousand Fists" and "Indestructible" filled the air with pummeling grooves and infectious hooks. David Draiman's raspy shouts were matched by his usual sense of community, taking several moments to talk to the crowd about the message behind several of their set's signature entries and encouraging solidarity among all in attendance. It was an exemplary display of metallic aggression with an eye to audience participation and accessibility, and came to its usual head with bombastic renditions of "Down With The Sickness" and "Inside The Fire" at the tail end of their 70-minute run.
Boasting a colossal lineup of prestigious acts that seamlessly bridged the divide between rock and metal's past and the genre's rising stars, Aftershock 2024 embodied the true essence of a live music festival at its peak. With twelve years of ever-growing success now behind it, the future of this West Coast powerhouse remains an exciting mystery, destined to push the boundaries of rock and metal even further — and we are fortunate to be along for the ride.
