I’m just coming down off the cloud that was the 2024 Welcome To Rockville Festival in Daytona. It’s one of the premiere hard rock celebrations on the planet, and a mainstay in Eastern Florida for the last decade. With well over 100 bands in the lineup, I try to balance my days with a mixture of legendary rockers and new bands, and this year was no different.
There were surprises both good and bad and a slew of memorable sets. With two or three bands playing at one time, I surely missed a bunch of great performances, but I saw a lot of killer music, too.
These are the dozen acts that stood out for me as the best of the fest.
I also considered Nova Twins and P.O.D., but only got to watch their sets on the big screen while waiting for a different band. Good stuff, though and I’ll see each of them the next chance I get.
Disclaimer: As I’ve aged, I’ve come to enjoy more melody with my rock, so you wont find much (ok “any”) really hard stuff.
12. Motley Crue – First time I’ve seen them in about 40 years. They’ve aged well, their songs held up and John 5 just slayed it, as a more than ample replacement for Mick Mars. The dynamic between the members seemed a little weird but the music was powerful.
11. Anthrax – First time seeing these legends perform live. Fun, powerful set from a band that still seemed on top of their game forty years after they broke through, and with four of the guys basically original members, they still seemed to enjoy playing live.
10. Lo Spirit – I know nothing about the band, their personal or discography, but I know they put on a hell of a show. It was emotional, it was warm, it was satisfying and entertaining. And, they’ve written some excellent tunes. I’m better for having stumbled across them.
9. Powerman 5000 – Missed part of their set, but they were just an absolute blast. The crowd was heavily involved and they sounded really good. Next time, they’ll be on my must see list. “Bombshell” and “Horror Show” were awesome.
8. Falling in Reverse – They get better every time I see them… Ronnie Radke is a hell of a front man and he was on his game this night. Their set was highlighted by guest appearances from Tech N9ne and Alex Terrible during “Ronald.”
7. The Struts – This band is an absolute blast to see live. I wish they had a chance to play longer, but every minute of their set was filled with killer songs from a talented band with an awesome front man in Luke Spiller.
6. Theory of a Deadman – They killed it. Every song sounded great, the band was entertaining and their setlist was packed with great tunes. Lead singer Tyler Connelly connected with the audience and sounded great. “Bitch Came Back” and “Bad Girlfriend” were excellent singalong moments.
5. The Offspring – They have so many fantastic songs and they play the shit out of them live. The setlist was my favorite from any of the “headliners” at the festival and I absolutely love the on stage dynamic between lead guitarist Noodles and front man Dexter Holland. The fact that they threw in a long version of “Blitzkrieg Bop” didn’t hurt either.
4. StrateJacket – I went to see this trio on a whim when my buddies couldn’t get their asses moving early one day. Damn was I glad I made the solo trip out to their stage. A trio of young dudes who reminded me of Green Day and Cage the Elephant. Lots of solid tunes, and lead singer Jackson Roemers sounds a lot like a young Billy Joe Armstrong. Cool moment: Roemers thanked his Mom for letting him fly across the country and go to the festival on Mothers Day.
3. Jelly Roll – Not much of a country fan and didn’t really know any of these songs, but I was truly impressed by this man’s talent and passion. The band was tight, too, and they closed with incendiary versions of “Simple Man” and “Save Me.” I’d pay to see them again…
2. Foo Fighters – I came in biased. I love seeing Grohl and Foo Fighters live but was quite curious how they’d sound post Taylor Hawkins. Grohl was a little more subdued but still connected with the crowd and the band sounded great. Some different songs on the setlist and I think those tunes highlighted the musicianship of the men of Foo a little bit more than in the past, and there’s some talent in that lineup. As for new drummer Josh Freeze, he was stellar!
1. Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes – While most of the crowd watched Mammoth WVH and Stone Temple Pilots, I made the right decision along with 500 other people and watched these Londoners absolutely kill it. Carter and lead guitarist Dean Richardson are constantly flying around the stage. Their songs are catchy as hell and they get the crowd involved constantly. I smiled, I danced, I screamed, and wondered why they’re not more popular in this country. Check them out next time they’re touring nearby. You can thank me later!
Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes at Welcome to Rockville
There you have it. My picks, and that’s all it is. I spent the four days with a large group of people and I’m sure they all have very different lists, but that’s one of the beautiful things about festivals like Welcome To Rockville. Which bands got you fired up?
Rock On!
Bob CreedonP.S. Jason is doing great things with this site. Read his articles, participate on his Facebook and Instagram discussions, and share your passion for Rock ‘n Roll with like-minded folks! Follow Rock Oracle here: Facebook / Instagram
