Welcome to Rockville Preview

Courtesy: x102.9 Welcome to Rockville Facebook Page

By Wesley Wilcox | gargoyle@flagler.edu

Everywhere you look people constantly belittle rock and roll as a genre saying “its dead” or “its pop”. Rock and roll during its prime was the heart and soul of a generation of people with artist such as The Rolling Stones and KISS. Today, people degrade rock as just another genre that puts out auto-tune and one hit wonder artist, but this could not be further from the truth. Rock and roll is still very much alive with a fan base that is eager to show they are the new heart and soul of rock and roll.

So, if you are a fan of rock and roll and believe everything you just read then we have the event for you. Look no further than the month of May on the calendar year. The month of May in the United States is known as “The World’s Loudest Month,” where tens and even hundreds of thousands of thirsty rock fans gather to celebrate the genre. Jacksonville, Florida is the beginning of that month with their festival, Welcome to Rockville, which began in 2011 as a one-day rock festival at Metropolitan Park. The festival in its now fifth year has grown into one of the nations elite festivals expanding with two days with past headliners such as Slipknot, Godsmack, Alice in Chains, and several other rock and metal icons. Last year in 2015, Welcome to Rockville saw a tornado hit downtown Jacksonville just down the street from the event, but fans still wanted the chance to go out and see the bands slated to play.

This year’s 2016 Welcome to Rockville Festival is the host to the returning band Disturbed who has been on hiatus the past four years, as well as Jacksonville, Florida native band Shinedown. This year marks the first time the hometown favorites have returned home since the Welcome to Rockville 2012, and the first time that Disturbed has taken on Jacksonville’s festival. This years headlining acts include: Disturbed, Shinedown, and 3 Doors Down on Saturday with Rob Zombie, ZZ Top, and Five Finger Death Punch headlining Sunday. This year’s event sees bands from all over the rock and roll genre from Rob Zombie to ZZ Top. The festival looks to build upon its 50,000-attendance record last year where the festival saw metal icon Slipknot play the festival for the first time. Last year set the mark for the festival going forward as the festival partnered with the Jacksonville Jaguars and expanded the event to five stages with two being inside the pregame festivities gates at EverBank Field.

Courtesy: x102.9 Welcome to Rockville Facebook Page

Tickets are now on sale at ticketmaster.com with two-day General Admission tickets going for $89.50 through December 17th with the price rising the closer we get to the event. As of December 18th, General Admission will rise to $99.50, and then $119.50. Single day tickets start at $69.50, and also rise to $74.50, and finally $79.50. Welcome to Rockville takes place April 30th and May 1st at Metropolitan Park in downtown Jacksonville. Purchase your tickets now, and be one of the tens of thousand fists in the air.