Corey Taylor, Halestorm, Fort Rock producers support school safety initiatives

In the month since the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., the world has seen as its students, as well as students around the country, join forces to demand that the government do something about gun control and school safety. Last week, a benefit concert featuring Dashboard Confessional, former Yellowcard singer Ryan Key, and Parkland natives New Found Glory was announced and now, it looks like a massive music festival is getting in on the action.

On Wednesday (March 7), the people behind the World’s Loudest Month concert series, Danny Wimmer Presents, announced that they will be offering 50 percent off general admission weekend tickets to Fort Rock for those who sign the Students Fighting Guns Since Adults Won’t petition. The petition was created by high school student Julia Kemple of Kalamazoo, Mich. in response to last month’s school shooting. The petition has so far garnered signatures from over 200,000 people across the nation.

Backing the music festival’s decision to support the petition and the students’ gun control/school safety movement are headliners Corey Taylor and Halestorm as well as Danny Wimmer Presents CEO/Broward Country native Danny Hayes.

“I’m absolutely behind this movement. Not only the name itself, but the reason and the cause. As a father, my one concern is my children. The fact that no one is doing anything worthwhile to change the horrendous laws and circumstances around these shootings is unacceptable,” Taylor expresses in a press statement. “[So] if the adults can’t extricate themselves from the politics that are keeping them from ACTUALLY making a difference, I support the generation who will.”

“To all the students that have been affected by gun violence, and to students everywhere, YOU are the ones we’ve been waiting for. Our future is what YOU make it and the path is yours to blaze. YOU are the fire!,” a joint press statement from Halestorm reads. “We are proud to stand by you as we push to make this planet a better place.”

“The wording of Julia’s petition is profound. We should all be ashamed that our nation’s youth feels unprotected by those in charge,” begins Hayes in his own press statement. “As a Broward County, Florida native, the Stoneman Douglas tragedy really hit home for me. We are so deeply touched and moved by the courage and fortitude of the students at Stoneman Douglas High School. They have turned trauma into strength. As a society we must act quickly to give them the protection they deserve.”

This special promotion will be available to future Fort Rock ticket buyers. For those who already purchased a ticket to the festival, the concert promoters still ask that they sign the petition and spread it to as many people as they can. Those who would like to take advantage of this promotion are asked to simply sign the petition, take a screenshot of the signed petition (or forward the confirmation email), and send it to dh@dwpresents.com. This promotion will only be available until April 1, 2018 while supplies last.

On Feb. 14, an armed shooter entered Stoneman Douglas High School towards the end of the school day and began shooting, killing a total 17 people. Since then, the Douglas students have been vocal about supporting stricter gun control laws.

In conjunction with their movement, the kids and families of March For Our Lives will take to the streets of Washington D.C. on Saturday, March 24, to demand that their lives and safety as well as the ending of gun violence and mass shootings become a priority. For those not in D.C., there will be almost 500 marches taking place worldwide. To find a local march or to sign the petition, head on over to the March For Our Lives website.

As for Fort Rock, the sixth incarnation of the annual music festival announced a major change when it was confirmed that they would no longer call the JetBlue Park in Fort Myers home. This year, Fort Rock will make its debut at Markham Park in Sunrise, Fla. Fort Rock will take place during the weekend of April 28-29.

This year’s lineup will include performances by Ozzy Osbourne, Godsmack, Five Finger Death Punch, Stone Sour, Shinedown, Breaking Benjamin, Stone Temple Pilots, Halestorm, and many more.

Avenged Sevenfold, Ozzy Osbourne, Queens of the Stone Age to join Foo Fighters at Welcome to Rockville 2018

Just when you thought the Welcome to Rockville 2018 lineup couldn’t get any better, festival organizers unveiled the complete list of artists set to invade North Florida in the spring of 2018. On Monday (Nov. 6) Danny Wimmer Present unleashed their epic lineup for their Jacksonville-based music festival. Avenged Sevenfold, Godsmack, Stone Sour, Billy Idol, Queens of the Stone Age, and Ozzy Osbourne are just some of the big names that will take the stage during the first World’s Loudest Month music festival of the year.

“Since Welcome to Rockville’s inception seven years ago, I have been building towards this day: To bring not just the biggest rock festival in Jacksonville (or even Florida), but the biggest rock lineup in the United States to my hometown,” festival creator and producer Danny Wimmer said in a press release. “This is a triumph for me, my company, and the city that I love.”

Acts like The Used, Thrice, Underoath, Killswitch Engage, Black Veil Brides, Sevendust, Bullet For My Valentine, Atreyu, and many more will joined the aforementioned acts on the bill.

Welcome To Rockville tickets, VIP packages, as well as hotel and camping options are currently on sale on the music festival’s website here.

Welcome to Rockville 2018 will return to its home of Metropolitan Park in Jacksonville, Florida during the weekend of April 27-29, 2018. Last month, festival organizers revealed that 2018 would mark the first year that the music festival would expand from two days to three. For now, the daily lineup, with the exception of one unknown act, can be seen below.

Chicago Open Air 2017 lineup unleashed

The lineup for the second annual Chicago Open Air has been unveiled and it looks like rockers and metal heads alike will be stoked. On Tuesday (Jan. 17), festival organizers unveiled the lengthy list of  artists set to hit Chicago in mid-July. KISS, Rob Zombie, Megadeth, Anthrax, Korn, Godsmack, Seether, Ozzy Osbourne, Slayer, Stone Sour, and Lamb of God are some of the over 40 performers scheduled to take over Toyota Park.

“Walking through the site last year, I saw people from all over the world. Different ages, different races – people celebrating rock culture. When curating the 2017 version of Chicago Open Air, we wanted to find that balance for everyone who attends the festival. From iconic artists like Ozzy, KISS, Korn and Slayer to Rob Zombie, Godsmack and Stone Sour to Amon Amarth, Meshuggah and Behemoth. If you are a rock fan, this is a must see experience,” said Danny Wimmer, founder of Danny Wimmer Presents.

In addition to the rocking music, Chicago Open Air will also feature craft beer, the Gourmet Man Food festival, as well as several parties and experiences.

Chicago Open Air will return to this home of Toyota Park in Bridgeview, IL, just outside Chicago, during the weekend of July 14-16. Tickets for the music festival will go on sale beginning this Friday, Jan. 20. At that time, there will be four different options to choose from. The three-day general admission field pass that will cost you around $209.50. the three-day general admission bowl pass will cost around $119.50. For those not sure if they want to go one day or all three days, single day passes will cost $50. If you want to experience the music festival and not to worried about prices, there will be a three-day VIP pass that starts at $425.00. For more information about passes or the artists, head on over to the music festival’s website.

For now, the daily list of artists can be seen below so you can begin to pan accordingly.

Friday, July 14: KISS, Rob Zombie, Megadeth, Anthrax, Meshuggah, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Falling In Reverse, Vimic, Suicide Silence, Whitechapel, Crobot, Code Orange, Hell or Highwater, Failure Anthem

Saturday, July 15: Korn, Godsmack, Seether, Clutch, Steel Panther, Body Count, Avatar, Mushroomhead, Metal Church, Pig Destroyer, Dragonforce, Cane Hill, Night Verses, Black Map

Sunday, July 16: Ozzy Osbourne, Slayer, Stone Sour, Lamb Of God, Amon Amarth, Behemoth, Hellyeah, Demon Hunter, DevilDriver, KYNG, Norma Jean, Whores., DED

Def Leppard, Soundgarden, The Offspring to headline Rocklahoma 2017

Winter may be in full effect in some places in the United States, but that just means we’re a lot closer to festival season. On Monday (Jan. 9), the people behind the “World’s Loudest Month” announced the complete lineup for the eleventh annual Rocklahoma. Def Leppard, Soundgarden, and The Offspring are just some of the big names heading to Oklahoma in late-May.

The music festival which has been dubbed “America’s Biggest Memorial Day Weekend Party” will also include performance from Taking Back Sunday, Pierce the Veil, The Pretty Reckless, Skillet, Suicidal Tendencies, Three Days Grace, Stone Sour, Seether and many more.

“Every year we try to find that delicate balance of talent at Rocklahoma, and the lineup we’ve put together for 2017 will not disappoint,” said Joe Litvag, executive producer of Rocklahoma, about the newly unveiled lineup.

“Def Leppard has been on the wish list of our most loyal fans since the festival was created back in 2007, and to couple them, one of the most influential British rock bands of the last 30+ years, with Soundgarden, one of the most respected American rock bands of our generation, is really special for us. Add to the mix some of the hottest developing talent like Pierce the Veil, The Pretty Reckless, Nothing More, and Rival Sons, and I think we’ve accomplished the goal of achieving one of the most diverse festival lineups of the year anywhere.”

Pre-sale weekend tickets and layaway packages will be available for purchase beginning Tuesday, Jan. 10 at 10 a.m. CST on the festival’s website. For those a little strapped for cash but wanting to go to Rocklahoma, the layaway option allows attendees to split the cost into four monthly payments. Following a few days of pre-dales, general, public sales will begin on Friday, Jan. 13 at 10 a.m. CST.

Rocklahoma will return to its home of the ‘Catch the Fever’ Festival Grounds in Pryor during the weekend of May 26-28. For now, the complete list of artists can be seen below.

Listen to Stone Sour Cover Bad Brains

At any given time, Corey Taylor is quite the busy man. When he’s not out on a stadium tour with Slipknot or calling out stupid people for doing stupid things, he’s busy with his other band, Stone Sour. Taking a little of a break from Slipknot, Stone Sour will be releasing their second EP of cover songs later this month.

Earlier this year, the band released Meanwhile in Burbank…, an album full of cover songs from bands like KISS, Metallica, and Judas Priest. On Monday (Nov. 16), the group announced they will be releasing a follow-up to that covers record titled Straight Outta Burbank. To coincide with the announcement, the band released the first song off of the impending record; a cover of Bad Brains’ “Sailin’ On.”

Listen to the song, which exclusively premiered over at Alternative Press, below.

According to Alternative Press, the new set of tracks will also feature songs from Iron Maiden, The Rolling Stones, Mötley Crüe, and Slayer. Straight Outta Burbank is set to be released on Nov. 27 as their Record Store Day contribution. The songs will only be available on vinyl.

Stone Sour’s last studio album featuring new, original music was the second part of their House of Gold & Bones concept, House of Gold & Bones – Part 2 which came out in 2013.