Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival upheld its reputation as Columbus’s largest rock event as 175,000 fans packed Historic Crew Stadium for the sold-out weekend, held May 8–11. With over 100 bands performing across four stages, the four-day festival was filled with unforgettable and surprise moments.
You may not imagine Mother’s Day starting off with screaming vocals and shrill guitar riffs, but at Sonic Temple Day 4, that’s exactly what everyone got and they loved every minute of it. The weather stayed clear and warm for the final day of the music and art festival in Columbus, Ohio, bringing out thousands of fans to rock on for one more day. Metallica closed out the weekend with their second set of the four-day festival, wowing the crowd with their double setlist and their spectacular musicianship.
Ice Nine Kills rocked the Cathedral Stage on their Silver Scream-A-Thon Tour. The band’s name dripped blood on the backdrop while a large blow-up grim reaper loomed over the band members. They put on a terrifyingly incredible set with guest appearances from Art the Clown from Terrifier during “A Work of Art” and Georgie from IT during “IT is the End” among other classic horror allusions.
Beartooth replaced Alice In Chains in a pinch after their entire tour was cancelled following a medical emergency with drummer Sean Kinney. Festival producer Danny Wimmer called out the band on social media asking them to come to the party. The Columbus based band was happy to return home for a quick hard hitting pyro-filled set including hits “I Was Alive,” “Might Love Myself,” and “In Between.”
Rap rock group Hollywood Undead got the mosh pits moving as they opened with their songs “Riot” and “CHAOS.” The band currently consists of talented members J-Dog, Funny Man, Johnny 3 Tears, Charlie Scene, and Danny. Thrown into the amazing setlist were two fun breaks in their set where they played snippets of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” and Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline.” The group brought up a fan from the crowd to join them for “Comin In Hot.” This was one of our favorite high-energy sets of the weekend.
English rock band Asking Alexandria went hard on the Cathedral Stage. Vocalist Danny Worsnop wore an all-black outfit and a hoodie pulled over his head, creating a mysterious vibe for the set. Fans threw their devil horn hand signs into the air for songs like “Into The Fire” and “Moving On,” as well as jumping to the beat of “Down to Hell.”
Singer and guitarist Josh Katz of Badflower delivered astounding vocals for the band’s seven song set. During “Stalker” Katz ran out into the crowd where he had audience members hold the microphone for him as he sang and played the guitar. Badflower never disappoints with their constant fan interaction.
80’s heavy metal band Corrosion of Conformity sounded absolutely incredible on the Temple Stage. The band consists of lead vocalist Pepper Keenan, lead guitarist Woody Weatherman, bassist Bobby Landgraf, and drummer Jason Patterson. They performed classic bangers like “Albatross,” “Clean My Wounds,” and “Vote with a Bullet.”
Metallica headlined the final day of Sonic Temple with another unique setlist and amazing performance. The band played 16 songs, many from albums Ride the Lighting (1984) and Metallica (1991.) Fans went wild during songs “The Shortest Straw,” “Creeping Death” and especially during “Harvester of Sorrow” with dozens of fans crowd-surfing. For their final song, the intro guitar to “Enter Sandman” had fans waiting in anticipation. The set brought Sonic Temple to an incredible and bittersweet end.
Before the weekend came to a close, producer Danny Wimmer Presents (DWP) reaffirmed its dedication to Columbus by announcing a five-year extension of its partnership with Historic Crew Stadium—guaranteeing that the Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival will return through at least 2030. This milestone not only secures the future of one of America’s premier rock festivals but also highlights its expanding cultural and economic significance to the region.
Experience Columbus has recognized Sonic Temple as a significant driver of tourism and economic growth, generating millions in visitor spending and enhancing the city’s reputation as a top destination for live music and cultural events.
In addition to its economic impact, the festival remains deeply rooted in community support through the DWP Foundation. The organization partners with nonprofits like Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Kids Mental Health Foundation, Music Columbus, OhioHealth via F*ck Cancer, and Take Me Home’s spay and neuter initiative. Sonic Temple also contributes by donating tickets to local charities, helping them raise funds and broaden their reach.
“We’re thrilled to keep this incredible attraction in Columbus for years to come. As one of the largest hard rock gatherings in the country, and arguably Ohio’sbiggest music festival, Sonic Temple continues to be a major draw for residents and visitors alike. The 2025 festival was a huge success, and we can’t wait to see what’s next. Events like this help showcase Columbus’ vibrant live music scene and solidify our city’s place on the national stage,” said Kari Kauffman, Chief Destination Experience Officer, Experience Columbus.
This year’s festival lineup had so many incredible big names in rock and metal music. We can’t wait to see what bands are in store for Sonic Temple next year. In the meantime, rock on!
Words by Emily Cigan @emily.cigan and Amy Harris @thetraveladdictig