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Welcome To Rockville

 Brought Together 210,000 Music Fans For

15^th Anniversary Of Florida’s Largest Rock, Metal & Punk Festival

May 7-10, 2026 At Daytona International Speedway

The 4-Day Destination Event Offered 160+ Bands On 5 Stages

Headlining Performances From 

Guns N’ Roses (Thursday), Foo Fighters (Friday),

Bring Me The Horizon (Saturday) & My Chemical Romance (Sunday)

More Memorable Moments Included:

A Day To Remember’s Surprise Pop-Up Set,

Breaking Benjamin Debuting “Something Wicked” Live,

DragonForce With New Co-Vocalist Alissa White-Gluz For The First Time,

Ice Nine Kills Performing “Twisting The Knife” with Special Guest MAPHRA,

Plus More Anniversaries, Unannounced Guest Collaborations & Live Debuts

2027 Dates Will Be Announced Soon

(May 13, 2026): Welcome To Rockville celebrated its 15^th anniversary with a bang, marking one of the biggest events in the festival’s history, with 210,000 music fans from all 50 states and 30 countries taking in more than 160 bands on 5 stages at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.

The World Center of Rockfeatured a wide range of rock and metal performances from headliners including Foo Fighters, My Chemical Romance, Guns N’ Roses and Bring Me The Horizon, plus TURNSTILE, Five Finger Death Punch, The Offspring, Breaking Benjamin, A Day To Remember, Godsmack, Staind, Parkway Drive, Lamb of God, Yellowcard and many more.

Florida’s Largest Rock, Metal & Punk Festival also offered an incredible number of additional special performances and exclusive moments, including:

●      Guns N’ Roses paid tribute to the late Ozzy Osbourne by reviving their cover of Black Sabbath’s “Never Say Die” for the first time this year 

●      Bring Me The Horizon staged their only Florida show of 2026

●     A Day To Remember held a surprise pop-up set at the Kona Big Wave Halfpipe area, featuring songs from 2007’s breakthrough For Those Who Have Heart

●     Breaking Benjamin debuted “Something Wicked” live and introduced new drummer Brian Medeiros. They were also joined onstage by Lacey Sturm (Flyleaf) for “Dear Agony”

●      Parkway Drive brought an exclusive 2026 U.S. performance

●    Godsmack debuted new drummer Wade Murff, plus DWP Founder Danny Wimmer joined Sully Erna on stage to spotlight the partnership between Sully’s nonprofit, the Scars Foundation, and The DWP Foundation, and to raise awareness for the Wellness Lounge, providing mental health support onsite. 

●   Ice Nine Kills performed “Twisting The Knife” from Scream 7 for the very first time and were joined by special guest/internet sensation MAPHRA and the Volusia Community Orchestra for a theatrical performance

●      Dragonforce performed with new co-vocalist Alissa White-Gluz (ex-Arch Enemy) for the first time

●     Waka Flocka Flame made his major rock festival debut and his debut at a DWP event with one of the most attended sets at his stage

●      Sepultura marked their final Florida show

●      Flyleaf performed “So I Thought” for the first time in 14 years with Breaking Benjamin’s Ben Burnley

●      Sullivan King hit the Garage Stage at 1am for the latest set in Welcome To Rockville history

In addition to the music, Welcome To Rockville also kicked things off Wednesday, May 6 with the inaugural Blood4Blood bare knuckle fighting event at Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, co-produced by Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, Danny Wimmer Presents, and 5B Artist Management, in which Slaughter to Prevail frontman Alex Terrible fought middleweight and PBR star Cameron “The Bull” Delano. Blood4Blood also featured performances from Slaughter To Prevail, Black Label Society, Crowbar and Malevolence at this one-of-a-kind event, merging combat sports and hard rock.

Fans also enjoyed additional onsite experiences and festival enhancements, including The Pit Stop, a brand-new zone that featured intimate performances from Atreyu, Paleface Swiss, We The Kings, Kreator, Dead Poet Society, Wolves At The Gate, and 200 Stab Wounds as Kerrang! brought its flagship live series The K! Pit across the pond. Fans could also watch live artist interviews with Breaking Benjamin, Five Finger Death Punch, Ice Nine Kills, Hollywood Undead, Black Veil Brides, Lorna Shore, The Warning and more during the SiriusXM OctaneHeadbangers Happy Hour with hosts Caity Babs, Shannon Gunz and Jose “Metal Ambassador” Mangin, and more. During the festival, fans around the world could also tune in live to hear interviews and live performances from various Welcome To Rockville artists on SiriusXM’s Rockville Radio takeover on Octane (Ch. 37). The best of Rockville highlights on Rockville Radioalso can be streamed on the SiriusXM app and web player now through May 22.

For the first time ever, the festival’s Garage Stage wasfully tented, offering up to 15,000 square feet of coverage. This new stage atmosphere provided more shade, better production and bigger sound. Onsite at Welcome To Rockville there were also opportunities to enjoy a series of carnival rides including the Rockvillian Wheel, refresh and enjoy non-stop karaoke at the iHeart Radio Dive Bar, check out the festival’s vintage merch pop-up, and spend time at the Salty Skeeters tiki bar. 

Here’s what the media had to say about Welcome To Rockville 2026:

“The 2026 Welcome to Rockville festival is in the books, leaving music lovers with plenty of memorable moments. Over the four-day music weekend, we saw song debuts, first-time performances, tributes to legends, new band member debuts, old band member reunions and quite a bit more.” — Loudwire

“A four-night music festival that rivals the biggest rock-metal events in North America … the heavy metal heaven is finally here.” — Daytona Beach News-Journal

The 2027 festival dates for Welcome to Rockville will be announced soon.

Welcome To Rockville is produced by Danny Wimmer Presents, one of the largest independent producers of destination music festivals in America. DWP was proud to partner with an incredible lineup of partners for Welcome To Rockville 2026, including Beatbox Beverages, Bud Light, Jack Daniel’s, KONA, Milagro, NÜTRL and Red Bull. As well, The DWP Foundationsupported multiple nonprofit activations throughout the weekend, including the Scars Foundation / DWP Foundation Wellness Lounge, Music Saves Lives, HeartSupport, and Recovery Alliance.

Originally launched in Jacksonville, Florida in 2011, Welcome To Rockville found its permanent home at Daytona International Speedway in 2021. Since then, the festival has established itself as The World Center of Rock, welcoming record-breaking crowds and cementing itself as a flagship event on the global festival calendar. Each year, Rockville generates over $80 million in economic impact through tourism, hospitality, and local business engagement—making it not only a cultural powerhouse but also a major driver of regional growth.

For more information on Welcome To Rockville, please visit:

Website: https://welcometorockville.com/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/welcometorockville/

Twitter: https://x.com/RockvilleFest

Instagram: www.instagram.com/welcometorockville

Welcome To Rockville’s massive 2026 crowd, by Sam Shapiro

Guns N’ Roses, courtesy of Guns N’ Roses

Foo Fighters by Steve Thrasher

Bring Me The Horizon by Austin Cooper 

My Chemical Romance by Steve Thrasher

A Day To Remember by Justin Agoncillo      

Breaking Benjamin by Justin Agoncillo

Ice Nine Kills with MAPHRA by Austin Cooper

DragonForce with Alissa White-Gluz by Dan Virchow

Godsmack’s Sully Erna with Danny Wimmer by Jake Miller

Welcome To Rockville fans by Austin Cooper

Welcome To Rockville fans by Preston Saunders

Carnival rides at Welcome to Rockville by Austin Cooper

About Danny Wimmer Presents: Since 1995, music industry veteran Danny Wimmer has been producing concerts and festivals, both large and small. In 2011, he founded Danny Wimmer Presents, a live entertainment company that produces the largest rock, metal, and alternative music festivals in the U.S. DWP creates unforgettable and all-encompassing festival experiences, leaving both attendees and partners with lasting and meaningful impressions. Since 2020, DWP has been an innovator in the digital content space with over two dozen international livestreams, acclaimed social series Offstage with DWP, DWPresents Channel on Twitch, which has garnered over 25 million worldwide views since its launch in mid-2021, and The Power Hour, a weekly show dedicated to the world of rock that aired on AXS TV. DWP’s paranormal investigative video series Paranormal Prison (2023-2025) documented some of the supernatural experiences at Ohio State Reformatory during Inkcarceration with the help of bands performing at the festival. Episodes are available at www.youtube.com/@DannyWimmerPresents. The 2026 DWP festival lineup includes Aftershock, Bourbon & Beyond, Inkcarceration Music & Tattoo Festival, Louder Than Life, Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival and Welcome To Rockville.

www.DannyWimmerPresents.com

Facebook.com/Dannywimmerpresents

Instagram.com/Dannywimmerpresents

Twitter.com/DannyWimmerPres

About Daytona International Speedway

Daytona International Speedway is a state-of-the-art motorsports facility and was awarded the SportsBusiness Journal’s prestigious Sports Business Award for Sports Facility of the Year in 2016. Daytona International Speedway is the home of The Great American Race – the DAYTONA 500. Though the season-opening NASCAR Cup Series event garners most of the attention – as well as the largest audience in motorsports – the approximately 500-acre motorsports complex, also known as the World Center of Racing, boasts the most diverse schedule of racing on the globe. Some of the exciting racing events include January’s Rolex 24 At DAYTONA and Roar Before The Rolex 24, February’s DAYTONA 500 and Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth, March’s Bike Week At DAYTONA Presented By GEICO, featuring DAYTONA Supercross and the DAYTONA 200, the August Coke Zero Sugar 400 weekend, and much more. The Speedway grounds are also used extensively for other events that include concerts (Welcome To Rockville, Heroes Honor Festival, etc.), sporting events (DAYTONA Soccer Fest, CLASH DAYTONA, etc.) civic and social gatherings, car shows, photo shoots, production vehicle testing and police motorcycle training.

1.  Tell our Rock Fans about the band’s latest release?  Where did the band record with and who? The latest single from our upcoming second album is a heavy roller called “Won’t Save Us Again.” We recorded it as we always do, in our secret studio HQ, with guitarist and co-founder Mike Keller at the helm.

2. How long was the writing process and what inspired you on this new release? We wrote it and continued working at it over a period of around 3 months. We’re not exactly a political band, but the state of the world right now, and the notion that there’s no saviour that’s going to magically appear to get us out of this mess are at the heart of the lyrics. It’s basically saying there’s power in people, and in all of us individually, to effect change if we truly dig in and go after it.
3. What changed during this process from previous releases? Releasing an album one single at a time every 6-8 weeks in order to hotwire algorithmic activity has been an interesting experiment for us. Even though 90% of each song has been written before we embarked on this little caper, every song has presented unique challenges once we move from the rehearsal floor to the recording studio. We then might realize, “Oh, we need to add something here to keep things interesting.” or suddenly we notice a vocal piece is clashing with something on guitar. It’s always different. Each song is a bit of a puzzle and this one was no different.

4.  What’s next for the band?  Any Tours or festivals Lined up? We have a few shows lined up in our homeland of Canada for the rest of the year, and two more singles to release before the whole second album, tentatively titled OMENS II: Burn It Down, comes out in October.

5.  Describe your live show to a fan that has not seen you perform before? I think people are surprised at how much of a wallop we deliver. But there’s no trickery or backing tracks. It’s just the energy of four guys committed to their instruments, each other, and the power of the sound we make when we get together. We’ve purposely tried to show a certain amount of restraint with our studio recordings so everything you hear is represented live as well. Mike’s guitar sound really is that huge. I’m a seasoned singer who can belt this stuff out. And Don and Mo are an absolutely rock-solid rhythm section anchoring it all down. When you come to an OMENS show, you’re seeing what these days might be a little bit of a throwback to bands who can just—quite simply—throw down.

6.  What is your favorite song to play live? Always a tough question to answer. Oof. Yeah, that IS a tough one. Most recently, “Any Means” is a song that I feel we’ve really gotten on top of. It’s a big, unrelenting battle cry of a song that I think took us a couple shows before we started owning it instead of the other way around. lol

7.  If you could collaborate on a song or tour, what band would you choose and why? Each band member probably has their own answers for this one, but for me it’d be working on a duet with either Glenn Danzig or Chelsea Wolfe. And we’d gladly tour with just about anybody who’d have us, but opening for Metallica, Megadeth, Queens of the Stone Age, or Nine Inch Nails would be nothing short of dreamy.

8.  What drives you as a musician? Definitely songwriting, being in a band, and the enjoyment that comes from conceiving and putting new music into the world. It’s always felt a bit like being in a gang to me, and when you stumble onto a new idea or have a new song you’re working on, it’s like you’re walking around with this really cool secret nobody else knows yet.

9.  What band member gets the most *Attention* from the fans? I think Mike and I both get a lot of attention, if only by virtue of the fact that some people remember us from our old band, Jet Set Satellite, which got quite a bit of play on MuchMusic and MTV in the early 2000s.

10.  Who is the laziest band member when it comes to load in and load out each night? We always joke that it’s me because….well, singers. But I actually go out of my way to make SURE I’m humping the most gear just so I’m not living up to the cliché!

11.  What is the single greatest musical memory so far while being in the band? In this band, for me, it was the day the double-LP vinyl came back from the production house. That’s when all of our work on the first album and developing the sound of OMENS kind of all crystallized for me in a real moment of pride. In previous bands, playing a free show in our hometown on Canada Day in front of 80,000 people was nothing short of mind boggling.

12.  If the band were thrown into a wrestling battle royal, which member would win? Well, if you watch our video for “Shallow Holes,” which stars a few well-known wrestlers from our area, you can see we get the shit kicked out of us. lol But I think, in a battle royale scenario, I’d have to give it to our guitarist Mike Keller as he’s simply a mountain of a man. Or our drummer Don Jacks. He’s not only a beast behind the kit, he’s actually a Hall of Fame lacrosse player and coach who’s played for both Germany and Canada in international competitions. So, the fitness and stamina is definitely there. Mo and I would probably be tossed over the top rope first and second. lol

13.  What can fans expect next from the band? More music and more videos! We’ve got 3 singles coming out before October, then the second album will officially drop, and then probably a covers EP. We’ve released a few already, including our version of “Unsung” by Helmet and “Planet of Sound” by Pixies, but we’ve got a lot more tricks up our sleeves.

And join The Circle at

omensrocks.com.

Shop:
https://omensrocks.bandcamp.com/merch

Subscribe:
https://www.youtube.com/@OMENS-xt4yt

omens.band

“If you’re an Iron Maiden fan, you’re part of a family!”

“IRON MAIDEN: BURNING AMBITION” promises a top-class cinematic experience and unforgettable fan moments.
ONLY IN CINEMAS FROM MAY 14TH

When British heavy metal legends IRON MAIDEN began their 50th anniversary celebrations in 2025, one thing was already clear: one year wouldn’t be enough! Following the RUN FOR YOUR LIVES WORLD TOUR with stadium concerts and more than one million tickets sold worldwide, festival appearances including Rock am Ring and Rock im Park, as well as an exclusive German headline show in Hanover, will follow in 2026.

But before that, there’s a very special highlight to get fans in the mood for the festival and concert summer: In May, the Iron Maiden documentary “IRON MAIDEN: BURNING AMBITION” will be released in cinemas worldwide by Universal Pictures International (UPI); the German release date is May 14th . Tickets are already on sale.

The band. The fans. The film. “IRON MAIDEN: BURNING AMBITION” documents one of the most legendary journeys in music history in a feature-length cinematic experience of the highest caliber: Fans can look forward to restored and never-before-seen archival footage as well as impressive visual storytelling – including concert-quality sound. Created in close collaboration with IRON MAIDEN, directed by Malcolm Venville (“Churchill at War”) and produced by Dominic Freeman (“Spirits in the Forest – A Depeche Mode Film”), the film offers previously unreleased footage and, above all, personal insights from former and current band members, perfectly capturing IRON MAIDEN’s visual identity as we know it from album covers, tour photos, and merchandise.

Experience the incredible story of Steve Harris, Dave Murray, Adrian Smith, Bruce Dickinson, and Nicko McBrain – for the first time in their own words and meticulously curated. “IRON MAIDEN: BURNING AMBITION” is the first fully authorized, archival-rich cinematic chronicle of 50 years of IRON MAIDEN, told from the band’s own perspective – with all its highs and lows and a special focus on the incredible fan community that has supported the British rockers since their early days, or, as the band puts it in the film: “It’s always been about the fans. Through thick and thin.” The film pays tribute to this community that connects continents and generations; a shared culture that has grown over 50 years and a cultural legacy that extends far beyond the music, uniting fans across the globe.
The legendary mascot EDDIE was also reinterpreted for the big screen: EDDIE film sequences, created specifically for this documentary, pay tribute to the artistic legacy of the EDDIE myth in cinematic format.

In addition to in-depth narration from the band, “IRON MAIDEN: BURNING AMBITION” features commentary from prominent fans such as Javier Bardem (who already referred to the band as “the gods of metal” in the trailer), Lars Ulrich, and Chuck D, each discussing IRON MAIDEN’s influence on music, culture, and generations of fans worldwide. The impressive film poster artwork by Alberto “Akirant” Quirantes offers a first visual glimpse into the documentary.

The film will be released to coincide with the next leg of IRON MAIDEN’s two-year RUN FOR YOUR LIVES WORLD TOUR and will – even before the summer of concerts and festivals has begun – provide unforgettable fan moments shared in cinemas.
Founded in 1975 in East London, IRON MAIDEN have become one of the most influential and enduring bands in the world. Over the past 50 years, they have released 17 studio albums, sold over 100 million records, and performed nearly 2,500 concerts in 64 countries.

“IRON MAIDEN: BURNING AMBITION” – IN CINEMAS ACROSS GERMANY FROM MAY 14, 2026!

TRAILER:

ABOUT “IRON MAIDEN: BURNING AMBITION”

Directed by Malcolm Venville

with: Steve Harris, Dave Murray, Adrian Smith, Bruce Dickinson, Nicko McBrain, Janick Gers, Rod Smallwood, Javier Bardem, Lars Ulrich, Chuck D

Synopsis: Thanks to unprecedented access to the official band archives, “IRON MAIDEN: BURNING AMBITION” traces five decades of one of the most legendary careers in music history. Featuring interviews with the band and collaborators such as Javier Bardem , Lars Ulrich , and Chuck D, this captivating film offers an intimate look into the uncompromising vision of a band and their unwavering connection with their global fanbase.

Source: CMM
cmm-marketing.com

“Avatar have evolved into one of metal’s most wildly inventive live forces. They orchestrate chaos on stage with a full-blown metal machine at their base. The set is a masterclass in controlled madness. The songs land like hammer blows, each one bigger than the last. An unmissable spectacle from start to finish – what a night!!” – York Calling

“Johannes Eckerstrom is without a doubt one of the greatest frontmen of our time. The flair and theatrics of Alice Cooper crossed with the charisma and vocal ability of Freddy Mercury and Bruce Dickinson, he is a true force of nature to be dealt with on stage” – Everblack Media

“The mark of a great show is that it doesn’t end when the lights come up. It lingers, echoing in your bones, reminding you why live music still matters. Avatar didn’t just play a concert in Silver Spring. They staged a war, a carnival, a ritual and for those lucky enough to be there, it was one hell of a night.” – Park Life DC

AVATAR ANNOUNCE AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND TOUR

Australia… you thought they forgot! They did not. They waited. They sharpened their claws. They let the forest grow wilder, darker, hungrier. Three years is a blink in eternity,

yet long enough for the trees to learn your secrets. Now they return not as visitors, but as conquerors. Bring your torches. Bring your madness. Bring your soul laid bare.

Step into the woods and let The Clown paint your face with fire. Do not go in alone… because once you enter, you never truly leave.

In 2023, when we declared AVATAR one of the greatest live metal bands on the planet, some were incredulous. Then Australia witnessed the crushing the band delivered. Dance Devil Dance hit #1 on the iTunes Rock and Metal Albums Charts (and #6 across all genres), and the doubters vanished.

Now AVATAR return with the triumphant release of their tenth studio album, Don’t Go In The Forest, continuing their legacy of crushing riffs, soaring hooks, masterful songwriting and shadow‑soaked storytelling.

Australia prepare to pledge your allegiance. The reckoning has arrived.

AVATAR 2026 Australian and NZ Tour Dates

Wednesday 26th August ADELAIDE, Lion Arts Factory

Friday 28th August MELBOURNE, Northcote Theatre

Saturday 29th August SYDNEY, Manning Bar

Sunday 30th August BRISBANE, Princess Theatre

Tuesday 1ST September AUCKLAND, Powerstation

Tickets:

Pre-sale: Friday 27th March 9:00am Local

General Public On Sale: Monday 30th March 9:00am Local

From:https://thephoenix.au/avatar-2026/