Ocean Metropolis, Maryland is rapidly turning into an unstoppable hub within the music pageant market. In 2023, Ocean’s Calling held its first ever pageant, spanning three days from September 29 to October 1. In simply two years, this occasion has featured artists like Alanis Morissette, Blink-182, and Chic, with this yr’s lineup together with Inexperienced Day, Noah Kahan, and Fall Out Boy as headliners. Final yr, Nation Calling was introduced as a rustic model of the favored pageant, going down in early October. Artists like Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, and Luke Combs are slated to carry out this yr.
Now, after such a profitable run with the mannequin they first created with Ocean’s Calling, Boardwalk Rock is Ocean Metropolis’s latest pageant enterprise. As a born-and-raised East Coast resident who grew up listening to every little thing from early 2000s nation to traditional rock and pop from the 70s, 80s, and 90s, it was about time I attended one in every of these festivals. The headliners within the preliminary lineup had been Def Leppard, Mötley Crüe, Shinedown, and Nickelback, three of which had been staples of my household’s musical roots.
The lineup underwent some adjustments after Mötley Crüe needed to drop out because of Vince Neil’s well being. They had been rapidly changed by Alice In Chains, a grunge-rock band from the 90s, however their inclusion within the lineup did not final lengthy both. Drummer Sean Kinney’s well being took a flip, ensuing within the band pulling from the pageant and canceling extra short-term reveals. In the long run, Rob Zombie crammed the slot, and boy, was I blown away by what he delivered to the stage as such a last-minute addition.
We lucked out with good climate on each days and no main hitches to our weekend. My dad obtained to see bands he is liked for many years and a few he is already seen, my mother obtained to see Bret Michaels in individual, and my newly Van Halen-obsessed youthful sister obtained to see Eddie Van Halen’s son carry out in Mammoth. All in all, it was an ideal weekend, and one which offered my complete household on the thought of attending these festivals in Ocean Metropolis.
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The Boardwalk Rock Lineup Was Stacked With Rock Superstars
Def Leppard, Shinedown, Nickelback, & Extra Rocked OC
When the preliminary lineup dropped for Boardwalk Rock, I instantly despatched it to my household group chat in disbelief. I could not consider that acts like Def Leppard, Alice Cooper, and, on the time, Mötley Crüe, had been coming to a spot that was virtually in my yard. My household and I are new to festivals, with All Issues Go in Columbia, MD being our first in 2024, however there was by no means a second of hesitation over whether or not we must always go to Boardwalk Rock.
On Saturday, we caught 5 units, and on Sunday, we caught seven. The standouts from Saturday for me had been undoubtedly Mammoth, Rob Zombie, and Def Leppard. Sunday introduced much more pleasure with memorable units from Night time Ranger, Alice Cooper, Bret Michaels, Shinedown, and Nickelback.
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Wolfgang Van Halen and Mammoth had been simply extremely sick to observe with nice music, a fantastic voice, and ridiculous guitar taking part in. My sister rocked her Eddie Van Halen shirt with pleasure to that set. I will even be stealing my mother and father’ Def Leppard information to spin by myself as a result of their headlining set was unbelievable. Joe Elliott’s voice nonetheless sounds superior, their connection to the gang was palpable, and Rick Allen has to be one of the coolest drummers ever.
The largest shock for me was Rob Zombie. I would not say I am a fan of his music, however I can recognize it when somebody places on a great present. My favourite moments had been when he would drop his intense stage persona and converse on to the gang. At one level, he admitted that he and his band had been “alleged to be at house watching the Stanley Cup Playoffs,” however they took the provide to affix this pageant as a substitute.
I can recognize it when somebody places on a great present.
There was additionally a second that also makes me snort the place, after a disappointing stage of participation from the gang, he mentioned, “That is not even one-tenth of the [cheers for the] lowest-ranking Ok-Pop group. Fake we’re younger, we’re cute, and we now have synchronized dance strikes.” He spoke on to the one woman within the viewers who had a Ok-Pop photocard in her cellphone case and was mourning the current collection lack of the Washington Capitals, i.e. me, and now I can not cease serious about his set days later.
The Pageant Introduced Collectively Rock Artists & Followers Throughout A long time
It Felt Like A Celebration Of The Pleasure Music Can Present
After two days full of good music from bands I might both been listening to for many of my life or hadn’t heard of earlier than, I am completely satisfied to say that I might do all of it once more subsequent weekend. After I consider a music pageant, I consider large crowds pushing and shoving, dangerous views, and blisters. At Boardwalk Rock, I could not have felt extra content material with how every little thing went. Apart from a big portion of the merchandise working out on Sunday and Everclear’s lackluster efficiency, I can not consider something I felt upset by. If something, it felt therapeutic.
The positivity, love, and group that was delivered to this pageant by each fan within the crowd and each artist made it an expertise I actually will always remember. I watched audiences full of toddlers in strollers, kids, youngsters, twenty-somethings, middle-aged individuals, and people rocking lengthy white hair give themselves over to shameless pleasure for 2 days, all whereas sporting their favourite band tees.
Not solely did the viewers members signify each technology, however so did the artists on stage. Bands from the 70s, 80s, 90s, 2000s, and past shared three phases with such real pleasure about acting on the seaside. Bret Michaels’ set specifically made me notice how vital these moments are for the artists whose job it’s to deliver mild to their listeners’ lives a couple of minutes at a time. The second he introduced out Night time Ranger, Lit, and Gasoline to sing “Candy Dwelling Alabama,” I could not deny the celebration going down proper in entrance of my eyes.
I’ve by no means listened to Shinedown, however their set solely added to this sense. They sang “Kryptonite” by 3 Doors Down, a band that was pulled from the lineup after their lead singer was identified with Stage 4 kidney most cancers, and my sister heard somebody behind us shout “Thanks!” in clear appreciation. Shinedown’s lead singer, Brent Smith, crammed the gang with positivity, saying, “Earlier than tonight, you won’t have recognized one thing about one another. You all possess magic within the palm of your palms.“
Even Nickelback, the band I used to be most excited to see, did not draw back from the honesty. To paraphrase, Chad Kroeger mentioned one thing about there being loads of complicated stuff occurring on this planet proper now, however that, if everybody may simply check out the practically 60,000 individuals gathered simply to hearken to some good music, perhaps they might notice what actual love and unity appeared like. I may go on, however I believe I will go rewatch my “Savin’ Me” video ten extra instances and watch for the lineup for Boardwalk Rock 2026 to drop.
