[click on picture for Rock On The Range 2013 photos]

The seventh annual Rock On The Range festival took place at Columbus Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio on May 17-19, 2013, drawing record crowds for what remains as the United States' best rock festival. The event continues to get bigger and better each year. This year the Monster Energy main stage was opened on Friday night, featuring KoRn, Cheap Trick, Buckcherry and Hollywood Undead. The second and third stages switched sides this year, allowing for a massive viewing area for the Pabst Blue Ribbon stage. This was a great move, considering the huge crowds on Saturday for pop punk acts Motionless In White, Black Veil Brides, Asking Alexandria and A Day To Remember; as well as on Sunday for hard core bands Lamb Of God, Device, In This Moment, Ghost and Red. The Jagermeister stage rocked all three days with up and coming acts that are sure to be moving up the bill in future years. Anyone who needed a break and a laugh could try the new Old Milwaukee comedy tent, featuring comics such as Ari Shafar, Jim Florentine and Big Jay Oakerson. Everything described so far would make a great festival by itself, but this is Rock On The Range, and we have all come to expect so much from this event. Nobody could have been disappointed by the weekend lineup on the main stage. The bill was a history of rock through the past 25 years: Soundgarden, Alice In Chains, Smashing Pumpkins, Stone Sour, Bush, Papa Roach, Volbeat, Three Days Grace, Halestorm, Sick Puppies, Sevendust, Skillet, Pop Evil, Bullet For My Valentine, Steel Panther and All That Remains. Rock On The Range provides something for everybody, as every artist put on a great live show. Tickets and hotels sold out this time, so be sure to plan ahead in 2014 and do not miss what is sure to be the concert of the year.

The 2013 Carolina Rebellion took place in Charlotte Motor Speedway Rock City Campground in Concord, NC on May 4 & 5, 2013. This is the third location in the festival's three year history and the best layout yet.

 [click on picture for Carolina Stage slideshow]

The two main stages were far apart this time, with food and merchandise vending in between, as well as off to the sides. This allowed plenty of room to move between main stages and the side stage. The weather on Saturday was cool and cloudy, which was a sharp contrast to the scorching heat of the prior two years. 16 bands played over 12 hours and all put on a tremendous show.

 [click on picture for Rebellion Stage slideshow]

Sunday was another story. The temperature stayed around 50 degrees and the rain that had started the night before never let up. There was a lot of confusion, schedule changes, misinformation, and ultimately most of the highly anticipated artists were forced to cancel due to the conditions of the stage. The fans that did stick it out were treated to some great shows by the bands that did perform, most notably Pop Evil, Sevendust, Steel Panther, Hollywood Undead and Buckcherry. Hopefully next time the weather cooperates and the stages are better prepared for whatever comes.

[click on picture for Jagermeister Stage slideshow]

[click on picture for slideshow]

Sevendust was a late addition to the 2013 Carolina Rebellion, rescheduling their tour plans to replace 3 Doors Down. Despite the cold and rain and numerous band cancellations, the band rocked on, giving the freezing fans the show of the day on Sunday May 5, 2013. Sevendust is a band that continues to write killer songs and play incredible live shows. Do yourself a favor and check them out.