Rock On The Range packed Columbus Crew Stadium on Saturday and Sunday with music fans, marking a successful fourth year for the rock festival.
The two-day event brought some of the most successful rock artists to Columbus alongside up-and-coming bands. Two side stages provided a place for smaller bands to perform while larger acts set up.
The largest stage, called the Monster Stage, overlooked the main field. An electronic shout-out board accompanied the stage.
The second and third stages, titled the Kicker Stage and the Jagermeister Stage, were on either side.
Field access for the main stage was limited to those who purchased special tickets.
A vendor village sold almost everything one could need, but a woman who lost her sandals in a mosh pit could not find replacements.
A bus filled with demos for PlayStation 3 games sat alongside other non-music attractions. And Monster Energy Drink hosted a bus with video games, as well.
Huts sponsored by cigarette companies showed off new products. Eighteen-and-older signs were plastered on the doors, and people checked identification at the entrance.
A tent sponsored by Harley-Davidson allowed people to sit on its motorcycles.
The first day featured many bands paying tribute to Ronnie James Dio. Killswitch Engage finished its set with a cover of “Holy Diver.”
“We lost someone very important to the metal community,” said Howard Jones, the vocalist for Killswitch Engage. “We are honored to be able to play one of his songs.”
The festival started with bands on the Kicker and Jagermeister Stages before Sevendust christened the main stage.
Papa Roach and Halestorm used their sets to debut new songs to the cheers of those in attendance.
As the day wore on, the heat did not break attendees’ spirits. Papa Roach’s vocalist Jacoby Shaddix asked the crowd if it was tired. A resounding cheer countered any such thought.
As the sun set, Killswitch Engage took the Kicker stage, offering humorous banter between songs. The cape guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz wore on stage was met with laughter from the crowd.
Kyjah Keys had a busy schedule for the first day.
“I am going to see Skillet, Deftones, Killswitch, then get back here for Godsmack,” he said. Doing so meant navigating a substantial crowd between stages.
The next day saw the heat increase and the crowd expand. Passages cramped the previous day were filled Sunday.
Again, the Kicker and Jagermeister Stages started the day, with Apocalyptica taking the Monster Stage shortly after.
Mastodon took the Kicker Stage as the evening began. The band utilized monitors to accompany its set. As it played, the screens displayed surreal images and motion complementing the slow tempo and oppressive tone of the music.
Seether showed its appreciation for the fans.
“We are in awe to be playing in front of you guys,” said Shaun Morgan, the band’s vocalist.
As night fell, Rob Zombie’s set began on the Monster stage. Zombie himself exclaimed “the zombie party has begun.”
Zombie proved to have the most elaborate stage show. Using monitors to display lyrics and scenes of horror, Zombie was accompanied by people dressed as skeletons with glowing red eyes.
His microphone stand was a six-armed skeleton, and the band performed its first song with skeleton masks on. The masks were removed to reveal more makeup underneath.
Limp Bizkit finished the festival, performing for a stadium full of screaming fans.
The festival left many fans satisfied, and the marriage proposals that came across the shout-out board suggest some might have left with more than a two-day experience.
