Rock Fest 2018

This was the first Rock Fest that I attended. Normally, I'd go to RockUSA in Oshkosh. This year, my friends thought Rock Fest would be better. To be honest, I came to like the venue much better.

I had actually driven from Bluesfest in Thunder Bay. I decided to do some early camping and camp out before everything started. I got there on Monday July 9th. I can tell you that camping out in the hot Wisconsin sun in a tent definitely sucks the energy out of you!

After doing my walk around of the festival grounds, I went and got a gatorade. It's better to stay hydrated in the hot weather. I knew I'd be drinking plenty of alcohol soon enough when my friends arrived. I went on to see Hammer Down Hard during the bonus show for three day ticket holders.

Three event wristbands on an attendee's wrist including blue, gray, and yellow admission bands on pavement Gray concession stand with two 'Cash Only Accepted at This Window' signs and menu board listing beer, wine, mixers, pizza, mugs, koozies, pop, Monster, and water Hand holding blue Gatorade Glacier Freeze bottle with yellow event wristband visible on pavement

I did eventually get a book of drink tickets. This is the first thing Rock Fest does way better than RockUSA. Not only did I not have to pay $3 for a 21+ wristband, but the drinks were cheap. $5 for a tall boy of beer or $4.67 each if you bought a $42 book of 9. That's cheaper than drinking in Austin!

I eventually got a taco salad and then went on to see Skid Row, Autograph, and Ace Frehley. They all put on good shows but the sound seemed off. They cranked it way too loud and it was most evident during Skid Row. There was popping like gun shots going off.

I went a ways away from the stage to enjoy the show and not feel like I was at the gun range. During Ace Frehley, I did find my way right behind the sound guy. I figured that would be the best for listening.

Crowd gathered under covered pavilion watching stage with 'Hammer Down' banner at outdoor festival Long-haired performer in chains singing on stage under 'Hammer Down' banner with Marshall amplifiers visible Hand holding sheet of nine '2018 Discount Beer, Liquor or Pizza' perforated tickets reading 'Shout No Returns' Mobile beer cart with red Budweiser umbrella and 'Ice Cold Beer Here' sign featuring Bud Light, Miller Light, and Leinenkugel Summer Shandy on grass field Hand holding Budweiser beer can on green grass with beer cart and event wristband visible in background Large red 'ROCKFEST' letters installation on grass field with festival grounds and buildings in background Cook preparing fajitas and grilled meat on large outdoor griddle at food vendor tent Taco salad served in fried tortilla bowl topped with lettuce, cheese, sour cream, black olives, and cilantro on paper plate Colorful painted wooden chair featuring sun design with rainbow gradient from pink to blue on grass at festival Festival grounds at golden hour showing painted orange-red cube art installation and hay bale seating with main stage in background Rock band performing on outdoor stage at dusk with crowd silhouettes in foreground Wide view of festival grounds at sunset showing crowd, vendor buildings, and pastoral setting with dramatic sky Rock band performing on stage with red and white striped American flag backdrop and purple stage lighting Close-up of guitarist performing in black vest with long hair, with phone screen visible in foreground capturing moment View from sound engineer position showing mixing equipment cases and festival stage with purple lighting and crowd

Later that night I met up with my friends who had just got there. That's where we really started to party and then hung around the campfire.

Three people playing beer pong on folding table in white tent with string lights overhead at night Campfire burning in metal fire pit at night with bright flames illuminating surrounding darkness

On day two, a huge storm came in. There was supposedly 60mph (100kmh) mainline winds coming. I ended up waiting it out in a tent and it wasn't too bad. There was a lot of roads flooded and some awning damage. This is where Rock Fest comes in way stronger over RockUSA. They had legitimate roads that didn't turn into rutted up mud puddles.

I think the best band I saw that night was GWAR. They put on a crazy stage show with fake blood and all. It was cool seeing Incubus, but it was raining a bit.

Weather radar app displaying severe storm system over Eau Claire, Wisconsin at 8:16 AM with blue, green, yellow, and red precipitation bands indicating heavy rain Hand holding Budweiser can at festival campground with tents, folding chairs, and camping gear visible in background Large round inflatable pool with blue rim filled with clear water at campground with RVs and vehicles in background Four-piece rock band performing on indoor stage with bright backlighting, drum kit, guitars, and PA speakers visible Festival crowd facing main stage building on sunny day with blue sky, attendee in foreground raising hand toward stage Black sign reading 'Picture Taking Line' in white text mounted on corrugated metal building exterior Festival attendees walking through covered tunnel passageway under building, viewed from behind showing crowd flowing toward open area Main Rock Fest stage with American flag, Bud Light branding, and large crowd with wooden bench seating in foreground Shirtless rock performer with outstretched arms center stage under massive lighting truss with crowd below Festival merchandise booth interior displaying Rock Fest branded t-shirts and hoodies on walls and circular clothing racks Black Hot Spot WiFi portable generator/hotspot trailer on wooden platform at festival grounds Three people at campsite with man in blue shirt at propane grill, two others standing in inflatable pool beside RV Weather app showing Eau Claire, Wisconsin at 92°F feeling like 102°F, partly cloudy at 5:54 PM with 15 mph winds Group of festival campers socializing in and around inflatable pool at campground under overcast sky with RVs in background Green Bay Packers cornhole board on grass with yellow water gun, scattered blue towels, and camping supplies Collapsed canopy tent frame at campground with orange and gray tents, RVs, and pickup trucks visible in background Weather radar displaying intense storm system with red and orange bands approaching Eau Claire, Wisconsin at 7:16 PM Menacing dark storm clouds approaching festival campground at dusk with vehicles, RVs, and tents across field, lights beginning to illuminate Threatening storm clouds over festival campground with green Chevrolet Suburban in foreground and American flag on tent Dark ominous storm clouds looming over festival parking area with vehicles, RVs, and tents as evening security lights activate Dramatic rotating wall cloud and funnel formation during severe thunderstorm approaching festival campground with RVs and American flag visible in foreground at dusk Festival campground under menacing dark storm clouds at evening with security lights illuminated, vehicles and RVs parked along grass, green tent in foreground Ominous shelf cloud with dark base and lighter upper layer stretching across horizon at dusk with single distant light visible on silhouetted landscape Festival attendees watching approaching storm at campground with threatening gray clouds overhead, RVs and vehicles visible, person in foreground observing weather Interior view of camping tent showing gray fabric walls and bright green rain fly visible in lower right corner View from inside tent showing person's legs and feet with yellow event wristband visible, resting on gray tent floor Flooded festival campground road with large puddles and muddy water after severe storm, vehicles and RVs lined on both sides, overcast sky with security lights on Muddy flooded campground pathway with person walking in distance, RVs and vehicles on sides including red Ford F-150, standing water throughout Blurry nighttime festival stage performance with bright green laser beams cutting through darkness and crowd silhouettes in foreground Rosy's illuminated food stand at night with menu board displaying tacos and burritos, adjacent stand advertising fresh battered popcorn chicken Two tacos in white paper basket topped with shredded lettuce, cheese, black olives, sour cream, and meat photographed in dim lighting Main festival stage at night viewed from crowd with bright white lights, flanking video screens, and dense audience silhouetted in foreground Rock band performing under covered pavilion with green stage lighting and fog, packed crowd with illuminated phone screens recording performance Blurry out-of-focus image of illuminated GWAR band logo projection with text barely legible against dark background Concert performance under intense cyan blue lighting with heavy fog effects obscuring band on stage, drum kit silhouetted, crowd in foreground Band performing under bright green stage lights with thick smoke effects, crowd with raised hands and phones recording, energetic atmosphere Aerial view of creative GWAR text installation made from arranged materials forming large letters at festival grounds viewed from above at night Two performers in elaborate spiked monster costumes with armor under blue stage lighting performing theatrical rock show GWAR performers in creature costumes with spikes and armor under red-pink lighting with fog effects, crowd heads visible in foreground Band performing under vibrant green lighting with heavy atmospheric fog filling covered venue, dense crowd visible from mid-venue perspective GWAR performers in elaborate monster costumes and props on stage with crowd watching from below, bright stage lights illuminating theatrical rock show Close-up of person's leg covered in red theatrical blood splatter from GWAR concert performance in dark lighting Person's forearm covered in wet red theatrical blood with blue fabric visible, aftermath of GWAR stage show Distant view of illuminated festival main stage at night with bright spotlights and scattered crowd silhouettes in darkness Night view of festival main stage with two large bright video screens flanking center stage and massive crowd gathered in darkness Big Dog Corndogs red and yellow illuminated food stand at night featuring all-beef corndogs with workers visible at service window Silhouette of person standing alone at night near muddy festival grounds with stage lights glowing and portable toilets visible in distance Weather app displaying Eau Claire, Wisconsin at 71°F feeling like 71°F, cloudy conditions with 6 mph winds at 11:41 PM Weather radar map at 11:56 PM showing multiple storm systems with heavy precipitation over Minnesota and Michigan with Eau Claire marked

Friday was the day I partied the hardest. We did plenty of shots and things were a bit of a blur. I did start the morning off with a shower. The lines were much longer than on Wednesday night. I made a trip to the general store to get some ice and then it was party time. My buddy Kevin had made gyros, which went good with what I was drinking.

We popped in and out of the festival. One cool thing about Rock Fest is the picture taking line where you can get up close and take pictures of the bands. We saw a few of the bands, but the one I remember the best was Godsmack. They were my middle school soundtrack, especially pushing myself training for wrestling.

Muddy festival campground entrance road with chain link fence, packed parking area full of vehicles and RVs under gray overcast sky Festival campsite featuring blue dome tent, white motorcycle, green and white teardrop camper trailer, and black Ford SUV under cloudy sky Completely collapsed and twisted white metal tent frame destroyed by storm, mangled pile of poles next to chain link fence and green dumpster Wide view of muddy festival campground with numerous RVs, vehicles, and white building under heavy gray clouds after storm Three shirtless male festival attendees walking away across muddy campground under overcast sky, buildings and vehicles in background White building exterior with 'General Store' sign and Budweiser promotional message 'Grab Some Buds' in red letters Interior of busy festival general store with fluorescent lighting, chip display racks, multiple customers shopping, exit door visible in background Blurry interior shot of crowded general store showing shirtless customer wearing black and red baseball cap from behind, other shoppers visible Three Hanover pretzel bags stacked on store counter with handwritten yellow sign reading 'Best Damn Beer Drinking Pretzels you'll ever eat' Flooded campground roadway with extensive muddy puddles, RVs and vehicles parked along both sides under cloudy post-storm sky Long muddy campground road stretching into distance with vehicles parked on sides, treeline and dramatic cloudy sky visible ahead Gyro on pita bread in white paper plate topped with ground meat, crumbled white feta cheese, and diced red tomatoes Weather radar at 12:08 PM showing large storm system with heavy precipitation bands stretching from Minnesota through Wisconsin into Iowa Yellow-green tent pitched at muddy festival campground between blue Subaru and vehicles under threatening gray overcast sky Chain link fence view of festival parking area with muddy ground, scattered vehicles, and buildings visible under heavy cloud cover Rock Fest main stage with Jack Daniel's and Budweiser banners, American flag on roof, crew setting up equipment, rows of wooden bench seating Large crowd filling wooden bench seating and grass area watching band perform on Rock Fest main stage under overcast afternoon sky Black and white 'Picture Taking Line' sign mounted on dark gray corrugated metal building exterior Festival crowd behind chain link fence watching stage performance, person in black Parker jersey visible, multiple raised hands Rock Fest painted sign with blue wave designs and white lettering mounted between wooden posts with string lights and hay bales Festival attendees sitting in camping chairs on grass with Early Times whiskey bottle being passed, wristbands visible, plate of food nearby Person raising metal beer funnel with bright green tube under white tent canopy, smiling woman and bearded man watching Giant inflatable Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum bottle promotional display towering beside gray metal building against cloudy sky Female rock performer with mohawk hairstyle singing on stage under bright backlighting with American flag and band members visible Massive pyrotechnic flames and smoke explosion on stage with lighting truss visible, crowd hands throwing rock horns gesture in foreground Lead vocalist in sparkly black sequined jacket performing under blue stage lights with band members behind, crowd hands raised below Dense packed crowd under covered venue roof with countless raised hands watching brightly lit stage performance from mid-crowd perspective Night view of festival main stage with bright white spotlights and flanking video screens, crowd silhouettes gathered in darkness Illuminated concession stand at night with red and yellow sign advertising deep-fried cheese curds and fresh squeezed lemonade, customers ordering Blurry close-up photo of golden deep-fried cheese curds piled in white paper wrapper in dim lighting Heavily blurred nighttime concert stage photograph with intense pink and magenta lighting effects obscured by thick fog and haze Foggy nighttime parking lot illuminated by overhead lights at a music festival campground

Saturday was the last day. I was hungover like crazy and decided to stay sober. I hydrated as much as I could and then decided after 5 nights of sleeping in a tent, I'd just go back to my parents' house. I was pretty much spent! The only band I saw was Black Label Society. They put on a great show and I was soon on the windy back roads to my parents' house.

Weather app screenshot showing Eau Claire, Wisconsin at 68°F with mostly cloudy conditions and no wind Weather radar map displaying precipitation patterns across Minnesota and Wisconsin with mixed rain and snow Digital thermometer displaying indoor temperature of 113°F, indoor humidity of 26%, and outdoor temperature of 120°F Flattened grass pattern in camping area showing impression left by tent or sleeping arrangement Rock Fest campground with RVs, tents, and attendees walking along gravel pathway under sunny skies Two slices of cheese pizza on colorful mosaic-patterned paper plate at outdoor event Hand holding bottle of Gatorade Frost Glacier Freeze sports drink at outdoor festival Rock Fest main stage with Jack Daniel's and Bud Light sponsorship banners, crowd seated on lawn with camping chairs Wide view of Rock Fest main stage and festival grounds with large crowd, colorful camping chairs, and video screens Sunrise over Rock Fest campground with silhouettes of tents and parked vehicles Campground roadway lined with RVs, trailers, and portable restrooms at music festival Silver Ford Focus sedan parked in grassy camping area surrounded by RVs and camping tents Rural two-lane highway with cornfields and trees under morning sky in western Wisconsin Straight rural road through agricultural land with cornfields flanking both sides Four-lane divided highway through wooded area in early morning light

Rock Fest was just a big party for me. I probably should have saw more bands, but it was fun just hanging out with my friends in the campground. I guess my style of music is more classic rock so a lot of the harder rock bands didn't quite appeal as much. I also ran into a bunch of people I knew from high school. I guess it's a small state!

I did like the Rock Fest venue much better than RockUSA. The fact that showers were free and not $6-15 depending on if you wanted a hot or cold one was great. Alcohol prices were much cheaper and you didn't have to pay for a 21+ wristband. There were legit roads to every campsite. This was good because there would have been mud pits with ruts otherwise. This has happened multiple times at RockUSA.

I do like this venue and it's way better than RockUSA. I have a feeling next time I might try to bring a camper or figure out a way to sleep a little more comfortably. I can tell you after going to Bluesfest in Canada and then driving back, I was spent. I was even more spent sleeping on the ground for 5 nights in a row. All in all, the experience was fun and kind of enlightening in a lot of ways.

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