Fans flock to Daytona for final day of Rockville fest; promoter estimates crowd of 170,000
Welcome to Rockville drew another big crowd Sunday with fans looking forward to seeing Deftones and Tool the two bands closing out the four-day spectacle.
Sunday afternoon, Chris and Rae Newman, a married couple from Melbourne, made their first appearance at the festival to see the two bands.
"I've liked Deftones since I was in high school. At least a decade. More than that, so. I've seen them every time they've come to Florida," Rae Newman said.
She recommended albums "White Pony" and "Saturday Night Wrist" for those unfamiliar with the band. "You can't go wrong with either one of those really," she said.
Chris Newman said Tool was the main draw for him. "My uncle grew up listening to them. I grew up listening to them. So I just thought it would be cool," he said.
Dust ― and bubbles ― fly at Welcome to Rockville
A hot day with a patch of rain in the afternoon didn't deter crowds from enjoying the shows that were spread across multiple stages and taking photos in front of band displays.
It didn't take long for a mosh pit to form, either. Point North took the Octane Stage around 1:20 p.m. During the performance people jumped around in a circle and pushed each other, kicking up dust as a man fired off a bubble gun.
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Tim Becerra, of South Florida, watched the show. He said he's no stranger to a mosh pit.
"It's exhilarating. It's fun. You let loose. I mean, you have a good time. You're with your fellow brethren, and that's all it's about," he said.
He offered a few tips for the uninitiated. "Stay hydrated. If you see someone fall, pick them back up," he said.
In addition to 95 acts over four days, Welcome to Rockville provides an excellent opportunity for people-watching.
Clothing, hairstyles, and makeup represent a variety of genres and styles: Like a mohawk paired with a spiked vest, clunky platform shoes, and boots, fishnet stockings, novelty hats shaped like bananas and sharks ― and of course lots of band T-shirts.
The festival also brought people from diverse backgrounds.
Charlie Christopher, of Melbourne, wore a Guns N' Roses T-shirt, a Tool hat, and a Peruvian flag worn like a cape.
"My mom is from Peru, and I grew up there for a few years when I was a kid and used to go back every summer. I just saw other people from South America wearing their flag like that, so I was like, 'Why not represent?'"
Christopher, a volunteer for a vendor at the festival, said he planned to stay for Tool.
"They're one of my favorite bands of all time," he said.
A big turnout, and more rock planned
Chamie McCurry, chief marketing officer for promoter Danny Wimmer Presents, said via email to The News-Journal that organizers expected over 170,000 people to attend the festival.
“Welcome to Rockville 2023 has been going great. Fans are having the time of their lives, everyone is staying hydrated and healthy and enjoying the non-stop rock," McCurry said.
McCurry didn't provide details on any arrests or injuries.
Meanwhile, plans are already in the works for next year's Rockville.
"We are working on 2024 and will have an announcement about dates within the next month or so with a lineup before the end of the year," she said.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Tool, Deftones draw crowds as Welcome to Rockville comes to an end
