Appalachian Rock Fest: New Name, Same Heavy Hitting Happening

History

Previously known as Rock The Panhandle, Appalachian Rock Fest continues to grow. Organizers Brandon Wright and Dale Sims decided a name change was necessary for this ever growing event. The panhandle (of West Virginia), is just that. The Appalachian extends from New York all the way to northern Mississippi, so the new name is ideal. 

Family/Kids

Family-friendly? Fu…frick yeah! Appalachian Rock Fest is for all ages, and kiddos under 6 years old get in for free. There were several small children in attendance (most sporting ear protection!), and they were rocking out. I saw several very young girls head banging and making their metalhead parents proud. Don’t let the lack of a babysitter stop you from attending, bring the kids along. Start ’em young!

Food/Drink

When you think about going to a concert, often food and alcohol or even water is very expensive. You know as well as I do, it’s too damn expensive. I was surprised to find that this was not the case here! There was pizza, nachos, pulled pork sandwiches, hotdogs, and more. A whole personal pizza was $10 and that’s as expensive as food got. A bottle of water was $2 if I recall correctly and sodas were about the same. I personally don’t partake in consuming alcohol, so I can’t say too much about the pricing with that. I did hear from a fellow concertgoer that a tall boy was $8. They were a bit bummed out by this because at local bars you could get a bucket of the same beer (4 come in a  bucket) for $7. 

Vendors

I got to check out the vendors a little more closely this year, and I’m glad I did. I actually ended up grabbing a very cute pair of earrings in between sets from a crafter that had a booth set up. There were several artists set up here, as well as some other companies such as Paparazzi and Pure Romance.

The festival’s sponsor radio station 97Underground came out and conducted several live interviews with bands throughout the day. I saw some custom t-shirts as well, and of course, there was a shit ton of band merch! 

Music 

Now the moment you’ve been waiting for, the music! Appalachian Rock Fest takes place at an all-new venue this year, INDOORS with a whopper of a stage. There are 12 bands on the ticket and we’re in for a hell of a good time if this year is anything like last year. (Spoiler alert, it was WAY better!) Kicking things off Gunner Heathe partnered with his acoustic guitar brought a country twist to this rock fest, and I’m not mad at it. He did a touching cover of “Wish You Were Here”, made famous by Pink Floyd. Shadowburn followed his set, and they were popular among adults and kids alike. Several of the young girls were moshing around and throwing horns to vocalist Nicki, who made sure to acknowledge their coolness. I love to see a female vocalist in tandem with a great metal scream.

Cannon Hill exhibited an outstanding performance. They played their new single “FYBH” and the guys were all smiles on stage. Trent ended their set by shooting off a confetti cannon.

Finding Dimes swooped in on this ticket after another band dropped off just days prior and put it the fuck ON for us last minute. Tubefreeks and Dinosaurs in Paris were new performances for me and both left a lasting impression.

DixieFilth takes the stage and the boys do what they do best, get filthy. Frontman George is sporting a shirt that says “It Smells Like Slut In Here” and has a DixieFilth cum rag swinging from his back pocket. (Yeah, they sell jizzrags in their merch lineup! Sold out for now, though.)

After DixieFilth’s set concludes I take a breather and step outside with “Heavy Metal” Donnie Calahan who is 75 years old! This guy is a local celebrity and legend. He’s been going to shows since he was 9 years old. From Patsy Cline to Woodstock and beyond, this guy has seen loads of superstar acts and has the tattoos to prove it. Donnie’s torso is covered with band logo tattoos, many of them local acts. The dude is always wearing a grin and is the sweetest person. He hops up on DixieFilth guitarist Kyle’s huge black truck and I snap the most badass shot of him ever. Long live Donnie. 

I get back inside just in time for 12 Sins, which is also a fresh act for me. Their frontman is BUFF and they put on a kickass set.

Koluna takes the stage for a bittersweet show, it’s guitarist Brad’s last show with the band. He’s got too much on his plate and bids the band farewell on good terms. Koluna gives us a set full of bangers like they always do. 

The night is almost over but things are not winding down by any means. Future to Claim tears it up.

Lylvc (pronounced lilac) follows and wow, I heard whispers about this band kicking ass and I was not disappointed. Their energy is absolutely insane and they had the crowd losing their minds.

After they wrap up they welcome headliners Breach The Silence to the stage to close out the festival. Brandon Wright is the frontman of this band, and he’s a man of many hats. In fact, he ran this very festival all day with the help of Dale Sims, frontman of Demyze. Brandon’s company Wright Live was a massive part of putting this whole thing together. I mean they put on a pretty hefty portion of events in my area. 

Anywho, even after running around since early in the morning, Brandon absolutely slays. Breach the Silence damn near blew the roof off of this place. The crowd had more energy than ever, thrashing their heads and gripping the barrier. Brandon hands the mic off to a young fan to perform part of a song and the kid’s eyes totally lit up. A perfectly heartwarming way to put a cap on this monumental festival. 

That does it, folks! Appalachian Rock Fest 2023 wraps up after a totally kickass day. I pack up my camera, say my goodbyes, and hit the road, already looking forward to next year’s fest. 

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