Louder Than Life is back with yet another star studded lineup after being forced to cancel the festival in 2018 due to flooding at Champions Park, which also caused the Bourbon & Beyond Festival to cancel the final day of that festival as well. The flooding caused immense damage to the festival grounds so the team at Danny Wimmer Presents and the city of Louisville found a new home for not only Louder Than Life and Bourbon & Beyond but also the new country music festival Hometown Rising. The new home for the 3 consecutive weekends of music and spirits will be held at the Highland Festival Grounds At the Kentucky Expo Center. Keyword being “Highland,” so the rains won’t stop us in 2019. Just a week ago it was leaked and then announced that one of the worlds most popular bands Guns N’ Roses would be headlining the festival. That band alone is enough to have Loudmouths already packing their bags in anticipation to head to Louisville or should we say “Paradise City.”
Quintessential rock band Guns N’ Roses, notorious for their larger-than-life, bombastic shows that engulf every fan, were the first act to be announced for the return of Louder Than Life. This year the festival will be headed to its new home at the Highland Festival Grounds At KY Expo Center on Friday, September 27, Saturday, September 28 and Sunday, September 29.
This will mark the debut of the Guns N’ Roses lineup at the Louder Than Life festival and is the first appearance for the rock giants since performing in Hawaii in December 2018 in association with the Andy Irons Foundation. Sending fans into a frenzy since the Not In This Lifetime Tour kickoff in 2016, Guns N’ Roses has the number 2 highest grossing tour of all time, and has performed an astounding 150+ shows for over 5 million fans to date in stadiums, arenas and as part of festivals worldwide.
Guns N’ Roses is probably enough for most of you to buy a ticket, and you aren’t wrong. However, the rest of this lineup is star studded and in my eyes likely the best lineup Louder Than Life has brought us so far in its history. Slipknot is a big get with the bands new (still untitled) album releasing in August. Not only will we hear some new music but also see Corey’s new mask and potentially other members changing masks as well. Another big get is Staind, with Louder Than Life being their performance since 2014 (other than a charity event in 2017). The band has said they don’t really plan on doing any full on tours at the present time just maybe a few festivals dates, and Louder Than Life being the first one allows us to see something special. In regards to the other headliners like Godsmack, who along with Slipknot, Breaking Benjamin, A Day To Remember, Rob Zombie and Disturbed all return to Louder Than Life to headline again. One new artist we see is Ice Cube, who was slated to perform at the festival in 2018 prior to its cancellation. As someone who normally skips the hip-hop and rap artists at festivals, Ice Cube is one I will make a point to see.
My favorite part of any festival is usually the mid-level and opening bands. These are the future headliners of tomorrow. They often are a little different than the headliners we see repeating throughout the years. One of the bands I am personally excited for is Phillip H. Anselmo & The Illegals, which if I’m not mistaken makes the first appearance for the former Pantera vocalist on any Danny Wimmer Festival. Two other bands to get excited about is Graveyard and The Melvins. Graveyard are a Swedish psychedelic rock band that will blow you away with their live performance. They may not be a familiar name but after you see them I promise you won’t forget them. The Melvins have been together for 36 years. Their music is often hard to place in a specific genre, but they will rock your face off. They sometimes perform with two drummers behind two full drum kits, and its a site to behold. Their music was a big inspiration for lots of bands especially Nirvana, and Soundgarden. So call them sludge, alternative, doom, experimental, it really doesn’t matter they are simply The Melvins.
The wildcard bands are Die Antwoord, Dropkick Murphys, and Gwar. Of course Gwar was slated to play last year and they also played Rock Allegiance last year so that goes to show DWP fans are eager to see these space aliens not only sing but behead and bloody up the crowd with their amazing stage show. Dropkick Murphys are eclectic. With accordions, mandolins, and bagpipes along with the normal guitars, bass and drums are in their instrument list you may think they don’t fit on a rock festival. You of course would be wrong. The band is set to go on tour alongside some of metals legendary acts Clutch and Hatebreed. So they will fit right in, but you will find it nearly impossible to watch them and not have a pint of beer in one hand and your horns high in the air with the other. Now to Die Antwoord, I can honestly say I don’t know much about this band, I’ve heard enough to know it’s not for me. They are very different from anything else on the lineup and you have to give DWP credit for breaking the mold and trying something new.
There is still a slot left open on Sunday which shows as “To Be Announced” that is pretty high up on the bill. So either they are still trying to fill that spot with a heavy hitter or they want to keep us in the dark a little longer. I’d like to think it’s a newly formed supergroup that hasn’t been announced yet, or could it be someone coming off a hiatus and it’s just too soon to drop the curtain. Only time will tell.
Other bands gracing the lineup include: Chevelle, I Prevail, Architects (who are amazing by the way), Beartooth, Motionless In White, The Crystal Method, Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, New Years Day, All Them Witches, Crown Lands, Joyous Wolf (Who always puts on an electrifying show and has a new album out), Dead Posey, Santa Cruz, Halestorm, Stone Temple Pilots, Suicidal Tendencies, Andrew W.K., Bad Flower, Knocked Loose (Hometown Louisville band!), Anti-Flagg, Redd Kross, Parlor Mob, Like A Storm, Jelly Roll, Dirty Honey, DED, Junkbunny, Marilyn Manson, Sum 41, Three Days Grace, Deadland Ritual, White Reaper, Demon Hunter, Ho99o9, Angel Dust, Sick Puppies, Amigo The Devil, Fire From The Gods, Broken Hands, Anemic Royalty.
Tickets are available now here.
3-Day Weekend General Admission: starting at $149.50 + fees | 3-Day Mint Experience VIP: starting at $449.50 + fees | 3-Day Top Shelf VIP: $1,399.50 + fees | Single Day General Admission: starting at $69.50 + fees | Single Day VIP: starting at $199.50 + fees
Tickets are now available visit www.LouderThanLifeFestival.com for further details and to purchase tickets.
