Rock Fest lives up to the hype with a major W for the Mid West

Posted by Ramon Gonzales in Culture on August 21, 2023

Photographer Justin Nuoffer compiles images from the 3-day bender in Wisconsin featuring Slipknot, Pantera, Godsmack, Papa Roach, Ice Cube and more.

Spanning some three days (four counting the Wednesday night pre-festivities), five stages and more than 75 bands, Wisconsin’s Rock Fest has become a destination for guitar-driven spectacle and one of rock music’s most anticipated annual events.

The 2023 edition more than delivered on the hype, anchored by headlining sets from three of the culture’s longest enduring, ever relevant pillars with Slipknot, Pantera and Godsmack occupying top billing. Completing the festival experience, headliners in their own right the likes of Papa Roach, In This Moment, Ice Nine Kills, The Ghost Inside and more brought their A-game.

The emerging generation destined to be the next class of headliners were also well-represented at Rock Fest with bands like Vended, Wage War and Jinjer offering testament to the robust health and diversity of rock music.

Organizers went the extra mile, showing just how well in-tune they are with their audience. Enlisting revolutionary hip hop icon Ice Cube for a highly-touted set, Cadott, WI came alive with thousands of fans taking in the spectacle covering the entire stylistic spectrum – from metal to hip hop and beyond.

Veteran photographer Justin Nuoffer captured the pilgrimage with a comprehensive set of images from some of the weekend’s standout performances. See the gallery of flicks below.