The 2025 Aftershock festival took place in Sacramento from Thursday, October 2nd, through Sunday, October 5th. Stretching four days and spread out on four stages, this year’s festival once again had something for everyone, as Danny Wimmer Presents continues to expand and diversify the lineup. Although the weather went from pouring rain to unseasonably warm in the blink of an eye, that didn’t stop festival-goers from enjoying every minute of the festival.
Day 1 was headlined by pop-punk stalwarts blink-182, who last topped the bill at Aftershock in 2019. They were the band that most people came to see, and they did not disappoint, playing a 90-minute, 22-song set, highlighted by a cover of Descendents’ “Hope.” Good Charlotte closed out the Shockwave stage right before blink-182, while other highlights from the day included High on Fire, Testament, and the recently reunited Acid Bath, who drew a huge audience over on the Coors Light stage.
Deftones headlined Day 2, playing a near two-hour set to their hometown, and had the grounds around the Aftershock stage jam-packed. Highlights included “Digital Bath,” “Hole in the Earth” and “Around the Fur,” but it was “Cherry Waves” that had the fans most pumped up. A Perfect Circle had the audience singing along to every word, while Lamb of God also drew a massive crowd, delivering the live debut of their new single “Sepsis.” Turnstile and Knocked Loose brought the hardcore to Aftershock, while Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson’s set was among the other highlights of the day.
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Day 3 was headlined by Korn, who were, as always, one of the most anticipated bands of the entire festival. They played an electrifying set for their fans, some of whom were waiting up against the barricade all day in the sweltering sun. Gojira were another highlight on the Aftershock stage, while other standouts included Scowl, Spy, Slaughter to Prevail, and Trash Talk.
The fourth and final day of Aftershock saw Machine Head, In This Moment, and Mudvayne play before big crowds in the beating sun, but it was festival closers Bring Me the Horizon who were the main attraction. The UK band played a near 90-minute set which saw them run through 15 songs, including anthems like “Shadow Moses” and “Throne.”
By the time it was all said and done, Aftershock once again showed why it’s become the West Coast’s biggest hard rock and metal festival. Every year. the organizers seem to pull off something even bigger and better than the previous year, and with the rumors already starting to circulate about next year, it looks like the 2026 edition is not to be missed.
