Time to rock at Aftershock

Sacramento’s biggest, most successful music festival returns to Discovery Park for its fifth edition—and we are so relieved.

Of course, we are happy Aftershock, the state’s largest hard rock marathon, is back in general on Saturday, October 22, and Sunday, October 23. More importantly, though, festival organizers wisely decided to bring it back to its original location—centrally located and easy to bike to from much of town—and not that traffic hellhole Gibson Ranch.

Even better, the lineup is insane, perhaps Aftershock’s best ever. Anticipate a metalhead’s paradise with epic bookings like thrash band Slayer and Ghost, the Swedish heavy metal act with a creepily mesmerizing spectacle.

In addition to Slayer, Saturday’s headliners are three-time Grammy-winning ’90s band Tool (pictured) and experimental rock act Primus. On Sunday, the major draws are Avenged Sevenfold, and nu metal pioneer Korn.

Unlike today’s most popular music festivals such as Coachella or Outside Lands, Aftershock doesn’t bother with art installations, a Ferris wheel or celebrity chef demonstrations. That’s a good thing. Aftershock fans don’t need the distractions—though the addition of a wine garden this year probably won’t hurt.

Grab two-day passes for $199.50-$214.50 or single-day tickets for $94.50 at http://aftershockconcert.com.