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Metallica, Korn, and Linkin Park set to electrify Historic Crew Stadium at Sonic Temple Festival

Posted on by Starteelic
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08
May
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Mike Inez of Alice in Chains Reflects on Multigenerational Fans Ahead of Sonic Temple Festival

As Mike Inez looks out over the crowd of raised fists and moshing bodies, the Alice in Chains bassist is moved by the variety of ages among the fans.

“It’s truly a multigenerational crowd,” said Inez, 58. “There’s nothing more heartwarming than going out on stage and seeing people from all generations. I’ve even seen three generations at a show. And the younger fans? They know all the songs. It never escapes us how powerful that is.”

Reflecting on the universal power of music, Inez added that language barriers have never been an issue for a band like Alice in Chains. “Whether we’re playing in Istanbul or Santiago, it’s incredible to see the fans singing our songs even when they don’t speak the language,” he said.

Fans will have plenty of chances to sing (and scream) along when Alice in Chains and over 100 other acts take the stage at the Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival, taking place May 8–11 at Historic Crew Stadium.

The festival will feature big names like Korn, Linkin Park, and Metallica, who will perform two unique sets as part of the “No Repeat Weekend.”

May 8: Korn will take the stage at 9:20 p.m., following performances by Bad Omens and Three Days Grace.

May 9: Metallica will headline at 8:50 p.m., after sets by Rob Zombie and Alice Cooper.

May 10: Linkin Park will perform at 9:20 p.m., supported by Incubus and I Prevail.

May 11: Metallica will close out the festival at 8:50 p.m., with Alice in Chains and Chevelle opening.

Performances will span four stages: the Temple Stage (main), Cathedral, Citadel, and Sanctuary.

What’s New at Sonic Temple 2025

This year, there are three official after-parties at different Columbus venues each night. (A fourth party has already sold out.)

May 9: Converge, Peeling Flesh, and Bather will perform at The KING of CLUBS at 9 p.m.

Also May 9: Silly Goose and Guerilla Warfare will play at Ace of Cups at 10:30 p.m. (minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian).

May 11: The final after-party will take place at Dirty Dungarees with Gridiron, Violent Nature, Powerball, and Nothing Like You, starting at 8 p.m.

Fans can also download the Sonic Temple mobile app, which allows them to create personalized schedules and access festival details, available for both iOS and Android.

Tickets Almost Sold Out

Sonic Temple is nearly sold out—97% of tickets have been sold. Those hoping to attend (with tickets ranging from $174.99 to $529.99) should act fast, as tickets may be gone soon. Tickets are available at sonictemple2025.frontgatetickets.com.

Festival Vibes, Tour Life, and What’s Next for Alice in Chains

Inez is no stranger to festival life. “There’s something special about that ‘gathering of the tribes’ feeling,” he said. “When we played Rock in Rio, there were 200,000 people in one massive mosh pit. It’s a rush like nothing else.”

For Inez, Sonic Temple is also a chance to reconnect with friends he’s made in Columbus during Alice in Chains’ past visits, when the festival was called Rock on the Range.

After Sonic Temple, the band will play shows every other night and participate in festivals in Daytona Beach, Florida, and Ocean City, Maryland.

Inez laughed off the demanding schedule: “We’re used to it. This is a short run compared to our past world tours. We’ve done 43 countries in 41 days before.”

He also shared an interesting tidbit: after the tour, he’ll join Bruno Mars and Elton John in Denmark. Inez previously played bass for John at the Gershwin Awards and on the Alice in Chains tribute track “Black Gives Way to Blue.”

Following that, the band will head to Birmingham, England, for Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne’s farewell show—a “mind-blowing” moment Inez is excited about. (He previously played bass for Osbourne from 1989–1993.)

As for new music? Nothing is currently in the works. “We don’t chase deadlines,” Inez explained. “When the songs come together, that’s when we know it’s time. We let the music guide us.”

Art and Music at Sonic Temple

In addition to the music, this year’s expanded art program will feature live installations from artists across the country, including Columbus locals like Paul Giovis, Paul Rentler (prentler), Sick Icarus Art, and live painter Mandi Caskey (Miss Birdy).

Event Details

When: May 8–11

Where: Historic Crew Stadium, 1 Black and Gold Blvd, Columbus

Gates: Open at 11 a.m. daily

Tickets: $174.99–$529.99, available at sonictemple2025.frontgatetickets.com

Starteelic

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