Rock on the Range Overview:

Rock on the Range is an early-summer concert that brings together hard rock and metal bands every May to Columbus, Ohio, for a weekend festival. The festival began in 2007, but the organizers have significantly expanded the lineup in subsequent years, turning the daylong event into a two-day affair. (In 2011, it became a three-day festival.) Rock on the Range’s motto is “Where Rock Lives,” which is a handy way to describe the bands that appear at the festival.

Shunning modern rock and indie bands, Rock on the Range caters to devotees of no-bull arena rock by bringing in mainstream acts with a penchant for loud guitars and snarling attitude.

Rock on the Range's First Year (2007):

Rock on the Range made its debut on May 19, 2007, at the Columbus Crew Stadium in Ohio. Beginning a tradition that would continue in future editions, the first Rock on the Range featured mostly contemporary bands but also included a celebrated veteran act – in this case, ZZ Top. Other major draws for the 2007 concert were Velvet Revolver, Hinder, Papa Roach, Black Stone Cherry and Evanescence. The 12-hour event brought in an estimated 30,000 ticket buyers.

Expanding the Lineup (2008):

Buoyed by the success of their first edition, the Rock on the Range organizers returned the following year, expanding to become a two-day festival that ran May 17-18, 2008. The expanded lineup allowed for a more eclectic collection of bands – everyone from 3 Doors Down to Staind to Kid Rock to Filter to Serj Tankian to Red – but again the biggest band of the festival was an older group, Stone Temple Pilots.

Demonstrating the festival’s growing clout, the STP performance launched the band’s heavily-hyped comeback tour. The second edition of Rock on the Range drew over 55,000 fans.

Going Green and Traveling to Canada (2009):

For 2009, Rock on the Range decided to shake up a few things while adhering to its original mission statement. As in previous years, a celebrated older group, Mötley Crüe, were the headliners of the May 16-17 event. But the festival added an extra stage for performances and featured a “Go Green” initiative online where fans could trade in old cell phones and MP3 players for a chance to win tickets or festival memorabilia. Also for the first time, Rock on the Range had a Canadian date, bringing two stages worth of hard rock bands to the Canad Inns Stadium in Winnipeg on June 27.

Rock on the Range Welcomes Limp Bizkit, Slash (2010):

Rock on the Range 2010 was held May 22 and 23 in Columbus, Ohio. Among the lineup was Slash, Limp Bizkit, Seether, Deftones, Godsmack and Rob Zombie. The 2010 edition broke attendance records for the festival, bringing in a crowd of more than 60,000 patrons. As in 2009, Rock on the Range also featured a performance in Canada, visiting the Canad Inns Stadium in Winnipeg on August 7 with headliner Stone Temple Pilots.

A Perfect Circle Reunite for Rock on the Range (2011):

Rock on the Range 2011 was held May 21-22. Featuring three stages, this year's edition was highlighted by a performance from the newly reunited A Perfect Circle. In addition, the festival spotlighted bands that have played in previous years, like Korn, Disturbed and Avenged Sevenfold.

Incubus and Marilyn Manson Make Their Rock on the Range Debut (2012):

For the 2012 installment, Rock on the Range welcomed Incubus and Marilyn Manson for the first time. The sixth edition of the festival will take place May 18-20.