Aftershock 2023 lineup unveiled: These bands will rock Sacramento at four-day music festival

Chris Macias
·4 min read

Over four days in October, Discovery Park in Sacramento will rock from the heaviest of headbangers to classic acts and burgeoning bands. Along with previously announced headliners Guns N’ Roses and Pantera, Aftershock 2023 festival will feature such marquee rock acts as Tool, Korn, Avenged Sevenfold, Godsmack, Incubus and Megadeth.

In all, nearly 100 bands will perform over this year’s Aftershock run.

The festival, which drew a combined crowd of 160,000 in 2022, is set for Oct. 5 through Oct. 8. Since launching as a single-day festival in 2012, Aftershock has emerged as one of the nation’s leading rock festivals.

In 2021, the concert trade publication Pollstar ranked Aftershock as the world’s third-highest grossing music festival.

Aftershock is produced by Danny Wimmer Presents, a Los Angeles-based company that organizes and promotes rock festivals around the country including Louder Than Life in Louisville and Welcome to Rockville at the Daytona International Speedway.

“We are so grateful for our partnership with the city and county of Sacramento,” says Danny Hayes, CEO of Danny Wimmer Presents. “Together we have built a worldwide brand that attracts attendees from all over the globe and gives them the chance to experience what makes Sacramento so special.

“We are honored by how we have been embraced by the greater Sacramento community and look forward to many more years of success here.”

M. Shadows, left, performs with Avenged Sevenfold at the Las Rageous music festival in 2017. The Huntington Beach band will headline the first day of the Aftershock music festival at Discovery Park in October.
M. Shadows, left, performs with Avenged Sevenfold at the Las Rageous music festival in 2017. The Huntington Beach band will headline the first day of the Aftershock music festival at Discovery Park in October.

The 2023 edition of Aftershock kicks off Thursday, Oct. 5, with headliners Avenged Sevenfold, the heavy metal band from Huntington Beach that also played at Aftershock in 2013 and 2016. Other highlights from the day’s bill include sets by Incubus, The Cult, AFI and Turnstile, the crossover hardcore band that will also open for blink-182 at Sacramento’s Golden 1 Center in June.

Prog-metal icons Tool will headline Friday, Oct. 6, and also make an Aftershock return following appearances in 2016 and 2019. The day will mosh along with sets from Megadeth, Godsmack, Limp Bizkit, Coheed and Cambria and nearly two-dozen other bands.

Oct. 7 will feature a headlining set from Korn, the nu-metal favorites who are Aftershock vets from 2013, 2016 and 2019. The Saturday bill includes a spectrum of hard rock music that ranges from the Japanese all-female band Babymetal, to alternative rockers 311 and Pantera, the icons of power-metal who have resurrected the band following the passing of guitarist “Dimebag” Darrell and drummer Vinnie Paul.

Korn rocks out during their set at the Carolina Rebellion Festival in 2015. The Bakersfield-native hard rock band returns for its fourth visit to the Aftershock music festival this October in Discovery Park.
Korn rocks out during their set at the Carolina Rebellion Festival in 2015. The Bakersfield-native hard rock band returns for its fourth visit to the Aftershock music festival this October in Discovery Park.

Aftershock closes out on Oct. 8 with “Sweet Child O’ Mine” ringing near the Sacramento River from headliners Guns N’ Roses. The final day also features appearances from Queens of the Stone Age, Rancid, Daughtry and Sacramento’s own Dance Gavin Dance.

The size and scope of the festival is expected to provide a spike to the local economy. According to Visit Sacramento, the 2022 edition of Aftershock resulted in an economic boost of $26.7 million that included more than $1.5 million in tax revenues and supported 7,181 jobs.

“Aftershock has become synonymous with Sacramento, and we couldn’t be more excited for the festival to be back this fall with such an incredible lineup,” said Mike Testa, president and CEO of Visit Sacramento in a statement. “The city is already gearing up to welcome rock fans from across the country and around the world. Aftershock supports our local businesses, creates jobs and brings unmatched music to our city – October can’t come fast enough.”

Aftershock 2023 arrives as the city is making a concerted effort for Sacramento to be known as much for its music festivals as its restaurants.

In 2022, $1.5 million was approved by Sacramento City Council to support festivals and events. The funds were issued to Visit Sacramento, which in turn helped secure GoldenSky, a country music festival produced by Danny Wimmer Presents on the weekend following Aftershock. This year, GoldenSky will be held Oct. 14 and Oct. 15 at Discovery Park with Eric Church, Elle King and Wynonna Judd among its headliners.

“We are working hard to make ourselves a City of Festivals,” said Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg, in a 2022 interview with The Bee. “I’m not afraid to champion investing public resources in building the creative economy, and that’s exactly what we’re doing. … It’s part of building a great city.”

Organizers anticipate that tickets for Aftershock 2023 will sell out. Passes are on sale now starting at $10 down through March 31. Weekend general admission passes start at $379 plus fees and $699 plus fees for weekend VIP. Prices will increase in the coming weeks.

Visit aftershockfestival.com for more on tickets, full artist lineup, hotel packages and other festival information.