The 2023 Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival just took place in Columbus, Ohio, delivering many memorable performances over its four-day run from Thursday (May 25th) to Sunday (May 28th). Headliners included Foo Fighters, Tool, KISS, and Avenged Sevenfold.
Tool had the honor of headlining the first night, with singer Maynard James Keenan trading his headline-making drag outfit from a week prior at Welcome to Rockville for a white dress shirt and vest. His blonde wig remained as the progressive metal band played a 10-song set to close out the evening. Other acts that day included Godsmack, Beartooth, Bullet for My Valentine, Pennywise, Bad Omens, Suicidal Tendencies, and more.
Friday saw Avenged Sevenfold headline with an 11-song set, including three tunes from their upcoming album, Life Is But a Dream. Among the other highlights was Queens of the Stone Age’s first show in three years, as frontman Josh Homme and company debuted their single “Emotion Sickness” from forthcoming album In Times New Roman. Chevelle, Knocked Loose, Converge, Band-Maid, and others also played on Friday.
Saturday marked KISS’ first US gig of 2023, as the legendary rock act played 18 songs, culminating with the iconic “Rock and Roll All Nite.” The band is in the midst of its farewell tour, which is scheduled to wrap up in December with two shows at New York City’s Madison Square Garden. That day also saw Maynard James Keenan return with his band Puscifer, as well as sets by Rob Zombie, Trivium, and others.
On Sunday, Foo Fighters closed out the festival by playing their third show with new touring drummer Josh Freese, who is filling the shoes of the late Taylor Hawkins. One memorable moment of the set included a medley of songs by Devo, Nine Inch Nails, and Puddle of Mudd to showcase Freese’s long list of bands he’s been associated with over the years. Deftones also rocked the Sunday bill, as did Sublime with Rome, Jawbreaker, The Pretty Reckless, and more.
See our extensive photo gallery of the 2023 Sonic Temple festival below.
2023 Sonic Temple Festival Photo Gallery (click to expand and scroll through):
Foo Fighters, photo by Alex Kluft
Foo Fighters, photo by Alex Kluft
Foo Fighters, photo by Alex Kluft
Foo Fighters, photo by Alex Kluft
Foo Fighters, photo by Alex Kluft
Foo Fighters, photo by Alex Kluft
Foo Fighters, photo by Alex Kluft
Foo Fighters at Sonic Temple, photo by Alex Kluft
Foo Fighters, photo by Alex Kluft
Foo Fighters, photo by Alex Kluft
Foo Fighters, photo by Alex Kluft
Foo Fighters, photo by Alex Kluft
Tool, photo by Alex Kluft
Tool, photo by Alex Kluft
Tool, photo by Alex Kluft
Tool, photo by Alex Kluft
Tool, photo by Alex Kluft
Tool, photo by Alex Kluft
Tool, photo by Alex Kluft
Avenged Sevenfold, photo by Alex Kluft
Avenged Sevenfold, photo by Alex Kluft
Avenged Sevenfold, photo by Alex Kluft
Avenged Sevenfold, photo by Alex Kluft
Avenged Sevenfold, photo by Alex Kluft
Avenged Sevenfold, photo by Alex Kluft
Avenged Sevenfold, photo by Alex Kluft
Avenged Sevenfold, photo by Alex Kluft
KISS, photo by Alex Kluft
KISS, photo by Alex Kluft
KISS, photo by Alex Kluft
KISS, photo by Alex Kluft
KISS, photo by Alex Kluft
KISS, photo by Alex Kluft
KISS, photo by Alex Kluft
Queens of the Stone Age at Sonic Temple, photo by Alex Kluft
Queens of the Stone Age, photo by Alex Kluft
Queens of the Stone Age, photo by Alex Kuft
Queens of the Stone Age, photo by Alex Kluft
Queens of the Stone Age, photo by Alex Kluft
Deftones, photo by Alex Kluft
Deftones, photo by Alex Kluft
Deftones, photo by Alex Kluft
Deftones, photo by Alex Kluft
Deftones, photo by Alex Kluft
Deftones, photo by Alex Kluft
Deftones, photo by Alex Kluft
Puscifer, photo by Alex Kluft
Puscifer, photo by Alex Kluft
Puscifer, photo by Alex Kluft
Puscifer, photo by Alex Kluft
Puscifer, photo by Alex Kluft
Deftones, photo by Alex Kluft
Puscifer, photo by Alex Kluft
Avatar, photo by Alex Kluft
Avatar, photo by Alex Kluft
Avatar, photo by Alex Kluft
Yelawolf, photo by Alex Kluft
Yelawolf, photo by Alex Kluft
Yelawolf, photo by Alex Kluft
Senses Fail, photo by Alex Kluft
Senses Fail, photo by Alex Kluft
Senses Fail, photo by Alex Kluft
Falling in Reverse, photo by Alex Kluft
Falling in Reverse, photo by Alex Kluft
From Ashes to New, photo by Alex Kluft
From Ashes to New, photo by Alex Kluft
Trivium, photo by Alex Kluft
Trivium, photo by Alex Kluft
Trivium, photo by Alex Kluft
Trivium, photo by Alex Kluft
Attila, photo by Alex Kluft
Attila, photo by Alex Kluft
Rival Sons, photo by Alex Kluft
Rival Sons, photo by Alex Kluft
Rival Sons, photo by Alex Kluft
Over the Moon, photo by Alex Kluft
Over the Moon, photo by Alex Kluft
I Prevail, photo by Alex Kluft
I Prevail, photo by Alex Kluft
Knocked Loose, photo by Alex Kluft
Knocked Loose, photo by Alex Kluft
Converge, photo by Alex Kluft
Converge, photo by Alex Kluft
Converge, photo by Alex Kluft
Converge, photo by Alex Kluft
Chevelle, photo by Alex Kluft
Chevelle, photo by Alex Kluft
Chevelle, photo by Alex Kluft
Dorothy, photo by Alex Kluft
Dorothy, photo by Alex Kluft
Band-Maid, photo by Alex Kluft
Band-Maid, photo by Alex Kluft
Band-Maid, photo by Alex Kluft
Band-Maid, photo by Alex Kluft
Born of Osiris, photo by Alex Kluft
Born of Osiris, photo by Alex Kluft
Black Stone Cherry, photo by Alex Kluft
Black Stone Cherry, photo by Alex Kluft
Des Rocs, photo by Alex Kluft
Des Rocs, photo by Alex Kluft
Vended, photo by Alex Kluft
Vended, photo by Alex Kluft
Vended, photo by Alex Kluft
Bullet for My Valentine, photo by Alex Kluft
Bullet for My Valentine, photo by Alex Kluft
Bullet for My Valentine, photo by Alex Kluft
Suicidal Tendencies, photo by Alex Kluft
Suicidal Tendencies, photo by Alex Kluft
Suicidal Tendencies, photo by Alex Kluft
Suicidal Tendencies, photo by Alex Kluft
Suicidal Tendencies, photo by Alex Kluft
Suicidal Tendencies, photo by Alex Kluft
Suicidal Tendencies, photo by Alex Kluft
Godsmack, photo by Alex Kluft
Godsmack, photo by Alex Kluft
Godsmack, photo by Alex Kluft
Godsmack, photo by Alex Kluft
Godsmack, photo by Alex Kluft
Sublime with Rome, photo by Alex Kluft
Sublime with Rome, photo by Alex Kluft
Sublime with Rome, photo by Alex Kluft
Sublime with Rome, photo by Alex Kluft
Bad Omens, photo by Alex Kluft
Bad Omens, photo by Alex Kluft
Bad Omens, photo by Alex Kluft
Bad Omens, photo by Alex Kluft
Ho99o9, photo by Alex Kluft
Ho99o9, photo by Alex Kluft
Ho99o9, photo by Alex Kluft
Beartooth, photo by Alex Kluft
Beartooth, photo by Alex Kluft
AWOLNATION, photo by Alex Kluft
AWOLNATION, photo by Alex Kluft
Anti-Flag, photo by Alex Kluft
Anti-Flag, photo by Alex Kluft
Anti-Flag, photo by Alex Kluft
Angel Dust, photo by Alex Kluft
Angel Dust, photo by Alex Kluft
Angel Dust, photo by Alex Kluft
Filter, photo by Alex Kluft
Filter, photo by Alex Kluft
Filter, photo by Alex Kluft
Filter, photo by Alex Kluft
Pennywise, photo by Alex Kluft
Pennywise, photo by Alex Kluft
Pennywise, photo by Alex Kluft
Pennywise, photo by Alex Kluft
Jawbreaker, photo by Alex Kluft
Jawbreaker, photo by Alex Kluft
Jawbreaker, photo by Alex Kluft
Jawbreaker, photo by Alex Kluft
Bloodywood, photo by Alex Kluft
Bloodywood, photo by Alex Kluft
Bloodywood, photo by Alex Kluft
Miss May I, photo by Alex Kluft
Miss May I, photo by Alex Kluft
The Pretty Reckless, photo by Alex Kluft
The Pretty Reckless, photo by Alex Kluft
The Pretty Reckless, photo by Alex Kluft
The Pretty Reckless, photo by Alex Kluft
Bones UK, photo by Alex Kluft
Bones UK, photo by Alex Kluft
Bones UK, photo by Alex Kluft
Starcrawler, photo by Alex Kluft
Starcrawler, photo by Alex Kluft
Starcrawler, photo by Alex Kluft
Nothing More, photo by Alex Kluft
Nothing More, photo by Alex Kluft
Nothing More, photo by Alex Kluft
Nothing More, photo by Alex Kluft
Holy Wars, photo by Alex Kluft
Holy Wars, photo by Alex Kluft
Holy Wars, photo by Alex Kluft
