Inkcarceration Festival 2024: Final Day Recap
If you missed reading our recap for the previous days, check out day one here, and day two here.
Following two days of headbanging anthems and tattooed mosh pits, that had left their mark on the Ohio State Reformatory grounds, Inkcarceration 2024 set course towards its finale, a hint of fatigue hanging in the faces of thousands of music diehards gathered for one last hurrah, hoarse from belting lyrics and limbs pleasantly sore. Sure, the lineup for July 21st skewed a touch mellower compared to the previous two days of unrestrained rock and metal fury, but whispers of a “denouement” quickly dissolved as the opening chords ripped through the Mansfield air. This final act wouldn’t be a whimper, it would be a chance to savor the shared experience, a night of unexpected delights nestled amongst familiar favorites.
Among the ensemble of groups set to ignite the final celebration of modern rock under the July sky, From Ashes To New stood as a clear highlight. Known for their high-energy performances and a knack for crafting anthems that have garnered significant attention through online streaming sites, they left a deep impression with a potent mixture of punchy grooves and rap/industrial electronic elements, culminating in a concise set of catchy and impactful songs performed with a truckload of passion. Between the forceful melodic howl of lead vocalist Danny Case and his rapping co-frontman counterpart Matt Brandyberry, this quartet plus touring guitarist Jimmy Bennett took the concept of energetic stage presence to an expert level, delivering a stellar 30-minute set in the early afternoon hours with based entries like recent hit singles “Barely Breathing” and “Nightmare” being standout showings that had every single body in the crowd below moshing like madmen.
The Sunday of Inkcarceration took a sweet turn with the arrival of Florida’s emo royalty, Sleeping With Sirens. Fresh off a heavy touring cycle for their late 2022 album Complete Collapse, their set was a welcome dose of familiarity. Lead vocalist Kellin Quinn unleashed his signature soaring vocals, while the rest of the five-piece band became a whirlwind of energy on stage. Guitarist Tony Pizzuti navigated the band’s brand of pop-infused post-hardcore with impressive dexterity, but it was Quinn who truly owned the spotlight. His flailing limbs and electrifying stage presence were a throwback to the swoopy hair and skinny jeans era of the 2010s, and the crowd ate it up. The air crackled with singalongs as anthems like “Don’t Let The Party Die,” “Do It Now, Remember It Later,” and “If You Can’t Hang” erupted one after another, making it a set that defied its brevity.
A wave of Celtic rebellion spiked with a healthy dose of punk fury, washed over the Ohio prison grounds courtesy of the ever-energetic Dropkick Murphys. Hailing from Massachusetts, these veterans weren’t just playing a gig – they were throwing a party, fueled by a potent brew that felt suspiciously close to pure, unadulterated fun, and the air crackling with the electric connection between them and the crowd. Irish pipes shrieked, whistles trilled, accordions wheezed, guitars roared, and drums pounded out a rhythm that resonated deep within every soul present. A sea of voices drowned out the stage at times, belting out the lyrics to Dropkick classics like “Rose Tattoo,” “I’m Shipping Up To Boston,” and “Going Out In Style,” in some sort of communal celebration, a yearning for the nearest pub and a night of shared revelry that transcended the prison walls.
As the sun blazed overhead, Shadows Fall came roaring, casting a darker, heavier atmosphere over the day’s proceedings. Their performance had the same fierce resurgence they have been exuding since their return in 2021, and they aimed to dominate. Unrelenting and intense, they pummeled the open air with a set, which we wished was longer.
Vocalist Brian Fair, his dreadlocks cascading down to his ankles, constantly urged the crowd to jump and head-bang and did so himself (we can only imagine the strength needed to move such a massive amount of hair). Drummer Jason Bittner attacked his kit with his signature relentless precision, and lead guitarist Jon Donais shredded with a fervor that seemed as boundless as his non-stop headbanging, while bassist Paul Romanko and guitarist Matt Bachand‘s frenetic energy, kept the brutal energy dialed to 11. The crowd responded with sheer pandemonium to cuts like “Fire From the Sky” and “Eternity Is Within,” making it clear that Shadows Fall’s electrifying presence was on a whole different level.
The pure aggression brought forth by Shadows Fall was peppered with a dosage of melody and breakdowns with the arrivals of Australian metalcore titans Parkway Drive. Sure, they might not have the same level of mainstream recognition in the States as they do back home, but the masses that gathered for their set roared their disagreement. Their set was one of the most metallic offering of Inkcarceration’s final day, and the Aussies surely didn’t disappoint.
Their stage presence was as usual as massive as the hooks in their anthemic songs. Dry ice choked the air, and pyro cannons erupted around the stage, transforming the open field into a fiery spectacle that mirrored the intensity of their music. The deep and at times guttural shouts of front man Winston McCall and the battery of riffs and grooves provided by the rest of the quintet was nothing short of thunderous, with frequent live staples like “Bottom Feeder”, “Glitch” and “The Void” marking the high points of a consistent display of energy and visual excellence.
As the sun began its descent below the horizon, alternative metal stalwarts Of Mice And Men readied to attempt to ratchet up the intensity even further at the Redemption stage. Thousands would flock to their location with an unrelenting sense of anticipation hanging in the air. Frontman Aaron Pauley commanded the stage; leaping and bounding with an unbridled level of infectious energy as he seamlessly shifted between a harsh array of hardcore shouts painting the verses and a clean-cut bellowing baritone during each soaring chorus hook.
Guitarists Phil Manansala and Alan Ashby were no less active in bringing a sense of fervor to the stage, alongside drummer Valentino Arteaga as he exaggerated every movement about his kit for maximum visual impact. The audience reciprocated the energy being projected upon them to the highest degree, so much so that the band’s rendition of “Would You Still Be There” was cut short and their pummeling performance of “The Depths” restarted in response to crowd injuries, but their blistering showings of “Obsolete” and “You Make Me Sick” shook the pillars with the best of them minus any unfortunate misadventures in the pit.
With the evening sky now hanging overhead, the atmosphere below would take on a more measured and rocking demeanor courtesy of Christian alternative metal impresario act Skillet. The blend of industrial/electronic and hard rocking styles that would flow forth from this Memphis-born quartet would strike a more moderated tone compared to the raw aggression that had preceded them, but the audience response was by no means lessened due to the enthusiastic display that came with the more simplistic and streamlined musical approach.
Helmsman and lead vocalist John Cooper delivered a master class in showmanship, punctuated by his customary use of hand dry ice cannons and jumping like a madman while slapping his bass at times, in between delivering infectious melodic hooks via his semi-gritty wail, with drummer Jen Ledger regularly chiming in while keeping the groove steady and solid. Their set was a familiar selection of banger entries that largely mirrored the one they had featured on their frequent appearances earlier this summer, kicking things off with fan favorite “Feel Invincible” and featuring numerous other highlight entries of mid-paced, arena-tinged alternative metal stylings like “Legendary”, “Comatose” and climactic show closer “The Resistance”, but the elation of the swarm of bodies screaming their lungs out from behind the barricades was no lesser for it.
As night painted the sky inky black, Florida’s hard rock veterans, Shinedown, took the stage, ready to bring Inkcarceration 2024 to an electrifying close. As a band that has been difficult to categorize throughout their more than 2 decades on the scene, they proved to be a fitting act to sign off on given their eclectic character, with little mystery being left as to why they’ve climbed the modern rock scene to achieve headliner status, as they tantalized the massive hordes throughout a phenomenal 14 song set.
The set launched with a sonic boom – “Devil,” the opening track from their 2018 masterpiece, Attention Attention, a fist-pumping anthem declaring “It’s about to get heavy!” The statement wasn’t a lie. Walls of distorted guitars slammed into the audience, perfectly punctuated by Barry Kerch‘s pounding drums. Towers of flame erupted in time with the song’s most explosive moments, igniting the already fervent energy.
Shinedown‘s genuine connection with the crowd became a highlight of this unforgettable night. Before diving into the pop-tinged “State Of My Head,” vocalist Brent Smith expressed heartfelt gratitude for the audience. He encouraged everyone to greet their neighbors, a gesture that embodied Shinedown’s unwavering message of unity and acceptance. Picking a single standout moment felt impossible. There was their signature rendition of Lynyrd Skynyrd‘s “Simple Man,” a staple of their live shows, and the set-closing scorcher “Cut The Cord,” an anthem seemingly designed to keep fists pumping long after the final note. But these were merely the peaks of a magnificent performance. We’d be remiss not to mention the poignant power ballad “Monsters” and the raw, confessional beauty of “A Symptom Of Being Human.”
After the masses dispersed to their temporary abodes for a needed rest after one more rocking trip into the breach, the echoes of the colossal undertaking that had just beheld over the past 3 days undoubtedly lingered in the minds of every single attendee. Inkarceration, once again, wasn’t just about crushing guitars or skin art; it was a celebration of the unifying power of rock in all its forms, a sentiment that has been resonating louder and louder ever since the festival’s debut in 2018.
For those who cling to the outdated notion of a dying rock scene in the US, Inkcarceration – and any of the DWP music festivals, if we are being honest – serves as a powerful counterpoint. The energy, the passion, the sheer volume of bodies surging forward said it all… it was a living, breathing rebuttal etched as deeply as any fresh tattoo. Rock isn’t dead; it is thriving, evolving, and ready to keep the mosh pits churning for years to come, and you can count on Inkcarceration to keep doing so.
Special thanks to Jonathan Smith for his writing contributions to this article.
