Last weekend, I was able to attend Sonic Temple in Columbus, OH and boy was it an amazing event this year. So many bands and an unending supply of heavy breakdowns and killer riffs that left the crowds faces melted.
We had the opportunity on day one to “ride the rail” at the sanctuary all day and had perfect visibility of both Citadel and Sanctuary Stages being next to each other. It was the first time we’ve done that and it was pretty cool when the surfers came in security would just lean over and grab them. If you ever get the opportunity to be on the front barricade and are worried about those things like me you don’t have to be afraid of them.
When not at the sanctuary, moving through most of the crowds and get a decent standing position at every stage was pretty simple. The way it was set up was perfect for all types of concert listeners. Whether you are committed to being in the front or just hanging out in the back taking in the vibes and jamming out you never get the feeling of being unable to have fun because of your location.
The water refill stations were–plain and simple– too far away to only have one in the entire festival grounds. When you have to walk the entire length of the grounds to get some vitally important water, it just doesn’t work. An event space like this NEEDS to have at least two big water stations.
I asked my concert buddy what her thoughts on this years Sonic Temple was and this is what she had to say:
“I went in 2025, they made a few changes since then like adding another stage for more bands. Where I did enjoy the fact that there was another stage that helped with the crowd a lot, they seemed to cut down on water stations. If it was a choice of one or the other I much rather have another water station that’s easily accessible. Once the day went on the line was long and took more time to refill.
The amount of bands that were there was amazing. Non stop action kept the day going and I got to see many bands I love and listen to on the daily. Even when there weren’t any bands playing there were the Secret Walls you could sit in the grass and watch. However I do wish there was a bigger art tent like last year. We unfortunately did not spend a lot of time in the art tent due to it being so small and not as many artists as last year. The change they made to the band options I believe made a huge difference. Last year the stadium and floor were overpacked and it was difficult to find anywhere to sit or stand. This year it was more spread out and easier to get places GA+. No band at Temple stadium was hard to watch or missed because of it being overpacked.
Staff was on top of everything. The minute someone needed medical attention they ran over immediately to help. Security helped make everyone feel safe and the real MVPs for catching all the crowd surfers.”
There was one day where there was a weather delay, and notifications and communication were on top of it to make sure everyone was safe. Parking was made simple and easy with the parking passes and signs showing where you were to go.
If you want to go to a festival for the first time, Sonic Temple is the best one to go to. It’s not too hot, it’s loaded with experiences, and you can sit in the lawn and enjoy music and a rest! Our friend group has decided to commit to sonic temple every year now. We love it and I know you will too.
Until next time keep bang n’ your head, jammn’ John out.
