This was my first time at Sonic Temple Art and Music Festival in Columbus, Ohio and let me be very clear when I say it will not be my last.

This festival had five stages including a stage on the field of the Historic Crew Stadium. Depending on the ticket, fans could be in the action on the field or in the stadium seating for the temple stage. All tickets allowed access to the Altar and Cathedral standalone stages, as well as the twin stages, Citadel and Sanctuary.

Seeing every single act is always a challenge at a festival but I was still able to catch over 40 bands. While that’s a drop in the bucket compared to the 140+ bands playing over the four day festival, every single band in attendance left their hearts and souls on those stages. It’s a hard job to figure out who had the best set but here are the top ten that I would be talking about for years to come.

Photos were either personally taken by the author or by the group, the self proclaimed “Wristband Society”, attending the festival with the author.

10. Bloodywood

If we’re talking about a band who absolutely killed it, Bloodywood deserves every ounce of praise that can be given. Bloodywood is from Nu Delhi, India and started out by parodying pop songs on YouTube before becoming the first metal act on Billboard Top 100 in India. Using traditional instruments and sounds, fans both old and new could not help but to absolutely rock out, especially as three of the band members synchronized their epic hair swinging to the music.

9. Left on Red

This set was full of excitement with the crowd already amped up with mosh pits and crowd surfers. During the third song, “GASLIGHT”, the breakdown was led by a clip from the show Spongebob SquarePants saying “Me hoy minoy”. That kicked off a wall of death led by Doodlebob himself and his oversized pencil.

8. State Champs

If you thought pop punk wasn’t going to start a mosh pit or what was essentially a conveyor belt of crowds surfers, you’d be wrong. State Champs played all their hits, including “Elevated” and “Secrets”. While this author has seen State Champs multiple times in the past year alone, they are always a set not to miss.

7. The Plot in You

As an Ohio native band, The Plot in You was sure to bring their best to their home. This set broke out almost immediately into two massive circle pits that lead into crowd surfers floating over a crowd that would have convinced you it was actual waves in the ocean. The stadium was filled with fans singing every single word that made sitting in the stands feel like you were witnessing something truly transcendent.

6. Dance Gavin Dance

Dance Gavin Dance is currently touring their newest album release in September of last year, Pantheon, the album featured the new singer, who proved that he was able to bring the same vibe that DGD fans have come to love and expect. The crowd absolutely lost their mind at classics such as “Uneasy Hearts Weigh the Most” as well as newer hits such as “Midnight at McGuffy’s” and “Trap Door”. DGD closed out the final night on one of the twin stages where fans such as this author spent the entire day waiting for their spot at the barricade. DGD has proved time and time again that even with a change in their members, their distinct sound has only gotten better.

5. Atreyu

Over the years, Atreyu has faced quite a negative reaction to changing their lead vocalist and the fans are proving that they are not quick to forgive. However, with the release of a new album, The End is Not the End, just a month prior to the festival, Atreyu took the stage by playing some of their more well-known hits as well as some of their new songs. No matter the age of the song, fans seem to know every word. The band has changed their style with some of their albums in the past decade, however they always work their way back to the same metal we love, that is almost reminiscent of 80s hair rock.

4. Pierce the Veil

Of course Pierce the Veil was going to draw a massive crowd, especially when opening for My Chemical Romance. Conversations with other festival goes through throughout the day showed that there were fans who only came for Pierce the Veil. Whether you’ve only heard “King For a Day” or if you know even the deepest cuts into their discography, there’s no denying that this set was absolutely wild. This set featured one of the most wholesome and heartwarming moments of the entire weekend- a group of fans in the back of the temple field skipping in a circle during the song “Circles”.

3. Electric Callboy

If you take pure energy, a EDM style beat, catchy lyrics with screamo Bridges, well then you would have Electric Callboy. This set felt like pure chaos on an acid trip, but in the best way possible. The band was set on a midsize stage which just felt so wrong for them, as the crowd overflowed in every direction. While at this set, my smart watch auto detected a “dance” workout. The crowd NEVER settled from the moment the band walked on stage to the time they left.

2. My Chemical Romance

As the headliner for the first night of the festival, MCR played their entire Black Parade album paired with the theatrical effects fans have come to love and expect. The show was completed with costumes, exploding clowns, and of course- blood. Blood. Gallons of the stuff. An encore included some hit songs featured on other MCR albums, such as “Helena” and “I’m Not Okay”. All of the Temple Stage, from field to stadium, was filled to the brim with fans both old and new singing these songs that remind us all that we will carry on. Not to get too personal here, but this was the first show I’ve ever cried at. As a seasoned concert goer, I am always there to vibe but there is just something about seeing the 20th anniversary tour with the same best friend that listened to the album with you on release day back in middle school. If Sonic’s goal was to make us feel all the nostalgia, they definitely succeeded.

1. Bring Me the Horizon

First things first: I never expected anyone to top MCR for me but Bring Me the Horizon clutched this spot for multiple reasons. This show was the headline for Saturday, the third day of the festival. Similarly to the headliners for the first two days, the crew stadium was packed. To start, BMTH basically built a video game for this tour. Can you imagine the amount of coding and graphic design that went into all of that?!? Major shout out to all the computer scientists out there making cool shit like that. The fan interaction during this set was unmatched. While some of this was part of their normal act on their current tour, it still felt so insanely personal. Lead vocalist, Oli Skyes, sang multiple songs in the crowd. From letting a fan sing an entire song, visiting with cancer survivors, to even stealing a fan’s hat, he seemed content singing next to his fans instead of to them. We are so here for it. Lastly, the band’s pure excitement to be there. Of course fans were excited to see BMTH but on multiple occasions throughout the night, Sykes remarked on what an honor it was to be playing what was their first headliner spot in a festival. As the crowd sang together, it was a powerful reminder that music connects us by creating a sense of belonging that can be hard to find anywhere else.

Sonic Temple Art and Music festival was full of amazing music, a community feeling, and impressive artists that kept you busy for all four days of the festival. The grounds are spacious with tons of grassy spots (that I definitely napped on between sets). It felt like four days worth of love, connection, music, and pure bliss.

Be sure to check our socials to see more Sonic Temple coverage and keep an eye out for what festival we’ll cover next! If you were at Sonic, let us know who your top ten were!