For the its 14th and biggest year, Danny Wimmer’s Aftershock Music Festival has again proved why it is called the West Coast’s Largest Rock, Punk, & Metal Festival.

This last weekend (October 1-4) was truly another legendary occasion with a new lineup featuring a list of industry titans, dozens of long appreciated acts, and as always a bunch of new and excited performers who have found their way into the hearts of countless new fans from all around the world.

In 2025, Aftershock welcomed over 164,000 fans from over 30 countries, generating an estimated $39 million in local economic impact, making it one of the most profitable and prolific events to ever take place in the area. And, while the official numbers have yet to be published, after witnessing the event firsthand it seems like it is on track to do better than ever. Which is why, in June of 2026, The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors approved a 10-year agreement between Sacramento County and Danny Wimmer Presents, authorizing DWP to host Aftershock at Discovery Park through 2035. The agreement keeps the long-standing beloved festival at Discovery Park and supports continued economic growth in the Sacramento region and future improvements at Discovery Park.

With over 140 artists performing across five stages, there was a lot of history made.

The iconic and enduring Emo Band My Chemical Romance spent their time on stage Celebrating 20 years of The Black Parade. On top of that, in a very sweet moment on stage, Gerard Way realized that he was performing on October 1, making that moment extra special as it marked the 25th anniversary of their first-ever performance.

To the surprise of many, the elusive and endlessly talented Wu-Tang Clan came together for a killer show, commanding easily one of the biggest and most energetic crowds of the whole weekend. Even though many attendees were skeptical about what members would show up, we were surprised and in awe to see all living members of  Wu Tang together in the flesh (RZA, GZA, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Method Man, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and Cappadonna) along with Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s son, Young Dirty Bastard. This performance took place on the heels of their nomination for the 2026 Rock & Roll as a part of their Wu-Tang Forever: The Final Chamber Tour

Another fun aspect of the weekend were the remarkable number of Bands who were returning to Sacramento for hometown shows. Oleander (first shows since 2018), Spite, The Story So Far, Dance Gavin Dance (Exclusive Bay Area performance), and DRAIN.