UPDATE: Aerosmith has just been revealed as the final headliner for Roxodus Music Fest — Ontario’s newest rock festival.
The Sweet Emotion rockers will take the stage at Edenvale Airport grounds in Stayner, this summer, on July 14. So far, this is Aerosmith’s only planned Canadian stop and the first in nearly four years.
As a result of this announcement, Roxodus has been extended from a three-day festival to a massive four-day extravaganza.
As well as the Boston-based giants, Matthew Good, Theory of a Deadman and I Mother Earth will take the main stage that Sunday.
Billy Idol was also revealed as part of the massive lineup of rock royalty, along with Blondie, Collective Soul and Big Wreck.
— If you have already purchased weekend tickets, you will be granted access to the July 14 show at no additional cost
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ORIGINAL STORY: Exciting news for Canadian rock fans: a brand new music festival is coming. Roxodus Music Fest is the name and it’s as simple as it sounds — a rock festival.
The four-day celebration is set to take place next summer at the Edenvale Airport grounds in Stayner, about a 90-minute drive north of Toronto. A variety of rock icons have already been announced for the July 11-14 weekend.
Alice Cooper, Nickelback and Cheap Trick will hit the stage, joined by the likes of Lynyrd Skynyrd and Kid Rock, just to name a few.
The attendance of these world-renowned musicians means that Ontario is back on the rockfest scene once more.
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The four-day outing offers a variety of options, including weekend-long camping and a plethora of local and franchise food vendors.
VIP passes will be available for diehard fans looking to get the most out of their weekend. Chartered helicopter or float plane flights will offer an optimal transportation experience throughout the venue grounds.
With opportunities to meet artists and access private spaces, the possibilities keep coming.
The highly-anticipated rockfest takes inspiration from the likes of legendary European music festivals such as Glastonbury, Download or even Rock Am Ring.
Roxodus is expected to be the largest summer rock concert across the nation and has given rockers much hope in a time of desperation.
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The end of the HeavyTO festival in 2014 left Ontarians with no choice but to travel over to Quebec to get their annual dosage of hard rock.
The Montebello Rockfest speaks for hundreds of thousands of headbangers from across the nation every year. That’s what the rest of the country wants.
Downsview Park in Toronto hosted HeavyTO for two years and inevitably flopped following some logistical issues, namely because it’s a government-owned property and sits beside a national airport. The tragic death of Radiohead’s drum tech didn’t add to its credibility as a safe space, either.
The Quebec rockfest provides a full-on camping experience, with food, drinks and suitable grounds — something that has been limited in Ontario due to the lack of an appropriate venue. But now, with the availability of the airport grounds in Stayner, all of these luxuries will become a reality.
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Seeing the decline of the festival scene over the last decade has left many Ontarian rock fans without hope. But so far Roxodus is shaping up as a highly promising experience.
Legendary broadcaster Alan Cross attested to this as well. “We’ve sourced the best of everything, from our astonishing line-up of superstars, to our food and beverage partners, activation areas and creative spaces,” he said as the Roxodus Music Fest ambassador.
“We’re determined to deliver a festival experience unlike any other in Canada,” he added.
Could Roxodus be the festival revival that rockers need?
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General admission tickets are now available. Tier 2 pricing starts at $299 for a full weekend pass and will be available until April 14.
VIP packages are also available and can be purchased through the official Roxodus website.
Here is the updated Roxodus 2019 lineup
July 11
Nickelback
Collective Soul
Big Wreck
Headstones
Honeymoon Suite
Headpins
Lee Aaron
July 12
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Cheap Trick
Billy Idol
Blondie
Prism
Saga
July 13
Kid Rock
Alice Cooper
Peter Frampton
Orianthi
Streetheart
July 14
Aerosmith
Matthew Good
Theory of a Deadman
I Mother Earth
— As of this writing, the full Roxodus lineup has not been announced.
adam.wallis@globalnews.ca