New Music Festival Launches With Classic Rock Acts

2024-10-24

Tool.

A new music festival is launching, and it features a bevy of interesting classic rock bands performing over three days. – Author: Charles Ken, Photo via Travis Shinn

The idea of what constitutes classic rock has changed over the years, because as music gets older, even bands that seem young could now be called “classic.” After all, bands such as Linkin Park and 3 Doors Down have actually been around for more than 20 years, and some so-called classic rock radio stations play those bands. In any case, one band who has been around since 1990, so nearly 35 years, has just announced a rock music festival packed with statesmen in the rock world.

The 2025 Destination Festival With Classic Rock and More

Maynard James Keenan and Tool have announced a new, all-inclusive destination festival set for March 7 through 9, 2025, at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino & Royalton Resort in Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. The event will feature headliners Tool, Primus and Mastodon, along with a range of support acts.

The event, called “Tool Live in the Sand,” will also bring live sets from King’s X, Coheed and Cambria, Eagles of Death Metal, Fishbone, Wheel, CKY and Moonwalker. One of the most interesting names on the bill is King’s X, because they are definitely very classic and more in the heavy metal genre. Overall, the festival features a great array of talent and could attract a good number of rock fans.

Tool will perform not one but two unique sets throughout the weekend. During their sets, they’ll be joined by their longtime visual collaborators Alex Grey and Allyson Grey.

The festival will actually mark Tool’s first performance ever in the Caribbean, and to pull it off, they’re teaming up with live event company Festication.

“Feyline is thrilled to curate Tool’s first-ever destination festival, delivering an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experience for their dedicated fans,” Tyler Fey, co-founder of Festication, stated. “This event will fuse world-class music with the luxury of the Dominican Republic, creating an immersive rock adventure like no other.”

“I had a sold-out rave at the State Palace with The Crystal Method and Keoki, and the venue booked Tool on the same night. It was a mess flipping the room,” added Festication co-founder Donnie Estopinal. “There were so many people outside that the cops were going to shut us down, so we just opened the doors at the end of the Tool concert. Anyone who wanted to stay did—and a lot of them stayed. It’s still part of NOLA lore today, and I still see people talking about it on message boards.”

As for what’s included with the event, “Packages include a luxury resort room, unlimited food & drinks for each guest & 3-days of music. Off-site excursions will be available, including snorkeling, catamaran expeditions, rappelling, visits to eco-parks and other activities,” according to a release.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to share the news that Primus, Mastodon, and Coheed and Cambria will be joining us for our first-ever Caribbean performance at ‘Tool in the Sand,'” Tool bass player Justin Chancellor said in a statement. “2025 is shaping up nicely. See you all there for what should be an unforgettable weekend of music.”

Tickets for “Tool Live in the Sand” will go on sale for members of the group’s official fan club, Tool Army, starting at 10 a.m. Pacific time on Tuesday, October 29. As for the general public, they’ll get their hands on tickets starting on Wednesday, October 30, at 10 a.m. Pacific time. More information on tickets and the event is available on the band’s official website.

Charles Ken
Posted by Charles Ken | Music, Rock, Rock News