Cover Photo by @whoiscoop ; Written by Brent Clifton

Since seeing the first fest lineup drop in 2023, I always wondered when I would get the chance to attend Sick New World. As someone who grew up listening to bands like Korn, Linkin Park, System of a Down, Alien Ant Farm, Deftones, Knocked Loose, and other icons, I had always hoped I’d get the opportunity. I have fond memories of buying many of these band’s CDs and spending countless hours listening to them. I honestly never thought it would come to Texas. There was the rumor mill that always said it would come, but I would believe it when I saw it. Then, 2026 came.

Sick New World Texas took place at the Texas Motor Speedway on October 24th. Featuring 4 stages and an incredible lineup, I knew I had to be there. I want to start off by saying this was the biggest fest I have ever attended. I have never seen that many people in a single space before. It was a bit overwhelming, but I got used to it over time.

I started the day off by checking out Showing Teeth. One of the newer bands on the fest, they brought crushing riffs, growls, and impressive clean vocals. Their set was a fantastic start to the day.

The second band I caught was mathcore legends The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza. They brought absolute chaos to the Diablo stage and the crowd loved every second of it. Despite having only a 5 song set, the pits never slowed down.

Alien Ant Farm was the next set I caught. Playing classics like “Wish,” “Movies,” and the cover of Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal,” the band sent me back to the 2000s in the best way possible. It was the kind of set that reminded me why I loved all of these bands growing up.

Knocked Loose might have played a midday time slot, but they commanded the crowd like a headliner. Playing songs such as “Hive Mind,” “Oblivions Peak,” “Mistakes Like Fractures,” and “Suffocate,” the band got the crowd moving. This was especially true at the end when 2 huge walls of death opened at the very end of their set. Having seen the band quite a few times, this was one of their best sets.

I found my way back to the Diablo Stage for a run of bands that showcased just how diverse the festival lineup was. The acts I caught included Deafheaven, Sunami, and Glassjaw. Deafhaven brought their famous blackgaze sound to the stage. Their set brought vibes as well as pits. They had one of the most unique sets of the day. Sunami brought circle pits, two steps and hardcore dancing. The energy never stopped during their set.

Glassjaw brought a packed crowd that jumped and sang every word back to them. Having these three bands all back to back to back at the Diablo Stage showcased the diverse sounds of the fest all in a relatively short time. I made it over to catch the legendary Deftones for the first time. Paired with three different video walls surrounding the stage, the band provided the crowd with an audio and visual experience as they played songs such as “Around The Fur,” “Diamond Eyes,” and more. I didn’t catch the entire set as I also wanted to see the Prodigy which had an overlapping set.

One of my favorite sets of the night had to be the prodigy. I would argue that they should have been on the main stage as they brought the sound, the energy, and the hype to the Spiral Stage. Only catching the second half of their set, they brought the energy and had everyone dancing. Their fearless frontman called for his warriors in the crowd as people danced and lost their minds. The group ended their set with “Breathe,” which turned the crowd into a massive dance party.

After their set. I made my way over to watch System of a Down. I never thought I would see them live. The band played a 90-minute set which featured 25 songs such as “Sugar,” “BYOB,” “Prison Song,” “Aerials,” “Bounce,” and “Chop Suey.” The band had amazing visuals flashing on stage as they ripped through their set. Some of the most memorable moments included hearing 80,000 fans sing the chorus of aerials as well as Daron Malakai’s quote: “Whether you voted red or blue, your government doesn’t give a f*** about you.”

Sick New World ended with a bang. I had very few complaints after seeing so many incredible bands in such a short span. The only real issue was the traffic afterward.

I really hope the festival returns to Texas in 2027. There’s no question that Sick New World belongs here.