Top European Hard And Heavy Festivals You Need To See In 2022
Soon to be reality. Source: 6amgroup
After a long pause caused by the still-ongoing worldwide pandemic, it looks like festivals are finally ready to be back in 2022. Many of them are currently adding new acts to the 2022 line-ups, making festival goers across the Old Continent and the rest of the world excited again, hoping to resume where they left off in 2020. One can only assume what the requirements to enter live events would be: from the obligatory tests, vaccination proof or testing points located at festivals where you can get tested upon arrival. It seems that things are finally looking up and that festival goers can start making plans. So if you need an idea on which European festival to visit and where you can get most of the r'n'r thrill you've been longing for, please read on as here you will find a list of top hard and heavy festivals across Europe you are not to miss in 2022!
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I-Days, Milan, Italy; 9-12 June 2022
- Location: Milan, Italy
- Date: 9-12 June 2022
- Official website: www.idays.it
Located in Milan, one of the biggest and most iconic cities in Italy, this festival is all about the rock. Scheduled to take place between 9-12 June 2022, the first day's line-up is yet to be revealed, while the second day will kick off with the legendary US band Aerosmith. While new acts are still being added, the grand finale of this festival will make sure you stay up on your feet - the 4th and closing day of the I-Days Festival is set to feature the alternative rock legends from Seattle the Foo Fighters, the all-female punk rock band L7, as well as one of the biggest pop-funk selling artists Nile Rodgers and Chic. Tickets are currently on sale and can be purchased on the official festival website.
Representing the Seattle sound: Foo Fighters. Source: nme
2. Mad Cool Festival, Madrid, Spain; 6-9 July 2022
Location: Madrid, Spain
Date: 6-9 July 2022
Official website: www.madcoolfestival.es
One of the most beloved festivals in Spain, the Mad Cool festival, will be expanding to four days from next year. This will be its fifth, long-awaited edition. The festival features a mix of world class indie, rock, electronic and other acts and will take place in Spain's capital city of Madrid. The line-up is nothing short of grand: Metallica, Faith No More, The Killers, Muse, Kings of Leon, Imagine Dragons, Twenty One Pilots, Pixies, Placebo. These are only some of the acts set to perform in sunny Madrid in 2022. Tickets can be purchased on the official website currently. This festival gives you a chance to pay for your ticket in monthly installments which is pretty great for those looking to plan ahead and not spend much at once.
Metallica: Always ready to rock you. Source: npr
3. Tons of Rock, Oslo, Norway; 23-25 June 2022
Location: Oslo, Norway
Date: 23-25 June 2022
Official website: https://www.tonsofrock.no
Just by looking at the name of this festival you have to admit it sounds pretty rad. Nothing says rock like "tons of rock". That's only until you hear what the upcoming 2022 line-up is: Iron Maiden, Europe, Mastodon, Sum 41, Bullet for My Valentine, Faith No More, Bring Me the Horizon, The Darkness, Dimmu Borgir, Deep Purple, Sepultura, Opeth, Turbonegro, Within Temptation, Paradise Lost, and not to forget the up-and-coming brand new rock sensation from Italy and winners of this year's Eurovision: Måneskin. The festival has been around since 2013 and takes place just outside of Oslo, Norway. This event offers camping which is already sold out but finding alternative accommodation shouldn't be a problem due to its location. Tickets are still on sale but are soon to be sold out, so hurry up and hit the road towards Norway next summer to see these amazing bands perform on stage at Tons of Rock.
Taking the world by storm: Måneskin. Source: unitedbypop
4. Hellfest Open Air, Clisson, France; 17-26 June 2022
Location: Clisson, France
Date: 17-26 June 2022
Official website: www.hellfest.fr
The now-legendary hard rock and heavy metal festival and one of the biggest open air events in Europe is finally making its comeback in 2022. Located in Clisson, France, this festival gathers thousands of headbangers each summer in the west of France. The next year's line up will feature some of the top-class acts over a span of seven days such as: Guns n' Roses, Metallica, Whitesnake, Alice Cooper, Deftones, Faith No More, Avenged Sevenfold, Deep Purple, Judas Priest, Megadeth, Korn, Nighwish, Helloween and many more. It might sound hard to believe but the 2022 edition will feature 350 bands in total. Very impressive. The only bad news here is that the tickets have been sold out a long time ago, but the good news is that more tickets are soon to be released. So if you feel like visiting one of the biggest and most iconic hard and heavy festivals in Europe, keep an eye on the official website and more tickets to be announced.
Alice Cooper: Bringing the shock rock. Source: ft
5. Novarock, Pannonia Fields, Nickelsdorf, Austria; 9-12 June 2022
Location: Nickelsdorf, Austria
Date: 9-12 June
Official website: www.novarock.at
The Novarock festival has been around since 2005 and is one of the biggest festivals in central Europe.Located in Nickelsdorf, Austria, the good thing about this location is its proximity to Hungary, so if you ever find yourself having trouble finding accommodation during the festival, you would certainly be able to find it in Hungary and commute to the festival daily. The next year's line-up will feature: Muse, Bush, Foo Fighters, Bring Me the Horizon, Korn, Volbeat, In Flames, The Offspring and many more. Tickets are on sale and can be found on the official website.
Still got the punk: The Offspring. Source: theguardian
Other festivals worth mentioning and visiting if you get a chance include the like of the Volt Festival taking place each June in Sopron, Hungary near the Austrian border. This is not a big-venue festival but never fails to deliver with such acts having performed here in the past like Slash and The Conspirators, Iron Maiden, Slipknot, Linkin Park, Papa Roach and Mötorhead among others.
Another gem among European headbanger festivals is Rock for People in Hradec Králové, Czech Republic. This event takes place in July each year as opposed to most of them taking place throughout June. The next year's line-up will include Green Day, Weezer, Fall Out Boy, as well as a great number of other international and local acts. There is a variety of accommodation you can book due to the proximity of Prague, the country's capital, as well as many nearby places and towns.
Last but not least, an absolute champion in the southeast of Europe and the award-winning Exit Festival takes place each first week of July in Novi Sad, Serbia on the 17th century Petrovaradin Fortress overlooking the Danube. Although not exclusively hard and heavy-oriented, this festival features the Explosive Stage where hordes of headbangers gather each summer around some of their favourite acts. This event offers early bird tickets at a very affordable cost that go on sale a few months before the festival takes place, along with various discounts for groups if you're heading to this festival with your friends.