The 2026 edition featured some of the biggest names in rock and metal, including Volbeat, The Cure, Iron Maiden and Bring Me The Horizon. They were joined by an equally strong supporting line-up featuring Bad Omens, Sex Pistols, Sabaton, The Offspring, A Day To Remember and Three Days Grace.
This year’s festival officially kicked off on Thursday, June 11, although the arrival process had already begun earlier in the week. The organisers once again staggered access to the site: Caravan campers were the first to move in, while regular campers were welcomed on Wednesday. Although the live programme did not start until Thursday, parts of the festival grounds were already open the day before, with only the areas directly in front of the stages remaining closed.
Nova Rock is spread across a huge open area surrounded by wind turbines, giving the festival a distinctive atmosphere from the moment you arrive. A fully functioning festival city seems to emerge in the middle of nowhere. Alongside the two main stages – the Blue Stage and the Red Stage – the Red Bull Stage also plays a key role, showcasing smaller yet hugely popular acts. Beyond the music, visitors can enjoy a wide range of food and drink options, a market area, merch stands, a Ferris wheel, a roller-skating disco and even bungee jumping.
We checked into the Green Camping area on Wednesday evening, which filled up quickly as many festivalgoers had already secured their spots earlier. This campsite is the closest one to the stages, making it the most convenient option, although that also means it comes with a bit more noise. We chose it for its practicality and cleanliness, and in the end, we were completely satisfied with our decision.
Since we saw a huge number of bands over the weekend and only caught parts of some sets, I’ll be highlighting the acts that stood out to me the most, day by day. As you can probably guess, what follows is a completely subjective selection of personal highlights.
June 11 – Thursday
The opening day’s headliner delivered what was, for me, one of the festival’s strongest sets. Alongside Bad Omens, bands like Black Veil Brides and Bilmuri were also high on my list of must-see acts. I had kept an eye on Black Veil Brides over the years, but I wasn’t too familiar with their music, while I had previously seen Bilmuri in Budapest when they opened for Sleep Token.
Black Veil Brides delivered a strong set, but unfortunately the vocals were mixed too low. It was a shame, because Andy’s voice sounded remarkably distinctive and clear live. Part of the Nova Rock experience is that major acts often perform on different stages with overlapping schedules or only a short gap between them. As a result, moving back and forth between concerts becomes part of the routine. We made sure to arrive early enough for Bad Omens, which also gave us the chance to catch Kaleo’s set in full beforehand.
This was probably the only scheduling decision we found questionable, along with the decision to move Palaye Royale to one of the smaller stages. Kaleo, best known for their hit Way Down We Go, are undoubtedly a talented and enjoyable live band, but the crowd gathering in anticipation of Bad Omens was clearly in the mood for something entirely different. Their set would likely have made a much bigger impact on the Red Bull Stage.
Bad Omens, on the other hand, were absolutely worth the wait. Noah’s stage presence was flawless, and the sound, visuals, and setlist came together perfectly, making the hour-and-fifteen-minute set fly by in what felt like no time at all (although, let’s be honest, an hour and fifteen minutes goes by pretty quickly anyway).
Volbeat had already started their show on the other stage before Bad Omens finished, but we decided to stay until the very end, so I can’t really say how many people left early to catch them. To top off the evening, I even managed to catch a guitar pick, which felt like the perfect way to end the night.
June 12 – Friday
Friday was one of those days where you had to buckle up and prepare for a marathon. The action kicked off at 4 PM with President, followed by Breaking Benjamin. After that, we partied our way through Melrose Avenue’s set and later caught The Pretty Reckless before taking a short breather ahead of Ice Nine Kills, whose set didn’t begin until close to midnight.
I had already seen President earlier this year when they opened for Architects in Budapest. I think their music benefits from a darker, more atmospheric setting, which fits perfectly with the masked, shadowy aesthetic they represent. Alongside their own material, they also performed Deftones’ legendary Change, which definitely wasn’t on my festival bingo card, but somehow it worked surprisingly well.
For many in the audience, The Pretty Reckless were a new discovery, and from what I could see, the crowd loved them. It’s hardly surprising; Taylor Momsen is stunning, young, and has an incredibly powerful voice. One of the things I like most about the band is how committed they are to bringing that genuine rock ’n’ roll spirit to the stage. Taylor also seemed much more relaxed and confident than she did during some of their earlier performances.
Before Ice Nine Kills, Melrose Avenue was without question the band I was most excited to see. We had recently interviewed the guys for the site, and since then they have continued to attract an ever-growing fanbase with both their music and their charismatic presence.
The Australian band drew a sizeable crowd, and the first few rows were packed with mostly female fans who had discovered them through TikTok. Phones in hand, they eagerly waited for the band to take the stage, having secured their spots well in advance and showing no intention of giving them up.
The band certainly appreciated the enthusiasm. Their performance was filled with genuine energy and a level of excitement that felt almost childlike in the best possible way. It was impossible not to notice how much they enjoyed being on stage and how grateful they were for the audience standing in front of them.
Their frontman, Vlado, maintained constant interaction with the crowd and never seemed to slow down for a second throughout the set. After the final song, a few fans tried to persuade the band to come over and sign the cardboard signs they had brought with them. Their efforts worked surprisingly well: Vlado eventually climbed over the barrier and spent time taking photos and chatting with some of the lucky fans, making it feel as though everyone was simply part of one big group of friends.
Ice Nine Kills brought a completely different atmosphere to the day. Of course, anyone familiar with the band knew exactly what to expect, but for those unaware that their entire concept revolves around horror films brought to life on stage, the theatrical performance could easily have come as a shock. Iconic killer characters made their appearances, alongside chainsaws and axes, while Spencer and his cast of on-stage accomplices dramatically “dispatched” their victims with plenty of visual effects and theatrical flair.
From an outsider’s perspective, this is definitely not a show for everyone. While it is possible to detach yourself from the horror theme to some extent, by the end of the set some of the more extreme scenes made an appearance; let’s just say they were not necessarily kind to a mother’s heart.
I’ve been listening to Ice Nine Kills for years, and there is no question that their live production is exceptionally well executed. For me, however, part of the performance’s impact may actually have been diminished by the heavy focus on the acting and theatrical elements. If I had to choose, I would rather sacrifice some of the stage drama than the full-force vocal performance, which at times felt slightly lacking during the set.
June 13 – Saturday
Despite the fact that Saturday’s line-up featured A Day To Remember, Iron Maiden and Sabaton, it actually promised to be one of the more relaxed days for us. All three are huge names, but none of them have ever been personal favourites of mine.
We still managed to catch parts of all their sets, but the two performances that were firmly on our schedule were The Rasmus and Palaye Royale.
The former was one of the defining bands of my teenage years, while the latter turned out to be my personal discovery of Nova Rock 2026.
I honestly didn’t expect so many people to show up for The Rasmus after all these years, and I’m not sure the band did either. You can always tell when there is something special between a band and its audience, and this was definitely one of those moments. The crowd gave them a huge response throughout the set, and Lauri remains unbelievably energetic on stage even after roughly three decades of making music together.
For those who haven’t seen the band live in recent years, the current line-up may have come as a surprise. Since 2022, Emppu Suhonen has been handling guitar duties following the departure of Pauli Rantasalmi, who left the band ahead of their Eurovision appearance.
One completely unexpected moment came at the end of the show when bassist Eero stepped down from the stage and gave me a hug, along with a few other lucky people in the crowd, of course. It was a genuinely kind and heartfelt gesture.
Palaye Royale were not newcomers to the Austrian festival. Two years ago, they performed on one of the main stages, which naturally led many people to wonder why they had been moved to the Red Bull Stage this year, especially considering that their popularity certainly hasn’t declined.
The American band, known for their unique blend of glam rock and fashion-art aesthetics, left their mark on the festival once again. Despite the fact that the three brothers have been playing music together since childhood, they have lost none of their humility, passion, or ability to reinvent themselves.
As it happens, they will also be performing at Budapest Park later this month, so if you haven’t discovered them yet, there’s still time to experience Palaye Royale live for yourself.
June 14 – Sunday
The festival closed on a strong note. Sunday, however, operated with only one main stage, so the massive crowd expected for the evening’s Architects – Papa Roach – Bring Me The Horizon run came as no surprise. Earlier in the day, Hollywood Undead and Three Days Grace had already taken the stage, and even during those sets the area in front of the Blue Stage was packed.
Papa Roach’s Jacoby Shaddix had his family with him on tour, and his sons joined him on stage to sing during a couple of songs. It was a small touch, but it gave the entire performance a more personal and family-like atmosphere.
Architects’ frontman Sam Carter also took a moment to speak about how grateful he was to Jacoby, who had stood by him during some of the more difficult periods of his life. Sam spoke about how much he owes Jacoby, who was there for him when he needed support the most.
Over the past few years, Jacoby has placed a much stronger emphasis on mental health, gratitude, and personal growth, something that is also closely connected to his faith and worldview. It is genuinely encouraging to see these veteran musicians, people who have spent decades in the music industry, speak openly about such topics and set a positive example for younger generations of artists.
What I particularly appreciated throughout the festival was the sense of tolerance and acceptance among the crowd. People celebrated those who were willing to be themselves, imperfections and all, and who simply wanted to enjoy the experience to the fullest.
One memorable moment came during Architects’ set, when a fan in the mosh pit detached his prosthetic leg and held it high above his head before diving straight into the action. Later, he even went crowd surfing. It was one of those uniquely festival moments that perfectly captured the spirit of inclusivity, freedom, and shared celebration that defined the weekend.
The day, and with it, the entire festival, was brought to a close by Bring Me The Horizon, who delivered the kind of visually spectacular production fans have come to expect from them. As an added touch, German translations of the on-screen English text were displayed on the giant screens throughout the show, making the experience even more accessible for a large part of the audience.
Before the crowd slowly began making its way back to the campsites and parking areas, the organisers bid farewell to the festivalgoers with a fireworks display, providing a fitting finale to four unforgettable days of music, dust, sunshine, and shared memories.
The four-and-a-half days at Nova Rock were incredibly intense, but one thing became very clear by the end of the festival: if you’re interested in more than just a single day, a full festival pass is absolutely worth it. Not only does it make more sense financially, but it also allows you to fully immerse yourself in the atmosphere and collect the kind of memories that stay with you for years.
Before the weekend was even over, the organisers had already announced the first names for next year’s edition. Among them was Motionless in White, a band that continues its steady rise and is set to gain even more momentum with the release of their upcoming album, Decades, arriving in just a few weeks.
Nova Rock Festival
by: Viki Kocsis
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