Rock Hard Festival
Rock Hard Festival is a heavy metal festival organized and sponsored by the Rock Hard magazine. First established in Lichtenfels, Bavaria, Germany, in 1990 on an irregular basis,[1] mostly for magazine anniversaries, it is held annually in Gelsenkirchen, Germany since 2003. Its 2016 edition was taken place on 13–15 May 2016.
| Rock Hard Festival | |
|---|---|
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| Genre | Heavy metal |
| Dates | weekend of Pentecost |
| Location(s) | Gelsenkirchen, Germany |
| Years active | Since 2003 |
| Website | www.rockhardfestival.de |
The 2003 festival was also initially planned for the 20th anniversary of the magazine as a single event. But the fans voted it as the best metal open-air in Germany and so they continued. The festival is still held at the amphitheater which is located directly at the Rhein-Herne-Kanal in the Nordsternpark in Gelsenkirchen. The amphitheater has a maximum capacity of 7,000 people. The festival was the only festival with international metal bands in the Ruhrgebiet area[2] until the Rock am Ring offshoot Rock im Revier, which was organized by the Nürburgring operating company Deutsche Entertainment AG (DEAG), took place in Gelsenkirchen in 2015.[3] Kreator canceled the show at Rock im Revier for their headlining appearance at the smaller Rock Hard Festival.[3]
Lineups
2016
| Friday 13 May | Saturday 14 May | Sunday 15 May |
|---|---|---|
| Destruction Tankard Satan Year of the Goat Sulphur Aeon | Metal Church Kadavar The Exploited Grand Magus Tribulation Sorcerer Accu§er | Cannibal Corpse Riot V Moonspell Orden Ogan Nightingale Black Trip Discreation |
2015
| Friday 22 May | Saturday 23 May | Sunday 24 May |
|---|---|---|
| Pentagram Space Chaser God Dethroned Flotsam and Jetsam Architects of Chaoz | Doro Sanctuary Kataklysm Avatarium Voivod Motorjesus Deserted Fear | Overkill Michael Schenker's Temple of Rock Refuge Sinner Air Raid Channel Zero Spiders |
2014
| Friday 6 June | Saturday 7 June | Sunday 8 June |
|---|---|---|
| Die Apokalyptischen Reiter Midnight Decapitated Zodiac Nocturnal | Sacred Reich Obituary Pretty Maids Sólstafir Screamer Dead Lord Roxxcalibur |
Testament (replacing Megadeth) Tesla Annihilator Monster Magnet Insomnium Orphaned Land Blues Pills Iron Savior |
2013
| Friday 17 May | Saturday 18 May | Sunday 19 May |
|---|---|---|
| Ashes of Ares Audrey Horne Denial of God (replacing Nachtmystium) Fleshcrawl Hellish Crossfire | D-A-D Ensiferum Naglfar Desaster Mustasch Horisont Slingblade | Sepultura Threshold Tank Orchid Orden Ogan Gospel of the Horns Attic |
2012
| Friday 25 May | Saturday 26 May | Sunday 27 May |
|---|---|---|
| Kvelertak Krisiun Ram Jex Thot Deathfist | Psychotic Waltz Tankard Unleashed Hell Portrait Motorjesus Dr. Living Dead! | Unisonic Magnum Girlschool Graveyard High Spirits '77 Alpha Tiger |
2011
| Friday 10 June | Saturday 11 June | Sunday 12 June |
|---|---|---|
| Enslaved Primordial Postmortem Procession Contradiction | Amorphis Morgoth Bullet Epica Disbelief In Solitude Dreamshade | Overkill Vicious Rumors Anacrusis Metal Inquisitor Atlantean Kodex Enforcer Vanderbuyst |
2010
| Friday 21 May | Saturday 22 May | Sunday 23 May |
|---|---|---|
| Bloodbath Sabaton Katatonia Necros Christos Ketzer | Accept Exhorder Raven Artillery Bulldozer Evile Orden Ogan |
Rage & Lingua Mortis Orchestra Sonata Arctica Nevermore Virgin Steele Orphaned Land Crashdïet Keep of Kalessin Sacred Steel |
2009
| Friday 29 May | Saturday 30 May | Sunday 31 May |
|---|---|---|
| Jag Panzer Prong Deströyer 666 Angel Witch Witchburner | Jon Oliva's Pain Forbidden DragonForce Hail of Bullets Audrey Horne Grand Magus Evocation | Sacred Reich UFO Heathen D-A-D Bullet Firewind Tracedawn |
2008
| Friday 9 May | Saturday 10 May | Sunday 11 May |
|---|---|---|
|
Testament (replacing Celtic Frost) Die Apokalyptischen Reiter Y&T Lake of Tears Stormwarrior The Claymore |
Exodus Amorphis Exciter Enslaved Helstar Moonsorrow The Sorrow | Paradise Lost Volbeat Napalm Death Jorn Asphyx Sieges Even Enemy of the Sun |
2007
| Friday 25 May | Saturday 26 May | Sunday 27 May |
|---|---|---|
| Grave Digger Heaven Shall Burn Cataract Crucified Barbara Bullet | Death Angel Armored Saint Vader Ross the Boss Korpiklaani Turisas Maroon Metal Inquisitor | Axel Rudi Pell Paul Di'Anno Spock's Beard Tankard Dark Funeral Dew-Scented (replacing Naglfar) Hardcore Superstar Sabaton |