Following on from 2025's Stonedead which saw The Almighty, D.A.D & The Dead Daisies tear up Newark Showgrounds, organisers have announced an out of this world bill for 2026's event that will see fans walk the earth to get there.
Aptly, the fanfare starts with the band who’ve written one of the best globally known rock songs of the past four decades, Stonedead Festival 2026’s headliners; the mighty EUROPE.
Industry veterans, the Swedish quintet having been packing out arenas since starting, and more so since the anthem ‘The Final Countdown’ took them into the stratosphere upon its release in 1986. With their irresistible blend of melody and muscle, the band have continued to ride the wave and with eleven albums under their belt they remain a mighty force! Having grown from teenage friends in thrall to the giants of 1970’s hard rock and then onto sharing stages with their heroes all over the world.
Whilst the casual observer may know them mainly for their ubiquitous hit singles, it was very soon discovered just how heavy they are live and in the studio with a writer for Kerrang! remarking that it was “amazing just how hard they rocked” when he caught them on their The Final Countdown Tour at Hammersmith Odeon. Certainly, albums
like ‘Start From The Dark’, ‘Secret Society’ and ‘Last Look at Eden’ bristled with ferocious riffs, earth shattering vocals and enough drive to destroy city blocks. With a career spanning set plucked from an endless line of bangers starting from their self-titled debut through to the critically acclaimed ‘Walk the Earth’ it’s going to be a night to remember and no better way to welcome Europe back to these shores.
Next up on the bill, it’s an honour to welcome the legendary Magnum, a band that means so much to so many.
Formed in Birmingham in the early 1970s, Magnum have become one of Britain’s most enduring melodic rock bands. With more than 20 studio albums, countless tours, and chart success across Europe, the band continue to inspire loyal fans worldwide with their distinctive blend of storytelling, power, and musicianship.
Not only have they been added to the 2026 Stonedead Festival line up, but the iconic British rock band are also set to release a brand-new studio album, a moving tribute to their late founding member and principal songwriter, Tony Clarkin. Every track on the upcoming album was written and performed by Tony, with the material carefully curated from the band’s archives by his daughter, Dionne Clarkin. The record also features previously unreleased material, offering fans a rare and intimate glimpse into Tony’s creative legacy.
“Tony’s songs have always been the beating heart of Magnum,” says vocalist Bob Catley. “This album is a tribute to his incredible talent and a gift to our fans, who have supported us for over 50 years.” Magnum’s influence spans decades, having shared stages with Ozzy Osbourne, Def Leppard, Whitesnake, and Judas Priest. Their most recent release, Here Comes the Rain (2024), topped the UK Rock Chart at #1, reaffirming their status as one of Britain’s most enduring and respected rock acts.
The Damn Truth will also be joining the party next year. One of the hottest bands on the planet, Canada’s prime purveyors of sonic highs are in an unbreakable love affair with the UK, seemingly an almost constant fixture in tour announcements. Having proven themselves by trekking all over their own huge country, playing every bar and club possible, they became an instant and huge hit when they arrived this side of the Atlantic promoting their stellar ‘This Is Who We Are Now’ album. With a huge sound that blends together the soul of Janis Joplin and those heady psychedelic days with a huge crunch of big guitars, bass and drums influenced by the likes of Led Zeppelin and Bad Company, there’s more soul and power here than any ten of their contemporaries put together. Truly one of the best live acts on the planet, The Damn Truth will blow everyone away.
Also announced, Pennsylvania heavy hitting wrecking crew Crobot bring their own brand of groove-soaked hard rock to Stonedead. Since their emergence in 2011, the quartet have been doing things the hard way, their endless touring schedule and thrilling blasts of gravity defying hooks gained them an immediate and loyal following. Having played with the likes of Clutch, Motorhead, Anthrax and Black Label Society, Crobot have become known as an incendiary live act and with five studio albums to their credit, they’re now an unstoppable force who are bound to win a new legion of fans when they take to the stage in Newark next August.
Finishing up this first batch of acts announced, some bands are proved in the furnace of circumstances and Yorkshire quartet Asomvel are prime examples of the fighting spirit that won’t be quenched by adversity or trials. Having tragically lost their frontman just after their debut album ‘Kamikaze’ was released, the remaining members picked themselves up, recruited a new singer and pushed forward with their vision to bring metal to the masses. Raw, stripped back and primal, this is the sort of barroom rock and roll that focuses on sheer adrenaline, eschewing any unnecessary frills or posturing. What you see is what you get with Asomvel and having just laid waste to the UK whilst touring with Airbourne, the Harrogate boys will be bringing the thunder to Stonedead 2026 in loud and proud style.
With so much more to come, there’s never been a better time to get on the waiting list for the SOLD OUT Stonedead Festival 2026 - https://www.stonedeadfestival.co.uk/waitinglist/
Facebook: Stonedead Festival
Instagram: stonedead_fest
Twitter: stonedead_fest
Youtube: SDTV - Stone Dead Festival
Website: www.stonedeadfestival.co.uk
Industry veterans, the Swedish quintet having been packing out arenas since starting, and more so since the anthem ‘The Final Countdown’ took them into the stratosphere upon its release in 1986. With their irresistible blend of melody and muscle, the band have continued to ride the wave and with eleven albums under their belt they remain a mighty force! Having grown from teenage friends in thrall to the giants of 1970’s hard rock and then onto sharing stages with their heroes all over the world.
Whilst the casual observer may know them mainly for their ubiquitous hit singles, it was very soon discovered just how heavy they are live and in the studio with a writer for Kerrang! remarking that it was “amazing just how hard they rocked” when he caught them on their The Final Countdown Tour at Hammersmith Odeon. Certainly, albums
like ‘Start From The Dark’, ‘Secret Society’ and ‘Last Look at Eden’ bristled with ferocious riffs, earth shattering vocals and enough drive to destroy city blocks. With a career spanning set plucked from an endless line of bangers starting from their self-titled debut through to the critically acclaimed ‘Walk the Earth’ it’s going to be a night to remember and no better way to welcome Europe back to these shores.
Next up on the bill, it’s an honour to welcome the legendary Magnum, a band that means so much to so many.
Formed in Birmingham in the early 1970s, Magnum have become one of Britain’s most enduring melodic rock bands. With more than 20 studio albums, countless tours, and chart success across Europe, the band continue to inspire loyal fans worldwide with their distinctive blend of storytelling, power, and musicianship.
Not only have they been added to the 2026 Stonedead Festival line up, but the iconic British rock band are also set to release a brand-new studio album, a moving tribute to their late founding member and principal songwriter, Tony Clarkin. Every track on the upcoming album was written and performed by Tony, with the material carefully curated from the band’s archives by his daughter, Dionne Clarkin. The record also features previously unreleased material, offering fans a rare and intimate glimpse into Tony’s creative legacy.
“Tony’s songs have always been the beating heart of Magnum,” says vocalist Bob Catley. “This album is a tribute to his incredible talent and a gift to our fans, who have supported us for over 50 years.” Magnum’s influence spans decades, having shared stages with Ozzy Osbourne, Def Leppard, Whitesnake, and Judas Priest. Their most recent release, Here Comes the Rain (2024), topped the UK Rock Chart at #1, reaffirming their status as one of Britain’s most enduring and respected rock acts.
The Damn Truth will also be joining the party next year. One of the hottest bands on the planet, Canada’s prime purveyors of sonic highs are in an unbreakable love affair with the UK, seemingly an almost constant fixture in tour announcements. Having proven themselves by trekking all over their own huge country, playing every bar and club possible, they became an instant and huge hit when they arrived this side of the Atlantic promoting their stellar ‘This Is Who We Are Now’ album. With a huge sound that blends together the soul of Janis Joplin and those heady psychedelic days with a huge crunch of big guitars, bass and drums influenced by the likes of Led Zeppelin and Bad Company, there’s more soul and power here than any ten of their contemporaries put together. Truly one of the best live acts on the planet, The Damn Truth will blow everyone away.
Also announced, Pennsylvania heavy hitting wrecking crew Crobot bring their own brand of groove-soaked hard rock to Stonedead. Since their emergence in 2011, the quartet have been doing things the hard way, their endless touring schedule and thrilling blasts of gravity defying hooks gained them an immediate and loyal following. Having played with the likes of Clutch, Motorhead, Anthrax and Black Label Society, Crobot have become known as an incendiary live act and with five studio albums to their credit, they’re now an unstoppable force who are bound to win a new legion of fans when they take to the stage in Newark next August.
Finishing up this first batch of acts announced, some bands are proved in the furnace of circumstances and Yorkshire quartet Asomvel are prime examples of the fighting spirit that won’t be quenched by adversity or trials. Having tragically lost their frontman just after their debut album ‘Kamikaze’ was released, the remaining members picked themselves up, recruited a new singer and pushed forward with their vision to bring metal to the masses. Raw, stripped back and primal, this is the sort of barroom rock and roll that focuses on sheer adrenaline, eschewing any unnecessary frills or posturing. What you see is what you get with Asomvel and having just laid waste to the UK whilst touring with Airbourne, the Harrogate boys will be bringing the thunder to Stonedead 2026 in loud and proud style.
With so much more to come, there’s never been a better time to get on the waiting list for the SOLD OUT Stonedead Festival 2026 - https://www.stonedeadfestival.co.uk/waitinglist/
Facebook: Stonedead Festival
Instagram: stonedead_fest
Twitter: stonedead_fest
Youtube: SDTV - Stone Dead Festival
Website: www.stonedeadfestival.co.uk
