Returning to Newark Showground for its seventh outing, Stonedead Festival 2026 once again proved that you don't need multiple stages, corporate sponsorships or a sprawling site to put on one hell of a rock show. Taking place on Saturday 29th August, with a fiercely loyal audience and a bill packed with established heroes and newer faces, it's the winning formula for one monster rock show.
Europe headline Stonedead 2026
This isn't one of those articles where we'll declare that 'the rain didn't dampen the spirits' - it did, and it always does. On arrival the familiar Stonedead site is already caked in mud, with raincoats and wellies the regulation uniform. It's going to be a long slog, but with Europe topping the bill, alongside Accept, Magnum, Battle Beast, Armored Saint, The Damn Truth, Crobot, Asomvel and Aethoria, there is plenty to distract the hardened faithful. most of whom have been through it all before, back in the day.
Aethoria kick things off with all the energy you'd expect from a young band given the opportunity to play one of the UK's best-loved rock festivals. There is plenty of enthusiasm to make an early impression. The Suffolk five-piece look completely at home on the stage, and the response from the early arrivals suggests they're winning plenty of new fans.
UK hard rockers Asomvel next bring the dirt and grit. The Motörhead-influenced four-piece deliver their no-frills heavy metal with attitude and riffs that hit with all the subtlety of a freight train. There is no messing around here, just loud, fast and gloriously old-school metal.
Stoner rockers Crobot crank things up another notch. The US trio bring a real groove with a healthy dose of swagger. and Brandon Yeagley's vocals sound huge and the band attacks the stage with real confidence. It's a set that gets the crowd moving and proves once again that Stonedead knows how to mix established names with bands that deserve a much bigger audience.
Aethoria kick things off with all the energy you'd expect from a young band given the opportunity to play one of the UK's best-loved rock festivals. There is plenty of enthusiasm to make an early impression. The Suffolk five-piece look completely at home on the stage, and the response from the early arrivals suggests they're winning plenty of new fans.
UK hard rockers Asomvel next bring the dirt and grit. The Motörhead-influenced four-piece deliver their no-frills heavy metal with attitude and riffs that hit with all the subtlety of a freight train. There is no messing around here, just loud, fast and gloriously old-school metal.
Stoner rockers Crobot crank things up another notch. The US trio bring a real groove with a healthy dose of swagger. and Brandon Yeagley's vocals sound huge and the band attacks the stage with real confidence. It's a set that gets the crowd moving and proves once again that Stonedead knows how to mix established names with bands that deserve a much bigger audience.
Crobot at Stonedead 2026.
The Damn Truth are next, and the Canadians play a mixt of blues, soul, and classic rock. With big guitars, big vocals, and big hooks, the likes of 'Love Outta Luck' do much to lift the dreary damp atmosphere that's hanging over the site like the perpetual grey cloud cover above.
Armored Saint follow, and the Californian veterans always deliver. John Bush is one of eonmusic's favourite singers, and his work with Anthrax remains some of the most underrated metal in history. Today though, he's back with the school friends he started out with, ripping through classics like 'Last Train Home' and 'Reign of Fire', as well as newer material like the superb 'Win Hands Down'. They trim a brace of songs from their set due to time constraints, so it's a short sharp set, but it feels like a mush needed shot of adrenalin.
Armored Saint follow, and the Californian veterans always deliver. John Bush is one of eonmusic's favourite singers, and his work with Anthrax remains some of the most underrated metal in history. Today though, he's back with the school friends he started out with, ripping through classics like 'Last Train Home' and 'Reign of Fire', as well as newer material like the superb 'Win Hands Down'. They trim a brace of songs from their set due to time constraints, so it's a short sharp set, but it feels like a mush needed shot of adrenalin.
Armored Saint at Stonedead 2026.
Battle Beast bring a very different vibe as evening falls. The Finnish metal outfit arrive with their huge, theatrical sound and a performance that feels considerably larger than any band thus far. The guitars are heavy, the keyboards add another dimension and Marina La Torraca proves more than capable of filling the festival site with her formidable vocals. It's gloriously over-the-top metal, and Stonedead laps it up.
Then comes Magnum. Few British rock bands as cherished, and Bob Catley remains a compelling presence at the front of the stage. Talismanic leader Tony Clarkin may be sadly no longer with us, but his songs live on, and from the towering 'Days of No Trust' to the grandiose 'On a Story Teller's Night', it's a lesson in class.
Accept, meanwhile, waste no time reminding everyone why they're legends. The Germans hit the stage with 'Metal Heart', and plough through an arsenal of riffs in a set that packs in the best of their heyday and renaissance periods. "We're celebrating 50 years of Accept and we've got a brand new album that features some special guests", says Mark Tornillo, "and we're going to bring one out right now". With that, John Bush returns for a ferocious dual vocal on 'Up to the Limit'.
Despite the weather, it's all going spectacularly well, and then the power gives out, just as Wolf Hoffman and co hit their stride with 'Balls to the Wall'. With five decades behind them, the band are utter professionals and endure, encouraging the crowd to sing along, a cappella. This turns a potential vibe-killer into one of the day's most unique moments. Thankfully power is restored, and they finish the song, and their set. Hats off, by the way, to whoever threw an inflatable great white into the audience during 'Fast as a Shark'.
Then comes Magnum. Few British rock bands as cherished, and Bob Catley remains a compelling presence at the front of the stage. Talismanic leader Tony Clarkin may be sadly no longer with us, but his songs live on, and from the towering 'Days of No Trust' to the grandiose 'On a Story Teller's Night', it's a lesson in class.
Accept, meanwhile, waste no time reminding everyone why they're legends. The Germans hit the stage with 'Metal Heart', and plough through an arsenal of riffs in a set that packs in the best of their heyday and renaissance periods. "We're celebrating 50 years of Accept and we've got a brand new album that features some special guests", says Mark Tornillo, "and we're going to bring one out right now". With that, John Bush returns for a ferocious dual vocal on 'Up to the Limit'.
Despite the weather, it's all going spectacularly well, and then the power gives out, just as Wolf Hoffman and co hit their stride with 'Balls to the Wall'. With five decades behind them, the band are utter professionals and endure, encouraging the crowd to sing along, a cappella. This turns a potential vibe-killer into one of the day's most unique moments. Thankfully power is restored, and they finish the song, and their set. Hats off, by the way, to whoever threw an inflatable great white into the audience during 'Fast as a Shark'.
John Bush joins Accept on stage at Stonedead 2026.
All roads however, lead to Europe, and with a new album on the way - their first in a decade - the Swedes are in revitalised form. Joey Tempest is an incredible frontman and an old school showman who is an expert in entertaining the crowd with every move, utterance and of course, that singing voice.
The set is pretty much perfect, offering a mix of new and old, as well as a few deep cuts - none more so than 'The Final Countdown' b-side 'On Broken Wings', which opens the show. Highlights include 'Wings of Tomorrow' staples 'Scream of Anger' and 'Stormwind', and later period title tracks 'War of Kings' and 'Last Look at Eden'.
John Norum meanwhile, reminds everyone just why he's one of the greatest players of his generation, delivering melodious solos with just the right amount of flash on a range of classic Fender and Gibson guitars.
This is a lesson in how to put on a compelling hard rock show, but there are unexpected moments, including an acoustic 'Open Your Heart', and an impromptu swerve into Whitesnake's 'Here I go Again'.
It's been a long hard day in the rain, but everyone seems to have stuck it out, and this is easily the largest crowd for a Stonedead headliner. Patiently, they've all waitied for one moment, and eventually, those trumpeting keyboards ring out. And it's glorious. 'The Final Countdown' may be the song that they can't escape, but with over a billion views on Youtube, and closing in on that figure for plays on Spotify, it's not only their defining anthem, but a cultural marker of the '80s, and it's the perfect note on which to end Stonedead 2026.
As the epic reaches its crescendo, the crowd are jumping, singing, hugging, and there's tears of joy, as everyone realises that they've made it this far.
It's been a hell of a day, for both the good and bad, but the crowd leave happy. As they do, whispers turn to Stonedead 2027, and who might be on the bill. We wouldn't begin to speculate, but with Toby Jepson spotted in the guest bar, we'd not bet against him taking a more active role come August next year.
Stonedead returns to Newark-On-Trent on 28th August 2027. For tickets and the latest info, visit the official site.
The set is pretty much perfect, offering a mix of new and old, as well as a few deep cuts - none more so than 'The Final Countdown' b-side 'On Broken Wings', which opens the show. Highlights include 'Wings of Tomorrow' staples 'Scream of Anger' and 'Stormwind', and later period title tracks 'War of Kings' and 'Last Look at Eden'.
John Norum meanwhile, reminds everyone just why he's one of the greatest players of his generation, delivering melodious solos with just the right amount of flash on a range of classic Fender and Gibson guitars.
This is a lesson in how to put on a compelling hard rock show, but there are unexpected moments, including an acoustic 'Open Your Heart', and an impromptu swerve into Whitesnake's 'Here I go Again'.
It's been a long hard day in the rain, but everyone seems to have stuck it out, and this is easily the largest crowd for a Stonedead headliner. Patiently, they've all waitied for one moment, and eventually, those trumpeting keyboards ring out. And it's glorious. 'The Final Countdown' may be the song that they can't escape, but with over a billion views on Youtube, and closing in on that figure for plays on Spotify, it's not only their defining anthem, but a cultural marker of the '80s, and it's the perfect note on which to end Stonedead 2026.
As the epic reaches its crescendo, the crowd are jumping, singing, hugging, and there's tears of joy, as everyone realises that they've made it this far.
It's been a hell of a day, for both the good and bad, but the crowd leave happy. As they do, whispers turn to Stonedead 2027, and who might be on the bill. We wouldn't begin to speculate, but with Toby Jepson spotted in the guest bar, we'd not bet against him taking a more active role come August next year.
Stonedead returns to Newark-On-Trent on 28th August 2027. For tickets and the latest info, visit the official site.
