Azkena Rock Festival is all set to celebrate its 24th edition with The Hives, Alice Cooper, and Social Distortion, among others

Azkena Rock Festival is all set to celebrate its 24th edition on June 18, 19, and 20 in Mendizabala, Vitoria-Gasteiz. The temple of rock ’n’ roll will once again bring together audiences of all ages around a lineup headlined by names like Alice Cooper, Social Distortion, and The Hives, alongside Imelda May in an exclusive show with Darrel Higham, Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit, Old Crow Medicine Show, Evaristo, Alcalá Norte, and many more. This edition will once again extend into the center of Vitoria-Gasteiz with free concerts in Plaza de la Virgen Blanca and will also feature Txiki ARF.

Virgen Blanca

Once again, Plaza de la Virgen Blanca becomes the spot where the Azkena Rock Festival merges with the city. The free-admission lineup will once again take over the heart of Vitoria-Gasteiz at noon, complementing the vermouth atmosphere and street life with concerts designed to kick off each day before Mendizabala lights up its stages.

Friday will feature Bywater Call, a Canadian band led by the powerful voice of Meghan Parnell and characterized by a blend of soul, blues, roots rock, and raw emotion. On Saturday, the square will welcome The Backyard Casanovas, four rockers from Bonn (Germany) who will perform their explosive repertoire, consisting of original songs and gems from their idols Hound Dog Taylor and Hasil Adkins, true masters of the rawest, garage-style blues.

The highlights of Mendizabala

The first day will welcome the Swedish powerhouse The Hives, who will deliver an adrenaline-fueled show packed with hits like “Hate to Say I Told You So” and “Main Offender.” In an exclusive show, Imelda May will arrive at Mendizabala accompanied by Darrel Highman to perform her most rock ’n’ roll repertoire, and The Adicts will stop by the festival on their farewell tour, bringing an end to nearly five decades of irreverence and punk partying. Rounding out the day will be the unstoppable metal machine of Corrosion of Conformity, the virtuosity combined with youth courtesy of Dewolff, the blues veteran Robert Finley, and the refined pop-soul-funk of the Guipúzcoa-based band Nhil. At Trashville, the instrumental surf rock of Les Robots, the unclassifiable chaos of Ángel y Cristo, the primitive noise of Captain Trasho, the garage rock fun of The Concrete Boys, and the Barcelona-based riot quintet Radioactivas.

The second day will feature the godfather of shock rock, Alice Cooper, in a theatrical horror and hard rock show that has established him as one of the key figures in rock music over the past few decades. Sugar’s reunion tour will make a stop at the festival, marking their first visit to the country since 1993 and one of the most special shows of the event. It will also be the turn of Los Enemigos, one of the most influential bands in the country’s rock scene, who will return to Mendizabala with their unmistakable blend of raw energy, irony, and songs that have already become part of the collective memory of several generations. From California, Circle Jerks will unleash their hardcore punk, brimming with rage and social commentary. Evaristo, for his part, will take the audience on a journey through all his projects and a discography that has earned him the title of the flagship of Basque punk. Old Crow Medicine Show’s American folk will make its debut in Spain, Voivod will unleash their dystopian metal, Black Maracas will unleash their psychedelic fuzz, and The Damn Truth, led by the charismatic Lee-La Baum, will set their rock & roll machine in motion. Experimental punk will also be represented by Tropical Fuck Storm, as will modern hard rock in The Temperance Movement’s set, fantastic adventure rock from Hällas, and brothers Dan and Warren Zanes will take the stage as The Del Fuegos. Attendees at the Trashville tent will witness the punk provocation of The Dwarves, the troglodyte garage of Cavegirl + The Neandergals, the sci-fi rave of HENGE, the sweaty punk of Restless Ramone, and the Japanese rock of Stompin’ Riffraffs to close out a truly heart-stopping day.

On the final day, featuring a particularly diverse lineup, Social Distortion will return following their 2022 visit to present Born To Kill, their first album in fifteen years, and to deliver a masterclass in classic rock & roll, country, and blues courtesy of Mike Ness and the band. Carpenter Brut will arrive at Mendizabala to win over rock fans with their distinctive electronic sound, where synthesizers blend with the heaviest industrial metal, and (former Drive-by-Truckers member) Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit will demonstrate why he is considered a key figure in today’s alternative country scene. Alcalá Norte will prove themselves to be much more than just a promising band; Sleaford Mods will examine the uncomfortable truths of our society through irony and post-punk; Superchunk will delight lovers of the most honest power pop; Discharge will sound devastating with their veteran blend of hardcore d-beat; and Therapy? will perform their most acclaimed album, Troublegum, in its entirety. Street-punk will also be present at Mendizabala courtesy of Split Dogs, as will cow-punk from the Vandoliers, and new wave and glam aesthetics will be provided by Starbenders. Lepora’s hard-hitting Basque rock and Rodeo’s stoner rock will represent local talent on this final day. Additionally, the stoner rock of the Zaragoza-based power duo Lady Banana will also be featured on this day thanks to the initiative of the +Músicas Live program, aimed at promoting female representation at festivals. At Trashville, the most hypnotic synth-punk will take center stage thanks to Cuir, and the venue will also feature horror punk and psychobilly from Bloodsucking Zombies from Outer Space, subversive folk-punk from Bridge City Sinners, as well as a bizarre performance led by Capitán Entresijos feat. Garganta Profunda and the otherworldly rock of Twin Ghosts.

Txiki ARF: the family-friendly space at Mendizabala

For the third consecutive year, Azkena Rock Festival will feature a program designed to help younger audiences discover rock culture through fun.

From the second Trashville tent and in collaboration with Rock en Familia, on Friday and Saturday families can attend tribute concerts to rock legends who have performed at the festival starting in the early afternoon, as well as workshops and children’s activities (face painting, air guitar contests, rocker bingo, making custom guitar picks and badges, etc.).

Radio Vitoria live

This year, the Azkena Rock Festival will feature live coverage by Radio Vitoria, part of the EITB group, which will provide special live coverage: on Thursday from 7:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., and on Friday and Saturday from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., with interviews, live broadcasts, and concert highlights that will bring the essence of the ARF to those both inside and outside the venue.

BALORE: Commitment Inside and Outside the Venue

Azkena Rock Festival once again reinforces its commitment to sustainability and a positive impact on the environment through the BALORE Space, a gathering place that reflects the values guiding Last Tour: inclusion, diversity, accessibility, climate justice, and purpose-driven partnerships.

Thanks to collaborations with organizations such as the Alava Alliance for Sustainable Development and the Vitoria-Gasteiz Food Bank, as well as initiatives like the Violet, Rainbow, and Green Points, the festival aims to continue being an agent of social, cultural, and environmental transformation.

This year, it is also joining the Festival Pact, an initiative developed in collaboration with the Association of Women in the Music Industry and the Ministry of Culture, whose goal is to contribute to a more just, safe, and equitable cultural sector. This endorsement means being part of a collective commitment by the festival sector against sexual violence, hate crimes, discrimination, and any form of violence, and it also highlights the active role festivals play in creating safer, more inclusive, and more equitable spaces.

In the same vein, the festival is strengthening its ties with LGBTI+ Points Sarea, the Basque network of safe spaces promoted by Ortzadar LGBTI Elkartea. This partnership enables progress on specific commitments such as respecting the identity of transgender people, addressing potential instances of LGBTIQ+phobic aggression, displaying the safe space emblem, and training staff on LGBTIQ+ issues, integrating this work into the Rainbow Point and the BALORE Space.

In 2026, coinciding with Berakah’s 20th anniversary, a space for collaboration will open with this social organization deeply rooted in Vitoria-Gasteiz. Since 2006, Berakah has supported people in vulnerable situations through a broad network of volunteers and programs focused on food, housing, training, listening, counseling, and community support. Within the framework of Espacio BALORE, the festival will highlight its work and facilitate the participation of several representatives from the organization to inform and raise awareness among the public during the festival. Thirty people will attend for free over the three days of the festival to enjoy the music and culture.

Also this year, the Azkena Rock Festival will be able to announce for the first time its affiliation with Last Tour’s B Corp certification, a certified company that drives its development. This affiliation, validated by B Lab through its brand review process, highlights that the festival is part of Last Tour’s ecosystem of cultural projects and operates under a shared model of management, governance, and positive impact. This approach is reflected in measures such as waste reduction and recycling, the promotion of sustainable mobility, prevention and awareness programs against sexist aggression and in favor of equality, the hiring of local teams, and the promotion of free-access concerts.

The festival also continues to make progress in accessibility, sustainable mobility, waste reduction, material reuse, the elimination of unnecessary plastics, drinking water sources, and environmental awareness, following the Erronka Garbia Sustainable Event methodology. This approach views sustainability as a shared responsibility involving the organization, staff, suppliers, government agencies, partner organizations, and the public.

Azkena Rock Festival thus reaffirms its commitment to being much more than a music festival: a space for gathering, coexistence, and transformation where rock coexists with respect, freedom, care for the environment, and a commitment to a more just, diverse, and sustainable culture.

Day passes and 3-day passes are still available at azkenarockfestival.com. The Gaztea Pass (€100 + fees, for those under 24) is also available, and the option to pay in installments remains, as does free admission for those under 14.

For 2026, the festival has increased the frequency and number of buses to and from the festival, offering organized trips from nearby towns such as Altsasu, Arrasate, Barakaldo, Bilbao, Burgos, Donostia/San Sebastián, Errentería, Getxo, Irún, Miranda de Ebro, Pamplona, Portugalete, Rentería, and Zarautz.

The organizers of the Azkena Rock Festival would like to extend special thanks to the City Council of Vitoria-Gasteiz, the Provincial Council of Álava, and Cervezas La Salve, St. Petroni, Kutxabank, and Petronor for their support, which makes this event possible.