Stonedead Festival

Newark Showground

28th-29th August 2026

The Stonedead Festival is now an essential part of the calendar year. It has become so popular that without a single band on the bill being announced, it sells out within 24 hours of tickets going on sale. They are obviously doing something very right. What started out as a one-day festival now has the additional Friday night party added on for good measure.

The gates opened at 5pm, and the Stonedead faithful stormed into the arena to take their positions. The honour of kicking off this year’s proceedings went to punk rock legends Anti Nowhere League, a band that has been raising hell for forty-seven years. Taking the stage with fire and fury, it was clear right from the start they were not here to make up the numbers. Lead singer Nick “Animal” Culmer is an unstoppable force of nature. He’s an imposing figure that takes full command the stage. He has a stature and energy that defy his age. Their origins may lie in Punk Rock, but in 2026, Anti Nowhere League are an unabashed Rock ‘n’ Roll band. Their mission was to welcome everyone to the party, and 30 mins later the mission was well and truly accomplished.

Next up, hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, was Kickin Valentina. Brimming with confidence and swagger, they delivered their own particular brand of sleazy Rock ‘n’ Roll. They performed like their lives depended on it. Their energy and enthusiasm were infectious, and the audience warmed to them immediately. Singer D.K. Revelle worked his arse off and covered every inch of the stage. He’s a natural master of ceremonies, and the crowd willingly sang along whenever he asked them to. Kickin Valentina isn’t a case of style over substance, as underneath their carefully cultivated image are some damn good tunes. They went down incredibly well, and I’m sure they made many new fans as a result of this performance. 

The time had come for the Friday night headliners. For those of you that don’t know, Kings Of Thrash are made up of former Megadeth members Dave Ellefson and Jeff Young, on bass and guitar respectively. Completing the line-up are Chez Leon on vocals and guitar and Fred Aching on drums. Without any pomp and ceremony, they took to the stage and unleashed hell. This is a band of elite musicians who were firing on all cylinders. They are incredibly tight, and they play with immense power and precision. But I wouldn’t expect anything less from a band that features a founder member of Megadeth, who at the height of their powers were arguably the greatest Thrash band of all time. They performed a blistering set, the majority of which was from the classic ‘So Far So Good… So What!’ album. The musicianship on display was at times simply breathtaking. Aching put in one of the best drum performances I’ve ever seen. Young is a monster guitar player, and Ellefson is unquestionably one of the best Metal bass players in the world. Chez Leon proved that he is an extremely capable singer, guitarist and frontman. He looks, plays and sounds like a young Chris Cornell. Kings Of Thrash had well and truly thrown down the gauntlet and set the bar to a very high level. It was going to take one helluva performance to top it.

When I arrived on Saturday morning ready for day two, it was clear that some heavy artillery had arrived overnight. The construction and setting up of Accept’s and Europe’s stage sets had the crew working extremely hard for their money.

First up were competition winners Aethoria. Despite the weather conditions not being favourable, they took to the stage with big smiles on their faces. A little bit of rain was not going to ruin their big day out. Vocalist Mecia Jade Holden is a striking focal point. In a world of overt sexualisation it was refreshing to see someone who felt no need to go down that path. She was clearly confident that her voice and stage presence were enough to get the job done. There is a high level of musicianship throughout the band, and even though their songs are fairly heavy, they still have a very commercial sound. It would be easy for any new artist to be overwhelmed by the sense of occasion, but once they got into their stride, there was no looking back for the opening act. As each song passed, the forever-growing audience got more behind them. In the blink of an eye their set was over. As they said their farewells and left the stage, it was clear they had been well received. I feel confident that we will be seeing a lot more from them in 2027.

Asomvel have established themselves as one of the hottest bands on the current live circuit, and I’ve witnessed their musical onslaught on many occasions. I’ve never seen them not deliver the goods, and today’s performance was no exception. Yes, they look and sound like Motörhead, but no one cares, in the same way that no one cares that Airbourne look and sound like AC/DC. If you want innovation and originality, I recommend Angine de Poitrine. However, if you are looking for high-energy Rock ‘n’ Roll played with total commitment, you won’t walk away disappointed from an Asomvel show. Once you get over the image, the undeniable fact is that they know how to write immediately catchy songs, which is a talent unto itself. Vocalist and bassist Ralph Robinson is a great frontman, a man that 24/7 lives and breathes Rock ‘n’ Roll. Guitarists Lenny & Stel Robinson work in complete unison and create a sonic wall of noise, but the ace in the pack is drummer Ryan Thackwray, who is an absolute beast of a player. I enjoyed all their songs, but for me, ‘Louder & Louder’ is a standout track. In short, they came, they rocked, and they conquered. 

I’d heard the name Crobot because one of my friends works for them, but apart from that I knew nothing about them. There is a strong argument that a journalist should research a band on a festival bill they’ve never heard before. Personally, I never do. A great band is always going to be better live than they are on record, so I don’t want the experience diluted by some preconceived expectations. As soon as they hit the stage and were halfway through the first song, I knew they were great. Brandon Yeagley put in one of the performances of the entire festival. Not only is he a fantastic singer, but also a phenomenal frontman. Their songs are built around big riffs and heavy grooves, with fabulous top-line melodies weaving in and out. They were an absolute revelation, and I’m now officially a fan.

The Damn Truth was also a band that I knew absolutely nothing about. The first thing I noticed about them was the sheer abundance of colour in their stage outfits. I love it when bands put thought into their wardrobe decisions. They are visually very striking, but not in a way that detracts you from their musical pedigree. Vocalist Lee-La Baum is pure class and has been blessed with a golden voice. They have some really fantastic songs. The writing is sophisticated but still incredibly commercial. The arrangements are clever but not complex. Each member has a strong and unique stage persona, but there is also great unity in their presentation. They reminded me of Cheap Trick, four unlikely-looking bandmates, but somehow it all falls into place when they start playing. I loved this band, and I regularly play their music when I’m at home as a result of this performance.

I was a teenager when I first heard ‘March Of The Saint’ by Armored Saint on the Tommy Vance Friday Rock Show. They are bonafide Metal legends, and I was genuinely excited about seeing them perform live. Their history dates back to 1982, and they were pioneers of the LA music scene. From the very first beat, their experience and quality were on full display. They are an incredibly tight unit. Each band member knew their job and carried it out with ruthless precision. All are great players, and in John Bush they have a truly world-class singer. For me he was the standout vocalist of the entire festival. Guitar player Phil Sandoval is a great showman and gave the photographers countless opportunities. I have to take a moment to highlight bassist Joey Vera, who put in a monster performance. It was going to be unlikely that any bassist could or would outshine Dave Ellefson, but this man was not going down without a fight. When a band is this good, they don’t have to win over an audience; their greatness was accepted right from the start. They received the applause and accolades they deserved, and put in not only one of the standout performances of the festival but also one of the best performances I’ve ever seen at Stonedead.

I’d watched videos by Battle Beast prior to their Stonedead performance, and I was eagerly awaiting the opportunity to witness the exceptional vocal ability of vocalist Noora Louhimo. So I was surprised when they took to the stage with a different singer. I was unaware, like many others, that there had been a line-up change within the band. They were now being fronted by Marina La Torraca, formerly of Exit Eden. As they took to the stage, the crowd gave them a warm welcome. Initially they encountered a few technical problems. Thankfully this interruption didn’t last too long, and they returned to the job in hand. I am not an expert on this genre by any stretch of the imagination, but if asked, I would describe them as Pop Metal, and I say that as a huge fan of Pop music. Their songs are built around uplifting chord progressions and sophisticated top-line vocal melodies. Each band member is a gifted musician with a high level of technical ability. The big question was, how would new girl Marina La Torraca fit into Battle Beast? Following the footsteps of Noora Louhimo was never going to be an easy task. Personally I thought she did extremely well. She has a great voice with a captivating stage presence. In her defence, these are tough songs to perform and were written specifically for someone’s unique vocal abilities. I feel confident that when she is singing songs written for her range and style, you will see Marina make a real impact in Battle Beast. That said, I enjoyed their set, as did the Stonedead faithful.

The Magnum legacy is something that deserves great respect. Back in the day they were a fantastic band and really should have had much greater global success. Tony Clarkin was an incredible songwriter, Bob Catley was an exceptional singer, and the whole band were extremely talented musicians. They have recorded twenty-three studio albums over a fifty-four-year period that started in 1972, which is an incredible achievement. From that classic line-up only Bob Catley remains, but if anyone has earned the right to continue under the name Magnum, it’s him. It was glorious to see him walk out on the Stonedead stage at 79 years of age and still have that fire in his eyes. They opened with the classic ‘Days Of No Trust’; the recorded version of this song contains a truly phenomenal lead vocal, and in 2026 he can still hit all the notes. The trademark hand gestures and stances were on full display, and he really should be deemed a national treasure. He has assembled a fine collection of musicians that do justice to these monumental songs. Their set included my personal favourite ‘Just Like An Arrow’, so I was happy. Bob Catley is pure class, and class is what Magnum brought to this year’s Stonedead Festival.

Up to this point I’d enjoyed the festival immensely, but as the sun set and Accept’s stage set became visible for the first time, you sensed that things were about to go up a couple of gears.

There was an air of anticipation as the intro tape sounded out around the arena. Flames shot into the night sky as the opening chords of the classic ‘Metal Heart’ blasted through the PA. It was a dramatic entrance but merely a taste of things to come. The attention to detail was of the highest level, and their entire set was one of military precision. We were watching world-class musicianship and presentation performed by a ruthless killing machine. Like all great artists, they saved the best until last. The ‘Fast As A Shark’ intro tape triggered unbridled excitement in the crowd. Blow-up plastic sharks filled the air. This song is the Heavy Metal equivalent of ‘Freebird’ or ‘Hotel California’, as it contains one of the greatest guitar solos ever written. For me this was the defining moment of the entire festival. A truly unforgettable magical moment. They could have ended right there, and everyone would have been happy, but they were not yet done. The riff to ‘Balls To The Wall’ sealed the deal. A song that contains arguably the greatest pre-chorus ever written. To hear the 6000 Stonedead faithful chant “God Bless Ya” all in unison was incredibly powerful and must have been a very proud moment for the promoters to witness. This was a performance worthy of any headliner, and following them was not going to be an easy task.

So now we come to this year’s headliners. No one can dispute Europe’s pedigree. A globally successful act, with a stellar back catalogue that contains some monster hits. A decades-long history of high-quality live performances. They have a charismatic frontman with a good voice who happens to be a fantastic songwriter. Every musician within the band is of an incredibly high standard, and in John Norum they have one of the greatest guitar players in the world. What could possibly go wrong? The answer is absolutely nothing. Europe delivered everything you’d expect them to. They sound heavier than their albums, but most bands do when they play live. Joey Tempest communicates extremely well with the audience and can still hit all the notes. The rhythm section, made up of John Leven on bass and Ian Haughland on drums, are flawless. Keyboardist Mic Michaeli provides the textures that bring a lot of class to Europe’s overall sound, and what can I say about John Norum that hasn’t already been said? For me, he provides the quality that elevates Europe to their highest level. You can hear Blackmore, Schenker & Moore in his playing, but he has still created his own distinctive tone and style.

They have so many high-quality songs that picking a set list must entail some tough decisions. My personal favourite, ‘Always The Pretender’, wasn’t included, but the set was still perfectly structured and had something for everyone. An obvious high point was the classic ‘Superstitious’; the guitar solo is the work of a genius. Kee Marcello is the man responsible for this masterpiece, and for those of you that don’t know, he played on two Europe albums in the late eighties and early nineties. Very few guitar players would be able to get anywhere close to recreating it in all its glory, but “cometh the hour, cometh the man”. Norum’s slightly adapted version was a moment where you just listened in reverence. As their set was coming to a close, it was time to play the winning hand. A song like ‘The Final Countdown’ transcends space and time. It’s so famous and universally loved that superlatives are pointless. The keyboard intro triggered mass euphoria around the arena, and when Norum stepped up to play the solo, you were watching true greatness. It was the perfect way to end a perfect festival.

There is a reason Stonedead sells out in 24 hours, and that’s because the promoters know exactly what the fans want, as they are still fans themselves. Roll on 2027.

Words and photography by Myke Gray