The Azkena Rock Festival has announced an impressive lineup for its 2025 edition, featuring a diverse array of acclaimed artists. From June 19-21, the festival will transform Vitoria-Gasteiz into the epicenter of rock, with headliners like the iconic and influential Welsh rockers Manic Street Preachers, experimental art rock band The Flaming Lips, acclaimed singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams, and powerhouse performer Melissa Etheridge. This initial wave of artists also includes respected musician Richard Hawley, Reckless Kelly, Public Image Ltd, Turbonegro, The Hellacopters, punk legends Buzzcocks, and the duo Diamond Dogs & Chris Spedding, and many more, showcasing the festival’s commitment to quality and eclectic music.
The 2025 festival lineup promises a diverse array of acclaimed artists. Manic Street Preachers, known for their extensive and acclaimed discography, will debut their 15th album “Critical Thinking” with an exclusive Spanish performance. The Flaming Lips, renowned for their energetic live shows featuring frontman Wayne Coyne’s crowd-surfing in a giant bubble, will treat audiences to a special 20th anniversary celebration of their iconic album “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots.” Lucinda Williams, a revered folk-rock-country icon with a career spanning over three decades and multiple Grammys, will grace the festival one last time with her emotionally resonant songwriting. Melissa Etheridge, acclaimed for her powerful rock sound and distinctive vocals, returns to Spain for the first time in decades.
John Lydon, better known as Johnny Rotten, will be performing with his legendary band Public Image Ltd. (P.i.L.) at this event. Lydon previously played with the Sex Pistols at ARF. We strongly recommend keeping your phones in your pockets during this performance. The festival’s punk lineup features the iconic Dead Kennedys, known for their politically-charged brand of hardcore. Additionally, attendees can look forward to Buzzcocks, pioneers of British punk, performing their legendary anthem “Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve)” next year. The Buzzcocks will bring their signature catchy melodies and biting lyrics to life on the Mendizabala stage, making for a must-see performance. The vibrant Basque punk scene plays a vital role in the broader punk movement, as exemplified this year by the 25th anniversary of Kaotiko, who will be performing in their hometown of Alava.
The Hellacopters are a staple of the Scandinavian rock scene and a particular favorite of the ARF festival and its audience. The band made their debut at the first edition of the festival in Mendizabala in 2003. Nick Royale, the Hellacopters’ frontman, is an avowed fan of Azkena Rock Festival, and he has chosen this occasion to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the band. From neighbouring Norway comes Turbonegro, a band that stands out on the Scandinavian music scene, blending hedonistic and irreverent humor with elements of hard rock and glam rock. The unique and unrepeatable combo of Diamond Dogs and Chris Spedding (image below) will deliver a special performance at next year’s festival. They will be presenting their tribute album, About The Hardest Nut To Crack, which reimagines the music of rock and roll icon Little Richard in their own distinctive style.
Mendizabala will host a special performance by the acclaimed country/rock band Reckless Kelly, marking their first-ever concert in Spain and one of their first in Europe. Continuing with American sounds, The festival will feature Robert Jon & The Wreck, a band known for their electrifying blend of southern rock, captivating guitar solos, lush vocal harmonies, and catchy melodies – also being an exclusive show in Spain in 2025. Often associated with the stoner and desert rock scene, Masters of Reality, mentors to Josh Homme and his bands Kyuss and Queens of the Stone Age, bring a distinct personality to the stoner and desert rock scene, always adding a twist to the genre. And also joining the line-up are The Chesterfield Kings, one of the most influential bands to emerge from the late 1970s garage rock revival.
Melancholy maestro Richard Hawley will grace the ARF stage with his full band, showcasing the elegant, profound style that has defined his music over a timeless 25-year career. Quique González, the chronicler of a generation, returns to Mendizabala after nearly two decades, ready to captivate audiences once again with his steadfast artistry. The soundtrack for Javier Macipe‘s debut feature film, La estrella azul (The Blue Star), will be performed live at Mendizabala. Blending fiction and documentary, La estrella azul tells the story of the former frontman of the band Más Birras, transforming his tale into a universal fable about forgotten artists and geniuses.
Get ready to be transported into a musical trance by Sevilla’s psychedelic rock band Derby Motoreta’s Burrito Kachimba! And if that wasn’t enough, the iconic ’90s underground group Psilicon Flesh, known for their unforgettable soundtrack to Álex de la Iglesia‘s cult classic film The Day of the Beast, returns to deliver a unique crossover of metal, pop, funk, and grunge. The Basque ensemble Ezezez promises to captivate new listeners with their performance, which is expected to be nothing short of spectacular whilst Libe, hailing from Gasteiz, will also take the stage once more, this time performing material from her solo project.
Tickets for the Azkena Rock Festival will go on sale this Wednesday, November 20th, at 10am on the festival’s website azkenarockfestival.com. These tickets will be available at a special discounted price. Additionally, those who have attended previous editions of the festival will be able to access an exclusive advance ticket promotion starting tomorrow, Friday, also at a special price.
This year, the ARF event is offering two new ticket options on top of the standard 3-day passes. The Bono Gaztea, which costs 100€ plus booking fees, is for attendees under 23. There’s also the new Bono Cuadrilla, which allows groups of friends visiting ARF to snap up six passes for the price of five. Visitors will once again have the option to pay for tickets in instalments, for both advance and general admission. As always, children under 14 will be admitted free of charge.
The festival will also provide organized bus trips from neighboring towns and cities, including Bilbao, Pamplona, Donostia/San Sebastián, Zarautz, Arrasate, and Alsasua, which will transport attendees directly to the festival entrance.
The Azkena Rock Festival is a unique and authentic rock music festival fuelled by a deep passion and commitment for rock in all senses of the word. It combines the friendly atmosphere – courtesy of the festival’s most loyal fans – with the added charm of a welcoming venue with ample green spaces, just a stone’s throw from the centre of Vitoria-Gasteiz, a city renowned as the Green Capital and a bastion of Basque cuisine. ARF is organised by Last Tour, an independent cultural agent whose values and business model have been recognised with BCorp certification.
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