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Judas Priest, Dropkick Murphys & Eisbrecher: NRW's Loudest Weekend of the Summer

28 concerts between Monday and Sunday – and come the weekend the calendar simply overflows: three big festivals on a single Saturday, plus sold-out clubs, thrash legends and a pile of local heroes. This is what high summer sounds like in NRW when it gets loud.

The week's heavy hitters

It doesn't get much bigger: on Saturday, BOBfest at Sparkassenpark Mönchengladbach brings the Metal Gods to the Ruhr – Judas Priest close a day already fired up by Aussie powerhouse Airbourne and the symphonic force of Beyond The Black.

Midweek belongs to the legends: on Thursday, Canadian prog-thrash aliens Voivod bring their unmistakable racket to Turock Essen, before Sweden's melodic-death machine The Haunted follows on Friday. The week opens Monday with Belgian post-metal monks Amenra at a sold-out Musikbunker Aachen – no ticket, no entry. And on Sunday The Troops Of Doom, led by ex-Sepultura guitarist Jairo Guedz, haul Brazilian death/thrash into Kulttempel Oberhausen.

Punk rodeo, hardcore and local heroes

Ruhrpott Rodeo in Hünxe is THE punk pilgrimage of the summer, Friday to Sunday: Dropkick Murphys, grind forefathers Napalm Death, Turbonegro, Biohazard and Feine Sahne Fischfilet top a bill of 40-plus bands – on Sunday, Mülheim's own Sondaschule and Hot Water Music crown the party.

Every club night is worth it: Wednesday, UK post-punks High Vis share the Turock stage with L.A. hardcore hopefuls Militarie Gun. Thursday, Canada's The Penske File bring melodic punk rock to the Sonic Ballroom alongside Cologne locals Stress. And Saturday gets fast: after the Bochum show was moved at short notice, Speed Attack now lands at Hirsch Q Dortmund – five hours of speed-metal carnage with NRW locals Justify (Essen), Blood Atonement (Gladbeck) and Amputator (Bonn). Want it moshier? The Sudden Mosh Festival at Druckluft Oberhausen delivers with Cologne's AKUMA SIX, and in Wesel, Duisburg metalcore hometowners Call Of Charon turn Sunday's Krachgarten matinee up loud.

The weekend turns dark: Amphi & more

Running parallel to the Rodeo, the Amphi Festival at Cologne's Tanzbrunnen turns the weekend into a black high mass. Saturday, synth-pop institution Covenant and Mono Inc. lead the night; Sunday belongs to NDH juggernaut Eisbrecher, wave legends Clan Of Xymox and cold-wave icons Lebanon Hanover. Still not enough? Friday, Echoes of Rebellion at Club Volta hosts a darkwave night, and Saturday Blackout Problems bring their emo post-hardcore to the Kantine open air.

Don't miss a thing with KRACH!

28 shows, three festivals, one weekend – from the metal gala to the punk rodeo to the Tanzbrunnen in black. Find every date, set time and ticket in the KRACH app. Grab your crew and make some noise! 🤘