Metal, riffs and a sleepless night: RockFest Kuřim 2026
Rockers, if you love the festival atmosphere but don't want to be squeezed into crowds of thousands of metalheads, RockFest in Kuřim is made for you. The total capacity is limited to 1,000 people. Looking back at previous editions, the castle courtyard has hosted some of the biggest Czech rock and metal names such as Arakain, Trautenberk, Krucipüsk, Doga and many more. In 2025, the festival focused on a storm of the country's best tribute bands. Fans didn't need to travel abroad to hear legendary hits by Manowar, Whitesnake, Nightwish or Accept, as tribute acts paid homage to them right here in this South Moravian town. This year's 21st edition featured renowned European names such as Masterplan, Axxis and Grave Digger.
The castle courtyard itself has a magical genius loci that immediately pulls visitors into another world. Upon entering, an open-air concert hall with distinctive acoustics unfolds before you, with sound reflecting off the historical facades while the stage backdrop is framed by arcade arches — the drum kits are even placed directly inside them. The courtyard is lined with stalls, while the rear area offers Radegast and Pilsner beer. Hunger can be satisfied with langoš, sausages or bread with crackling spread. Covered seating areas are available on the right side and behind the sound engineer's booth. Everywhere you look, you'll find helpers in yellow festival shirts, the staff are cheerful and extremely helpful, and there are no long queues anywhere. Organisation gets top marks.
DONOR
The dream theatre opens at noon with power metal band Donor. The running order of the bands is no coincidence, as the group only warms up their instruments in Kuřim before continuing on to Prague later for the Letovské Chmelení beer festival. The courtyard soon echoes with familiar hits such as Bojovníci boží, Utopia and Lež je strach. Fans stay loyal to the band despite the rain, which, although light, accompanies the entire set persistently. Not even couples dancing to the ballads Divoká řeka and Dlaně are discouraged. During the performance, crew members even appear to pour water off the stage roof to prevent damage to the equipment. Nothing throws Donor off balance, and we are treated to another dose of metal with Devět Křížů, Zlatý Klíč and Derniéra. The performance concludes with the encore Až jednou.
METAL FACTORY
During the break, the rain pours down heavily, the sound engineers grab a quick shot, and shortly before 2 PM Metal Factory jumps onto the stage. The band stands out thanks to its line-up, featuring two female vocalists, so the male part of the audience can enjoy not only the music but also the view. We also cannot overlook the excellent musicians who came from Salamandra — bassist Jaroslav Sedláček and guitarist Vašek Moch. The concert carries a bittersweet atmosphere, as drummer Dan Jureček is absent due to serious health reasons. The good news is that the tour will continue uninterrupted, with Lukhino Kroutil, known from Porta Inferi, stepping in behind the drums. Dan is still here with us, supporting the band from the front rows as songs like Before It's Too Late, Immortal Combat, this year's new track Human Ecstasy, and the heavy metal banger Burning Dignity thunder through the courtyard. Towards the end, the audience is surprised by a blazing cover of Accept's Fast as a Shark. The band closes their metal showcase with the single Domination.
JUDAS PRIEST REVIVAL
With a slight delay, the Judas Priest Revival kicks off its set shortly after 3 PM with the intro Out in the Cold, which fits the festival weather perfectly. Fortunately, the rain finally leaves us, although temperatures show no signs of improving. The Prague-based Judas Priest Revival can regularly be seen at biker gatherings, open-air festivals, clubs and even abroad. Guitarist David Vaněk shreds the strings, also known as a long-time member of Aleš Brichta Project. Wearing a blonde wig, he becomes a perfect Richie Faulkner, delivering aggressive solos and impressive whammy-bar work. The role of Glenn Tipton is handled by Petr Šťastný. Bassist Yoshi brings fresh energy into the otherwise all-male line-up. Frontman Mr. Steely not only sports a perfectly tuned leather outfit but also possesses that unmistakable "Halford-style" voice. The only shame is that he can't jump onto the promotional motorcycle placed near the stage during Hell Bent for Leather. Naturally, the band doesn't skip the iconic Breaking the Law, and word comes from backstage that the crowd won't let them leave without Painkiller. The famous crosses are present on stage as well. Fans also go wild for Panic Attack from Judas Priest's latest album Invisible Shield.
MANIMAL
At 5 PM, the first international guest storms the stage. Swedish band Manimal immediately takes over the baton of the Kuřim metal marathon without unnecessary introductions. After the break, the crowd of metalheads heats up once again during songs such as Black Plague, Manimalized and Burn in Hell. For their current tours, the band uses several reliable drummers, and here the drum kit is handled by stand-in Johan Carlbom. He instantly embraces the role, including the band's characteristic face paint, so at first glance the audience notices no difference. The set also includes the fiery The Darkest Room from the album of the same name, one of the band's oldest songs. The singer, wearing contact lenses, looks almost demonic. This impression intensifies even further during the closing song Irresistible, when he appears wearing a straitjacket. Festival organiser Slávek Bednář and his team of "yellow shirts" also come on stage for a photo with the band. This Swedish power metal machine is no stranger to Kuřim, having last unleashed chaos here back in 2019.
MASTERPLAN
Meanwhile, backstage legends Masterplan have already warmed up, and immediately upon taking the stage they serve the eager crowd Enlighten Me and Spirit Never Dies. We're starting hard right from the beginning! Roland Grapow's fingers dance effortlessly across the fretboard — his years with Helloween are impossible to hide. Bassist Jari Kainulainen (ex-Stratovarius, Evergrey) is equally impressive. The line-up is completed by the youngest member, long-haired powerhouse Kevin Kott behind the drums. Keyboard player Axel Mackenrott becomes completely absorbed in the atmosphere, at one point even kneeling down and playing entirely blind with his hands raised above his head. Frontman Rick Altzi announces that the new album Metalmorphosis will be released on June 26, 2026. We even get to hear the brand-new track Shadow Man, still unavailable anywhere else, making this its exclusive pre-premiere right at RockFest! Naturally, the audience is also treated to classics like Crimson Rider, Kind Hearted Light and Soulburn. Personally, Heroes gives me the biggest thrill, and judging by the reaction of the other metalheads, I'm definitely not alone. After the encore Crawling from Hell, the band moves over to the beer stand and willingly poses for photos with fans. Thumbs up, guys — that kind of direct contact has become increasingly rare these days. It's yet another reason why I'd gladly return to RockFest in Kuřim: the festival has an authentic home-like atmosphere that larger events rarely manage to preserve anymore.
AXXIS
The sky darkens and another highlight of the evening arrives. German melodic rock veterans Axxis return to the castle courtyard after an incredible 18 years to prove that their sound has lost none of its power. The last time they played here was back in 2008, which even became the subject of a Facebook ticket contest. A particularly likeable gesture comes when guitarist Matthias Degener appears wearing a T-shirt from the Czech festival Masters of Rock, instantly winning over the entire audience. The set opens with energetic songs such as Coming Home, Moonlight Bay and Blood Angel. The courtyard immediately fills up — anyone who had still been lingering near the beer stand suddenly rushes into the crowd to bang their heads properly. Touch the Rainbow and Heaven in Black could probably raise even a phoenix from the ashes. Frontman Bernhard Weiß also wants to please the audience, attempting to speak Czech to the crowd and informing us that we have the best beer in the world, which is met with enthusiastic cheering. In return, we sing along with him to Little Look Back.
GRAVE DIGGER
At 10:30 PM, the final headliner Grave Digger kicks off their set. In complete darkness, the concert suddenly takes on an entirely different vibe, and it's hard to imagine a more fitting band to close the festival. As a reward for patiently staying until the very end, we get songs such as Scotland United, Under My Flag, Killing Time and Dark of the Sun. I move upstairs to the castle windows, where a bird's-eye view opens up, and I have to admit it has its own unique magic from there as well. Definitely try it during your next visit. The sound and overall feeling are completely different once again. More proven hits follow — The Curse of Jacques, the universally known Excalibur and Rebellion. The performance is full of energy, and I have to praise both the sound system and the lighting. Lovers of honest old-school heavy metal are treated to older material as well — Headbanging Man and the final echo of guitars cuts through the night during Heavy Metal Breakdown. The rockers leave satisfied, smiles on their faces.
In conclusion…
…we would like to thank everyone who worked tirelessly to prepare this event and allowed us to experience this thrilling metal show. The following day, another event connected to the celebrations of the town's 800th anniversary took place at the castle, so the clean-up probably continued until morning. At the end, organiser Slávek Bednář mentioned that the organisation had been both mentally and physically exhausting, so we will have to wait and see whether we meet here again next year, or whether this was a grand farewell to this traditional event.
Text: Lenka Svatoňová
Photos: Martin Matess