Rock Hard Festival is a heavy metal festival organized and sponsored by the Rock Hard magazine. First established in Lichtenfels, Bavaria, Germany, in 1990 on an irregular basis,[1] mostly for magazine anniversaries, it is held annually in Gelsenkirchen, since 2003. Its 2016 edition was taken place on 13–15 May 2016.

Rock Hard Festival
GenreHeavy metal
Datesweekend of Pentecost
Location(s)Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Years active2003–present
Websitewww.rockhardfestival.de

The 2003 festival was also initially planned for the 20th anniversary of the magazine as a single event. But the fans voted it as the best metal open-air in Germany and so they continued. The festival is still held at the amphitheater which is located directly at the Rhein-Herne-Kanal in the Nordsternpark in Gelsenkirchen. The amphitheater has a maximum capacity of 7,000 people. The festival was the only festival with international metal bands in the Ruhrgebiet area[2] until the Rock am Ring offshoot Rock im Revier, which was organized by the Nürburgring operating company Deutsche Entertainment AG (DEAG), took place in Gelsenkirchen in 2015.[3] Kreator canceled the show at Rock im Revier for their headlining appearance at the smaller Rock Hard Festival.[3]

Lineups

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2016

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Friday 13 May Saturday 14 May Sunday 15 May

Sodom

Destruction
Tankard
Satan
Year of the Goat
Sulphur Aeon

Turbonegro

Metal Church
Kadavar
The Exploited
Grand Magus
Tribulation
Sorcerer
Accu§er

Blind Guardian

Cannibal Corpse
Riot V
Moonspell
Orden Ogan
Nightingale
Black Trip
Discreation

2015

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Friday 22 May Saturday 23 May Sunday 24 May

Venom

Pentagram
Space Chaser
God Dethroned
Flotsam and Jetsam
Architects of Chaoz

Kreator

Doro
Sanctuary
Kataklysm
Avatarium
Voivod
Motorjesus
Deserted Fear

Black Star Riders

Overkill
Michael Schenker's Temple of Rock
Refuge
Sinner
Air Raid
Channel Zero
Spiders

2014

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Friday 6 June Saturday 7 June Sunday 8 June

Triptykon

Die Apokalyptischen Reiter
Midnight
Decapitated
Zodiac
Nocturnal

Carcass

Sacred Reich
Obituary
Pretty Maids
Sólstafir
Screamer
Dead Lord
Roxxcalibur

Testament (replacing Megadeth)

Tesla
Annihilator
Monster Magnet
Insomnium
Orphaned Land
Blues Pills
Iron Savior

2013

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Friday 17 May Saturday 18 May Sunday 19 May

U.D.O.

Ashes of Ares
Audrey Horne
Denial of God (replacing Nachtmystium)
Fleshcrawl
Hellish Crossfire

Queensrÿche

D-A-D
Ensiferum
Naglfar
Desaster
Mustasch
Horisont
Slingblade

King Diamond

Sepultura
Threshold
Tank
Orchid
Orden Ogan
Gospel of the Horns
Attic

2012

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Friday 25 May Saturday 26 May Sunday 27 May

Turbonegro

Kvelertak
Krisiun
Ram
Jex Thot
Deathfist

Bolt Thrower

Psychotic Waltz
Tankard
Unleashed
Hell
Portrait
Motorjesus
Dr. Living Dead!

W.A.S.P.

Unisonic
Magnum
Girlschool
Graveyard
High Spirits
'77
Alpha Tiger

2011

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Friday 10 June Saturday 11 June Sunday 12 June

Triptykon

Enslaved
Primordial
Postmortem
Procession
Contradiction

Iced Earth

Amorphis
Morgoth
Bullet
Epica
Disbelief
In Solitude
Dreamshade

Down

Overkill
Vicious Rumors
Anacrusis
Metal Inquisitor
Atlantean Kodex
Enforcer
Vanderbuyst

2010

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Friday 21 May Saturday 22 May Sunday 23 May

The Devil's Blood

Bloodbath
Sabaton
Katatonia
Necros Christos
Ketzer

Kreator

Accept
Exhorder
Raven
Artillery
Bulldozer
Evile
Orden Ogan

Rage & Lingua Mortis Orchestra

Sonata Arctica
Nevermore
Virgin Steele
Orphaned Land
Crashdïet
Keep of Kalessin
Sacred Steel

2009

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Friday 29 May Saturday 30 May Sunday 31 May

Opeth

Jag Panzer
Prong
Deströyer 666
Angel Witch
Witchburner

Children of Bodom

Jon Oliva's Pain
Forbidden
DragonForce
Hail of Bullets
Audrey Horne
Grand Magus
Evocation

Saxon

Sacred Reich
UFO
Heathen
D-A-D
Bullet
Firewind
Tracedawn

2008

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Friday 9 May Saturday 10 May Sunday 11 May

Testament (replacing Celtic Frost)

Die Apokalyptischen Reiter
Y&T
Lake of Tears
Stormwarrior
The Claymore

Immortal

Exodus
Amorphis
Exciter
Enslaved
Helstar
Moonsorrow
The Sorrow

Iced Earth

Paradise Lost
Volbeat
Napalm Death
Jorn
Asphyx
Sieges Even
Enemy of the Sun

2007

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Friday 25 May Saturday 26 May Sunday 27 May

HammerFall

Grave Digger
Heaven Shall Burn
Cataract
Crucified Barbara
Bullet

Amon Amarth

Death Angel
Armored Saint
Vader
Ross the Boss
Korpiklaani
Turisas
Maroon
Metal Inquisitor

Thin Lizzy

Axel Rudi Pell
Paul Di'Anno
Spock's Beard
Tankard
Dark Funeral
Dew-Scented (replacing Naglfar)
Hardcore Superstar
Sabaton
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References

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