Last Saturday was the big day. It was already the third edition of BOBfest!, the festival organized by Radio BOB! So off I went—on yet another lovely, sunny, and warm day—to Sparkassenpark to enjoy performances by Judas Priest, Airbourne, Beyond The Black, and Nestor, among others.
Every year, a series of concerts is held at the hockey park, so I already know it’s a great place to hang out—with plenty of drinks, snacks, and booths.
kicking off
Kicking off this edition are the Swedish ladies and gentlemen of The Gems—the band led by Guernica Mancini and Mona Lindgren. Drummer Emlee Johanson recently left the band for personal reasons, so right now the two Gems are on the road with a replacement drummer and bassist. In any case, The Gems are always a blast to see live, and with their energetic show and now two great albums under their belt, there’s plenty of fantastic material to choose from. The grounds are already pretty packed, and the crowd is clearly in the mood for a rock ’n’ roll party. Guernica and the gang certainly got things off to a great start and set the bar high for the rest of the day with their show. Great sound and just an awesome show. Thumbs up!
Next up is the band whose appearance at BOBfest! was in doubt for a while. The sudden passing of the band’s namesake and leader, Phil Campbell, seemed to throw a wrench in the works, but Phil Campbell’s Basterd Sons decided to carry on with the band in honor of dad. And what better way to celebrate Phil’s legacy than with music by Motörhead! The setlist, therefore, features quite a few classics from the band, played with the right energy and flair. “Ace Of Spades,” “Killed By Death,” “Born To Raise Hell,” and more, complemented by great songs from their own repertoire. “We’re The Bastards” and “Strike A Match” fit seamlessly between the Motörhead songs. I really hope these guys continue to carry on Phil’s legacy and keep putting on awesome shows like this one.
Between shows, a few well-known BOB! DJs provided some entertainment by hosting short trivia games or simply throwing BOB! merch into the crowd.
However, the following gentlemen from Sweden are already eager to take the stage and put on a great show. Nestor has already performed on German stages several times and is certainly no stranger to this audience. The band, which was founded in 1989 and only awoke in 2021 from a deep hibernation that began in 1995, can count on a warm reception with their melodic rock in the vein of bands like Europe and Journey. Tobias Gustavsson is, as usual, in top form and in great voice, and seems to sing songs like “We Come Alive,” “Stone Cold Eyes,” and “On The Run” with effortless ease. Nestor is simply a tight-knit unit that knows where their strengths lie, and the party is definitely on!
bull’s eye
I was actually supposed to go to a Beyond The Black show in Oberhausen in February. However, the final shows of that tour were canceled and rescheduled for September, since guitarist Chris Hermsdörfer required emergency surgery for a retinal detachment, and drummer Kai Tschierschky was recovering from severe influenza. It was a force majeure situation, so Beyond The Black was high on my list of bands to see. And singer Jennifer Haben and her band delivered! While the sound was already good for the previous bands, the sound for Beyond The Black was out of this world. Good job, sound engineer. Songs like “Break The Silence,” “Riencarnation,” and “Ravens” are simply killer ammunition to fire at the crowd, and Beyond The Black has become such a tight band—there’s no doubt about it. A bull’s-eye.
The next band high on my list was the group led by frontman/guitarist Joel O’Keeffe. Airbourne took the stage and immediately scored the first goal with “GUTSY,” and the energy and power of these guys are on a ridiculously high entertainment level. AC/DC on steroids is the best way to describe it. I don’t think Joel stands still for a single moment on stage—he’s one big energy bomb. Midway through the set, he even decided to take a lap through the crowd on a roadie’s shoulders. The Sparkassenpark is on fire. Songs like “Too Much, Too Young, Too Fast,” “Back In The Game,” and “Alive After Death” keep the party going strong. These Aussies came, saw, and won over the crowd!! Another success.
Delivering The Goods
BOBfest! 2026 had the honor of hosting Judas Priest’s tour kickoff. The “Faithkeepers” tour featured an awesome setlist that covered just about every era the band has gone through—from the ’70s to the here and now. Judas Priest came and DELIVERED THE GOODS!
Kicking things off with songs like “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’,” “Metal Gods,” and “Breaking The Law” guarantees a party that gets going right away. Vocalist Rob Halford continues to deliver even at 74, and the band sounds tight and loud. It’s a shame, though, that founding member Ian Hill’s bass was at times too loud in the mix. But that certainly didn’t dampen the party for the fans. Priest came and delivered exactly what the hardcore fans want to hear and see: a “Best of Judas Priest” set. For the first time since 1980, “Delivering The Goods” was played live in Europe again, and the band performed it with great verve.
With songs like “Turbo Lover,” “Victim Of Changes,” “Electric Eye,” and “The Sentinel,” you can’t help but have a slam dunk, and when the band is also hyped up because it’s the tour kickoff, you can’t help but throw a huge, awesome party. The Priest came and took BOBfest! 2026 by storm.
a Royal Flush
So I can only conclude that Radio BOB! managed to organize an absolutely awesome party. Great weather, cold drinks, a varied selection of food, and an amazing musical lineup. BOBfest! 2026 was, to use poker terminology, a Royal Flush.
I’m already looking forward to next year’s lineup. BOBfest! has struck gold with this formula—and definitely with this location, too. It’s a great place to hang out, whether you want to stand or sit in one of the stands. Go ahead and reserve our spot for 2027!
Report & Images by Raymond Helebrand
