Tollrock has been a staple on my festival calendar for several years now. Even though Bospop also had a strong lineup, my choice was clear. I’m heading back to the German Eifel region for one of the most beautiful and fun festivals on my annual calendar. And that’s certainly no hardship, given the festival’s once again diverse program.
Friday, July 10
Friday kicked off with the winners of the 2025 band contest. Black Remains is a three-piece band from the Düsseldorf area that has been on the road for quite a few years with their hard and heavy music. And true to the motto “the show must go on,” bassist Janek Scott Beierle was rocking out on stage as usual—despite the fact that he’s currently on crutches due to an injury. As far as I’m concerned, it was a great and, above all, fun way to kick off the first day.
Brunhilde is in a league of their own. This band has one mission: to bring the entire festival grounds to their feet with their crossover blend of alternative punk and metal. Singer Carolin “Caro” Loy had donned a beautiful neon outfit for the occasion, making it immediately clear that there’s someone on stage who demands your attention. This lady is a force of nature when it comes to stage presence. But let’s not forget to mention co-founder and guitarist Kurt Bauereiß, and bassist Marisa Gruna and drummer Jannis Reiher, who form the strong rhythm section.
Brunhilde is, in any case, a band that knows how to put on a very energetic show and set the proverbial place ablaze quite early in the day. A wonderful performance.
DIE HAPPY
Then we can happily move on to Die Happy. This band was founded back in 1993 by singer Marta Jandová and guitarist Thorsten Mewes. Die Happy plays alternative rock. The band has released about 14 albums over the course of their career, with ‘Guess What’ being their latest release.
Live, this band also showcases its strengths and really knows how to get the crowd going. One of their hits is their cover of “Survivor,” which we of course know from the original by Destiny’s Child. Fortunately, this version is a lot heavier than the original. Their hit “Supersonic Speed” is, of course, another must-have in their set.
After Die Happy, it was time for the band led by singer Keith Caputo: Life Of Agony! These guys have been part of the rock ’n’ roll scene since 1989—with a few breaks here and there. It was immediately clear that a large portion of the audience had come specifically for this band. Circle pits formed right away, and crowd surfing was in full swing.
From the very first notes, Life Of Agony was on fire and proved they hadn’t lost any of their power since their early days. Alongside Caputo, longtime bassist Alan Robert and guitarist Joey Z were rocking out as they always have, but drummer Veronica Bellino especially impressed me with her incredibly tight and powerful drumming. Damn, that woman knows how to hit those drums and lay the foundation for the rest of the band.
I think the last time I saw them was in the early ’90s at Dynamo Open Air, but what a treat to see this band in action again. Absolutely top-notch
ACCEPT
The headliners for Day 1 take us even further back in time. This band is currently on its 50th-anniversary tour. None other than Accept is taking the stage, and you know the roof is going to come off. Band leader Wolf Hoffmann has everything under control. Classics like “Metal Heart” and “Restless & Wild” are seamlessly interspersed with newer tracks like “Pandemic” and “Teutonic Terror.” Still, the work of the classic Accept lineup really stands out, and let’s be honest—when you have such an impressive catalog to choose from, you can’t avoid playing a “Best of Accept” set. That’s what the fans come for, and that’s what the fans get. Over the years, singer Mark Tornillo has, of course, more than proven himself as the band’s frontman and has more than earned his place in Accept. Today, once again, he delivers the songs convincingly with his recognizable voice.
Just by playing hits like “Princes Of The Dawn” or “Balls To The Wall,” Accept manages to captivate the entire festival grounds.
After Accept, Day 1 was over for me, but with Ragetrack [Rage Against The Machine tribute], the festivalgoers still had a traditional afterparty, which Nideggen/Schmidt set ablaze.
Saturday, July 11
Day 2 began for me around the time Cyant, the last band in the band contest, took the stage. Luckily, I was still able to catch them, and they turned out to be the winners, earning themselves a spot as the opening act for the 2027 edition of Tollrock.
Temperatures are tropical again today, but luckily there are plenty of spots to take shelter in the shade, and there are more than enough drinks to be found on the Tollrock grounds.
Velvet Rush from Hamburg is a relatively new band that was formed in 2023. The band plays classic ’70s hard rock with its own modern twist. Singer Sandra Lian proves to be an excellent power vocalist and also knows how to draw attention with her striking appearance. Drummer Tom Zeschke, bassist Tim Black, and guitarist Dennis Henning play tight and never miss a beat. They’re definitely a band that could very well become a fan favorite. They’re currently touring Europe with Rose Tattoo, and in April 2027 they’ll embark on their first headlining tour in Germany. A band to keep an eye on, because I have a feeling we’ll be hearing a lot more from this act in the future.
It was up to the three guys from the punk rock band Itchy to top Velvet Rush’s performance. But let’s just say that this turned out to be no problem at all for Sibbi, Panzer, and Max. Their rousing music and stage presence know how to captivate the crowd and keep them hooked.
Personally, I wasn’t familiar with this act, but that’s the beauty of Tollrock—there are always bands there that fall just outside my usual radar. Itchy was one of those. A fantastic live band.
redemption time
After Itchy, it was the ladies of Thundermother’s turn. This act had already performed at Tollrock once before in 2023, but back then they had to make do with borrowed gear, since the airline had forgotten to load their equipment onto the plane. 2026 is redemption time, and now they’re going full throttle with their own gear. No-nonsense rock and roll, just as we’ve come to expect from these ladies.
From the very first notes, it was clear that they had only one mission: to leave a crushing impression on the Tollrock audience—and they more than succeeded in this mission. Led by frontwoman Linnéa Vikström and guitarist Filippa Nässil, the party got started right away. Both ladies did make their way into the crowd at least once during the gig. Connecting with the fans is definitely one of this band’s strengths. Drummer Joan Massing and bassist Majsan Lindberg once again laid a rock-solid foundation for songs like “Thunderous,” “Take The Power,” and “Speaking Of The Devil.” Another awesome show.
And with Saturday’s headliner, the crowd went wild once again. H-Blockx knows how to get the festival grounds buzzing with their mix of alternative rock, metal, and rap metal. Singer Henning Wehland, guitarist Tim “Humpe” Tenambergen, bassist Stephan “Gudze” Hinz, and drummer Steffen Wilmking are performing at the Tollrock festival for the third time, and each time they’ve managed to climb a bit higher in the lineup; in this edition, they’re the headliners for Saturday. “Countdown To Insanity,” “Revolution,” and “Rising High” really hit the spot, and the H-Blockx guys also deliver a convincing cover of Snap’s “The Power.”
This gig brings my Tollrock festival 2026 to a close.
But just like on Friday, the festivalgoers had another afterparty, and this one was on Saturday with the Linkin Park tribute band From Zero. I can just imagine the echoes still reverberating through the valleys of the German Eifel.
true celebration
In any case, Tollrock 2026 was another true celebration. Friendly people, plenty of food, drinks, and entertainment, a wonderful variety of bands, and a festival grounds with the most beautiful view.
See you in 2027 with already confirmed bands including Saxon, Massen Defekt, Lansdowne, and Paradise Lost.
Report & Images by Raymond Helebrand
