3-Days-Festival-Ticket: 130.90 Euro (incl. fees)
3-Days-Festival-Ticket plus Camping: 167.80 Euro (incl. fees)
Day tickets: Friday: 52 Euro (pre-sale) / Saturday & Sunday : 62 Euro (pre-sale)

5/17 • Amorphis - Brutus - Unleashed - Mystic Prophecy - Thronehammer - Dread Sovereign

5/18 • KK's Priest - Forbidden - Primordial - Vandenberg - Waltari - Bæst - Air Raid - Wheel

5/19 • D-A-D - Riot V - Exhorder - Demon - Chapel Of Disease - John Diva And The Rockets Of Love - Maggot Heart - Wings Of Steel

[Dajana] May. Whitsun. It is that time of the year. Family reunion. Our annual kick-off to the summer open air season. Tadaa... here we are again, in the beautiful :: Amphitheater :: of Gelsenkirchen to celebrate the ROCK HARD FESTIVAL. We can't help it... *laughs*
Complaining or not (about the line-up, prices, weather and so on)... as soon as you stand at the top of the entrance, or even better at the top of the stairs, and look down into the amphitheater, breathe in that air, hear the sound check of the first band and see the people trickling in one by one... It's such a great feeling! It's finally starting again. And finally, you can see so many friends and people again, goof around, chat your mouth dry and have one cold beer after another. Oh yeah... :)

[Sui] The ROCK HARD FESTIVAL is always THE metal highlight for me every year. Whether it will take place next year is unfortunately written in the stars. I found the line-up unspectacular and, unfortunately, largely despondent as usual. On the other hand, of course, you look forward to acts you haven't seen for a long time like FORBIDDEN or EXHORDER and classics like KK's PRIEST. At least neither Sodom nor Tankard had to step in this year, which raises the musical level.

[BRT] To be honest, I was skeptical for a long time whether the ROCK HARD FESTIVAL 2024 would even take place again. There was not that much to hear after the last edition. The number of visitors has dropped in recent years and the line-ups were increasingly seen in this light. So, I was all the more surprised and delighted when the 2024 edition of ROCK HARD FESTIVAL was announced after all. And somehow, at this point, the “I'm up for it” feeling really kicked in again.
You can always argue about the booked bands. The fact is, and this should be clear to every music fan by now, it ain't that easy no more to get a big headliner. Touring costs exploded during the last years, (the evil "c" and wars), so did the fees. Even more when it comes to oversea-bands (Brits included). To plan and organize shows and festivals these days is a difficult task, especially, since many people still don't realize how important and decisive advanced ticket sales are. And exactly this doesn't work at all at the moment, be it for small gigs or big tours.
Back to the ROCK HARD FESTIVAL 2024 - I thought the mix was basically good, even if I didn't like every band. And I thought it was good that there was a little bit more diversity.

[Seb] I have to agree with the skepticism regarding this year's billing and the number of fans attending, which were at least partly related to it. I wasn't quite sure which of the bands were meant to pack the arena this year.
On the other hand, you can probably count on the fact that the RHF has become a fixed date in the calendar for so many people that a solid base of visitors is guaranteed...

[Öko] All I can say about the billing is that it hasn't been the main reason for me to go to the ROCK HARD FESTIVAL for a long time! Apart from PRIMORDIAL and BRUTUS, there's nothing on the bill that could really get me excited in the first place, but it's just a big family reunion with people I (almost) only see here!

:: Friday :: Saturday :: Sunday :: Summary :: Impressions ::

[Dajana] Yes, the line-up is a long-discussed topic, as is the current situation in the touring sector/music industry. Just have a look on the current USA visa fee catalog from April 2024 - e.g. the O and P visas for bands that have just shot up by 500$). It's likewise expensive the other way around.
Whether the ROCK HARD FESTIVAL will take place at this location next year is indeed written in the stars, as the park, including the amphitheater, is being rebuilt for the IGA 2027 (State Garden Show). The first trees have already been cut down to make room. The city of Gelsenkirchen is destroying a park that has grown over decades for a few weeks of exclusive floret beds... Hmm.

[BRT] Wasn't there the term “sustainability”? In fact, this park has enough to offer as it is. But then to cut down long-grown trees? What nonsense...

[Dajana] As expected, the ticket prices have risen, as have the merch prices. Beer has remained the same at 5 euros for 0.4l, but water has become more expensive, 4.50 euros instead of 3.50 euros. At the food stalls, you had to pay a little more compared to the last year - but there have been worse price increases (2022, for example).
[Öko] €4.50 for 0.4 liters of water is absolutely outrageous!
[Dajana] Yes, but it's not up to the festival organizer, it's the sole responsibility of the location operator.

[Dajana] Once again, MB Security Concept & Consulting made an unpleasant impression, especially in the stage pit. I've often had problems with this company at various concerts/locations/festivals. This time, the gentlemen weren't standing off to the side and playing on their cell phones, but they didn't catch crowd surfers either. There had to be bruises and bloody noses before the guys were even instructed on how to physically catch the crowd surfers. That doesn't work at all! Apart from that, the security and the event crew on the festival site were very friendly and helpful.

[Dajana] The weather was also forgiving in the end. According to the forecasts, we should have been drowning in rain and thunderstorms on all three days. In fact, it only rained briefly on Sunday. That was okay ;)

[Dajana] Last but not least, our heartfelt thanks go to the ROCK HARD team. What would the festival season be if we couldn't open it with the ROCK HARD FESTIVAL ;) It is always a very special pleasure for us to be part of this party. A big virtual smooch to everyone involved :) And of course a lot of love goes out to all the many helpers, toilet attendants, medics and security who are there for us day and night ♥♥♥♥♥

Stories • BRT, Sui, Seb, Öko, Dajana • Pics © Dajana & Dajana Winkel • Photography