Photo Credits: Georgi Angelov

After three days that brought generations together on stage, united by the eighth wonder of the world, music, Hills Of Rock 2026 ended with Electric Callboy, a band that effortlessly combines 90s synthpop aesthetics, alternative rock and explosive metalcore. The result is more than clear: a sound that recognizes no genre boundaries and an audience ready to follow the band in every unexpected musical turn. A real party reigned at the Rowing Base in Plovdiv as the Germans whirled on stage in their colorful 90s costumes, and confetti and pyrotechnics flew from the stage every few songs. The first for Electric Callboy performance in Bulgaria was a proof that the taste of the audience in our country has developed rapidly in recent years and today is far broader than at the start of the largest rock and metal music festival in our country – Hills of Rock.

Before them on the Main Stage, the mood was completely different when another band made their debut on Bulgarian soil, namely Lamb Of God. With the angry, as if coming out of the depths of hell voice of frontman Randy Blythe and fires that transported us to completely different worlds, the band totally blew everyone who had gathered to feel the destructive energy of Lamb of God up close. “Seeing all of you tonight, I have no idea why it took us so long to come to Bulgaria” – this is how Blythe greeted the Bulgarian audience, who were screaming and whirling in front like there was no tomorrow.

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Photo Credits: Georgi Angelov

The day was opened by an uncompromising set by Deafheaven, and immediately after them, the gothic-doom English band Paradise Lost took the stage. On the third and final night of Hills Of Rock, we also saw Nevermore, the band that is starting a new chapter in its musical history, led by two of its legendary members – guitar wizard Jeff Loomis and drummer Van Williams, while on the other two stages “Na Tamno” and Power Stage, fans of bands such as Orbit Culture, Sunblinds, Velian, Black Tooth were bustling. With a set and presence worthy of a headline position, shortly before 10 p.m., the Bulgarian band Tsar Pluh took to the Power Stage. The young band, part of the independent group Projector Plus, was in no way inferior to the artists on the main stage – with pyrotechnics, uncompromising performance, great, heavy sound, circle pits in front of the stage and an audience that sings their lyrics at the top of their lungs.

Hills Of Rock 2026 once again brought people together in one place from different styles, cultures and generations – the festival where you come for the music, but stay for the people.

Thanks to the Hills of Rock 2026 sign language interpretation program, which gives people with hearing impairments full access to what is happening on stage, the Rowing Base was once again a territory of freedom, equality and connectivity. Because music is for everyone.

Hills Of Rock returns in 2027, and the first series of promo tickets for the most impatient fans sold out in just an hour. Stay tuned for the next category of tickets for Hills of Rock 2027 on the Ticket Station network.
The first names for the new festival year are expected very soon. Latest news and additional information – festteam.bg, hillsofrock.bg and ticketstation.bg – and on the official festival profiles on social networks.

See you soon!

Hills Of Rock 2026 is organized by “Fest Team” OOD, as part of the “Heritage 2023” program of the “Plovdiv 2029” Foundation and with the support of the Plovdiv Municipality.