The flame has been lit at the Azkena Rock Festival, the rock festival of the year. And once again, we will be able to enjoy a classic festival that is already considered an essential event—one which we must go to at least once in our lives to live out an incredible experience that extends from the now legendary Mendizabala venue to the streets of the Green Capital, Vitoria-Gasteiz.

The first names of the lineup for the twenty-first edition are unveiled, with the return of major figures who are very dear to festival goers.

The legendary IGGY POP – flagship of punk and a rock icon is returning better than ever after his Mendizabala performances in 2003 and 2006.

You will once again enjoy the fascinating universe of LUCINDA WILLIAMS, as we did in 2016 when she proved that she is one of the most important songwriters of the last decades and more relevant than ever in American music. They will perform with RANCID, one of the most important bands in the history of punk rock, who will be joining ARF on their 30th anniversary; STEVE EARLE, an essential musician in rock history and who is visiting us with his most special format, accompanied by his acoustic guitar; and Melvins, one of the most mythical bands of the 90s and most desired by festival goers, with whom they settle their debt after their cancellation due to illness in 2019.

All these artists—who are essential figures—are just the tip of the iceberg of the overwhelming roster of talent who will be in Mendizabala, Vitoria-Gasteiz on June 15th – 17th 2023.

Organisers settle another debt with the most important bands in American music in the last decades by bringing CALEXICO and their mixture of influences from both sides of the border to Vitoria-Gasteiz.

The wildest guitars will come from the hands of bands like QUEENSRŸCHE, authentic legends of heavy metal from the 80’s and who land in ARF for the first time; or with the return of MONSTER MAGNET – the ultimate representatives of both the spirit of rock and of the festival—one of the most influential bands associated with stoner and hard rock with a history full of brilliant moments, rock, and extremes.

This edition will also feature EL DROGAS, whose solo career is already respected in itself, but if he also comes with the repertoire of BARRICADA – a rock bank that sold more than a million records and that EL DROGAS founded 40 years ago little more needs to be said.

You will also enjoy the most extreme side of rock and metal with the impressive live performance of GWAR, with their distinctive dark humour, latex masks, and theatrical staging.

Organisers can’t hide that LUCERO, an American alternative country band, is one of their favorite bands and one of those that best represents the open spirit of the festival. We enjoyed them in 2019, but last year they released a new album, When You Found Me, meaning they had to come back.

A garage and psychedelic touch will be provided by OS MUTANTES, legendary Brazilian band and living history of rock with a career spanning several decades. Since they got back together, organisers knew they had to be at Azkena.

With a career spanning over 40 years, the legendary British rockabillies MATCHBOX will land in Mendizabala with their original lineup. You will have to wait to hear their anthem “Rockabilly Rebel,” the hit with which they took the world by storm in 1979. The festival is characterized by always having young, influential bands in its scene, such as BRIGADE LOCO, one of the most cutting-edge punk rock bands in the Basque Country. In just two years, they have recruited a huge fanbase, allowing them to become one of the Basque bands of the moment and sweeping everywhere.

PASADENA, the new project from Vitoria-Gasteiz natives, Jon Basaguren and Libe García de Cortázar—who showed us their talent in their previous joint project, Izaki Gardenak—once again brings us two veterans of the Basque scene with a lot of experience. These new confirmations are closed with distinction thanks to BONES OF MINERVA, a stoner band with a lot of rage and force, led by four young women who display the new generation of rock in Spain!

Tickets are on sale from our friends at See Tickets Spain – click here for more details!