💀🍻 HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO KEEP HYDRATED AT A HEAVY METAL FESTIVAL, BUTT? A photograph of a bar menu featuring a drink called ‘Damnation’ has landed at THE RIFF REPORT, showing draught lager and cider at £7 a pint, IPA at £8, spirits and mixers from £7, and bottled water at £2. There are also two-pint deals, Jägerbomb offers and a selection of soft drinks for fans looking to give the alcohol a miss!
The picture appears connected to DAMNATION FESTIVAL, which took place at Manchester’s BOWLERS EXHIBITION CENTRE on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November 2026. While the photograph doesn’t independently establish which bar or date it came from, the prices are clearly visible, and they’re certainly worth discussing.
So, were these reasonable festival prices, or was your bank account taking an even bigger beating than your neck muscles in the pit? Let’s have a proper look!
🍻 Heavy Metal, Massive Riffs And The Price Of A Pint!
Well then, Riff Report crew!
There’s something every festivalgoer knows.
You can spend months preparing for a music festival.
You’ve bought the ticket.
Booked the hotel.
Sorted the transport.
Printed the running order.
And prepared yourself for an absolute weekend of musical carnage.
But there’s one little detail that can catch you out.
THE BAR PRICES!
Because while you might have saved up for your favourite bands, your wallet also needs to survive the food and drink situation.
And at an indoor festival where thousands of metalheads are packed together enjoying enormous riffs, having access to reasonably priced refreshments is important.
Which brings us to a photograph shared with The Riff Report.
The image shows a large illuminated drinks menu, complete with prices for lager, cider, stout, IPA, spirits, cocktails, wine, water and soft drinks.
And there’s even a menu item called Damnation.
Rather appropriate, considering the festival we’re talking about!
So let’s break it down.
💷 The Bar Menu: Every Price Shown In The Photograph
Here’s what we can read from the bar-menu photograph.
🍺 Draught Beer And Cider Prices
Drink Price Draught lager or cider, pint £7 Half pint £4 Draught stout, pint £7 Draught IPA, pint £8 Damnation, draught menu item £8 Canned lager or cider £6 WKD £7
And here’s where the menu gets a little more interesting.
There are discounts for ordering two pints together.
🍻 Two-Pint Deals
Drink Two-pint price Saving against two single pints Lager or cider £13 £1 Stout £13 £1 IPA £15 £1 Damnation £15 £1
For example, buying two individual pints of lager at £7 each would normally cost £14.
But the two-pint offer brings that down to £13.
That’s effectively £6.50 per pint.
For IPA, the £15 two-pint option works out at £7.50 per pint, compared with £8 individually.
Now, it’s hardly the sort of discount that’s going to pay for your next festival ticket.
But a quid saved is a quid saved!
Especially when you’re already spending an absolute fortune on band merchandise.
🥃 Spirits, Shots And Jägerbombs
The bar also offered a selection of spirits and premixed drinks. Drink Price Spirit and mixer £7 Premium spirit and mixer £9 Jägerbomb, individual £5 Three Jägerbombs £10 Shots £3 AU cans or cocktails £8
The menu also indicates an additional £2 charge for doubling up a spirit measure, although the small print is difficult to read completely.
There’s a separate offer for three Jägerbombs at £10, rather than £15 when purchased individually.
And for anybody who likes a simple spirit and mixer, the standard option is listed at £7.
Premium spirits cost £9.
The photograph doesn’t identify every brand available behind the bar or the exact spirit options included in each category, so those details would need confirming at the venue.
🍷 Wine, Prosecco And Cocktails
Not every metalhead fancies a pint.
And the menu also included wine and prosecco. Drink Price Wine, glass £7 Wine, bottle £30 Prosecco, glass £7 Prosecco, bottle £35 AU cans or cocktails £8
The notice at the bottom of the menu states that wine measures are 125ml.
That’s an important detail for anybody comparing prices.
Because a £7 glass may sound fairly typical at a large event, but the serving size matters.
And for those planning to buy a bottle, the listed prices were £30 for wine and £35 for prosecco.
💧 Water And Soft Drinks: The More Affordable Options
Now here’s something we particularly wanted to highlight.
Because keeping hydrated at a heavy metal festival is important.
Especially when you’re spending hours standing in a hot indoor venue, moving between stages and enjoying energetic performances.
Thankfully, the photographed menu also includes several non-alcoholic options. Drink Price Water £2 Energy drink £3 Soft drink, half pint £2 Soft drink, pint £3 Canned soft drink £3
Bottled water at £2 is one of the more affordable options on the board.
And for fans who prefer a pint of soft drink, the price is £3.
That’s considerably cheaper than the draught alcoholic options.
The photograph doesn’t establish whether free drinking-water refill points were available elsewhere at the event, so it’s worth keeping that separate from the listed bar prices.
But as far as the menu itself is concerned, water and soft drinks were clearly available.
And that’s something every festival should take seriously.
Metal is supposed to leave your ears ringing, butt, not leave you dehydrated!
💰 How Much Could A Round Have Cost?
Let’s put the figures into perspective.
Because a menu is one thing.
But seeing what a few purchases add up to can be rather revealing.
🍻 Example Festival Bar Bills
Order Total One pint of lager and a water £9 Two pints of lager on the deal £13 Two pints of stout on the deal £13 Two pints of IPA on the deal £15 One pint of IPA and a soft drink £11 Two pints of soft drink £6 Four bottles of water £8 One standard spirit and mixer plus a soft drink £10
These are straightforward examples using the prices shown in the photograph.
They don’t include any possible deposits, additional venue charges or other expenses not displayed on the menu.
And obviously, nobody has to spend the entire day drinking alcohol to enjoy a festival.
Sometimes a bottle of water and a brilliant set from your favourite band is all you need.
💷 What About A Two-Day Festival Budget?
For somebody attending both days, even modest spending on refreshments can add up.
One pint of lager and one bottle of water each day would cost:
£9 per day, or £18 across the weekend.
Two pints of soft drink each day would cost:
£6 per day, or £12 across the weekend.
And two bottles of water each day would cost:
£4 per day, or £8 across the weekend.
These examples show how different choices can affect the overall cost.
And considering festival tickets, travel, food and accommodation, it certainly makes sense to think about refreshments when planning a weekend.
🤘 But Are £7 Pints Actually Reasonable At A Metal Festival?
Now then.
Here’s where the debate really begins.
IS £7 FOR A PINT GOOD VALUE?
That depends on your perspective.
For somebody accustomed to paying significantly less in a local pub, £7 might feel expensive.
Particularly when you’ve already paid for a festival ticket.
But large-scale events come with additional operating costs.
Bars need staff.
Stock must be delivered.
Equipment needs maintaining.
And venue operations can involve expenses not normally associated with a traditional pub.
That’s part of why drinks at major concerts and festivals frequently cost more than they would at a local bar.
But that doesn’t automatically make every price reasonable.
And fans are perfectly entitled to question what they’re being charged.
🍺 The Two-Pint Deal
The £13 lager and cider offer does bring the effective price down to £6.50 a pint.
It’s a small saving.
And for a group buying two drinks together, it’s certainly worth knowing about.
But the offer doesn’t change the fact that a standard individual pint costs £7.
💧 The Water Price
At £2, water is one of the cheaper items.
And that’s important in a large indoor festival environment.
Festivalgoers need access to drinking water, especially where performances involve considerable physical activity.
🥤 The Soft Drink Price
A pint of soft drink at £3 is another option worth highlighting.
Not everybody drinks alcohol.
Some people are driving.
Others prefer to avoid it.
And some simply want a refreshing drink between performances.
A festival should cater for all of them.
Because metalheads come in all varieties, butt!
💀 Damnation Festival 2026: A Weekend Of Extreme Metal Carnage!
Of course, the drinks menu is only one small part of the wider festival experience.
DAMNATION FESTIVAL 2026 took place across 7 and 8 November at the Bowlers Exhibition Centre in Manchester.
The event has established itself as one of the UK’s most important independent celebrations of extreme music.
And this year’s line-up was absolutely stacked.
We’re talking about artists including:
- CARCASS
- CULT OF LUNA
- SATYRICON
- IGORRR
- HEALTH
- CROWBAR
- EYEHATEGOD
- BENEDICTION
- TRIPTYKON
- WALLS OF JERICHO
- WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM
- THE BERZERKER
- PELICAN
- GOREROTTED
And plenty more.
The festival has become known for bringing together bands from across the heaviest corners of music.
Death metal.
Black metal.
Sludge.
Doom.
Grindcore.
Post-metal.
Hardcore.
And experimental heaviness.
For fans who prefer their music uncompromising, Damnation has developed an extraordinary reputation.
And hosting an event of this scale indoors creates a particularly intense atmosphere.
Multiple stages.
Thousands of enthusiastic metalheads.
And a full weekend of enormous live performances.
There’s a reason people travel from across Britain and beyond to attend.
🏟️ Why Indoor Festival Bars Matter
Unlike traditional outdoor festivals, where refreshments might be spread across different areas, indoor events often concentrate substantial numbers of attendees inside one venue complex.
That makes bar organisation especially important.
Nobody wants to miss half a band’s set because they’ve been standing in a queue for a drink.
And nobody wants to discover a confusing pricing structure when they finally reach the counter.
Clear menu boards can help.
The photograph shows prices displayed prominently across two columns.
There are separate sections for draught drinks, spirits, wine and soft drinks.
And the two-pint offers are displayed alongside the individual drinks.
That’s useful information.
But a photograph alone can’t tell us everything about the bar experience.
It doesn’t establish how long queues were.
How quickly drinks were served.
Whether the full menu was available throughout the weekend.
Or whether every bar inside the venue used exactly the same prices.
Those are questions best answered by people who actually attended.
And we’d be interested in hearing their experiences.
🪪 Challenge 25: What The Bar Notice Says
At the bottom of the photographed menu is another important detail.
Challenge 25.
The sign explains that identification may be required.
Challenge 25 is a widely used age-verification policy in the UK.
It encourages staff to request proof of age from customers who appear to be under 25 when purchasing age-restricted products such as alcohol.
The photo also states that single spirit measures are 25ml.
And wine measures are 125ml.
That’s useful information for customers.
Because knowing the serving size makes it easier to understand what you’re paying for.
And for anybody planning a festival visit, bringing suitable identification is always sensible if you might be asked to prove your age.
🐉 From Manchester To Cymru: Festival Costs Affect Us All!
Now then, let’s bring this one a little closer to home.
Because here in Wales, we know how expensive music festivals can become.
And we’re not just talking about tickets.
Think about a weekend away.
Transport.
Hotel accommodation.
Food.
Merchandise.
And drinks.
Before you know it, you’ve spent enough money to make your bank account quietly disappear into the Welsh mountains!
For fans travelling from Cardiff, Newport, Swansea or further afield to attend events such as Damnation, every additional expense matters.
And that’s why sharing practical information about festival costs is useful.
It helps people budget.
It makes price comparisons easier.
And it gives festivalgoers an opportunity to discuss whether they believe events are offering reasonable value.
We absolutely love supporting live music.
And we understand that festivals cost a considerable amount of money to organise.
But there’s nothing wrong with asking questions about the prices fans pay once they’re through the doors.
Supporting the music and caring about affordability aren’t mutually exclusive, butt!
🔥 The Riff Report Verdict: Fair Festival Prices Or A Bit Too Steep?
Well then, Riff Report crew.
Let’s look at the bigger picture.
The photographed bar menu shows prices ranging from £2 for water and smaller soft drinks to £35 for a bottle of prosecco.
The main draught beer options sit between £7 and £8 per pint.
And the two-pint offers provide a modest £1 saving compared with buying two individual pints.
Are those prices outrageous?
That depends on what you normally pay and what you expect from a large indoor event.
Some festivalgoers will consider them fairly typical for major concert venues.
Others will argue that £7 or £8 for a pint is too much, especially after paying for admission.
And both perspectives deserve to be heard.
The important thing is that people can see the prices and make informed choices.
The lower-cost water and soft-drink options are particularly useful.
And the photographed menu provides enough detail for us to calculate exactly what different drinks would cost.
But we should also be careful about drawing conclusions from one image.
The photograph shows a menu featuring a drink called ‘Damnation’, but doesn’t independently confirm the bar’s precise location or when the picture was taken.
So while it appears relevant to the festival, we’re not presenting the photograph as proof of every bar’s prices throughout Damnation 2026.
Nor are we claiming to have personally purchased drinks or experienced the service.
What we can say is that the displayed prices are clear.
And they’re certainly enough to start an interesting discussion.
Because heavy metal festivals should be about unforgettable performances, discovering great bands and enjoying the community.
Not worrying whether you can afford something to drink between sets.
So tell us what you think.
£7 FOR A PINT?
£8 FOR AN IPA?
£2 FOR WATER?
AND £13 FOR TWO PINTS OF LAGER?
FAIR FESTIVAL PRICES, OR SHOULD THEY BE CHEAPER?
Let’s hear what the metal community has to say!
KEEP THE RIFFS LOUD, THE WATER FLOWING AND THE FESTIVAL SPENDING UNDER CONTROL, BUTT! 🐉🤘🍻🔥
💬 Have Your Say, Riff Report Crew!
Right then, you wonderful bunch of metalheads!
Were YOU at Damnation Festival 2026?
Did you use the bars?
Were the drinks prices the same as those shown in this photograph?
And what was the service like?
We’d particularly love to know:
- Was £7 a pint reasonable for an indoor metal festival?
- Did you take advantage of the two-pint offers?
- Were the bar queues manageable?
- Were water and soft drinks easy to obtain?
- How did the prices compare with other festivals you’ve attended?
And here’s the big question.
WHICH UK ROCK OR METAL FESTIVAL OFFERS THE BEST VALUE FOR MONEY WHEN IT COMES TO FOOD AND DRINK?
Download?
Bloodstock?
Steelhouse?
Damnation?
Or perhaps a smaller independent festival that deserves more recognition?
Share your experiences in the comments.
Because The Riff Report isn’t just about the bands onstage.
It’s about the entire live music experience.
The venues.
The people.
The atmosphere.
And the practical details that can make or break a festival weekend.
SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC. SUPPORT INDEPENDENT FESTIVALS. AND LET’S KEEP ROCK AND METAL ACCESSIBLE FOR EVERYONE!
The Riff Report Blog | Music Journalism With Boots At The Barricade.
