Metalcore, Dance Beats, Daft Fun And Donington Absolutely Losing Its Collective Mind There are bands who come to Download Festival to be heavy. There are bands who come to be serious. There are bands who come to look mysterious under moody lighting while everyone in the crowd nods respectfully and pretends they understand the deep […]

Big Choruses, Heavy Hearts And A Friday Afternoon Crowd Getting Fully Pulled In There are bands that wake a festival up with chaos. There are bands that do it with breakdowns. There are bands that do it by running around like they have been powered entirely by caffeine, adrenaline and a suspicious campsite breakfast bap. […]

Rival Sons frontman Jay Buchanan is heading back to the UK this July for a run of intimate solo shows — and he’s bringing that voice, that soul, and probably enough emotional damage to make a grown rocker stare into a pint like it owes him money. Yes mun, the man with one of the […]

The wait is over, the tents are packed, the cool boxes are loaded, and enough snacks have been purchased to survive a small apocalypse. The Riff Report crew has officially arrived at Download Festival 2026! 🔥🎸 After months of lineup announcements, camping debates, weather watching, packing guides, and counting down the days like excited kids […]

Download Festival Fans Urged To Help Keep Donington Looking Lush Among the walls of amps, mountains of camping gear, inflatable dinosaurs, and enough cans of energy drink to power a small city, there’s one message popping up around Download Festival 2026 that deserves a bit of attention. Keep Castle Donington Tidy. Together We Can Make […]

Rock fans, metalheads, and internet keyboard warriors have been going ten rounds over the announcement of an AI-powered Ozzy Osbourne avatar, but now Sharon Osbourne has stepped into the ring and delivered a response that was about as subtle as a Black Sabbath riff through a stadium PA system. And let’s just say she wasn’t […]

“Neil was with us on this drum riser last night.” There are gigs. There are legendary gigs. And then there are those rare moments in rock history where thousands of fans witness something truly special. That’s exactly what happened when Rush returned to the stage for the opening night of their hugely anticipated Fifty Something […]

A Piece Of Rock ‘N’ Roll History Is Coming Home Download Festival is already shaping up to be one of the most emotional weekends in rock and metal this year, and now organisers have confirmed something truly special for Motörhead fans. The legendary Lemmy Forever Ceremony is returning for its seventh year, and this time […]

Rock fans of South Wales and beyond, this is not a drill! The countdown to one of the UK’s most beloved rock weekends has officially begun as day tickets for Planet Rockstock 2026 have gone on sale, giving fans another chance to be part of the annual pilgrimage to Trecco Bay Holiday Park in Porthcawl. […]

The Godfather of Shock Rock launches a new fan campaign celebrating one of the greatest summer anthems ever written There are songs that become hits. There are songs that become classics. And then there are songs that completely escape the boundaries of music and become part of everyday life. Alice Cooper’s School’s Out sits firmly […]

Jazz Hands, Big Crowds, And Absolutely Zero Ticket Fees – What’s Not To Love? Let’s be honest, butt. Here at The Riff Report, we’re usually writing about circle pits, guitar solos, stage divers, and enough pyrotechnics to alarm the local fire brigade. 🔥🤘 But every now and then an event comes along that’s simply too […]

If you’re the sort of Slipknot fan who still remembers the first time Iowa punched you square in the face, you might want to sit down for this one, butt. Freshly spotted making the rounds online are signed Corey Taylor collector editions, and they’re already causing a stir among maggots, collectors, autograph hunters, and anyone […]

When A Tour Bus Just Won’t Cut It Anymore… Rock and metal bands have always had a flair for the dramatic. From exploding drum kits and stage pyrotechnics to giant inflatable monsters and enough hairspray to damage the ozone layer, rock music has never exactly been known for doing things quietly. So when a photo […]

The Pop-Punk Legends Are Showing No Signs Of Slowing Down If you suddenly found yourself dusting off an old skateboard, digging out a pair of battered Vans, or singing “Where are you?” at full volume in the shower this week, there might be a good reason for it. Blink-182 have officially announced their first live […]

Well, mun… this wasn’t on many people’s 2026 bingo cards. After fifteen years in the shadows, legendary metalcore/mathcore wrecking machine Burnt By The Sun have officially reunited, and they’ve brought some serious firepower with them. Joining the returning outfit is none other than Bill Kelliher, adding another layer of heavyweight riffage to an already formidable […]