Villena hosts a legendary rock extravaganza this Saturday with the final concert of a four day celebration that crowns the capital of heavy music in summer. The event unfolds across the Villena Sports Center and surrounding spaces, drawing an audience of tens of thousands who will rally behind a banner featuring sixty bands led by a prominent California ensemble.
The lineup centers on an era of guitar gods and thunderous riffs. On Thursday, the festival welcomes a renowned act led by Dave Mustaine and his Megadeth crew. The band adds a ceremonial touch by signing the city’s honor book before stepping onto the stage. The moment marks a shared milestone with a gesture previously seen by fans when Eric Martin from Mr. Big did a similar homage during the 2019 edition.
On the festival’s second day, the focus shifts to the power of legends who have shaped international rock over decades. Among them is Michael Schenker, the German lead guitarist famed for his work with UFO and Scorpions, along with Udo Dirkschneider, a founding member of Accept, and the Swedish metal act HammerFall. Other featured artists include Avalanche, Angus McSix, and Mike Tramp performing songs from White Lion. This Saturday also features a closing act that delivers the national anthem in a moment of unity that resonates with the audience. The festival closes the night with a blend of energy and humor that defines the event’s character.
Organizers have crafted an itinerary that blends legendary performances with a strong emphasis on Iberian talent. The programme honors the past while embracing the present, ensuring a balanced mix of foreign and local acts. The balance tilts roughly sixty percent international to forty percent Spanish groups, a ratio verified by the festival organizers. For the first time this year, acts from Japan and Mongolia appear on the bill, expanding the festival’s geographic footprint and offering fans a broader musical palate.
The event’s diversity reflects the reality that fans arrive from many corners of the world, each bringing their own stories and expectations. Spectators come from dozens of nationalities, creating a mosaic of languages and styles that enriches the four day experience. While the majority of attendees are European, Latin American followers of rock and metal also contribute significantly to the festival’s vibrant atmosphere, underscoring the global appeal of this music scene.
cope with the heat
The organizers have faced the challenge of heat with practical responses. Daily attendance commonly totals around 12,000 people in the municipal district, rising to about 14,000 on peak days when Megadeth takes the stage. Hot conditions on the opening day prompted the installation of additional cooling measures, including more water stations, hoses, and misting fans to safeguard concertgoers and maintain comfort during long performances. Medical teams reported no heat-related serious incidents, underscoring the success of the precautionary measures and the careful planning behind the event. The festival’s leadership emphasizes sun protection and hydration as essential parts of the concert experience, encouraging attendees to pace themselves and look after each other.
As the sun sinks and the crowd swells, the four day program offers a sense of shared history and a glimpse into the future of rock. Fans who have followed the genre through different decades find themselves in a space where memory and novelty intersect, where classic anthems meet contemporary voices. The event is built to feel intimate in its moments of high energy, even as the audience numbers climb and the night grows longer. The result is a dynamic portrait of a genre that travels far and wide, bringing people together in a place that has become iconic for rock audiences in both Canada and the United States as well as across Europe. [Citation: Festival press materials]