Bulgaria 
Greece 
Turkey 
Romania 
Serbia 
N. Macedonia 
The second day of Midalidare Rock 2026 brought a true metal liturgy – from the punk energy of The Baboon Show through the epic Warkings and joyful Korpiklaani to the legendary Gotthard and the grandiose Powerwolf.
After an impressive opening, Midalidare Rock entered its second intense day. Attendance grew significantly compared to the first day, as the valley filled with colorful images and band t-shirts.
The weather was sunny and hot, as if foreshadowing the fire that the bands would ignite on stage and in the hearts of their fans. The hosts took care not only of refreshing drinks but also of artificial rain that came as a temporary relief from the July heat.
🔥 The Baboon Show – Swedish punk attack
At 5:30 PM, the second festival day kicked off with the Swedish punk rock band The Baboon Show. From the first chords, the band brought an immense amount of energy and quickly got the crowd moving. The charismatic Cecilia Boström constantly engaged with the fans, while performances of "Radio Rebelde" and "Me, Myself and I" gave a powerful start to the concert program.
⚔️ Warkings – army of ancient warriors
At 6:30 PM, the stage was taken over by the international formation Warkings with their powerful power metal. Dressed in their characteristic battle armor, the musicians turned the concert into a true spectacle, and the audience into their army.
At one point, vocalist The Tribune went down among his brothers and sisters in arms, calling them to form a circle pit around him. The space in front of the stage turned into a hurricane, with The Tribune at its eye. He then brought a 5-year-old girl on stage and, under her watchful eye, trained the hordes to sing the chorus of "Fight".
🍻 Korpiklaani – the Finnish folk metal feast
At 7:45 PM, the Finns Korpiklaani brought a different vibe with their folk metal. If Warkings symbolized battle and the battlefield, Korpiklaani were the celebration and the feast after victory.
Despite technical issues that persisted throughout their performance, the band maintained their good spirits and professionalism. For a moment, the vocalist's microphone stopped working, but he continued singing, supported by the Bulgarian metal fans with chants and applause. The call "Vodka!" knows no language barriers, and Jonne Jarvela drew thousands into jumping and dancing.
🇨🇭 Gotthard – the Swiss rock legend
After the sun set and the evening brought the longed-for cooling, the legendary rock band Gotthard took the stage. Nic Maeder demonstrated flawless vocals and communication with the audience, while Leo Leoni delivered energetic riffs that reminded us why Gotthard are among the rock legends.
The frontman shared memories of the first edition of the festival, where Gotthard were headliners, and marveled at how much the festival has grown in 10 years. The audience sang along to the emotional "One Life, One Soul" with full voices.
Nic Maeder took the title "Lift U Up" quite literally and rode on the shoulders of a security guard to walk through the crowd and reach out to everyone he passed.
🐺 Powerwolf – the metal liturgy
The culmination of the second festival day came at 11:00 PM when the German favorites Powerwolf took the stage. With impressive stage design, pyrotechnics, and their characteristic theatrical presence, the musicians turned the evening finale into a grand spectacle.
"Tonight showed me two things – Bulgaria is completely crazy and Bulgaria is possessed by heavy metal," said frontman Atilla Dorn, once again inspiring the crowd to sing even more powerfully to "We Drink Your Blood".
From new songs like "Bless 'em With the Blade" to classics like "Armata Strigoi" – there wasn't a song where the fans didn't join in. One hour and 52 minutes flew by in an instant.
🎸 POWERWOLF Setlist:
- 01. Bless 'em With the Blade
- 02. Armata Strigoi
- 03. Sinners of the Seven Seas
- 04. Amen & Attack
- 05. Army of the Night
- 06. Dancing with the Dead
- 07. Incense and Iron
- 08. Demons Are A Girl's Best Friend
- 09. Stossgebet
- 10. Fire and Forgive
- 11. We Don't Wanna Be No Saints
- 12. Where the Wild Wolves Have Gone
- 13. Heretic Hunters
- 14. Sainted by the Storm
- 15. We Drink Your Blood
- Encore:
- 16. Sanctified with Dynamite
- 17. Blood for Blood (Faoladh)
- 18. Werewolves of Armenia
After the thrilling fiery second night, Midalidare Rock reaches its epic conclusion. The third day promises more surprises and great music!