6-7-8
June 2025
June 2025
More bands to come
Fire and werewolves are the first images that come to mind when we think of the name of POWERWOLF. Formed 22 years ago in Saarbrücken, Germany, this band has become a must in the current heavy metal landscape. Between its millions of streams and its ever more sparkling fireworks shows, punctuated by irresistible hymns sung in chorus by the public, this German quintet is undeniably successful, as proved by its recent ultra-complete concert at the Zenith in Paris.
No one will be able to deny that SAXON is the author of some of the most glorious pages in the history of heavy metal. An exemplary veteran of the second edition of Heavy Week-End, this quintet from Yorkshire comes directly from the famous New Waves Of British Heavy Metal. Several of his albums are now rightly considered classics of the genre.
It has now been nearly 15 years since Battle Beast has set out to conquer power metal fans. Currently in the studio to record their seventh album, which is due to be released in September, these Finns are taking a live break at Heavy Week-End. Their six albums generated over 300 million streams, four of which reached No. 1 on the charts in their country of origin. Today, led by Noora Louhimo, a singer who looks like a pagan goddess, the group offers an increasingly grandiose show and is establishing itself as one of the most serious hopes on the international scene.
Dutch guitar hero Adrian Vandenberg is celebrating the iconic era when he played in Whitesnake, on the occasion of a special tour that will include the Heavy Weekend: My Whitesnake Years, and this 35 years after touring the world with the album “Slip of the Tongue” (entirely composed by Adrian) which allowed the group to headline Castle Donington's Monsters of Rock. At the time the Flying Dutchman was crossing swords with Steve Vai.
When we know that the producer of their album “Soul Fire” (released in 2018) was none other than Tom Morello (RATM) and that Joey Castillo (Queens of The Stone Age) provided the drums, we wonder what treasures this American band can offer us.The Last Internationale (TLI for the already initiated) it's Edgey Pires on guitar and Delila Paz on vocals...
With DREAM THEATER, “prog metal” specialists will not hesitate to say that we border on the sublime, especially since this famous American band has just celebrated its 40 years of career with a triumphant concert at the Adidas Arena in Paris. We are talking here about the iconic line-up of these titans of progressive music, made up of James LaBrie (singing), John Petrucci (guitar), John Myung (bass), Jordan Rudess (keyboards) and Mike Portnoy (drums), reunited again together, to the delight of fans who have been waiting for this reunion for nearly 15 years!
With Scorpions, EUROPE is undoubtedly the “hard” band to be at the origin of one of the biggest hits in rock history. But to summarize the career of the Swedes with the sole success of “The Final Countdown” would be a serious mistake, so many years ago, album after album, concert after concert, the Stockholm quintet, made up of its 5 original members, managed to reinvent itself to the point of becoming a reference in what is now called “classic rock”.
Vanden Plas, who released “The God Thing”, his second album, a few months earlier, crisscrossed the roads of Europe and France in the first part of Dream Theater for the famous “Touring Into Infinity.” Vanden Plas became one of the leaders of European “prog metal”, but was rare on French stages. Their passage to Heavy Week-End will therefore mark their great reunion with Dream Theater and the French public, with a few good memories in the end.
Released in spring 2023, “Gates of Twilight” of WINGS OF STEEL has managed to capture the interest of many fans of traditional heavy metal. Recorded, produced and distributed independently, this first album allowed the group to gradually emerge from the “underground” scene thanks to the enthusiasm of fans, then to excellent reviews that did not fail to highlight the great qualities of this band that came out of nowhere. Last year, numerous concerts confirmed that WINGS OF STEEL was also particularly formidable on stage.
October 1985 Pretty Maids plays for the first time in France at the Zenith in Paris in the 1st part of Saxon. Two years later, the Danish group, then in full expansion, performed in the same room but this time headlining. Since then, Pretty Maids has released a number of quality albums but it is also becoming more and more rare on stages in France.
When we talk about hard rock or heavy metal made in France, two names always stand out: Trust and Sortilège. The latter separated in the middle of the 80's after making an EP and two albums that marked an entire generation. We had to wait until 2019 to see the group finally reunite around its iconic singer Christian Augustin.
Thanks to a breathtaking repertoire and shows, SLIPKNOT has undoubtedly been one of the tenors of the “metal” scene since the beginning of the 2000s. While the group has just given a very sold out concert at the Accor Arena in Paris Bercy, its arrival in Lorraine will allow its legions of fans to satisfy their appetite for ever stronger sensations.
With 25 years of career under his belt MASS HYSTERA is in better shape than he ever was. Unbreakable, this hard-core gang is legitimately recognized as one of the bosses of the French metal scene. In three albums - the resurrectional “Army of Shadows” (2012), the acclaimed “Dark Matter” (2015) and the cataclysmic “Maniac” (2018) - the band succeeds in the tour de force of reinventing itself. This phenomenal boost propelled “Les Mass” into marathon tours that are often “complete” and the top billing of numerous festivals including Hellfest in 2024.
Metal-HXC-Rap-Manga”: 4 words that perfectly define the unique touch of Rise Of The Northstar. Originally from the suburbs of Paris, the group openly claims an independent attitude and an artistic crossover without concessions, propagating and refining its visual and sound bomb for more than a decade.
The album “Carnal” by the American band was released last year Nothing More - nominated three times for Grammy Awards - has just been re-released digitally with 5 bonus tracks.It is as part of this new version that the band of the charismatic singer Jonny Hawkins will once again scour Europe and stop by the Heavy Weekend for a concert that will be the band's only date in France this year.
Tom Morello, a name that is necessarily associated with Rage Against The Machine, but also with Audioslave and Prophets Of Rage, the two other bands in which this exceptional guitarist has distinguished himself. His characteristic, elastic style, full of atmospheric distortions and effects, each crazier than the last, makes him an innovator who has no limits...
Since the launch of his single “Take Me Away” in 2020, and his first concert in Europe, at the New Morning on November 29, 2021, Ayron Jones has continued to climb the ladder of success in France. An incredible career that led him to the 1st part of The Rolling Stones in Paris, then on the posters of the biggest festivals in France...
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The Heavy Weekend is an appointment for all fans of hard rock, heavy metal and
of classic rock at the Nancy Open Air, for three days of concerts bringing together the cream of
gender.
Crowned with a sold-out concert at the Zenith in Paris and another in front of nearly 8,000
people in Lyon -two benefits that put everyone in agreement- it's Judas
Priest, self-proclaimed “Metal Gods”, who will end the debates with a show covering
the 50 years of their prolific career. Before them, other potential headliners will have
the leisure to delight the public: Scorpions who will celebrate the 40th anniversary of “Love at First Sting”, in
interpreting the entirety of this iconic album, Deep Purple, the band behind
The most popular guitar intro in the world, Alice Cooper with her dripping show
hemoglobin, or Megadeth, an eminent member of the prestigious “Big Four”. For
Start the festivities, the young guard represented by The Last Internationale and Ayron
Jones will heat up the audience, before riff experts, such as Pretty Maids (rare in
Our lands), Sortilège (the French of the stage), Tom Morello (from Rage Against the
Machine) or Extreme (and their hit “More Than Words”), don't pick from their repertoire
respective songs synonymous with beautiful memories for most fans.
On June 21, 22 and 23, the Heavy Weekend offers a unique opportunity to (re) experience,
without stress, with friends or even family, some of the most glorious hours of
hard rock and heavy metal. An event marked by nostalgia for some, but
also a discovery for the youngest who had not yet been born at the time of the
tremendous explosion of this music in the 80's.
Note that different accommodation options — hotels, private camping (10 minutes away by car)
of the site), city apartments— are available in the section Practical info On the site
Heavy Week-End.
