Suvilathi, Helsinki, Finland26th to 28th June 2026
Tuska Festival 2026 with Megadeth, Warmen, D-A-D, Pain, Ensiferum, Loudness, Lost Society, Gatecreeper, Amorphis, Tarot, Queensryche, SARA, Soilwork, Stam1na
The last weekend in June 2026 meant that Tuska drew Metalheads not only from Finland but from all over the world to Helsinki. Over more than two decades, the organizers created an event where the Metal family can gather to celebrate local and international bands.
But if you think, this is an event only for adults, you are mistaken. Sunday marked “Tiny-Tuska” and thus a new generation of future music enthusiasts celebrated their favourite music alongside the grownups. Four stages made sure that well-known headliners from all over the world, local acts and up-and-coming bands could perform and fans of various genres hade a huge line-up to choose from.
Friday - June 26th 2026
On the last weekend of June, Tuska festival drew Metalheads from all over the world to Helsinki. Hours before the gates opened on Friday, people had gathered already at Suvilathi, to be amongst the first to enter the festival grounds and secure a good spot for Fridays headliner MEGADETH.
The afternoon started as a sunny one and people were in a good mood, when GATECREEPER opened the festival on Karhu Main stage. Tuska’s hosts kept introducing and announcing the bands before they went on stage and no matter how the weather conditions were outside, the crew’s mood remained a good one.
Tuska 2026 came with four stages located all over the area and the infields layout made sure, that the music from on stage did not affect the performance on another stage. The media area lay a good walk through the crowd from Karhu Main Stage and often performances on various stages started at the same time, thus it was impossible to keep track of all the bands performing on Tuska.
LOST SOCIETY were literally on fire, when took their turn on Karhu Main stage. The area filled significantly and people sang along by heart and when Samy Elbanna dedicated a song to the crowd and his father, who would have turned 77 years old on Friday, people cheered even more.
I couldn’t observe the whole show, because LOUDNESS who had travelled all the way from Japan to Helsinki, to play on Radio City Stage started the show at the same time as LOST SOCIETTY were scheduled to end their show. The band’s frontman addressed the crowd several times and reassured the fans, that the band will keep performing for at least five years, after being in business for 45 years.
ENSIFERUM played on Nordic Energy Stage at the same time, but I kept attending LOUDNESS on stage until it was time for another walk to Karhu Main Stage, to see PAIN. Unfortunately, someone hat decided, that heavy fog might suit the bands performance, so the band was hardly visible during the first songs.
I tried to grab dinner between PAIN and DISNEYLAND AFTER DARK’s (D-A-D) performance, but it seemed that at least half the festivals crowd had the same idea, so it was back to Main Stage for D-A-D and the infield seemed to be even fuller than during LOST SOCIETY’s performance. The band who had published a new album and toured in Europe and played several gigs in Finland last fall was welcomed by a cheering crowd.
The setlist was a good mix of fan-favourites and a few newer songs. Jesper and Laust discussed if “Helsinki didn’t get the mail” during ‘Monster Philosophy’ ‘Laugh and a Half’ was very well received by a crowd that sang along or stepped in by Jesper’s request. Long story short: if you want a good party for the crowd: get D-A-D.
I missed the bands last few songs, to see WARMEN on Nordic Energy Stage and more and more people gathered in front of this stage, as soon as D-A-D’s gig ended. Meanwhile the sky hat changed colour from blue to grey and it looked as if there would be rain pretty soon. I only watched half of WARMEN’s show, to make sure to be at Main Stage on time and it turned out, that this was a good decision.
A word on the headliners: MEGADETH were kind enough, to let in all photographers. BAD OMENS only accepted the festivals photographers and BRING ME THE HORIZON decided to choose only seven applications out of the ones that were sent in, so there will be no pictures and comments of other headliners than MEGADETH.
Tonight’s headliner started on time after shouting choirs from the infield had called them on stage. MEGADETH are on their farewell tour and it seemed that all of today’s 23.000 visitors had decided to come and bid them farewell. Finnish guitarist Teemu Mäntysaari played amazing solo parts and sometimes it seemed, that he stole the show from Dave Mustaine.
A circle pit that occasionally turned into a mosh pit opened, soon and when someone accidentally got injured, a fellow-metalhead immediately got the securities supervisor to organize medical assistance. Heavy rain set in before the band could finish their set, people tried to stay in the infield but as the rain grew heavier and heavier, people started leaving the area and seeking shelter at Radio City stage or going home.
Sunday - June 28th 2026
Sunday marks “Tiny Tuska” and many junior Metalheads proudly presented their wristbands, battle-vests and hearing-protection. Today, STAM1NA opened on Karhu Main Stage, that came with a walkway into the pit area, today. A few minutes later, the first circle pit opened and the band came with the traditional headbanging and wet hair addressing the crowd frequently.
Leaving STAM1NA’s show, before the end of the set, my next goal was to see SOILWORK on Nordic Energy Stage and I even caught a few pictures of SARA at Radio City Stage before I returned to seeing SOILWORK, who definitely know how to make the fans bang their heads. TAROT were greeted by a big crowd on Main Stage mid-afternoon and QUEENSRYCHE took over the crowd on Nordic Energy Stage easily.
The crowd that gathered for AMORPHIS in front of Main Stage in the early evening was greeted by a stage decoration that looked like a kind of angry swan. A set with long-time-classics and new songs like ‘The Lantern’ from the band’s latest release led to many happy faces in the crowd. The weather god decided to send another heavy rain shower during their performance, but the dedicated crowd stayed in front of Main Stage admiring guitar-solos and growls.
Thus, my Tuska festival ended and I must admit, that I rarely encountered such a good hospitality from the organizers. There was water, coffee and energy drinks for the media all the time, a tent provided shelter from the heat and the rain and plenty of information, even a guided tour over the festival for the media was offered.
The first artists for Tuska 2027 were already announced, CHILDREN OF BODOM, LORNA SHORE, HEAVEN SHALL BURN; KANONENFIEBER, FOX LAKE, GAEREA, AVRALIZE and SINIZTER have already confirmed their gigs from July 2nd – July 4th 2027 on the festival grounds at Suvilathi. The festival has no campsite, but in Helsinki you have a wide range of accommodation to choose from and the Metro will make sure to get people to and from the festival from Kalasatama. Tickets and Info via https://tuska.fi/en/
All Pictures by Lady Darkness
