It’s virtually time to hit the hallowed Donington turf as soon as once more! Obtain Competition 2026 is upon us in lower than a weeks’ time, and so the Rock Sins workforce has been pouring over the road as much as convey you what we expect would be the acts to not miss as the primary full day of Obtain 2026 burst into life!
Limp Bizkit
The place / When: Apex Stage, 8:50pm
Fred Durst and his merry males lastly headline a Obtain Competition, 23 years after they have been first meant to. Drawing what was reported as the most important crowd of the weekend at Donington two years in the past, it felt inevitable that Limp Bizkit would headline right here at some point. This can be a little bit earlier than we anticipated, however we’re not complaining. A collection of nu metallic classics are an absolute certainty. What we’d actually love this time is a few deeper Bizkit cuts, slightly than them wandering into in depth covers land which they’ve been recognized to do in current instances. Nonetheless, it will likely be a in all probability wonderful fruits of the Friday afternoon / night occasion run of bands (Pendulum, Electrical Callboy, Cyprus Hill, Limp Bizkit)
Cypress Hill
The place / When: Apex Stage, 7:00pm
“Uh, are you aware guys know Insane In The Mind?”
“We largely know classical, however we might give it a shot”
An trade on The Simpsons that launched Cypress Hill to the mainstream. The legendary hip hop outfit are a dream band for a lot of Obtain pageant goers when it comes to “left discipline” bands being booked over time. In 2026, these desires develop into a actuality. Listening to songs from Black Sunday just like the aforementioned Insane In The Mind, Hits From The Bong and I Wanna Get Excessive goes to be fairly the expertise. They could nicely additionally drop their cowl of Rage Towards The Machine’s Bombtrack given the place they’re. One of many genuinely don’t miss units of the weekend, even if you’re an informal fan or curious, as a result of who is aware of when you should have one other probability.
Stampin’ Floor
The place/when: The Dogtooth Stage, 6:45pm
UK groove metallic veterans Stampin’ Floor return to Obtain for the primary time because the very first installment 23 years in the past! Having performed on the principle stage again in 2003 they’re within the extra cosy confines of The Dogtooth Stage this time round. This will likely nicely present the right setting for followers previous and new to throw right down to the likes of Everyone Owes A Loss of life, Bear The Scars and their arguably largest monitor, Officer Down. This has the potential with the correct viewers to be on the extent of Anaal Nathrakh’s ridiculously nice efficiency from final 12 months. We will’t wait!
Drain
The place/when: The Avalanche Stage, 4:20pm
When the Rock Sins editors requested across the workforce as to which bands, aside from a number of of the plain contenders we should always embody on this preview, the identify that got here up most have been hardcore / old style thrash crossover act Drain. Sounding like Slayer or Testomony one minute and NYC hardcore like Madball the subsequent, and generally , we are able to solely think about that Drain within the setting of the Avalanche Stage could also be akin to somebody throwing a lit grenade in there and having fun with watching it go off. If Pendulum (who’re on on the identical time) are usually not your factor, go see Drain. You may uncover your new favorite band.
Creeper
The place/when: Opus Stage, 3:50pm
The UK’s favorite horror punks have totally embraced their 80’s glam metallic facet on their final two Sanguivore albums. Over a decade has one way or the other handed since Creeper first got here to the broader public consciousness they usually have supplied us many great moments, and a few cracking albums alongside the way in which. We’re nonetheless ready for them to have that second that pushes them greater than their present standing within the UK rock and metallic scene, and perhaps doing double obligation at Obtain in 2026 (they’re additionally headlining the Dogtooth Stage on Sunday) may be that for them! Anticipate stage blood, make up and leather-based galore, and a few nice singalongs too.
Sleep Concept
The place/when: Avalanche Stage, 6:00pm
One of many rising stars of the industrial US rock / metallic scene of the final couple of years, Sleep Concept’s first UK tour earlier this 12 months had venued being upgraded not as soon as, not twice, however in some circumstances FOUR instances. The entire thing nonetheless offered out too, even with a lot greater venues on present. This bodes very nicely for the Tennessee natives Donington debut! Their 2025 album Afterglow has racked up some very spectacular streaming numbers too, so count on to listen to the likes of Static and Hourglass being belted again at frontman Cullen Moore at high quantity.
Electrical Callboy
The place/when: Apex Stage, 5:30pm
Germany’s favorite occasion metallic(core) export return to Obtain for his or her largest slot to date. Love them or hate them, you can’t deny the Electrical Callboy phenomenon. Buddies of ours right here at Rock Sins, Waterlines as soon as informed us that in case you don’t like Electrical Callboy you don’t like enjoyable. Whereas we all know this isn’t a common opinion, we reckon the fields of Donington will probably be bursting on the seams bouncing alongside to Hypa Hypa. Given they’re enjoying the subsequent day, will we get a Babymetal look for Ratatata? Or the a lot beloved Everytime We Contact Cascada cowl? You’ll simply should go alongside and discover out!
Periphery
The place/when: Opus Stage, 5:00pm
If thoughts bending djent / tech metallic riff wizardry is your factor, you have to be on the Opus Stage at 5pm sharp for Periphery. They’ve been round for lengthy sufficient now for individuals to know what they’re getting from the Australian riff benders, however their just lately launched album A Pale White Dot is getting heralded as a few of their heaviest and most experimental work so far. There’s no Meshuggah this 12 months, however Periphery ought to do lots to maintain those that love their tech metallic very glad.
Foolish Goose
The place/when: Avalanche Stage, 1:50pm
Among the finest named bands to floor in current instances, Atlanta trio Foolish Goose are amongst these flying the flag for a brand new (nu?) era of style mixing heavy music that sounds suspiciously just like the second (or third) coming of nu metallic. Initially delivered to our consideration by a suggestion on the WrestleTalk Podcast (shout out Luke, Oli and Dan), in case you have been a baby or teen of the Angle Period (Millenials, for many who don’t communicate wrestling parlance), there’s a excessive probability of you having fun with Foolish Goose. There’s beats, there’s riffs, there’s some very intelligent lyrical work occurring right here. If you happen to’re uncertain the place to be early on on Friday, go and provides Foolish Goose a attempt. We don’t suppose you’ll remorse it.
Feeder
The place/when: Avalanche Stage, 7:55pm
Wanting again to the mighty 2005 installment of the Obtain Competition, it appears virtually loopy that Feeder headlined the principle stage on that first evening of the pageant. An try that 12 months to make the primary day really feel noticably completely different to what had been on the invoice for the primary two years of Obtain resulted in an eclectic essential stage line up with Megadeth’s then supposed UK farewell (twenty one years later they’re solely now correctly retiring, perhaps), The Distillers, Billy Idol and topping issues off have been Feeder! They could be headlining a extra intimate setting on this return, and never as massive as they as soon as have been, however Grant and Taka have been steadily releasing good high quality music all through most of that hole. Plus everyone knows when the previous favourites hit, that tent goes to go mad. Buck Rogers anybody?
Honourable mentions: Halestorm, POD, Pendulum, Daughtry, Silent Plant, Rain Metropolis Drive, Cavalera Chaos AD, Corrosion Of Conformity.
Weekend tickets and Friday day tickets for Obtain Competition 2026 are actually utterly offered out – however in case you get fortunate you may be capable of get one on re-sale (you possibly can attempt right here on this hyperlink).
Keep tuned for extra Obtain 2026 previews as we rely right down to the gates opening on Wednesday June tenth!
Metallica header picture from 2023 courtesy of the Obtain Competition Workforce and Todd Owyoung.
