Live report ELBRIOT 2026, Open Air am Grossmarkt, Hamburg – August 8th, 2026

Early August also means one thing again this year: Elbriot in Hamburg. The open-air festival at Hamburg’s Grossmarkt has been a fixture on the city’s metal calendar for quite some time now, and once again, it opens its gates for another day of roaring live music.

It would be hard to ask for better conditions for an outdoor show. The weather forecast calls for partly cloudy skies and a comfortable 23 degrees Celsius, so the setting is already right for a great day of rock and metal. Somehow, it already feels familiar as you approach the festival grounds, pick up your wristband, run into familiar faces, and get started with the work that is, after all, also a lot of fun.

The first band on today’s bill is Avalanche Effect, a name that may be familiar to some but is still new to many. Under the summer sun, they kick things off properly with “The Eternal Now.” Avalanche Effect certainly aren’t reinventing melodic metalcore, but with their two new vocalists, Noah and Max, the band gives it everything they have.

They didn’t exactly have much time to prepare for this show, either. The band was only asked a few days ago if they wanted to open Elbriot, and naturally, the answer was a resounding “yes.” They hit the crowd with the same energy, blasting through an eight-song set that likely won them a few new fans along the way.

Avalanche Effect wrap up their passionate performance with “Where I Belong” and receive a solid round of applause from the crowd.

With Signs of the Swarm, the level of heaviness gets turned up another notch. The guys from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, are the first of two deathcore bands on today’s lineup, and after the “Moana Lisa” intro, it quickly becomes clear that we’re not in for any kind of romantic, feel-good music.

The band gets off to a strong start with “Borrow Time” before moving into their more recent material with “Natural Time.” The set also includes a cover of Rob Zombie’s “Dragula,” although this deathcore version is only vaguely recognizable at first.

Overall, Signs of the Swarm put their musical muscle on full display, and it’s already becoming apparent that some fans have come specifically for the deathcore acts, while most of the crowd seems to be particularly looking forward to the metal bands still to come.

Now it’s time to take a walk around the festival grounds. Everything feels very familiar, even though prices have gone up a little, which unfortunately comes with the current times. €40 for a T-shirt, €5 for a serving of fries, and €11 for currywurst with fries is definitely on the expensive side. The lines at the food and merchandise stands are also not quite as long as they have been in previous years.

New this year is the Metal Chor. To help bridging the time between bands, the choir performs metal classics for the crowd, ranging from Metallica to Linkin Park. It’s a nice change of pace and a welcome addition to the festival.

The heavy metal crowd is now getting its turn as Warkings take the stage, with the scenery having transformed into an ancient arena. You can take the concept of the four immortal warriors for what it’s worth, but when it comes to the music, the band led by Georg Neuhauser has plenty to offer.

The atmosphere is already building during the opening trio of “The Last Battle,” “Genghis Khan,” and “Armageddon.” The crowd is fully engaged, and then Max, a young boy from the audience, gets his big moment when he is invited onto the stage to join the band.

It’s unclear whether the sing-along section featuring “We Will Rock You” and “Seven Nation Army” was part of the plan or the result of technical issues. Either way, it takes some of the momentum out of the set for a moment which is compensated when frontman The Tribune animates the crowd to a circle pit while standing himself in the middle of the fans. Warkings quickly get back on track, though, delivering four more songs before handing the baton to the next metal band with “Gladiator.”

Orden Ogan hit the stage with an equally impressive setup, and musically, they aren’t too far away from Warkings. It’s clear that quite a few fans are here specifically for Orden Ogan, as fists are raised all the way to the back rows during “Gunman.” And not to forget the bursting bubbles in the air which is unusual but also a funny effect. Overall, Orden Ogan deliver a solid and well-rehearsed set, and the crowd is clearly enjoying what they have to offer.

Now it’s time for Mambo Kurt, who, like the Metal Chor, keeps the crowd entertained during the changeovers with his trusty organ. And to be fair, he does a pretty good job of keeping the energy up.

Things get particularly interesting if you happen to find yourself standing somewhere between the Metal Chor and Mambo Kurt. Having a metal choir on one side and an organ-powered one-man show on the other is not exactly an everyday combination for the ears. It may be an unusual mix, but somehow, it fits right in at Elbriot.

The regular set continues with some powerful hard rock from Canada, as Danko Jones takes the stage. It’s only been a few months since the band wrapped up their European tour at Hamburg’s Docks, and just like back then, they kick things off with “Guess Who’s Back.”

While today’s set is naturally a little shorter, the trio still delivers a solid cross-section of their catalog. Songs like “Everyday Is Saturday Night” and “Good Time” are simply great rock songs, and it doesn’t take long for the crowd to get into the groove.

Danko Jones is also known for his between-song banter, and there is plenty of that today. First comes the obligatory thank-you to Elbriot and the fans for letting his hard rock band share the stage with all those metal bands. But since Danko Jones clearly seems to be enjoying himself, he quickly suggests coming back again and perhaps becoming some kind of Elbriot house band. We’ll see how that works out.

Then there’s the entertaining story about the Maple Syrup Castle that somehow disappeared during the journey, followed by Danko getting slightly carried away in his enthusiasm about the two crab stands at Elbriot. Yes, there are apparently many things to discuss when you’re Danko Jones.

Of course, there’s still plenty of music, too. Eleven songs are on the setlist today, with the obligatory “My Little Rock ’n’ Roll” bringing the performance to an energetic close.

Now it’s time for the second deathcore band of the day. Thy Art Is Murder hit the stage, and what follows is a set that combines precision with sheer brutality.

After some confusion surrounding the band’s new vocalist, we can say with certainty today that Jerry Chard is the man behind the microphone, and he is giving it everything he’s got. Deep, barking growls, crushing breakdowns, and raspy screams are the order of the day. For some, it may be a little more intensity than they were looking for. Meanwhile, the lines at the food and beer stands are getting longer, while the deathcore fans keep a circle pit going that seems to last for almost the entire set.

And really, it’s this kind of variety that makes Elbriot what it is.

What comes next is a real piece of metal history. Power metal legends Savatage are currently out on their “Prelude to Madness European Tour,” and when they hit the stage, the atmosphere immediately changes.

Savatage have been switching up their setlist throughout this tour. Only the opener, “MorphonChild / Dead Winter Dead,” and the epic “Hall of the Mountain King” as the closing song are guaranteed. Everything in between is decided on the fly. Tonight, the classics include “Jesus Saves,” “Taunting Cobra,” and “Sirens,” all of which have the crowd collectively banging their heads.

The emotional highlight for many is “Believe,” accompanied by a video tribute. Jon Oliva starts the song via video before the band takes over. It’s a deeply personal piece that honors the importance of brothers Jon and Criss Oliva and their shared musical hits. There’s a sense of melancholy and nostalgia to the moment, but also a genuine feeling of respect for everything the two brothers created together.

It is a shame, though, that the lower part of the video screen is covered by a curtain, meaning only part of the video can actually be seen. There are certainly production reasons for this that are beyond Savatage’s control, but for the fans, it’s a real disappointment and something that doesn’t quite do a legendary band like Savatage justice. A little more attention to the overall presentation would have made a difference.

The same can be said about the 60-minute set time. Giving a band with such a deep catalog of songs that helped shape metal history only an hour on stage feels far too short. Savatage make the most of every minute, though, delivering “Gutter Ballet,” “Edge of Thorns,” “Power of the Night,” and, of course, the aforementioned “Hall of the Mountain King” — songs that have helped shape the sound of power metal.

Savatage are highlight of the day: a band with history, character, and a repertoire of songs that still carries plenty of weight.

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The reason why half of the screen was covered during Savatage becomes clear once the curtain drops and Powerwolf begin their show. Their familiar, elaborate stage setup requires the extra space, and the “Monumental Mass Theme” serves as the intro to tonight’s Wolf Mass.

That we can expect plenty of fire and flames becomes obvious during “Bless ’Em With the Blade,” while a few ear-splitting firecrackers are enough to wake up even the most exhausted festivalgoer.

Powerwolf offer more than just music. Their shows are a complete production where music, visuals, and effects blend seamlessly together. Tonight is no exception. The constantly changing digital backdrop adds another visual layer to the songs, while monks carrying torches make their way onto the stage from both sides during “Stossgebet.”

The crowd clearly likes what they see. After all, this is exactly the kind of show many of them came for. The songs are sung along to at full volume, and when Master of Ceremonies Attila Dorn gives the crowd instructions, they are followed without hesitation. Interim guitarist Dom R. Crey fits well into the picture, even though some fans are surely missing Matthew Greywolf at the moment.

Overall, Powerwolf deliver a lively headliner show with all the elements you would expect. Elbriot 2026 is slowly heading toward its conclusion, but not before “Werewolves of Armenia” makes the Hamburg Grossmarkt shake one more time.

Now it will be interesting to see where Elbriot goes from here. At the moment, there is neither a fixed date for 2027 nor a headliner announcement. We’ll keep you posted.