Megadeth was the headliner of the first day of Rock Fest 2026. But there were other attractions. For example, the Swiss band Gotthard, a historic name in European hard rock, offered a well-led show of classic sounds in Santa Coloma de Gramenet with Nic Maeder, the singer who joined the group in 2010 after the death of the original vocalist, Steve Lee. Among the audience there were at least a couple of Swiss fans, one of whom wore the country's flag as a cape. Flags from Estonia, Croatia, Bolivia, and Colombia were also seen around the venue, as well as one from the Basque Country during the concert of the Basque band Latzen (the return of an emblem of thrash in Euskera). Between references to Deep Purple ('Hush') and their own classics, they ended with the acoustic 'One life, one soul' (because, in 'a world full of shit, music keeps us united,' Maeder said) and a cover of Dylan's 'Quinn the Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn)'. Classics, but of heavy metal, are the Japanese band Loudness, protagonists of one of the most applauded concerts of the day. With the flag of the Japanese army on the bass and as a stage prop, the group led by singer Minoru Niihara celebrated 45 years of career, respecting their legacy with forcefulness.Before Megadeth, the Sex Pistols performed with singer Frank Carter. That is, the original lineup (Steve Jones, Paul Cook, and Glen Matlock) without the original singer (John Lydon). More or less, they repeated last year's Cruïlla concert: a repertoire of about fifteen songs, from 'Holidays in the sun' to 'Anarchy in U.K.'. They bring the dignity of a tribute band, and Carter shows a good predisposition to personalize the punk legacy, but the songs sound deactivated, karaoke fodder and nothing more. Even when Carter gets off stage to promote the pogo during 'Pretty vacant' and 'Bodies', it seems like a simulation. The most notable moment came at the end, when this time he made 'My way' his own and then, with intention, spat out the first verses of 'Anarchy in U.K.': 'I am an Antichrist / I am an anarchist'. Curiously, a song that Megadeth covered in 1988 on the album 'So far, so good... So what!'
The Rock Fest pays tribute to Megadeth, the metal's favorite villain's band
Dave Mustaine's band culminates the first day of the festival, in which Sex Pistols and Gotthard also perform
Santa Coloma de Gramenet"Megadeth!, Megadeth!", shouted the Rock Fest audience past midnight on Friday. There was a desire to see the North American band and to thank its leader, the Californian guitarist Dave Mustaine, for his service to the cause of metal for forty years. Everything suggested that the concert in Santa Coloma de Gramenet was part of Megadeth's farewell tour, but Mustaine himself clarified on Friday that it is the tour for the latest album, Megadeth (2026), and that the final tour will be the following one. In any case, the dedication of the audience that traveled to Can Zam park was one that fosters enthusiasm.
One of the new songs, Tipping point, opened a performance whose repertoire stirred the records that consolidated Megadeth as one of the reference bands of thrash metal, especially the notable "}Rust in peace (1990) and Countdown to extinction (1992). Yes, for a long time Dave Mustaine was the Gru of metal, the favorite villain of thrash metal: expelled from Metallica and the protagonist of all sorts of controversies, always with that impertinent and angry post-adolescent attitude. He hasn't lost his character at 64 years old. A week ago, at a concert in Finland, insulted a journalist who in previous interviews had asked him if he would win a confrontation with James Hetfield, the guitarist of Metallica. A primary school question, it must be said. Life, including a overcome throat cancer and a chronic hand injury (Dupuytren's contracture), have appeased discrepancies. As happened at Rock Fest, on this tour Mustaine often covers "Ride the lightning, by Metallica, a song of which he is a co-author: it is also a way of reasserting oneself, of course.
Ride the lightning was one of the highlights of a concert dominated by the guitars of Mustaine and Teemu Mäntysaari and without stage distractions: in the background, the band's name; on stage, two walls of Marshall amplifiers and the sporadic appearances of the mascot Vic Rattlehead. From the outset, the power of classics Take no prisoners and Hangar 18 set the tone for the show, with drummer Dirk Verbeuren squeezing the possibilities out of the double bass drum and bassist James LoMenzo rousing the crowd while Mustaine sang with his hair in his face. He has a thinner voice, but he makes up for it by doing to speak the guitar in riffs still dizzying, both in pieces from the last album and Puppet parade as in rescue of So far, so good... So what! (1988) as Hook in mouth. "Megadeth!, Megadeth!", the audience insisted every time the band disappeared (basically so Mustaine could change guitars), and the roar grew into a clamor of approval when he reappeared. These were the only pauses in a concert designed as a steamroller, without the logical calm-crescendo, although heading towards the thrash metal apotheosis of "Symphony of destruction and Holy wars... The punishment due, end of a performance after which a good part of the audience ran to the Can Zam stop so as not to miss the last metro.