Photo Reports

Antwerp, June 24, 2025 – Guitar icons Joe Satriani and Steve Vai set Antwerp’s Stadsschouwburg on fire. With their performances as the SatchVai Band, the two virtuosos shared the stage in Belgium for the first time, a long-awaited moment for fans of instrumental rock. Originally scheduled for the Lotto Arena, the show was moved to the more intimate Stadsschouwburg due to slower ticket sales. But what the evening lacked in size, it more than made up for with energy and sheer musical firepower.

The SatchVai core duo was joined by heavyweights Marco Mendoza on bass, Kenny Aronoff on drums and Pete Thorn on guitar.

Vai and Satriani‘s history goes back nearly five decades, when Vai was a teenage student under Satriani‘s mentorship. That connection has since evolved through many G3 tours, culminating in a full-fledged world tour as the SatchVai Band. After all the great classics from both virtuosos had passed and the show had come to a close, the audience gave thunderous applause and standing ovations, leaving the band with no choice but to perform a smashing encore

First came “Crowd Chant,” a perfect sing-along that brought the entire theater to its feet with raised voices and hands in the air. This was followed by a thunderous cover of Metallica‘s “Enter Sandman,” followed by a soaring version of “Born to Be Wild” to end the evening in true rock and roll fashion. For many in the room, it was the fulfillment of a decades-long dream to see two of the greatest guitarists of all time share the stage together.

The support act was Ned Evett, known for playing the fretless, glass guitar. Ned played a solo set, which is brave, but if you ask us, it could have sounded much better with a backing band.

While the main stage drew its share of attention, the first day of Tuska 2025 also thrived across the Radio City Stage and Nordic Energy Stage. Friday’s lineup on these stages highlighted the breadth of contemporary heavy music, moving fluidly between sharp-edged attitude, dark pop sensibilities, and emotionally charged metalcore.

With standout performances from Blood Command, SKYND, Bambie Thug, and Imminence, these stages offered their own distinct atmosphere — intimate, intense, and driven by artists unafraid to push boundaries. Captured here are the moments that unfolded beyond the festival’s largest platform.

The first day of Tuska 2025 set the bar high from the very beginning. Friday on the main stage delivered a powerful cross-section of modern and extreme metal, opening with Finland’s own Horizon Ignited and steadily ramping up the intensity throughout the day.

From the long-awaited main stage arrival of Electric Callboy, finally claiming their place in front of a massive Tuska crowd, to the dark theatrics of Cradle of Filth, the uncompromising force of Knocked Loose, and a commanding headline set by In Flames, the opening day made it clear that Tuska 2025 was off to a formidable start.

Beyond the stages and spotlights, Rockfest 2025 was shaped just as much by the people standing in front of them. From the first rows at the barricade to faces lit up by anticipation, sweat, and sheer joy, the frontline crowd carried the energy that powered the entire festival.

These moments capture the human side of Rockfest — dedication, emotion, and that unmistakable connection between artists and audience that only truly exists in a live setting. A small gallery, but one that tells a big part of the story.

The final day of Rockfest 2025 on the main stage leaned heavily into legacy and attitude. Saturday’s program brought together the raw street rock energy of Demolition 23, the timeless swagger and dark mystique of The Cult, and the emotionally charged anthems of Manic Street Preachers.

While the night was ultimately crowned by headliners Muse, our lens focused on the artists we were able to capture — three performances that set the tone for Rockfest’s closing day and kept the main stage alive with character, conviction, and connection.

The final day of Rockfest 2025 brought a raw and uncompromising edge to the Red and Black Stage. Saturday’s lineup leaned into confrontation and catharsis, moving from the modern metal aggression of GHØSTKID, through the brutal intensity of deathcore powerhouse Immortal Disfigurement, to the stripped-down, confrontational punk legacy of Black Flag, who brought a mostly new line-up with youngsters who weren’t born yet when the band started.

Far removed from polished spectacle, these performances thrived on immediacy and impact — loud, visceral, and unfiltered. Here’s a visual look at how Rockfest’s closing day unfolded beyond the main stage.

Viikate is a band that has somehow managed to stay under my radar for a very long time. While I had heard their name before I still had absolutely no idea about them until two years ago when I by coincidence stumbled into a Solo gig of Kaarle Viikate. I decided back then that I wanted to check this band out, but as you can see it still took a long time for me to finally make to one of their shows.

For their recent gig in Tamperes Tavara-Asema Viikate went with a different approach with what they called a quiet concert. This included calmer songs, a half-time break the fans were also asked to stay seated as much as possible and to keep quiet during the songs.
Of course not everyone was happy with this: One disgruntled fan asked after the first half of the set “What is this, a theatre play? You used to be a band.” Kaarle just countered back with “Well and now we’re a theatre play. Didn’t you listen at all in the first half? Guess what, I bet you’re going to be even more disappointed with the second half.” I for my part really liked the chill and relaxed atmosphere of the gig and was happy that I could fully focus on listening to those songs for the very first time.

It was a night of legends and rock and roll at The Token Lounge in Westland, MI on Saturday June 14, 2025! Close Enemies featuring music veterans Tom Hamilton [bass – founding member of the amazing Aerosmith], Tony Brock [drums – The Babys and Rod Stewart], touring veteran Peter Stroud [guitar – Sheryl Crow and Don Henley], Trace Foster [guitar – Angus Young of AC/DC’s guitar tech] and Chasen Hampton [vocals – singer since age 11/Mickey Mouse Club and The Party].

Opening acts for the night were Portal 27, Faded and Most Wanted! All 3 bands did a fantastic job warming the crowd up. I have seen Faded before, and they have a really cool retro vibe with a bluesy vibe. 

With such a stacked lineup, I knew Close Enemies were going to bring it, and they did without a doubt! If you like a good ol’ rock n’ roll, you will like this band. You can tell they are having fun with this project-which is refreshing to see with a super group such as this. They are long time music industry veterans-they have seen and played it all! It made me smile to watch them doing what they love and having a blast while they do it! They have some tour dates on the horizon in the late summer and fall-if they come to your area, make sure you catch a show! You will be pleasantly surprised with their original music but also get to hear a couple of Aerosmith covers which is just the cherry on top!

The second day of Rockfest 2025 in Turku shifted the atmosphere once more, offering a diverse main stage lineup that moved effortlessly between spectacle, nostalgia, and sheer power. Friday’s program brought together the dark theatrical world of Till Lindemann, a celebratory set from Bullet For My Valentine marking 20 years of ‘The Poison’, and a triumphant homecoming for Finnish heavy and power metal heroes Battle Beast.

From explosive visuals to singalong anthems and unapologetic metal energy, these moments captured the many faces of Rockfest’s Friday — as seen through our lens.

Away from the main stage spotlight, Rockfest’s second day offered a different kind of intensity across the Red and Black Stage. Friday saw a varied and compelling lineup, moving from the modern metal hooks of Dead By April and the raw energy of Awake Again, to the technical precision and crushing power of Jinjer, and the brooding, atmospheric darkness of Cemetery Skyline to wrap our day up fittingly.

These performances showcased the breadth of contemporary heavy music at Rockfest: intimate in scale, fierce in delivery, and driven by an audience fully locked into the moment. Here’s a visual recap of how Friday unfolded beyond the festival’s main stage.