Photo Reports

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.

The first day of Rockfest 2025 in Turku kicked off under bright summer skies, setting the tone for a weekend packed with riffs, nostalgia, and high-energy performances. The main stage brought together three generations of heavy music — from the timeless legends of Judas Priest, still commanding crowds with effortless power, to Sepultura, delivering what was likely their final show on Finnish soil as part of their farewell tour, and Sweden’s own H.E.A.T., radiating pure rock ’n’ roll spirit.

Helsinki Vampires The 69 Eyes celebrated in grand style their classic breakthrough album ‘Devils’ 20th anniversary at Ääniwalli playing all the classic songs you would want to hear from their back catalog and of course ‘Devils’ in almost in its entirety. Great night of goth rock ‘n’ roll from the legendary The 69 Eyes! Check the pics down below!

We continue our Rockfest coverage with a closer look at three standout performances from this year’s edition in Turku. From the emotionally charged delivery of RØRY and the soaring, radio-ready energy of Moon Shot to the chaotic, unmistakably Finnish force of Stam1na, the Red Stage and Black Stage came alive with variety, intensity, and personality.

Dive into the gallery below and relive some of the most memorable performances of the first day of Rockfest’s weekend.