Rock im Park opens in Nuremberg as twin festivals Rock am Ring and Rock im Park begin sold-out weekend

Many attendees had arrived the day before and partied late into the night, with neighbors and campsites staying loud well past midnight. 'Wir sind ein bisschen übernächtigt. Im Nachbarzelt lief die ganze Nacht laute Musik,' said Kerstin, a visitor from Upper Franconia who had traveled to the festival with her husband and adult son. The two went to a nearby bakery for coffee in the morning, and Kerstin planned to buy a small pavilion at a hardware store in case further rain set in. The festival's location inside the city means that bakeries, supermarkets and snack bars are within walking distance, a convenience that regular visitors appreciate.

Fans unfazed by rain and mud

Thomas, who had traveled from Dresden, summed up the mood of fans braving the mud. 'Wir sind voller Vorfreude,' he said, smiling at the grey skies above the site. Rebecca was equally unfazed by the weather, telling reporters: 'Lieber im Matsch tanzen als schwitzen. Regen ist besser als zu heiß.' Another visitor, Nadine, was more philosophical, adding: 'Der Matsch gehört doch zu Rock im Park dazu.'

Both Rock im Park and its twin festival Rock am Ring, which takes place at the Nürburgring in the Eifel region, are sold out. The same lineup of headliners traditionally performs at both venues on a time-shifted schedule. Organizers expect around 80,000 visitors at Rock im Park and about 90,000 at Rock am Ring, with the two events together staging roughly 70 concerts over the three days. The heavy rain that hit Nuremberg also affected the Nürburgring, where the camping grounds have been well filled since Thursday despite the unpleasant weather.

Headliners and opening acts

At Rock im Park, the early afternoon on Friday was opened by the US rock band The Pretty Reckless, fronted by the actress Taylor Momsen, best known for the television series 'Gossip Girl.' Later in the day the German metalcore group Electric Callboy, the Danish metal band Volbeat and the German rapper Marteria were scheduled to take the stage. At Rock am Ring, the British metal band Loathe was billed as the opening act, followed by Papa Roach, Babymetal and Limp Bizkit on the first festival day.

Fans named Linkin Park as the act they were most looking forward to, and the band is scheduled to close the weekend on Sunday evening. Linkin Park, currently on a tour that fills entire stadiums, is widely seen as the headline draw. The British heavy metal veterans Iron Maiden are set to play on Saturday evening, adding to a lineup that spans metal, rock, hip-hop and pop.

Linkin Park and Iron Maiden top the bill

The Pretty Reckless performance was an early highlight at Rock im Park, drawing fans who had waited through the morning rain. Electric Callboy and Volbeat, both regulars on the German festival circuit, brought heavier sounds in the evening slot, while Marteria added a hip-hop counterpoint to a day otherwise dominated by guitar-driven acts. The mix of genres is typical for Rock im Park, which programs its stages to span several generations of rock and adjacent styles.

Among the fans already showing off elaborate preparations was Carina, age 32, from Erlangen, whose favorite band is the US group Palaye Royale. 'Ein echter Geheimtipp. Ich freue mich so, dass sie zum ersten Mal bei Rock im Park spielen,' Carina said, explaining that she had spent many hours making a fan flag and decorating a jacket with rhinestones. Palaye Royale is performing at Rock im Park for the first time this year, and several regular attendees said they were looking forward to discovering lesser-known acts alongside the major headliners.

A festival inside the city

The urban setting of Rock im Park distinguishes it from its countryside twin. Because the grounds sit inside Nuremberg, fans can walk to surrounding shops and cafes, and local businesses said they were already seeing a boost. 'Das ist praktisch. Ich denke, dass die Geschäfte davon auch profitieren,' said Catrin, a visitor from Kaiserslautern who has attended Rock im Park for years. The contrast with Rock am Ring, whose Nürburgring location forces most fans to camp on site, has become one of the defining differences between the two festivals.

Medical services at Rock im Park were running smoothly, according to the Bavarian Red Cross, with the early-day count of 164 assistance cases reflecting the usual mix of blisters, sprains and minor cuts that come with a large outdoor event. Twenty-one patients were transferred to hospital for further treatment, a figure in line with previous years, organizers said. Security and welfare teams continued to monitor the crowded camping areas, where many festival-goers had arrived on Thursday and set up small cities of tents in the mud.

Medical services and weather outlook

Music fans at Rock im Park said they were relieved that no severe weather had been forecast, even if the conditions were damp and cold. Forecasters had predicted that the rain would ease later in the day and that sunshine could return over the weekend, raising hopes of drier evenings for the headline sets. The festival runs from Friday through Sunday, with the main stages scheduled to host acts into the late hours each night.