Well, gosh-darnit, if it isn’t time for Maid Of Stone again? Not only was the weather clear, but the air was, too, with bands politely asked not to swear on stage in an amusing buck to the norm. That’s right, motherfluffers, it was a squeaky-clean weekend with absolutely no foul language at all, and with the booze flowing as richly as the nearby River Medway (albeit far nicer), it was a weekend ripe for what we do best. Sunburn, drinking and rocking the duck out: Maid Of Stone 2026
Day 1 – Friday
Cassidy Paris
Facing the task of warming the crowd up for the weekend’s entertainment was Australia’s Cassidy Paris, who took to the stage with confidence on their debut at Maid Of Stone. With bouncing rockers such as ‘Stronger’, ‘Butterfly’ and the defiant ‘Danger’, Paris and her band ably showcased how to raise the curtain on a rock festival weekend. There was even time for a guest appearance from Fireheart’s Russ Gimmett to accompany ‘Nothing Left To Lose’, to cheers from the early birds down the front – they certainly enjoyed their time!
Regional One
Much like Cassidy Paris on the Inferno Stage, Bournemouth’s Regional One equipped themselves admirably in opening the Firestarter Stage, with a raucous set of hard rock riffs. While it may have been too early amongst the early afternoon punters still finding their feet, ‘Bedlam’ made for a ripper setlist inclusion and will have certainly gained the band some new fans. While a fine set, it was spoiled somewhat by the snapping of a guitar string during ‘Hero’ that brought a premature end to proceedings – rock ‘n’ roll for you, eh?
Anthony Gomes
Rock and humour go hand in hand, so whether this was intentional from Canada’s Anthony Gomes is anyone’s guess. Nevertheless, the six-stringer’s trio delivered a blues-laced set that brought plenty of smiles – just try not to smirk during ‘Fur Covered Handcuffs’ ‘One Last Time’ had so much blues about it that it hurt, whilst the band found time for a sterling cover of Led Zeppelin’s ‘Whole Lotta Love’ that, understandably, proved to be a crowd-pleaser.
DeVere
Playing live is intense enough as it is without having to contend with tech issues, but that is what befell DeVere during the opening minutes, with singer Sam Cassidy’s mic entirely silent as the band played around him. False starts aside, when Cassidy’s pipes were eventually amplified, the band’s groovy set could be enjoyed to its fullest. ‘Empire’ encapsulated the band’s sound, with 80’s tinged heavy metal going down a treat with the Firestarter crowd.
Jack J. Hutchinson
It can be argued that the mark of a good rock songwriter is to strip it back down to an acoustic level and still have the songs rip. Enter: Jack J. Hutchinson. Famed for high-energy blues-rock, the man turned it down a notch to deliver a lively acoustic set that rocked as much as it had soul. Cuts included his first with co-writing partner Josiah J. Manning, ‘Call Of The Wild’, and the recent ‘Soul Believer’, which were met with large cheers at the VIP Stage. Bigger still was the cheer when Hutchinson became the first act to defy the ‘no swearing’ rule!
The New Roses
In another Maid Of Stone debut, Germany’s The New Roses kept the day ticking along nicely with a slice of hard rock that brought elements of 80’s nostalgia to the fold. The band’s enthusiasm was infectious, with opener ‘Addicted To The Danger’ encouraging the crowd, whilst the guitarists’ coordinated movements at times added a slickness to their set. Cleverly throwing in a cover of ‘Rockin’ In The Free World’ by Neil Young raised the excitement levels, whilst the glorious ‘Down By The River’ soared spectacularly in the summer sun. Good work all round.
Sam Morrow
Houston, Texas-native Sam Morrow’s set could be considered a perfect tonic for those wanting a little respite from the harder stuff that had come before. Arguably the most bluesy artist of the weekend, Morrow’s blend of blues, country and Americana made for an incredibly soulful performance, which cried out for a beer and some good musical mates. With plenty about, this was the relaxed bluesy sojourn you never knew you needed at a rock festival.
FM
Festivals can be thought of as celebrations of music, and particularly the artists that make it, so it stands to reason that a band like London’s FM have their place on the bill. Featuring meticulous vocal harmonies and a striking backdrop video through their time on the Inferno Stage, the band’s performance duly merited the crowd’s acclaim. While the lead guitar came across a little quiet at times, it did nothing to diminish the overall enjoyment of the likes of ‘Digging Up The Dirt’ and ‘That Girl’. This was fun.
Morganway
This was impeccable. Rock with a touch of psychedelia, and a violin? Yes, please. A cover of ‘You Oughta Know’ by Alanis Morissette? You bet. Prefacing an anti-Spotify song by encouraging the Firestarter crowd to kick a green football with the streaming site’s logo painted on the side? Inspired. With that song (‘Machine’) and the thrilling ‘I Feel The Rain’, this was one of the standout sets of Friday on Firestarter, without doubt.
A Thousand Horses
There’s a certain irony in A Thousand Horses’ opening salvo, ‘Dead Man Walking’, urging one to have a little groove to oneself, but when good music moves you, what are you going to do? Another band making their debut, the Nashville, Tennessee group made the stage their home and received a lot of love from the crowd. ‘Voices’ sounded gorgeous, whilst their cover of Oasis’ ‘Champagne Supernova’ brought along the sing-along of the afternoon. No actual horses, though.
Crow Black Chicken
Rounding out the day on the Firestarter Stage were the Irish blues-rock maestros Crow Black Chicken, and good lawd, were there blues on display. If ever there was a set to lose oneself in and become fully immersed in the swirl of music, then it was this. There was groove, there was swing, there was a song about Oliver Cromwell… What else could you want? Judging by the crowd’s reaction, not much, as they were vibing throughout.
The Temperance Movement
With the number of festival shirts on display throughout the day, the unaware could feasibly guess the name of the Friday headliner without too much issue. Of course, you always expect the headliner to be the most popular one, but there seemed to be an energy throughout the arena ahead of The Temperance Movement taking the stage. Appropriate, then, that when they do arrive, frontman Phil Campbell is a hive of the stuff and runs the show with practised precision. As they burn through the uplifting ‘Caught In The Middle’, with its ‘life is beautiful, you best believe’ line, Campbell dances away with all the verve of a man on cloud nine. The positivity permeated throughout the band and the crowd alike, as new song ‘Silverlight Blues’ got a warm reception, whilst pre-encore closer ‘Eat You Alive’ bounced with celebratory joy. The band more than justified their selection as the first night’s headliners and rounded off the opening day superbly.
Day 2 – Saturday
Häxan
Saturday dawned pleasantly enough, but Welsh trio Häxan made it all the better with a powerhouse set. ‘Killing Time’ and ‘Gravedigger’ brought terrific dynamism to the Inferno Stage, and it proved compelling to those taking their place at the barrier early doors. Of particular note were the band’s vocals – truly sublime from all, with great harmonies. You will be hard-pushed to find a better start to a day’s music.
Untamed Silence
Having the pleasure of opening the Firestarter Stage on Day 2 were Maid Of Stone debutants, Untamed Silence, who were anything but silent. Bringing a heavy rock sound with sprinkles of prog and metal throughout, the band delivered an up-tempo set replete with riffs and big vocals. There were grooves to be had – a major plus in waking up the crowd from those first day hangovers – which set the band on their way to a great show that will see them walk away with a few new listeners.
Xander & The Peace Pirates
With possibly the best band name of the weekend, Xander & The Peace Pirates can also lay claim to having the smoothest blues rock sound all weekend. Seriously, this was blues as smooth as butter. Of course, being pirates, there were some token ‘Argh!’ cries, but that felt secondary to the likes of the soulful ‘Let Go’. The sing-along attempt for the ballad-y ‘Searching For The Light’ fell a little flat, mind, but the band gave a great account of themselves on the Inferno Stage.
Kit Trigg
In something of an unfortunate theme for the weekend, Kit Trigg fell victim to a spot of mic trouble to begin with over at the Firestarter Stage, but they soldiered on. What they then delivered was a storming set of punky rock ‘n’ roll, where their vocal harmonies shone out, and their endearing, earnest personalities showed a band loving their music and their time with their audience. Also, who doesn’t love seeing a guitar player smash out a solo from behind their head, eh?
GirlSchool
Needless to say, if your band has lasted for nearly fifty years, you must be doing something right, and GirlSchool most certainly are. There was plenty of affection on display for the band as they began their set with the appropriately titled ‘Come On, Let’s Go’ and ripped through a tour of their finest hits from their near-five-decade existence. While original drummer Denise Dufort was recovering from illness, the band’s stand-in Larry Paterson marshalled the rhythm section ably, providing the backbone to a set of ‘no nonsense rock ‘n’ roll’.
Rattlesnakes
Ever heard of a band celebrating their debut festival appearance by heading immediately into the studio to record a song? Nor Devolution, but that is what Rattlesnakes were doing with the cracking ‘Forever’, so keep an eye out. Their set was a lively affair, with a classic heavy metal feel; opening with the appropriate ‘Firestarter’ and eliciting a clap-along during the chorus of ‘Love Me Harder’, and ensuring they will be a notable act in future.
Phil Campbell’s Bastard Sons
Losing a parent is hard enough, but your principal bandmate can only make things more difficult. That Phil Campbell’s Bastard Sons have continued is testament to his legacy, and their set would have done the man proud – featuring a cover of David Bowie’s ‘Heroes’, alongside ‘These Old Boots’ and ‘Dark Days’, the audience lapped it up in spades. There were further tributes in the form of Motörhead classics ‘Ace Of Spades’ and ‘Killed By Death’, all of which contributed to a true celebration of another legend gone far too soon.
LN
How good was LN’s set? The fact that audience members were still discussing it the following day tells you all you need to know. Taking the stage in pagan peasant garb, their set was oh-so absorbing, with vocalist Ellen ‘LN’ Hirst a magnetic storyteller through song. ‘Mothers’, introduced as a song for the LGBTQ+ community, sounded majestic, whilst the demonic Donny (a severed head on a stick) and fake blood adorning Hirst’s face made for a visual spectacle. Yet ‘Shield Wall’ damn-near brought Mote Park to its knees and goes to show that these Geordies will be a force to be reckoned with going forward.
Danko Jones
Contrasts do not get much starker: from absorbing theatrics to pure high-tempo hard rock with humour sprinkled throughout. Canada’s Danko Jones were a popular shirt amongst the audience throughout Saturday, and their set sure delivered, with ‘Get High?’ proving particularly amusing. More so was Jones’ bragging that he took six songs until he hydrated (kudos?), after which he debated which song was next. ‘Song #7!’ said one audience member. Jones remembered and pressed on with aplomb.
Battle Born
Certain types of music are better with some theatrics, and Battle Born’s mix of power and glam very much suits it. While the bass felt a touch high in the mix at times, it did not diminish the band’s impact with unrelenting movement as they powered through the likes of ‘One On One’ and the appropriate ‘Born To Battle’. Vocalist Jack Reynolds was on-point from start-to-finish and held court admirably throughout. If you liked your heavy metal with a fantasy bend, then this was the set for you.
Doro
With the penultimate act of the Inferno Stage, it felt like Maid Of Stone were welcoming heavy metal royalty to the stage in Germany’s Doro. A legend of the genre since 1980, her set encompassed songs from her entire career, including the Warlock days (the terrific ‘Burning The Witches’ being a prime example there). While constantly beckoning the crowd, Doro put on a fine display, with solo songs ‘Raise Your Fist In The Air’ and ‘Warriors Of The Sea’ exciting all the way to the set’s end: a rendition of Judas Priest’s ‘Breaking The Law’. Stellar.
The Virginmarys
Festivals are a good time, and the music has to meet the mood. Thankfully, The Virginmarys were booked and, boy, did they bring the good time. ‘Free To Do Whatever They Say’ was ever-so danceable during the verses, whilst the punky ‘Where Are You Now?’ hit hard during that chorus. ‘When The Lights Go Down’ rounded off proceedings in noisy fashion. Has to be said, though, that drummer Danny Dolan beats his kit as if it owes him money – a furious and fervent set to round the stage’s day off.
Saxon
The word ‘legend’ is bandied about a lot in modern parlance, and often misattributed, but to the likes of British heavy metal elite Saxon, it is entirely appropriate. Fifty-one years since they first formed, the band is still going strong and delivering the goods with the same vigour of yesteryear. Such vim was reciprocated by a baying crowd, from the minute ‘Hell, Fire & Damnation’ roared into life. There were some fantastic acts on Saturday and, indeed, across the weekend, but none did heavy metal quite like Saxon. There was a might about their set, which included big hitters such as ‘Motorcycle Man’, ‘747 (Strangers In The Night’ and the rousing classic, ‘Wheels Of Steel’, and it was something that just could not be matched across the weekend. The band’s tightness and power were laudable, while the interaction with the adoring fans made for a tremendous occasion. Hell, they even asked what the crowd wanted to hear between ‘The Eagle Has Landed’ and ‘Broken Heroes’, of which the former was chosen – worthy and revered headliners.
Day 3 – Sunday
Velvet Rush
Crowds could be forgiven for taking it a little easier on the final day of a festival after days of music and booze, but not our Maid Of Stone lot. They were right in with Velvet Rush, jumping and moving throughout the band’s electric set, as they poured through the likes of ‘Thrilled By Rock’ N’ Roll’ with gusto. Naturally, one would assume the crowd agreed with the song title there by their reaction! Another ace curtain-raiser.
Queen Horizon
Local rockers Queen Horizon were slated to play Maid Of Stone in 2025 but unfortunately had to pull out due to illness; the year-long wait only made their set land that bit harder. With cello player Megan making her live debut at the festival, the band delivered a barnstorming show that made up for lost time and got the crowd well-up for their groovy brand of rock. The cello was not the only orchestral instrument gracing the two stages this weekend, but Queen Horizon made it rock, nonetheless.
Tuk Smith & The Restless Hearts
Over on the Inferno Stage, Tuk Smith & The Restless Hearts were a true delight in the lunchtime sun. Their brand of rock brought such warmth that it was unrelated to the seasonal weather, with the likes of the ‘Thin Lizzy rip-off’ song ‘Girls On The East Side Of Town’ sounding just beautiful and joyous. Smith’s humour – joking about the band’s similar haircuts and lookalikes (himself as Noel Fielding in the UK) – made for a really wholesome time. This all culminated in a rapturous ‘Running With The Wild Ones’ that begged to be danced to and enjoyed. Splendid.
Parker Barrow
After starring on the mainstage in the 2025 edition, Nashville’s Parker Barrow returned to the smaller VIP Stage in 2026 for an acoustic set that could easily have worked on either of the two bigger stages. That it was on the festival’s smallest stage did nothing to detract from the performance, with songs such as ‘Glass Eyes Cryin’ and ‘Don’t Tell Mama (What Mama Don’t Know)’ towering above, but retaining an intimacy as if among friends. Singer Megan Kane never stopped smiling throughout, and neither did the rest of us.
Heavy Pettin
Glasgow’s Heavy Pettin were up next on the Inferno Stage, and did their best to toe the line with regards to the ‘no swearing’ rule, with Steve Hayman checking himself before introducing ‘Love Times Love’. Their set neatly mixed older material with cuts from last year’s Rock Generation album to welcome cheers. Classics such as ‘In & Out Of Love’ and the aforementioned ‘Love Times Love’ sat alongside ‘Faith Healer (Kill My Demons)’ and ‘X-Rated’ with no qualms, and were delivered with customary zest from the Glaswegians. Kudos!
Silveroller
Well, everyone watching Silveroller at the Firestarter Stage are now part of the band’s binding contract to their new label as they bore witness to the signing. They actually signed the contract, too! Nevertheless, the band made this an afternoon to celebrate, with ‘Other Side’ and ‘Oh Mamma (Go With Grace)’ sounding magnificent, with the latter debuting. An enthralling set complemented with some sumptuous-sounding organ playing – more of that, please!
Hannah Wicklund
The second of our orchestral instruments came in the form of a flute, courtesy of flautist Erin Clare, who joined Hannah Wicklund on stage to add a touch of classical (or prog, depending on your views). Featuring a new song performed for the first time alongside Wicklund staples such as ‘Strawberry Moon’, the blues-and-groove combo was both heard and felt by all. Sprinkled with a little psychedelia in places, the non-existent roof went off with a gorgeous rendition of the Dusty Springfield signature ‘Take Another Little Piece of My Heart’, which Wicklund made all her own.
Brave Rival
‘The show must go on, and all that is the catch-all for any issues one may have performing live, but Brave Rival are an exemplar in how to handle such events. Where they had a tech issue, they broke out into amiable chatter with the VIP crowd, making for a much more personable show. ‘Keeping Secrets’ sounded incredible, but a special mention should go to the band’s rendition of Heart’s mega-hit ‘Alone’. Featuring the VIP crowd as the ‘drunken gospel choir’, it made for a merry old time.
Anchor Lane
Contrast it, then, with the goings on at the Firestarter Stage, where Glasgow’s Anchor Lane brought the noise with a generous helping of rowdy rocking. Recent single ‘It’s The End, My Friend’ thundered out loud and proud, with its big chorus getting the energy levels right up. ‘Electric Karma’ brought a touch of funk during the verse that implored a little boogie, but another chorus laid waste to the crowd with sheer power, a big, brash and beautiful set.
The Wildhearts
It should come as no surprise that The Wildhearts were a very popular act on Sunday, with a healthy crowd gathered to bask and celebrate the music of Ginger et al. Ginger himself referred to their performance as a ‘celebration of life’ when introducing ‘Failure Is The Mother Of Success’ Lyrics to an incredible crowd reaction. While there was an undercurrent of sadness about the band’s set, all concerned put it to one side to rejoice in life and music, with ‘Cheers’ the punky pinnacle that kept everyone smiling and vibing.
Aethoria
Arguably among the heavier acts of the weekend, Suffolk’s Aethoria gave a brilliant account of themselves on the Firestarter Stage. Their sound, big on riffs and big vocals, blew the crowd away in the early evening sun, with the likes of ‘Bring Me Home’ and new album cut ‘Popcorn’ going down a storm. Yet it was the bruiser, ‘Stepping Stones’, that really hit the mark, with that catchy chorus making an impact on onlookers and drawing more from the bar. With a new album on the horizon, the band will certainly be looking forward to a great many more listeners when it drops.
The Almighty
Taking to the Inferno Stage first as co-headliners, the reunited The Almighty certainly made their set count, spanning the breadth of their career thus far to the elation of their plentiful fans (again using the scientific method of judging by the number of shirts around). Opening with ‘Power’ from 1989’s ‘Blood, Fire & Love’, the Glaswegians tore through the hits from the first three albums with the vehemence of a band hungry to make up for lost time. It wasn’t all pedal-to-the-metal, with the band easing up for slower moments such as ‘Little Lost Sometimes’ – lighters would have been redundant in the evening’s setting sun – but that just made for a more enjoyable ride. As the band wound down their set, the sing-along refrain from ‘Wild & Wonderful’ raised the crowd’s voice to a tumultuous finish, where The Almighty can consider their co-headline duties done to satisfaction, at least.
Chez Kane
The Firestarter Stage’s headliner and closing act fell to Chez Kane, and one of the most memorable parts of the set was the use of keys throughout. They brought a levity and vibrancy that had been seldom heard across the weekend, so that songs such as ‘Shoot Me Down’ and ‘Nationwide’ resounded fantastically. As with other acts across the weekend, there were one or two tech gremlins, but none that caused too many problems for the band, who roared on and brought the curtain down with a superb rendition of ‘Rocket On The Radio’. It might not be on the radio, but it was a rocket on stage, for sure.
Uriah Heep
Where you had Saxon’s more head-down heavy metal, Uriah Heep brought the prog wizardry to close out Maid Of Stone 2026, and it was every bit as exceptional as their peers the day before. From the opening gambit in ‘Grazed By Heaven’, the fivesome were in excellent form, with Mick Box bloomin’ marvellous on the six-string throughout. It also seemed folk elsewhere were cheered by Uriah Heep’s presence as a firework display went off in the distance! As the set progressed, more classic Uriah Heep cuts were trotted out, with ‘The Magician’s Birthday’ embodying everything that we all love about prog: a long run-time, a little off-the-wall, and played with world-class musicianship. The band’s vocal work remains exquisite, as exemplified by the mesmerising ‘July Morning’ and, of course, the crowd-favourite, ‘Easy Livin’. As the final strains faded away, the takeaway is that if you are a prog fan and missed out on tickets this year, then get to a Uriah Heep show soon for a chance to see one of the masters at work.
So that was Maid Of Stone 2026, and as with previous editions of the festival, the weekend went by in a blaze of glory. An impressive mix of rock’s finest: from the up-and-comers that will be carrying the torch for many years, to the trailblazing bastions of the genre that defy the generational divide. Attention then turns to 2027 – as ever, a ‘watch this space’ for acts at the time of writing, but one thing is for sure: you know the Maid Of Stone team will ace it. See you next year!
https://www.maidofstonefestival.com/
Review By Lee Carter
Photos By Rebecca Bush – https://www.instagram.com/beckybphoto/
