Music is the only thing in this world, with the exception of sneezing and looking at the sunset, that takes you to a place that’s above the mundane.
The leader of the Third Eye Blind has definitely hit the bullseye with these words. Music, and especially rock, unites people and lets them express emotions. This is why rock is never going to die as a music genre.
In Greece, rock has always been in favor. If you are a fan of rock and you want to harmonize your vacation and musical experience, check out the list of the 3 best rock festivals in Athens.
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Athens Rocks
Where and when: Athens, June 13, 2022
If you love rocking hard, Athens Rocks is just for you. It has amazing headliners from all over the world:
Fundracar, a Greek group from Athens, performs mixed music (something between punk, rock and reggae) on a range of instruments to create a huge psychedelic vibe.
The Dropkick Murphys, USA, play Celtic punk with social context.
The Rumjacks from Australia is a punk-folk band, famous for their energetic wild shows.
The Villagers of Ioannina City (Greece) believes progressive heavy rock is the voice of their generation.
To get there, plan your visit to the Athens Olympic Center. You can also purchase souvenir t-shirts, take photos, and party hard! Stage diving and midnight dances will make your head spin.
Release Athens
Where and when: Athens, June 15-July 23, 2022
12 days, 100 hours of live music, more than 30 different musicians – all of this is available at the Release Athens Festival!
Release Athens is already in favor of Greeks starting from 2016. Release Athens’ program includes both rock and the other musical genres, such as pop and hip-hop.
Festival goes under the enigma of releasing the earth from plastic. It hosts a lot of icons, such as Iggy Pop, Slipknot, Sabaton, and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – in case you missed the Rockwave Festival.
Some previous headliners were Rhapsody of Fire, LP (2016), Thievery Corporation (2017), et cetera.
The festival will be held in Athens, but some of its events are to be organized in different areas of Greece. The motto under which the festival will go is optimism and extroversion in everything. Organizers believe in the liberating power of music – after all, this is what gave the festival its name, Release Athens.
Rockwave
Where and when: Athens, June 21-23, 2022
Rockwave Festival, or Social Distortion in Greece, has existed since 1996 and is known as the biggest music festival in Greece and one of the biggest world festivals. It is a member of the EUROPE (Official European Union of the biggest festivals). Rockwave wants to share the art of socializing and remember the pioneers of music.
Many famous headliners have performed at Rockwave before. Some of them are Epica, Evanescence, and The Prodigy. This year, the list of performing artists includes Placebo and Nick Cave. Everybody will find their own piece of cake!
Two stages operate during the festival, to avoid the excess crowding. As the festival is to be held in the open air, visitors are allowed to stay in the camping area of TerraVibe Park in Malakasa. If you are looking for some side-events during the festival, pay attention to the Rockwave Nights. Starting on the 19th of July in Lazarists Monastery and ending on the 20th of July in Technopolis, Athens, this event gives you an opportunity to choose the day and time of attending the festival.
What else to see in Athens?
The capital of Greece provides tourists with a number of entertainments. We recommend taking a day-tour in Athens prior to the music festivals.
If you want to learn about the history of Athens and enjoy its highlights, either book an Athens Private Sightseeing Experience or an Athens Full Day Private Tour. This is the best opportunity to learn about the history of the most famous buildings in Athens. The difference between these tours is that Athens Private Sightseeing will give you an insider’s view of the place, and Athens Full Day Private Tour is more of a ride through all the historic landmarks (like the Theater of Dionysus and Plaka Neighborhood, where the music meant a lot).
If you would rather chill after rock festivals, listen to some mystical stories and taste Greek delicacies on Acropolis and Athens Highlights with Food Tasting. You will see how the history of Greece is connected to modern history; listen to some mystical legends; and, of course, try local foods!
Plan your journey with us to make the most of your trip to Greece!
