Desertfest Berlin 2026: First line-up announcement, feat. Russian Circles, Hermano, The Sword, Acid King, King Buffalo & many more!

Artwork by Kuba Sokolski Illustration

Berlin, the desert is calling once again! From May 14-16, 2026 at Columbiahalle & Columbia-Theater, Desertfest Berlin will turn the German capital into a heavy riff sanctuary – and the first wave of bands is already shaking the ground. Last Friday’s kick-off announcement comes loaded with legends, pioneers, and fresh fire:

Russian Circles will crush you with their cinematic post-metal soundscapes, while desert rock legends Hermano return with John Garcia at the helm. Texas riff titans The Sword are back to shake the ground, and the mighty Acid King keep the doom thick and smoky. King Buffalo invite you to drift away on cosmic psych grooves, while fuzzlords Truckfighters bring the Swedish desert storm with their first new album in 10 years. Earthless will melt your mind with endless space jams, and Crippled Black Phoenix deliver apocalyptic rock full of grandeur. Expect instrumental heaviness from Chicago pioneers Pelican, plus wild progressive energy from Mother’s Cake. Adding Texan groove power from High Desert Queen, new wave of Würzburgs thrash metal Zerre, and psych-doom freakouts from Taiwan’s Dope Purple, Desertfest Berlin 2026 already promises to become a riff-heavy ride straight into the void.

And that’s just the beginning. Many more names and special suprises will follow – a storm is brewing over Berlin, and it’s bigger than ever! Tickets are already flying, so grab yours before they vanish in the haze: desertfest.de.

Courtesy of All Noir PR

Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well