Your first metal festival: what to pack, how to look after yourself and how to really enjoy it

Three or four days of non-stop shows, thousands of people in black T-shirts, sun, dust and your favourite bands one after another. A metal festival is an addictive experience, but the first time can also be overwhelming. The good news is that most problems can be avoided with a bit of planning.

This is the guide we wish we'd read before our first festival.

Before you go: the planning that makes the difference

Check the schedule as soon as it's out. Festivals usually publish running orders a few weeks ahead. Mark your must-see bands and accept right now that there will be clashes: choosing is part of the game.

Sort out accommodation early. If you're camping, check whether camping is included in your pass or sold separately (many festivals, like Resurrection or Leyendas del Rock, have paid areas with extra services). If you'd rather have a bed, book as soon as the dates are announced.

Know how you'll get there and back. Many festivals run shuttle buses from the nearest town or station. Knowing when the last bus leaves can save you a very long night.

Install the app or save the schedule offline. Mobile coverage at a packed festival is usually poor. A screenshot of the running order will save you more than once.

Backpack checklist

The essentials for each day on site:

• Earplugs (more on why below)
• Ticket or wristband, ID and some cash in case card payments fail
• Phone and a power bank
• Sunscreen, a cap or bandana and sunglasses
• Reusable bottle (check whether the festival lets you bring it in empty)
• A light rain jacket: it rains in northern Spain even in July
• Comfortable, closed shoes you've already broken in. Never debut new boots on day one

If you're camping, add:

• An easy-to-pitch tent, a sleeping mat or airbed and a sleeping bag
• A head torch
• Wet wipes, toilet paper and flip-flops for the showers
• A small padlock for your tent and a rubbish bag
• Warm clothes for the night: in Viveiro or Zamora it gets chilly in the early hours

Protect your hearing (seriously)

Near the front of a metal show it's easy to go over 100 decibels for hours. Hearing damage is cumulative and irreversible: that ringing you notice on the way out is a warning sign.

The fix is simple and takes nothing away from the experience:

• Musicians' filter earplugs. They lower the volume evenly, so you still hear the guitars and vocals clearly — just quieter. Reusable ones are cheap.
• Don't stand right next to the speakers. A few metres make a big difference.
• Give your ears a break. Between sets, step away from the stages for a while.

If you've seen veteran musicians wearing earplugs or in-ears on stage, now you know why.

Heat, water and food

Summer festivals in Spain are often held in temperatures above 30 °C, and Leyendas del Rock in August is the ultimate test.

• Drink water regularly, not only when you're thirsty. Alternate a bottle of water with every beer.
• Eat properly. A sandwich at five in the afternoon is the difference between making it to the headliner or not.
• Look for shade in the middle of the day and save your energy for the night.
• Know where the first-aid points are. If you or someone near you feels unwell, go without hesitation.

Mosh pit etiquette: the unwritten rules

The pit looks chaotic from the outside, but it has its own code, and the metal community tends to respect it:

1. If someone falls, you pick them up. Always. That's rule number one.
2. If you don't want to go in, don't stand on the edge. Move to the side and enjoy it from there.
3. No elbows or punches. You push with your body; you don't hit.
4. Take off glasses, big rings and anything you could lose.
5. Crowd-surf sensibly. If you do it, respect the people holding you up and follow the security team's instructions at the barrier.

Most importantly: if someone around you is uncomfortable or in trouble, alert security staff.

During the festival: making the most of it

• Discover new bands. Some of the best surprises happen on small stages early in the day. Wander around even if you don't know anyone on the afternoon bill.
• Agree on a meeting point. Without coverage, losing your group is easy. Pick a fixed spot and a time to regroup.
• Buy merch early. The most common sizes sell out on day one.
• Rest. A festival is a marathon, not a sprint. Five hours of sleep and a proper meal are worth more than anything else.

Afterwards: the festival doesn't end on Sunday

Many of the bands you discover will come back on club tours in autumn or winter, with cheaper tickets and much closer to home. On Metalendario you can search for them, save them as favourites and see them in your calendar. Start with the concert map or our guide to metal festivals in Spain 2027.

See you in the front row (with earplugs).