by:Larm Black: From Riff to Rave

Heavy music is changing, and its changing fast. A new generation of artists is constantly pushing the boundaries of what rock and metal can be, and on festival stages we now see bands blending metal, trap, techno, EDM, and hyperpop taking over bigger and bigger slots.

This panel takes the pulse of the explosive growth in crossover trends and asks the questions many are wondering: What’s driving the evolution, and who’s leading the charge? Has the traditional rock and metal audience become more open to new sounds, or is it an entirely new crowd that’s found its way to the heavy riffs?

For festivals and bookers, this means new choices: How do you make room for what’s emerging without losing what’s always been at the core? And are “audiences” and “fans” even the same thing anymore?

In this panel, you’ll meet key figures from the rock and metal industry who are in the middle of these changes. Together we’ll explore how new trends are born, how old genres are finding new shapes, and what it will take for rock and metal to remain both relevant and surprising.

Can metal reinvent itself without losing its soul? We invite you to an honest discussion about the balance between tradition and innovation, niche and mainstream, riff and rave.