The heavy metal event of the year is entering the next round: concentrated energy, best bands and famous locations – headbanging included!
After last year’s huge success and the sold-out hall in Karlsruhe, this year there will once again be three big indoor festivals in December in keeping with tradition and making the Metal Heart beat faster. You can really let it rip again at the loudest Christmas parties in Germany!
On Friday, December 5, 2025 at the RuhrCongress in Bochum:
Welcome to the second POTT OUT Festival
And it goes without saying: Make it loud – Make the Pott proud!
Friday, 5.12.2025
Pott Out Festival – Bochum/ Ruhrcongress
Presented by Radio BOB!
Admission: 4.00 pm
Start: 5.00 pm
Info: https://pottout-festival.de/
Tickets: https://pottout-festival.de/tickets.html
And it continues on Friday, December 12th with the third Rock Out Festival in the Schwabenhalle in Augsburg.
Friday, 12.12.2025
Rock Out Festival – Augsburg/ Schwabenhalle
Presented by Rock Antenne
Admission: 3.30 pm
Start: 5.00 pm
Info at: https://rockout-festival.de/
Tickets: https://rockout-festival.de/tickets.html
And to round things off with a thunderclap, the 16th Knock Out Festival in the Schwarzwaldhalle in Karlsruhe kicks off on Saturday, December 13,
.
Saturday, 13.12.2025
Knock Out Festival – Karlsruhe/ Schwarzwaldhalle
Presented by Radio BOB!
Admission: 3.30 pm
Start: 5.00 pm
Info at: https://knockout-festival.de/
Tickets: https://knockout-festival.de/tickets.html
Initiator of the festival is – as always – the Karlsruhe agency Bottom Row, https://www.bottomrow.com/
The first bands for THE HARD CIRCLE 2025 are:
DIRKSCHNEIDER
The iron voice of heavy metal!
If there is one voice that has shaped German heavy metal like no other, it is that of Udo Dirkschneider. With ACCEPT, U.D.O. and, since 2015, with his band DIRKSCHNEIDER, he delivers classic heavy metal with an unmistakable blend of heaviness, melody and attitude.
DIRKSCHNEIDER is more than just a tribute to the past – it is a brute metal force that shows with unwavering energy why Udo Dirkschneider, with his raw, unique organ, is one of the most important voices in the genre.
As co-founder and voice of ACCEPT, Udo has long since written German metal history – and is still an active and relevant part of the scene.
At The Hard Circle Festivals, DIRKSCHNEIDER will perform the exclusive „Balls To The Wall“ set three more times, with which they sold out several halls at the beginning of the year.
Udo Dirkschneider: „I’m really looking forward to paying tribute to THE successful album of my band ACCEPT once again. Bringing the album „Balls To The Wall“ to the stage in its entirety together with long-time ACCEPT bassist Peter Baltes at my side is certainly a major highlight of my career!“ In addition to 45 minutes of concentrated album power, fans can also expect even more musical surprises on the three evenings.
THUNDERMOTHER
If there’s one band that transports the spirit of AC/DC, Motörhead and Airbourne into the modern rock world, it’s THUNDERMOTHER. The Swedish all-girl quartet stands for energetic, sweat-inducing hard rock that sweeps across the stage with brute power and leaves no stone unturned. Hard riffs, thunderous drums and snotty vocals – that is the band’s DNA. Their style is raw, uncompromising and at the same time full of catchy melodies that immediately stick in the ear canal. THUNDERMOTHER are the living embodiment of the rock spirit: loud, wild and absolutely captivating. If you like classic hard rock with a modern punch, you can’t get past band leader Filippa Nässil and her ladies. So: leather jacket on, beer on and volume to 11!
It will be interesting to see which other top-class artists will be performing this year when the line-up is gradually announced. Stay tuned …