Our coverage of Sonic Blast 2026 goes on and we keep bringing you daily reports of the festival.
words: Joana Coelho photos: Ricardo Silva
The first official day of the 2026 edition of Sonic Blast Fest opened with Free Ride that stepped out to a remarkably full Third Stage right from the early afternoon. Delivering a set packed with psychedelic, stoner-tinged heavy rock, the band drew intense headbanging and a great reception from the crowd, making for a perfect festival kickoff.
Meanwhile, travel-related logistical issues with Clamm caused a last-minute schedule shift, leading Elephant Tree to step up and play an earlier slot. Due to health issues that prevented guitarist Jack from traveling, the British group was forced to perform as a trio.
Even without their usual vocal harmonies and offering a raw, stripped-back take on their signature melodic stoner/sludge sound, the band offered a sincere apology for the situation, and the sympathetic crowd welcomed the performance with open arms.
When Clamm later took to the Second Stage, the Australian group brought their energetic fusion of punk and garage rock, unleashing high-octane, danceable riffs full of attitude as the grounds and the audience were just beginning to warm up.
Trash Talk ultimately crowned themselves as the standout band of the day in what was their absolute debut in Portugal, drawing a significantly larger crowd. A quick question from the frontman during the set revealed that the vast majority of those watching were international festivalgoers.
The blistering speed of their hardcore unleashed the day’s first and most intense mosh pits. The interaction was relentless: the vocalist managed to get nearly the entire crowd sitting on the ground, commanded massive circle pits, and threw himself into the pit multiple times, with the guitarist joining the chaos as well. The peak moment arrived near the end when the frontman crowd-surfed all the way from the accessible viewing platform back to the stage.A performance many hailed as the show of the day.
Bringing midnight straight into the daylight hours, the trio Midnight never slowed down for a single second. The vocalist/bassist kept up constant banter, kicking things off by handing out two beers to the front row the moment he stepped on stage.
Packed with jokes, he encouraged fans to storm right into the photo pit to enjoy the show without hesitation, and later had the entire crowd belting out a massive singalong to Satanic Royalty. The energy reached its absolute peak when they dropped You Can’t Stop Steel four tracks in, keeping the crowd’s adrenaline at maximum capacity until the final note.
The explosive powerhouse Frankie and the Witch Fingers then took over with their infectious mix of psych-rock, fierce garage, and funk-infused stoner grooves. Driven by heavy riffs, rapid rhythms, and mesmerizing virtuosity, they set the mood perfectly for the evening ahead.
As the night settled in Deafheaven took to the First Stage to deliver what turned out to be one of the most acclaimed sets of the day, easily rivaling Trash Talk for the top spot. Blending hypnotic soundscapes with an intense, restless physical performance where no musician stood still for a second, the frontman controlled the audience like a master puppeteer without needing lengthy speeches.
As the only band of the festival so far to perform an encore, their set featured continuous mosh pits and a massive circle pit. Closing out the show, the vocalist confirmed they would return to Portugal with new music, teasing a new album on the horizon.
Sharing the First Stage Chat Pile performed for a crowd that was starting to show signs of fatigue, yet still responded enthusiastically to the band’s crushing sound. The spotlight was entirely on the frontman, who maintained non-stop interaction with the crowd, delivering a set filled with movie trivia and a vibe akin to stand-up comedy.
Closing out the Second Stage, Snapped Ankles divided opinions across the grounds. Coming out of the London post-punk scene with a post-apocalyptic, experimental edge, the group delivered danceable, tribal beats while clad in their signature forest-spirit outfits adorned with lights. Their frontman interacted heavily with the audience, venturing off the stage and stepping directly into the middle of the crowd to share the energy up close.
Returning after their appearance the night before, Bongzilla delivered a rock-solid set, though their slower, dragged-out sludge passages felt heavier on an audience dealing with late hours and long hours of continuous music.
Well into the early morning hours, Argentina’s Mephistofeles brought their dark, fuzz-drenched doom and stoner riffs with a heavy Electric Wizard vibe, proving to be one of the most anticipated acts of the night despite the late hour.
To close out the day’s marathon, Portugal’s Madmess were welcomed with a storm of cheers and enthusiastic applause. Presenting their progressive psychedelic rock filled with sprawling instrumental journeys and cosmic solos, they proved the incredible endurance of the festival’s crowd, even with a set time starting at 3:30am.
By the time the final feedback faded into the night air, Day 1 had cemented Sonic Blast 2026 as a relentless celebration of heavy music, leaving a exhausted yet hungry crowd ready for whatever chaos the next days would bring.
Other walks through old rural lanes and modern pavements. Shades of green. Picking wild blackberries. An impromptu conversation. Being under a wonderful weeping willow. Field Notes – The Architecture of the Lane can be read on The Polymath site: https://www.thepolymathisme.com/2026/08/field-notes-architecture-of-lane-ii.html
My radio show Amazing Songs & Other Delights is on repeats until mid September.
Amazing Songs & Other Delights is broadcasted on Yé Yé Radio: yeyeradio.com to (or on the app). Each same show repeats 1st and 2nd Monday of the month, then another 3rd and 4th Monday of the month, 3-4pm (London time).
Exceptionally, this year The Anniversary Edition is in Autumn.
Sonic Blast 2026 is on and we will be bringing you daily reports of the festival.
words: Joana Coelho photos: Ricardo Silva
The 2026 edition of Sonic Blast Fest kicked off with an unusually massive turnout, with many festivalgoers noting that the grounds for Day 0 felt significantly busier than in previous years.
This surge in attendance was particularly evident around the intimate 3rd Stage, where the dense crowd made walking around tight for attendees and proved a challenge for photographers trying to capture the action. Yet, the unique ecosystem that defines the festival was alive and well, blending the peaceful backdrop of the beach with the impending chaos of heavy riffs – living up to the event’s signature “Beach and Riffs” spirit.
Wizard Master had the honor of opening the festivities, efficiently warming up the early arrivals and setting the stage for the noise to follow.
The evening’s first major surprise came courtesy of Spin The Skull, who instantly won over the crowd with a blast of catchy riffs and commandingly powerful vocals, throwing the audience into an immediate frenzy.
If Spin The Skull set the standard for high-octane vocals and wild moshpits, Capela Mortuária picked up the torch without missing a beat, channeling that exact energy into a relentless assault of straightforward Thrash. Their explosive set was further elevated by a “double-Paulo” guest appearance, as the frontmen of Vai-te F*der and Besta crashed the stage to lend their voices for a track each, driving the crowd wild.
As the night’s most anticipated act, Bongzilla took the stage to close out the live music with their signature wall of dense, crushing sound. Delivering a set that ultimately divided the audience, the American sludgelords alternated between moments of absolute sonic brilliance and slower, more dragged-out passages, leaving the crowd suspended between raw heaviness and sludge.
The rush to the Festival’s official merch booth proved the strong loyalty of the festivalgoers, with several designs selling out quickly on the first day. Fueled by an electric atmosphere across the grounds, Day 0 set the bar sky-high and laid down the perfect foundation for what promises to be another unforgettable edition of Sonic Blast Fest.
Three Simple Practical Steps to Relieve Stress my new post at The Listening Room HQ – my men’s practice – speaks of three simple practical steps to relieve stress: recognising your state, giving your body signals of safety, and releasing physical tension through simple techniques. The post approaches three points: 1. Notice what state you are actually in; Give your body a signal of safety; Release some of the physical tension and can be read at The Listening Room HQ site.
On 29 July, the Full Moon arrives at 6° Aquarius in precise conjunction with Pluto retrograde, marking a rare structural alignment that invites us to examine the foundations on which we are building our lives.
The essay explores this collective moment through astrology, Human Design and personal reflection, while also introducing the Maps & Readings and individual Sessions available through both The Polymath and its sister site, The Listening Room HQ, my men’s practice.
You can read The Aquarius Full Moon: Maps, Readings, and the Architecture of the Next Thirty Years now at The Polymath.
Mondo Bizarre Magazine 