2026 POWER TRIP FESTIVAL ANNOUNCED: AC/DC, METALLICA, IRON MAIDEN, JUDAS PRIEST, GUNS N’ ROSES & TOOL RETURN FOR THE BIGGEST ROCK EVENT OF THE DECADE — SET TIMES REVEALED
Start your engines and prepare your devil horns — Power Trip is back, and it’s even bigger, louder, and heavier than before. The 2026 Power Trip Festival, billed as “The Ultimate Gathering of Rock Gods”, is officially announced, bringing together six of the most iconic heavy rock and metal bands in music history: AC/DC, Metallica, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Guns N’ Roses, and Tool.
Returning to the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California — the same hallowed grounds that hosted the historic 2023 edition — the three-day mega-festival will run from October 2–4, 2026, promising pyrotechnics, blistering riffs, and a pilgrimage-like experience for rock and metal fans worldwide.
With set times now officially revealed, fans can begin plotting out their perfect weekend of pure sonic power.
️ FULL 2026 POWER TRIP FESTIVAL LINEUP & SET TIMES
Friday, October 2
Gates Open: 3:00 PM
- 6:00 PM — Judas Priest
The metal gods will open the festival in fiery form, with Rob Halford and company bringing their legendary energy and classics like “Painkiller,” “Breaking the Law,” and “Electric Eye” to shake the desert dust. - 8:30 PM — AC/DC
Making their grand return to Power Trip after a thunderous 2023 comeback, AC/DC will headline night one with a high-voltage set expected to include “Back in Black,” “Thunderstruck,” and the recently released “Shot in the Dark.” Rumors hint at a special tribute to late guitarist Malcolm Young.
Saturday, October 3
Gates Open: 2:00 PM
- 5:30 PM — Iron Maiden
The British metal pioneers take to the stage with a brand-new setlist drawn from their upcoming 2025 album “Heavenly Fire.” Expect hits like “The Trooper,” “Fear of the Dark,” and “Hallowed Be Thy Name” alongside blazing new material — and yes, Eddie is coming. - 9:00 PM — Metallica
The kings of thrash return with their massive stadium-ready set, closing night two with a thunderous performance. Lars, James, Kirk, and Rob are expected to deliver a career-spanning show, including “Master of Puppets,” “One,” “Fuel,” and more. Word is they’ll perform a surprise song from an unreleased EP in honor of Power Trip.
Sunday, October 4
Gates Open: 2:30 PM
- 6:00 PM — Tool
With mind-bending visuals and their signature progressive metal mastery, Tool will provide the most experimental soundscape of the weekend. Frontman Maynard James Keenan promises “a ritual, not just a performance.” Expect “Schism,” “Stinkfist,” “The Pot,” and deep cuts from Fear Inoculum. - 9:00 PM — Guns N’ Roses
Closing the weekend with fire and flair, GNR brings their no-holds-barred rock spectacle back to Power Trip. Axl, Slash, and Duff are reportedly rehearsing a new extended setlist featuring “Welcome to the Jungle,” “Estranged,” “November Rain,” and their recently teased single “Blood and Roses.”
WHAT TO EXPECT
This isn’t just another festival — it’s a cultural event for the ages. With an estimated 200,000 fans expected to descend upon Indio from across the globe, Power Trip 2026 will be the largest heavy rock gathering of the decade.
State-of-the-art sound systems, immersive visuals, rotating pyrotechnic towers, and fan-designed light installations will transform the desert into a heavy metal paradise. Camping, gourmet food courts, VIP lounges, and vinyl pop-up stores curated by each band will round out the experience.
FAN REACTIONS AND TICKET FRENZY
Tickets went on pre-sale earlier this week and sold out within 7 minutes. General on-sale begins June 28, and demand is at record highs. Travel websites report that flights to Palm Springs have surged 400% following the announcement.
Social media is ablaze with excitement.
“This is not a concert. This is history,” one fan posted on X.
Another wrote: “This lineup is the reason I picked up a guitar in 1988. Let’s GO!!!”
FINAL WORD FROM THE BANDS
Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson put it best in a joint statement from the performers:
“This isn’t a show — it’s a celebration of the power of rock. The volume. The legacy. The fans. You asked for it again. Now we’re going to blow the bloody roof off the desert.”
See you in October. Six legends. Three nights. One unforgettable journey.
POWER TRIP 2026. TURN IT UP TO 11.
