Elbriot Festival 2025 in Hamburg – Papa Roach, Kreator and Kerry King (Festival Review)

L7
Aug 10
2 min read

Expectations

My first time at Elbriot, and I couldn’t have asked for better weather for a summer festival. The ticket price of 89 euros felt more than fair considering the lineup, with three very strong headliners that immediately caught my attention: Papa Roach, Kreator, and Kerry King.

Arrival, Merch & Beer

Getting there was as easy as it gets. My hotel was near Hamburg Hauptbahnhof, so it was just a 20-minute walk to the Großmarkt, where the festival takes place. The location is perfect for this kind of event, open space, easy to navigate, and well connected to the city.

The organization was spot on. This was the 12th edition of Elbriot, and it showed. Everything ran smoothly, with food stalls, beer stands, and merch tents all well prepared. Almost no waiting time at any point. Drinks could be paid by card, while food was cash only.

Merch was available for each band as well as for the festival itself. The main Elbriot shirt design was already almost sold out by the time I checked, which says a lot about how good it was.

Beer was Jever, a very tasty, slightly herb-flavored beer with a unique profile compared to what I usually drink. It paired perfectly with a fresh Bismarckheringsbrötchen — absolutely delicious! Prices were more than reasonable: 5 euros for the beer plus 2 euros pfand for the cup.

Kerry King

Kerry King delivered a solid set, mixing his own songs with a selection of Slayer classics, including Disciple and Raining Blood. Musically it was strong, but I have to admit I didn’t connect much with how the singer delivered the vocals.

Kreator

Kreator came in with pure force. Their stage design featured three giant demons towering over the setup, creating a dark and powerful atmosphere. The setlist was fantastic, closing with the all-time classic Pleasure to Kill. The guitar work was razor-sharp, and Mille Petrozza delivered an intense performance that left the crowd hungry for more. I can’t wait to catch them again.

Papa Roach

Papa Roach took over the stage with pure energy and had the entire crowd singing along from start to finish. They mixed new songs with their classic hits and added a lot of interaction with the audience. In between, they slipped in short snippets of covers from Korn, Limp Bizkit, System of a Down, and Deftones, plus a touching tribute to Ozzy Osbourne with a few lines from the Black Sabbath song Changes. It was a perfect high-energy ending to the night.

Final Thoughts

Elbriot 2025 was a great example of how to run a festival: fair prices, smooth organization, quality food and drinks, and a lineup that delivered from start to finish. And it wasn’t just the three main acts — the day also included Kissin’ Dynamite, Smash Into Pieces, The Chats, Future Palace, and Siamese. For under 90 euros, it’s hard to ask for more. The location works perfectly, the sound was great, and next year’s headliner is already confirmed: Powerwolf. I might have to start planning my trip now.