In partnership with Rock In Rio Lisbon

Boasting a world-class line-up of artists from across the genre spectrum, Rock In Rio Lisbon should be on every festival-goer’s bucket list. Here’s what NME took away from our visit to the eleventh and most recent edition of the Portuguese mega-fest, which took place in June at the idyllic Parque Tejo.

Ziplining above your favourite artist heightens the excitement

Thought crowd-surfing was festival goals? At Rock In Rio Lisbon, you can somewhat surreally become part of the performance, thanks to a zipline that runs across the main stage. So, while pop’s boy-next-door Charlie Puth was performing his sentimental R&B bops and The Pretty Reckless were delivering a scorching alt-rock set, fans were whooshing right past them for the ultimate photobomb.

And because this festival has an unflagging “good times” vibe, the zipline attracts only thrill-seeking music fans and no hecklers. Come on, admit it, you’re already itching to give it a go at Rock In Rio 2028.

Credit: Rock In Rio Lisbo / Hugo Moreira

The sky itself is an extra stage

With a top-tier line-up featuring the likes of Katy Perry, 21 Savage, Central Cee, Rod Stewart and Linkin Park, you might assume the stage is where the action is. However, if you were after a different kind of show, you could simply stare up at the sky. Every day of Rock In Rio Lisbon featured a spectacular aerial display, ‘The Flight’, performed by Europe’s largest civilian aerobatics team, Yakstars. It featured five aircraft billowing colourful smoke as they pirouetted and darted across the sky in a series of daredevil stunts.

And this wasn’t the only reason to look up – before each headliner act, we were treated to a dazzling fireworks display. If you’re coming next year, don’t forget your sunglasses.

The on-site Ferris wheel offers unbeatable views of Lisbon

As the wheel rises, you can look out over the sprawling Parque Teja, the lush riverside park where the festival takes place, as well as the shimmering Tagus River and stunning, cable-stayed Vasco da Gama Bridge. Even if you don’t usually post photos, you’ll want to dust off your Instagram account for these supremely panoramic views.

Everywhere you look, there’s something memorable going on

When NME arrived on site, we immediately glimpsed a real-life wedding taking place on a stage with its own chapel and muscular winged Cupids. And of course, the nuptials were being officiated by a Madonna impersonator singing ‘Like A Virgin’. Beat that for spectacle, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce!

Elsewhere, you could watch thousands of football fans unfurling a ginormous Portuguese flag in support of Cristiano Ronaldo and the gang’s World Cup campaign – sadly, in the end, it didn’t help them progress beyond the last 16. Other feasts for the senses available at Rock In Rio Lisbon included awe-inspiring displays of robotics at the living innovation lab and the super-fun sight of seeing Katy Perry fans getting a glow-up at the Sephora pop-up.

 

And talking of Katy Perry, she provided the ultimate hydration break

Of course, we go to festivals for music above all else, and on that score, Rock in Rio Lisbon really delivers. Each day is programmed according to a clear “pathway” or theme: there’s ‘Pop Day’, ‘Rock Day’, ‘Legends Day’ and a more youth-oriented final day featuring a diverse array of rap, R&B and Afrobeats artists.

Pop Day headliner Katy Perry put on a maximalist spectacle that will live long in the collective memory. Evidently, she took one look at The Flaming Lips’ party trick of Zorbing over the crowd and said, “Hold my electrolytes.” Then, in a display of superstar fearlessness, she proceeded to surf above her giddy crowd in a giant water bottle – genuinely iconic stuff.

It was the sort of unforgettable moment that this festival specialises in. And yet, even with its grand sense of scale, Rock In Rio Lisbon is so well-organised that it somehow feels intimate. And crucially, unlike at some UK festivals, you won’t need the Hubble Space Telescope to see who’s playing on stage.

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