In 2025, Monsters of Rock will reach its 8th edition. The festival, famous for bringing together big names in hard rock and heavy metal, will celebrate its 30-year history in grand style.
The event takes place on April 19th at Allianz Parque in São Paulo. Tickets are available on the Eventim .
Relive the memories of previous editions of the festival and find out what to expect from the next one.
Philips Monsters of Rock – 1994
On August 27, 1994, the first edition of Monsters of Rock in Brazil, establishing itself as the first festival dedicated exclusively to metal to be held in the country.
35,000 fans packed the Pacaembu Stadium in São Paulo to see acts like Suicidal Tendencies , Kiss , Black Sabbath Slayer 's debut in Brazil. The three ticket options cost R$25 (bleachers), R$30 (standing area), and R$50 (covered seating).
Brazilian rock and metal were also part of the festivities with performances by Raimundos , Angra , Dr. Sin , and VIPER – who also delivered one of the best shows of that edition and brought the stadium down . The event was covered by MTV Brasil .
The first 4 editions were sponsored by Philips .
1995
The second edition took place again at Pacaembu Stadium on September 2, 1995. The event was the first of its kind to have its own website. At the time, $35,000 was invested to make this possible. The online magazine featured photos, interviews, and also broadcast the shows live and allowed interaction between the artists and fans.
The lineup included Ozzy Osbourne , Alice Cooper , Megadeth , Faith No More , Paradise Lost , Therapy?, Clawfinger , Rata Blanca , and Virna Lisi – the only Brazilian act to perform. 45,000 people attended.
1996
On August 24, 1996, the third edition took place, also at the same location as the previous ones, and it had the largest audience of all editions to date: 50,000 people.
For the first time, a smaller version was performed in Rio de Janeiro, at the Metropolitan concert hall.
The lineup included Raimundos , Biohazard , Heroes Del Silencio , Helloween , Motörhead , King Diamond – who, in addition to performing solo, played alongside Mercyful Fate .
The biggest highlight was Iron Maiden , who performed in Brazil for the first time with vocalist Blaze Bayley .
1998
The fourth edition was held on September 26, 1998, at the Ibirapuera Athletics Track, also in the city of São Paulo. This would be the last edition before a 15-year hiatus. The attendance was 28,000 people.
The acts at the event were Slayer , Megadeth , Manowar , Dream Theater , Saxon , Savatage , Glenn Hughes , Korzus , and Dorsal Atlântica – who performed at the festival thanks to a petition with 40,000 signatures from fans.
2013 – Festival returns in a new format
After a long hiatus, the festival returned in a different format in 2013, taking place over two days: October 19th and 20th, at Arena Anhembi. Presenter and music historian Eddie Trunk was the master of ceremonies. By the end of the two days, 60,000 people had attended.
The first day featured a lineup focused on nu-metal and included shows by Slipknot , Korn , Limp Bizkit , Killswitch Engage , Hatebreed , Gojira , and Hellyeah . The second day, however, focused on hard rock and featured Aerosmith , Whitesnake , Ratt , Buckcherry , Queensrÿche With Geoff Tate , Dokken , Dr Sin , and Doctor Pheabes .
Monsters of Rock 2015
The sixth edition also took place at Arena Anhembi on April 25th and 26th, 2015, following the previous format: two dates over a weekend. 80,000 people attended. This is considered by many to be the best of all Monsters of Rock .
A heavyweight lineup that included Ozzy Osbourne, Kiss, Judas Priest (who played both nights), Yngwie Malmsteen , Manowar, Steel Panther , Unisonic , Doctor Pheabes, Accept , La Tierra , Primal Fear , Coal Chamber , Rival Sons , and Black Veil Brides .
Motörhead was also scheduled to perform on the first night, but their performance was eventually canceled because Lemmy Kilmister suffered a stomach upset. Instead, a jam session took place between the remaining members of the band and Sepultura . Sadly, at the end of that year, Lemmy would pass away at the age of 69.
2023 – New return and only 1 day
After another hiatus – this time shorter – the festival returned to its original one-day format and took place on April 22, 2023. It was again held in a stadium, this time at Allianz Parque.
Originally, Saxon's presence was confirmed, but before the event, the band canceled their show shortly after guitarist Paul Quinn stepped away from performing.
The Swedish doom metal band Candlemass was chosen to replace Saxon. The other acts were Doro , Symphony X , Helloween, Deep Purple , and the co-headliners Scorpions and Kiss – who played their last show in Brazil.
Monsters of Rock returns in 2025 to celebrate its 30th anniversary.
For this year's edition, the festival will celebrate its 30th anniversary alongside bands such as Stratovarius , Opeth, Queensrÿche , and Europe . One of the highlights will also be Savatage , who will perform for the first time in 10 years with Zak Stevens on vocals. The event will once again take place at Allianz Parque.
Co-headliners Judas Priest and Scorpions also promise to deliver historic shows to the audience. The British band returns to the country after 3 years to promote the acclaimed Invincible Shield , released in March 2024.
The Germans are returning to celebrate 60 years of a legendary career spanning generations with classics and hits that are part of rock history. April 19th will be an unforgettable day for all rock and heavy metal fans in Brazil.
READ ALSO: Monsters of Rock gets an official store to celebrate the festival's 30th anniversary.
