Winter's End 2026 – join us at our biggest year yet 🤘

Now expanded to four days, here’s the lowdown on what’s destined to be Planet Rock’s biggest Winter’s End to date. A rocking start to 2026, don’t miss out on tickets…

Even the name Winter’s End conjures up hopeful images of growth and renewal. Our ninth event, which will take place at the Trecco Bay Holiday Park in Porthcawl from Thursday 29th January to Sunday 1st February, is simply our biggest yet. Not only has it expanded from three days to four, but the bill is loaded with artists from across the wide and multi-coloured vista of rock and metal.

Aside from putting your way the frankly unique opportunity to see everyone from melodic rock legends Tyketto to hotly tipped alt rock ragers Matted, the best thing about Winter’s End is that it always feels like the start of something. In this case, another big year for the music we all love, and most importantly of all at Winter’s End, sharing that experience in the company of friends and like-minded souls. We’ll be doing the thing we love, in a friendly and safe environment, with everything needed for a memorable long weekend close at hand.

Hosted as ever by Planet Rock presenters, it’ll feel like a family affair – with one or two welcome surprises inevitable within that eclectic line-up. As ever, you can choose to stay on site in a range of well-equipped static caravans, or you can of course buy event tickets without accommodation, or even just day tickets if a certain bill takes your fancy. Be warned though, the on-site accommodation is understandably popular and is well on its way to selling out.

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So, what to expect at Winter’s End 2026? Well, for the first time – and not unlike our other big event, Planet Rockstock – the music will be starting on Thursday, with a special four-band bill topped by guitarist extraordinaire Sophie Lloyd. Expect tracks from her stunning, all-star album ‘Imposter Syndrome’ plus a few choice covers. Also playing that evening will be mesmeric, flower power-drenched singer-songwriter Rosalie Cunningham, rock revivalist Chez Kane (think late 80s female-fronted pomp like Femme Fatale or Saraya) and Welsh stoner rock trio Pyrogaric.

It’s worth stating that all four artists are female or female-fronted, a barrier-smashing positive that’s simply going to lead to more people being in bands, and more inspiring and varied music coming our way.

Scottish rock legends Gun head up Friday night, and anyone that’s seen the band in recent years knows they’re back to their best. Not only will we be getting a heady handful of their many hits – ‘Steal Your Fire’, ‘Better Days’, ‘Shame On You’ – but their most recent album, 2024’s Top 10 smash ‘Hombres’, is frankly a contender for their best music yet. On the same day we’ll also be banging what’s left of our heads to the sound of youthful trad metal warriors Tailgunner, and broody, rulebook-destroying Frenchwoman Lucie Sue who has more than a touch of The Pretty Reckless about her.

As well as great bands like Brave Rival, this will also be the first chance most of us get to see Perfect Beasts, the band that features Planet Rock presenter Darren Redick on bass. While Darren’s known for his easy-going, jocular style on air, Perfect Beasts are a very serious proposition, loaded with adventurous songs fronted by John Mitchell, also from It Bites and neo-prog outfit Arena.

As we head into Saturday, we’ll see everyone from blues rocker Jack J Hutchinson and Maiden-esque melodic metallers Seven Sisters to alternative goth crew Black Lakes and the intriguing Preyrs. The latter are one of those ear-catchingly ‘different’ bands that want to take you to dark places before pulling you out again via tribal drums, slabs of guitar, and Amy Montgomery’s emotive vocals. That’s before the well-established The Damn Truth, all smoky 70s vibe, big guitars and stellar singing, warm us up for our headliner – a rare appearance in this country by Australian star Orianthi.

Something of a child prodigy, the singer-guitarist jammed with Steve Vai and Carlos Santana in her teens, before launching a successful solo career. You’ve only to listen to her fervent, emotion-picking guitar notes and lush weapon of a voice to realise you’re in the presence of serious talent. That was even noted by Michael Jackson who recruited her for his band shortly before the troubled megastar’s premature death. Thankfully, we’ll be witnessing that talent for ourselves in what’s destined to be a very special evening.

Behold Orianthi's performance of 'Voodoo Child':

Sunday’s bill is going to provide a very appropriate climax to this incredible four-day weekend. We’ve got modern metal quintet Straight For The Sun kicking things off with an appropriately vociferous wake-up call, and later we’ve got boisterous goodtime rock from The Hot One Two, rowdy metallic goodness from experienced UK outfit Fury, and American visitors Preacher Stone, who play the type of good humoured, heartfelt country rock that’ll appeal to anyone who caught Hillbilly Vegas at last year’s Rockstock.

We’ve also got thrilling newcomers Matted. Their music’s serrated, edgy, with real, hormonal attitude; something you’re just gonna have to see for yourself. Perhaps best of all, Sunday’s special guests are no less an outfit than These Wicked Rivers. British rock heroes immersed in vibe and atmosphere, killer anthems like ‘Shine On’ and ‘Testify’ will unite the crowds like never before, and that’s before they get to the likes of ‘When The War Is Won’ and ‘Don’t Pray For Me’, songs that can – and do – bring grown men to tears.

Finally, Tyketto will roar in to unite the clans in a celebratory finale that we’ll still be happily hearing in our sleep. Led by the charismatic and whippet-fit Danny Vaughn (he’s 64, believe it or not), this will be a consummate climax, featuring classics like ‘Lay Your Body Down’ and the timeless, spirit-reviving ‘Forever Young’. Danny sings this stuff as well as he ever did, while the current band deliver the kind of pin sharp perfection the band has always prided itself on. It’ll be a great note to bow out on, an apt finale for what will have been a great spectacle of old and new.

Winter’s End 2026 tickets:

The final weekend and day tickets to Winter’s End 2026 are on sale NOW, RIGHT HERE!

Just 20 Gold and Bronze caravan units remain. All Gold tickets come with a free event T-shirt for each member of the party.

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Meet every band playing Winter's End 2026:

Buy Winter's End 2026 tickets

Listen to Planet Rock on DAB nationwide, on our Rayo app, online or via your smart speaker (“Play Planet Rock”).

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