Uprising Festival will celebrate its tenth edition as Uprising X when it takes place at KK’s Steel Mill in Wolverhampton on 9 and 10 April 2027.
Founded in 2016 by Simon Yarwood and Matt Kirk, the festival has built a strong reputation for supporting both established and emerging Heavy and Metal acts while maintaining an inclusive and welcoming atmosphere.
With a strong focus on celebrating heavy and alternative music in all its forms, Uprising has earned a reputation for championing both established legends and the next generation of talent. “Let’s be straight, firstly, Uprising isn’t a place,” Simon Yarwood said. “We’ve had two homes already. It’s the people. Like moving home, you take your family with you, and your friends still come and see you, and you don’t know your forever home until you’re in it.
“Moving to KK’s feels right, it feels like home, and it feels like the family will love it, and the friends will visit as they have for the last 10 years, wherever we’ve lived.
“We can’t wait to start announcing the bands and open the doors for you in April at what is undoubtedly the best rock/Metal venue in the Midlands.”
Following the closure of Leicester’s O2 Academy, organisers searched for a new venue and selected KK’s Steel Mill as the next home for the event. The venue, associated with Judas Priest guitarist K.K. Downing, has become a respected destination for Heavy Metal events in the Midlands. “However Leicester, we aren’t done with you,” Yarwood said. “You haven’t seen the last of Uprising!”
Previous editions have featured artists including Paradise Lost, Napalm Death, Katatonia, Orange Goblin and Pitchshifter, while also helping showcase rising talent.
“We will continue to promote equitable lineups as a core ethos of our planning,” Matt Kirk, one of the festival owners, said, “as we believe it is our duty as organisers to ensure a fair and level playing field for all.”
Limited early bird tickets are on sale now from here, with the first wave of band announcements expected later this summer. Tickets
