Royal Republic Shock and Awe at HellFest Day 2 – A Swaggering Rock ‘n’ Roll Revival

It’s not often that a band walks onto the main stage at HellFest wearing head-to-toe leather, beaming like it’s their first gig, and proceeds to burn the whole place down with nothing but pure swagger and tightly wound rock energy. But that’s exactly what Royal Republic did on Day 2.

Royal Republic has always danced on the razor’s edge between rock bravado and tongue-in-cheek showmanship, but this performance was something different. It wasn’t just tight — it was nuclear. From the first riff, it felt like someone had unearthed a long-lost KISS record, remixed it with The Hives’ punk snarl, then handed the mic to someone who could be Paul Stanley’s long-lost Swedish nephew. Yes, that voice — that unmistakable, charismatic wail — was eerily familiar in the best way. With every high note, frontman Adam Grahn channeled the Starchild himself, bringing stadium-sized glam-rock drama to the French countryside.

What truly caught the crowd off guard was how fun it all was. Royal Republic didn’t need pyro or gothic theatrics to captivate. Their weapons of choice? Tight grooves, whip-smart humor, and an infectious chemistry that made even the crustiest doom-heads crack a smile. “Fireman & Dancer” hit like a disco-punk lightning bolt, while “Tommy-Gun” turned the pit into a sea of fist pumps and surfers. It was a lesson in less-is-more showmanship — no frills, all thrill.

By the end of the set, the band had transformed a curious afternoon crowd into full-blown converts. It felt like a revival — not just of classic rock attitude, but of something rarer these days: joy. In a festival dominated by heavy and dark, Royal Republic were a bolt of Technicolor lightning, reminding us that rock can still strut, smirk, and soar.

If HellFest is a cathedral of riffs, then Royal Republic were the preachers who turned Sunday school into a wild sermon of high kicks and harmony. Praise be.