Rock in 2026: Day 4 with Deftones, Amyl and the Sniffers, LANDMVRKS... we were there, here’s the story.

The closer we get, the more inevitable the ending of Rock en Seine, edition 2026, seems. With the festival’s fifth and final day in the Île-de-France region slated for this Sunday, August 30, featuring notably The Cure, Interpol and Mogwai at the top of the bill, festival-goers let loose once more this Saturday, August 29.

For this fourth day, rock was of course in the spotlight and the youthful crowd was out in force, turning up to catch performances by Deftones, Turnstile and LANDMVRKS. In the festival lanes, many were proudly flaunting t-shirts bearing the logos of the Marseille-born band or the Baltimore-originated breakout act. Others opted for sturdy rain boots—the indispensable accessory for a Saturday when mud claimed a good stretch of the site.

Despite the rain that drenched the Domaine national de Saint-Cloud until about 5 p.m., festival-goers were keen to make the most of their penultimate day and of that tantalizing line-up.

Razor-sharp riffs and pyrotechnic effects... Novelists fire up the festival crowd

Kicking off with the French duo Novelists! A genuine favorite, this homegrown outfit formed in 2013 by brothers Amael and Florestan Durand, the drummer and guitarist. Rooted in metalcore and progressive metal, Novelists now crisscrosses the country to let their ferocious rhythms and devastating riffs ring out. This Saturday afternoon, Novelists delivered a notably powerful set, including several tracks from their fifth and latest album to date, "Coda".

While the pyrotechnics light up and warm the front rows, singer Camille Contreras, who joined the crew in 2023, commands the spotlight with her striking candy-pink dress and her powerful, distinctive voice. Bodies move frenetically, headbangs multiply, and a wall of death will cap this sunny, playful mood and a show that is flawlessly controlled and especially accomplished! Also note the surprise appearance of Florent Salfati, frontman of LANDMVRKS, on the track "Heretic"! To see Novelists live in Paris again, note that the band will perform at the Olympia on April 23, 2027.

LANDMVRKS, the Marseille outfit, lit up the Grand Stage

One of the most anticipated acts of the fourth day, and no wonder: LANDMVRKS had just scooped the album of the year for The Darkest Place I’ve Ever Been as well as artist of the year at the Les Foudres ceremony, the metal awards staged in October 2025. The Marseille trio (four-piece? original text says combo; I’ll keep “combo”) also boast a solid fan base, and on Saturday they drew a huge crowd to the Front of the Grande Scène to see their favorite band live.

Result? When LANDMVRKS storms the stage to perform their hit "Creature", the atmosphere is already volcanic. Fans erupt, singing along to the words of numerous tracks. On stage, the crew is firing on all cylinders and doesn’t hesitate to pile on pyro as their powerful metalcore anthems roll out. The dynamic frontman Florent Salfati, who will even deliver a live graffiti piece on a canvas for the occasion, urges the festival-goers to amp up the circle pit and wall of death. In short, the Marseillais have proven that French metal still has some spectacular days ahead.

• To be read
• Rock en Seine 2026: here is the full lineup by day and the concert times
• Rock en Seine 2026: The Cure, Lorde, Sparks... the lineup of concerts to watch on france.tv
• Rock en Seine 2026: Day 3 with Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Franz Ferdinand... here’s our take

A particularly feverish and euphoric set from Australian group Amyl and the Sniffers

In 2023, during its latest stop at Rock en Seine, Amyl and the Sniffers undoubtedly surprised everyone with a ferocious fusion of pub rock and punk, and with the exuberance of frontwoman Amy Taylor. This year, for their return to the Domaine national de Saint-Cloud, the Australian outfit once again had festival-goers up and dancing thanks to their infectious mood, on-stage generosity, and offbeat swagger.

Amyl and the Sniffers pull no punches on stage. Special shout-out to frontwoman Amy Taylor. For the occasion, she sported a voluminous mane inspired by 1970s rock icons like Cherie Currie and Dolly Parton, delivering boundless energy as she leaped, swayed, and darted from one side of the stage to the other. Still as electrifying and committed live, Amyl and the Sniffers served up a genuine rock'n'roll masterclass this Saturday night!

Deftones, a show that spans more than 35 years of the band's career

They were highly anticipated this year at Rock en Seine as well! It’s been more than 35 years since Deftones have been delivering their alternative metal to audiences around the world. Still driven by the charismatic Chino Moreno and his unmistakable voice, which fuses ambient, ethereal tones with raw, visceral screeches, Deftones isn’t about to cede their rightful place as a staple of the metal scene. They proved it to us on Saturday night, even if the sound wasn’t always flawless and Moreno’s voice wasn’t always perfectly on pitch.

For about 1h20 (a touch short, in our view), the Sacramento-born group swept us through its rich catalog. A chance to (re)discover live some of their classic bangers, opening with "Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)," then the relentless "My Own Summer (Shove It)" and the powerful "Change (In the House of Flies)." The band also used the night to tease several newer cuts, including the excellent "my mind is a mountain," as well as "locked club" and "milk of the madonna." On the giant screens, CGI visuals and animations set an immersive mood, blurring abstract landscapes with dreamlike figures. Beautiful to watch, though we could have used a few more shots of Chino Moreno delivering those energetic jumps with the band, especially when you’re not right in front of the Main Stage.

This Saturday, we won’t forget the high-octane Turnstile show on Cascade’s main stage, packed to the rafters, the politically charged, deeply punk set from British band Lambrini Girls, and the ultra‑dynamic performance from Americans AFI, fueled by the infectious energy of their frontman Davey Havok.

The finale of Rock en Seine this Sunday, August 30, will feature the British group The Cure, as well as the Scottish Mogwai, the American band Interpol, and the English Slowdive.

Rock en Seine 2026: the full daily lineup and concert times
Rock en Seine is back this week at the Domaine national de Saint-Cloud! The Île-de-France festival invites you to five days of music and revelry on Wednesday 26, Thursday 27, Friday 28, Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 August 2026. What’s on the menu? The Cure, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, and Tyler, The Creator, plus Deftones, Turnstile, Franz Ferdinand, Sparks, Kompromat, Clipse, Mogwai, Wolf Alice, Peaches and Lykke Li... A new edition that promises to be especially exciting! Here is the full daily lineup and the concert times. [Read more]