If the first day of Ankea Festival set the bar high, the second day on June 6th, 2026, proved that the festival was no one-day wonder. Despite periods of rain and grey skies, the atmosphere remained upbeat as progressive music fans gathered once again at Hiedanranta in Tampere for another packed day of music.
The day began with performances from ROYAL SORROW and RIOGHAN before Bruce Soord brought a more intimate and acoustic atmosphere to the festival grounds. From there, the energy steadily built with IHLO, whose performance once again demonstrated why they have become one of the most talked-about young bands in progressive music, before VERMILIA and GREEN CARNATION continued the afternoon with memorable sets of their own.
As the weather became increasingly dramatic, A.A. WILLIAMS delivered one of the day’s most atmospheric performances, while TEXTURES unleashed some of the heaviest riffs of the entire weekend. SYLVAINE captivated the audience with her mesmerizing blend of beauty and intensity, before KATATONIA celebrated the 20th anniversary of “The Great Cold Distance.” Finally, ORANSSI PAZUZU closed the festival in suitably unconventional fashion, bringing Ankea Festival’s inaugural edition to an end.
Take a look at our gallery below and relive the second day of Ankea Festival, or read our festival report here.
Royal Sorrow
Rioghan
Bruce Soord
Ihlo
Vermilia
Green Carnation
A.A. Williams
Textures
Sylvaine
Katatonia
Oranssi Pazuzu
Photos by Laureline Tilkin & Marco Manzi
