The Azkena Rock Festival (a.k.a. ARF) is one of the most relevant Spanish rock festivals. It has been celebrated in Vitoria-Gasteiz (Álava) since 2002. ARF is notorious due to its diverse cartel of groups and for the submerse ‘chill’ environment of the festival. It is aimed to underground public, escaping commercial mainstream agenda.

The festival has featured classics from the likes of Bob Dylan, Patti Smith, The Who, Kiss, Iggy & The Stooges, Ozzy Osbourne, Sex Pistols, Gregg Allman, Brian Setzer, Alice Cooper, Deep Purple, New York Dolls, The Pogues and MC5, to some of the most relevant contemporary artists and bands like Chris Isaak, Slash, Pearl Jam, The Black Crowes, Wilco, My Morning Jacket, Queens of the Stone Age, Juliette Lewis and Wolfmother. If we combined the names of all the bands that have graced the Mendizabala and La Virgen Blanca stages, we would have a crystal-clear picture of the grandeur of the festival and the history of rock over the last 50 years.