Silkeborg Metalcruise is an annual metal event in Silkeborg, Denmark, combining a cruise on the Silkeborg Lakes with an evening of live music at Kulturhuset Rampelys. Organised by the volunteer association Silkeborg Metalcruise, the event begins with several hours aboard the historic Hjejlen boats before continuing with concerts in the city. Metal is played by DJs during the cruise, while the live bands perform after the boats return to Silkeborg.
The concept dates back to 2017, when the first metal cruise was organised on the Silkeborg Lakes. By the following year, two almost sold-out boats carried metal fans from Silkeborg towards Himmelbjerget and back on a journey lasting close to three hours. DJs from Den Tunge Radio provided the soundtrack aboard the boats, followed by an afterparty with live bands in Silkeborg. The early cruises were organised by the association Silkeborg Tråd og Metal, which continued the event for around five years.
After Silkeborg Tråd og Metal ceased operating, a new volunteer association named Silkeborg Metalcruise was established in 2023 to keep the concept alive. The cruise returned in 2024, again using the Hjejlen boats for the afternoon sailing before moving to Rampelys at Bindslevs Plads for the evening concerts. The organisers have also placed an emphasis on giving local and emerging bands space on the programme alongside more established Danish acts.
The format has remained largely unchanged. Participants board at Silkeborg harbour in the afternoon and spend around three hours on the lakes with metal DJs providing the music throughout the journey. Passengers bring their own drinks aboard, and the cruise ticket also includes admission to the evening concerts at Rampelys. The 2025 edition featured Livløs, Thus and SOTS, combining an established Danish melodic death metal band with newer names from the underground.
Silkeborg Metalcruise returned on 12 September 2026, continuing the same combination of lake cruise and club concerts. The use of the historic Hjejlen boats and the surrounding Silkeborg Lakes gives the event a character quite different from a conventional metal festival, while the evening programme at Rampelys keeps it closely connected to the local live music scene.
ADDRESS:
Bindslevs Pl. 6, 8600 Silkeborg, Denmark
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