Aftershock 2026 Female Rock & Metal Acts bring a diverse mix of rock, metal, alternative and heavy music to Discovery Park in Sacramento. from October 1–4. While the festival lineup features some of the biggest names in rock and metal, it also includes a strong group of female-fronted, female-member and female solo acts.

From BABYMETAL and The Pretty Reckless to Blue Medusa, Eyes Set To Kill, Kylesa, The Violent Hour, The Pretty Wild and ivri, these performers bring a wide range of rock, metal, alternative and heavy music to the festival.

Here are the female rock and metal acts you should know before Aftershock 2026.

1. The Pretty Reckless

The Pretty Reckless will perform at Aftershock 2026 on Thursday, October 1, making them one of the day’s major rock attractions.

Fronted by Taylor Momsen, the band has built a reputation for combining hard rock with darker alternative influences. Their catalog includes fan favorites such as “Make Me Wanna Die,” “Heaven Knows,” “My Medicine” and “Death by Rock and Roll.”

The band has also become one of the most recognizable female-fronted rock groups of the modern era.

Aftershock 2026

• Date: Thursday, October 1
• Stage: The Point Stage
• Set time: 7:35 PM

For fans looking for a big rock performance led by a powerful female vocalist, The Pretty Reckless are one of the major names to have on the schedule.

2. The Violent Hour

The Violent Hour will take the stage earlier on Thursday, October 1.

The band is fronted by Carla Harvey, best known to metal fans for her previous work with Butcher Babies. The Violent Hour gives Harvey a new musical platform while continuing her connection to heavy rock and metal.

Their Aftershock appearance gives festivalgoers an opportunity to catch a newer project featuring a familiar voice from the modern metal scene.

Aftershock 2026

• Date: Thursday, October 1
• Stage: The Point Stage
• Set time: 12:05 PM

The early set makes The Violent Hour an interesting act for fans arriving at the festival from the start of the day.

3. Eyes Set To Kill

Eyes Set To Kill bring their blend of post-hardcore, metalcore and alternative metal to Aftershock 2026 on Friday.

Led by Alexia Rodriguez, the band has spent years developing a sound that combines heavy guitars with melodic vocals.

Songs such as “Infected,” “Reach” and “Where I Want To Be” helped establish Eyes Set To Kill within the alternative and heavy music scene.

Aftershock 2026

• Date: Friday, October 2
• Stage: The Point Stage
• Set time: 12:45 PM

For fans of melodic metalcore and post-hardcore, Eyes Set To Kill are an act worth catching early on Friday.

4. Blue Medusa feat. Alissa White-Gluz

Blue Medusa is one of the more intriguing metal projects appearing at Aftershock 2026.

The band features Alissa White-Gluz, known worldwide for her work as the vocalist of Arch Enemy. Blue Medusa represents a different chapter of her career and is being presented at Aftershock as Blue Medusa feat. Alissa White-Gluz.

The project has attracted attention because of its all-female lineup and its connection to one of modern metal’s most recognizable vocalists.

Aftershock 2026

• Date: Friday, October 2
• Stage: Faultline Stage
• Set time: 4:30 PM

For longtime metal fans, Alissa White-Gluz’s presence alone makes this one of the performances to watch.

5. BABYMETAL

BABYMETAL will bring their unique fusion of Japanese music, heavy metal and theatrical performance to Aftershock on Saturday, October 3.

The group has become one of the most internationally recognizable acts to emerge from the modern metal scene. Their music combines heavy riffs and metal production with Japanese pop influences and highly choreographed live performances.

Aftershock will give fans the chance to see BABYMETAL on one of the festival’s biggest stages.

Aftershock 2026

• Date: Saturday, October 3
• Stage: Aftershock Stage
• Set time: 7:20 PM

With a major evening slot, BABYMETAL is one of the biggest female-led acts on the entire Aftershock 2026 lineup.

6. Kylesa

Kylesa will perform Saturday afternoon at Aftershock 2026.

The Savannah, Georgia band is known for its sludge-metal sound, psychedelic influences and heavy guitar-driven music. Guitarist and vocalist Laura Pleasants has been a key member of the band throughout its history.

Aftershock is particularly notable for Kylesa because the festival is billing the performance as the band’s first West Coast show since 2015.

Aftershock 2026

• Date: Saturday, October 3
• Stage: The Point Stage
• Set time: 5:00 PM

Kylesa should be particularly interesting for fans looking beyond mainstream hard rock and into heavier, more experimental territory.

7. ivri

ivri brings a different sound to the Aftershock lineup.

The Brooklyn-based artist blends alternative rock with dream-pop, electronic and more atmospheric influences. Her music provides a significant stylistic contrast to the heavier metal acts elsewhere on the festival lineup.

ivri will perform Saturday afternoon and represents one of the more alternative and genre-blending female acts at Aftershock 2026.

Aftershock 2026

• Date: Saturday, October 3
• Stage: Aftershock Stage
• Set time: 12:30 PM

If you want to explore something outside traditional metal and hard rock, ivri could be an interesting early-day discovery.

8. The Pretty Wild

The Pretty Wild will close out our list of female rock and metal acts appearing at Aftershock 2026.

The Las Vegas-based band features sisters Jyl and Jules Wylde and brings a modern rock and metal sound to the festival.

Their appearance comes on Sunday, October 4, giving fans another female-led rock act to discover on the festival’s final day.

Aftershock 2026

• Date: Sunday, October 4
• Stage: Epicenter Stage
• Set time: 2:05 PM

The Pretty Wild are a good option for fans looking to discover a newer generation of rock performers during the final day of Aftershock.

Aftershock 2026 Female Rock & Metal Acts Schedule

Act	Day	Stage	Time
The Pretty Reckless	Thursday, Oct. 1	The Point Stage	7:35 PM
The Violent Hour	Thursday, Oct. 1	The Point Stage	12:05 PM
Eyes Set To Kill	Friday, Oct. 2	The Point Stage	12:45 PM
Blue Medusa feat. Alissa White-Gluz	Friday, Oct. 2	Faultline Stage	4:30 PM
BABYMETAL	Saturday, Oct. 3	Aftershock Stage	7:20 PM
ivri	Saturday, Oct. 3	Aftershock Stage	12:30 PM
Kylesa	Saturday, Oct. 3	The Point Stage	5:00 PM
The Pretty Wild	Sunday, Oct. 4	Epicenter Stage	2:05 PM

Why These Acts Matter at Aftershock 2026

The female presence at Aftershock 2026 isn’t limited to one particular style.

The lineup moves from mainstream hard rock with The Pretty Reckless to extreme and modern metal with Blue Medusa, Japanese metal with BABYMETAL, post-hardcore with Eyes Set To Kill, sludge and psychedelic metal with Kylesa, and alternative rock with ivri.

That variety makes the female and female-fronted acts an interesting part of the overall Aftershock experience.

Whether you’re attending all four days or building a personalized schedule, these performances are worth adding to your festival itinerary.

Final Thoughts

Aftershock 2026 has assembled one of its largest lineups yet, and female rock and metal performers are an important part of the four-day festival.

The Pretty Reckless, The Violent Hour, Eyes Set To Kill, Blue Medusa, BABYMETAL, Kylesa, ivri and The Pretty Wild all bring different sounds and styles to Discovery Park.

For fans who want to explore beyond the festival’s biggest headliners, these acts provide plenty of opportunities to discover something new.

Related Aftershock 2026 Articles

• Aftershock 2026 Parking & Shuttle Guide: Where to Park
• Aftershock 2026 Tickets: Prices, Passes & How to Buy
• Aftershock 2026 Set Times: Full Schedule & Stage Times

Festival schedules and set times can change. Check the official Aftershock website and festival app for the latest information before attending.