B7Klan have revealed the 15 acts selected for the first stage of its fan-led audition, which will decide the final act set to appear on day one of B7KLAN J-ROCK FEST in Paris.
The contest, organised with Japanese visual kei magazine hévn, forms the final step in completing the festival’s line-up. B7KLAN J-ROCK FEST takes place on July 11th and 12th 2026 at Arena Grand Paris as part of B7Klan’s 20th anniversary celebrations.
The 15 acts announced for the audition are NINTH IN PLUTO, GRAVITY, TORIKABUTO, GEIGOTSU SEIBUTSU GUNSYU, DLESS, Nyx, Affective Synergy, LIZA, HEYA BAND, AKAI YUREI, ORSEAS, Alpha 999, Bless Orchestra, HIRONO KAMINOSE, and Tokyo City Rumblers.
Introductions to each participating act will be posted daily from March 23rd to March 27th. Fan voting will then open for 24 hours from March 28th at 12:00 CET / 20:00 JST via the official contest website.
The five acts with the highest number of votes will advance to the next stage, joined by three artists selected by hévn from outside the original pool of contestants. Those eight acts will perform at the Road to B7Klan Fest Contest on April 24th at Shibuya REX in Tokyo.
B7Klan will stream the second stage of the contest live worldwide, with final voting open to both attendees at the venue and viewers watching online. The winning act will secure the final slot on the July 11th line-up, appearing after the opening set from French metal outfit Souffre. The prize includes travel, accommodation, and related expenses for the winner’s performance in Paris.
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Among the more established names in the competition are GRAVITY, Affective Synergy, and HIRONO KAMINOSE (formerly known as HITT), while newer or more recently launched projects such as GEIGOTSU SEIBUTSU GUNSYU and AKAI YUREI also feature on the shortlist.
B7Klan previously described the contest as being open to “all Japanese bands”, though the line-up also includes Shanghai-based visual kei band Nyx and French project Tokyo City Rumblers.
The current B7KLAN J-ROCK FEST line-up includes Versailles, Moi dix Mois, MUCC, D’ESPAIRSRAY, LM.C, An Cafe, KIZU, JILUKA, and Azavana, alongside European special guests Souffre and Imperial Age.
Fans can cast their votes via roadtob7klanjrockfest.com starting March 28th.
Dates and tickets
| Date | Location | Tickets |
|---|---|---|
| 11 Jul 2026 – 12 Jul 2026 | Arena Grand Paris, Paris, France |
