Alien Ant Farm at Skogsröjet 2026 – A Veteran Performance That Never Quite Takes Off

When Alien Ant Farm steps onto the Rockklassiker Stage, Skogsröjet’s biggest stage, it’s a band with over three decades behind them that meets the audience. The California band had its big breakthrough in the early 2000s with the album ANThology and their iconic cover of Michael Jackson’s Smooth Criminal, a song that still remains an obvious crowd-pleaser and has made the band known far beyond the alternative rock scene.

But Alien Ant Farm has always been more than just a band with one big hit. With their mix of alternative rock, nu metal, punk, and melodic rock, the quartet has built up a loyal fanbase through albums such as TruANT, Up in the Attic, and the latest release mAntras. After setbacks, lineup changes, and a longer hiatus, the band has continued to tour and show that they still have a natural place on festival stages.

At Skogsröjet, however, they are met by an audience that does not quite fill the space of the big stage. In front of Rockklassiker Stage, the area is about half full when the concert starts. It feels almost strange to see a band with Alien Ant Farm’s credentials playing the festival’s largest stage before an audience that occupies only about half the area.

The audience consists largely of a middle-aged contingent of festivalgoers who grew up with the band’s music, but unlike many other Alien Ant Farm gigs, things are relatively calm in front of the stage. Some nod along to the beat and a few hands are raised in the air, but the intense mosh pits and energy the band is often associated with are completely absent. Skogsröjet’s crowd proves to be unusually hard to win over this afternoon.

One of the band members, however, stands out more than the others. Next to the drums stands the man in the yellow shirt, contributing backing vocals, but also spending the entire performance jumping, dancing, and rocking out with an almost inexhaustible energy. His intensity becomes its own feature in the show and provides a clear contrast to the rest of the band’s much more relaxed stage presence. From his right front pocket hangs an IF Metall lanyard, a detail that only raises more questions. It’s an unexpected sight that repeatedly draws the eye to him.

Alien Ant Farm builds the set on a well-balanced blend of classics and newer material. Courage sets the tone early, while Wish and Movies prove that the band’s older songs still hold strong. During These Days, Last dAntz, and Attitude, the band tries to raise the temperature further, but the long-awaited eruption in front of the stage never materializes.

Musically, Alien Ant Farm sounds tight. Singer Dryden Mitchell quickly shows that the experience is still there. The voice sometimes sounds a little strained, especially in the more demanding passages, but the overall impression isn’t significantly affected. He still delivers with the characteristic timbre that has made Alien Ant Farm so recognizable over the years, even if it’s clear that time has left its mark.

Before the final Smooth Criminal, expectations build as a classic Michael Jackson interview plays over the speakers. When the reporter asks if he has heard Alien Ant Farm’s version, Jackson replies: "I saw it and fell in love with it. I loved it." It’s an effective build-up and a nice reminder that the original artist himself appreciated the band’s rendition before Alien Ant Farm launches into their most iconic song.

For the first time during the concert, the audience truly wakes up. The singalong grows louder, more hands reach for the sky, and the energy in front of the stage noticeably increases. But the upswing is short-lived. When the song ends, the audience quickly reverts to the same restrained mood that has characterized most of the performance.

Alien Ant Farm proves that the songs still hold up more than 25 years after their breakthrough. This evening, it’s really not the band that sets the limit for how high the performance soars – it’s the audience. With a bit more energy in front of the stage, this could have been one of the festival’s big nostalgia moments. Instead, it becomes a solid and experienced performance that reminds us why Alien Ant Farm still has a loyal following, even though the magic never quite arrives this time.