power trip live 2023

Power Trip live: Reviews of Metallica, Tool, AC/DC, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Guns N' Roses

For those about to rock, we salute you. We'll be reporting all the action at Power Trip, Goldenvoice's three-day metal festival in the desert featuring heavy-hitters Guns N' Roses and Iron Maiden on Friday, AC/DC and Judas Priest on Saturday, and culminating with Metallica and Tool on Sunday.

Will this "once-in-a-lifetime" billing live up to the hype? Check back here for the sights, sounds, special guests and music reviews from the Empire Polo Club in Indio, Calif.

• Review: Metallica closes out festival in electric style
• Review: Tool underwhelms after AC/DC energy
• Power Trip Day 3: The good, the bad and the epic
• Review: AC/DC delivers epic set after seven-year hiatus
• Review: Judas Priest delivers beyond expectations, new album
• Power Trip Day 2: The good, the bad, the sweat
• Review: Guns N' Roses brings crowd pleasing, hit-filled set
• Review: Iron Maiden brings the drama to first Power Trip set
• Power Trip Day 1: The good, the bad, the hot

Tool and Metallica close out the last day of Power Trip in style

Tool and Metallica are two distinctly different bands, so, naturally, they brought two vastly different shows to the same audience Sunday night at Power Trip.

But there was a third band we couldn't help to compare them with: AC/DC.

It's probably unfair to compare the performance of one band to another, particularly when one is as beloved as AC/DC, and is playing its first live show in more than seven years. But while Tool sounded crisp and loud, and thousands appeared to enjoy the band's set at the festival, it inevitably felt like a let down after AC/DC, and as festivalgoers were gearing up for a highly anticipated show from Metallica.

Metallica, on the other hand, understood their assignment. Closing out a once-in-a-lifetime festival such as Power Trip is no easy task, and the California rockers didn't disappoint on Sunday night,

Read our full Tool review here.

Read our full Metallica review here.

—Brian Blueskye and Andrew John

Power Trip proves itself to be an international affair

What’s the furthest someone traveled to Power Trip? It’s hard to say, but Indio resident Leonard Ortiz has something that provides answers. Since Friday, Ortiz has collected signatures from attendees and their origins on a California state flag. Some of the attendees who signed included residents of Australia, Nepal, Austria, and Colombia. Ortiz said there was also “a lot of Mexico on there.”

Ortiz said he got the idea to track signatures at Power Trip from attending Metallica concerts and seeing fans with flags from their home states doing the same.

“I just thought it would be cool to do (at Power Trip),” because I knew that AC/DC and Iron Maiden have a following from all over the world, and I want to put it (the flag) up in my mancave. People are really digging it, and I’ve only had one person tell me no when I’ve asked them to sign for whatever reason,” Ortiz said. 

—Brian Blueskye

The most rockstar-worthy burger at Power Trip comes from Grill 'Em All

There’s one food vendor in the South Lounge area of the festival that gets our unofficial award for Most Clever Play on Words: the metal-inspired and Alhambra-based burger restaurant Grill ‘Em All, which is a take on Metallica’s 1983 debut album “Kill ‘Em All.”

Desert Sun reporter Andrew John tried the AC/DC burger and enthusiastically said “It’s good!” after taking his first bite.

The restaurant is known for showing pro wrestling and a selection of burgers named after metal icons such as Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider, Ozzy Osbourne, Metallica and more.

Holy Dive Bar provides sports fans and non-sports fans alike a shaded place to kick back, grab a drink

Rob Vollgraf traveled to Power Trip from Northern California with the understanding that he’d be able to watch his Las Vegas Raiders at the Holy Dive Bar. He'd heard about the setup inside Empire Polo Club, but was skeptical about whether it would be anything substantial.

On Sunday, the festivalgoer admitted he was pleasantly surprised.

“They’ve done an outstanding job here,” said Vollgraf, wearing a black Raiders shirt. “This blew away my expectations.”

Read the full story here.

—Andrew John

Tool brings fans from around the world to the polo grounds

When Alejandro Grijalva Duran saw the lineup announcement in March for Power Trip and noticed the band Tool was part of it, he immediately contacted his son, Juan Pablo Grijalva Saenz. The two purchased tickets and made travel arrangements to Indio from Chihuahua, Mexico.

On Sunday, the father and son had just waited in line at Tool’s merchandise booth and was taking pictures with a poster they'd purchased. Power Trip is the first time the two will see the band perform. 

“(Tool) is a unique band,” Grijalva Saenz said. “You see the lineup and all the classic rock bands, having Tool in the lineup at this festival is mind-blowing. Their concept in music is different than other bands like Judas Priest, AC/DC and Iron Maiden, so it’s a unique occasion to see Tool at this festival and venue.”

Grijalva Duran is a longtime fan, and said there are limited opportunities to see Tool in Mexico, who typically perform in cities such as Monterrey or Guadalajara.

“I like a lot of Tool’s music and have been a fan since the beginning,” said Grijalva Duran.

Real metal fans take their grandkids to Power Trip

Brooklyn Harper and Illy Pirylis of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, both 17, have been enjoying Power Trip this weekend with their grandmother, 59-year-old Kerri Yingst of Hobe Sound, Florida. But it's not the first time they've rocked out at a concert together.

It's the third festival the trio have attended together since the 2022 Welcome to Rockville festival in Daytona Beach.

On Saturday afternoon, all three were excited to see the first performance by AC/DC in seven years and spent over an hour standing in line at the band's merchandise tent after the gates opened. Yingst referred to her granddaughters as her "concert buddies"

“I didn’t know they liked my music,” Yingst said. “I was (in New Jersey) visiting and I heard Black Sabbath coming from the bedroom, and I’m like ‘Wait a minute, maybe they’re just on YouTube.’ I go about my business and go back upstairs, and I asked them, ‘Do you like that?’ and they said ‘Yeah!’ That’s when we found Welcome to Rockville and started going to festivals together.”

To read the full story, click here.

AC/DC starts out strong despite seven-year performance hiatus

Shortly after AC/DC performed “Shoot to Thrill” about an hour into their Saturday set at Power Trip, CNL Executive Transportation owner and operator Craig Blucher was heading towards the exit to give a client a ride.

But as he walked, the San Diego resident who has seen AC/DC seven times described the set as “epic.”

Blucher’s first time seeing AC/DC was during the original lineup era featuring original frontman Bon Scott, who died in 1980. He also caught the band’s comeback tour that same year with current vocalist Brian Johnson.

Since AC/DC released the album “Power Up” in 2020, the band hasn’t played together live, meaning Saturday’s performance was its first show in seven years.

Even though AC/DC is celebrating 50 years, the band hasn't announced a new album or any plans to tour, leaving many to speculate whether Power Trip may be the group's last performance.

When asked if he thinks it will be the last, Blucher said he hopes not.

“They need to stay healthy and they’re getting old. These old timers don’t live forever,” Blucher said. 

Check out AC/DC's setlist here.

Check out our full review of AC/DC's set here.

Judas Priest announces new album, brings out Glenn Tipton

Judas Priest replaced Ozzy Osbourne as the first band on the Power Trip Day 2 schedule, but they didn't act like anyone's second choice.

After five decades, the English heavy metal group proved it still has plenty of gas in the tank, far exceeding expectations. The crowd cheered as Black Sabbath's "War Pigs" played as the intro, but was followed by a few moments of silence before a graphic showed on the video screens announcing Judas Priest's upcoming album, "The Invincible Shield," which is due out March 8.

Perhaps the best moment of the set was the encore, which featured guitarist Glenn Tipton, who retired from the band in 2018 due to Parkinson's disease. Tipton performed with the group during the last three songs of the set: classics "Metal Gods," "Breaking the Law" and "Living After Midnight."

Click here to read the full Judas Priest setlist.

Coachella has 'Spectra,' Power Trip has the rocker cactus

While concertgoers are not allowed inside "Spectra," the popular illuminated installation that features a winding ramp, right next to it is a new piece of art that has many lined up to take a selfie with.

A blue devil-horned-shaped cactus has caught the attention of many here at Power Trip. It has provided a perfect photo-op for this metal festival, with Spectra, the ground’s iconic Ferris wheel and the mountains of La Quinta providing a cool backdrop. 

Power Trip's hottest accessory will cost you $20, and sellers prefer cash

One thing most festivalgoers probably didn't expect at Power Trip, which markets itself very openly as a cashless festival, is a vendor that asks for cash. That's exactly what fans are facing when they go to purchase light-up AC/DC devil horn headbands at one of the various vendor carts scattered across the festival grounds today.

Although these vendors technically take credit cards (because they have to to be part of the festival), the signs on the carts read "$ CASH IS KING !!!"

The night's hottest accessory, which will set you back $20, is a nod to AC/DC co-founder, lead guitarist, songwriter, and only remaining founding member Angus Young, who popularized the devil horn symbol by using his two index fingers to form two horns above his head while he performs.

—Niki Kottmann

Judas Priest proves to be the most punctual band of Power Trip thus far

Judas Priest just took the stage, just a few minutes later than scheduled, unlike the Friday performers who were 20 minutes (Iron Maiden) and 40 minutes (Guns N' Roses) behind schedule. Now let's see if they can make Ozzy proud.

Group of fans decide to push through the Power Trip gates early

Those of us who entered Day 2 of Power Trip through the Red Path/camping area got a surprise Saturday when a group of rowdy festivalgoers decided they didn't want to wait any longer and pushed the gates open. Security nearby let it happen, seemingly because they were going to open the gates themselves a few minutes later, and because those who pushed through were hit by a wall of metal detectors and bag checkers on the other side of the gate.

Guns' N' Roses delivers the hits to close out the first day of Power Trip

Guns N' Roses put on a phenomenal show of heavy rock 'n' roll hits and treated festivalgoers to highlights of the band's career, even paying tribute to Sir Paul McCartney's 50th anniversary of the James Bond anthem "Live And Let Die." The two-hour set was full of stunning video production and lasers, but notably no pyrotechnics.

Even though the band was 40 minutes late for its headlining performance, the crowd was calm and there were no signs of the old days when the band would appear hours late or not at all. When the festival went dark and the band's strange animated psychedelic visuals appeared, the crowd was on its feet, screaming in anticipation.

Starting with "It's So Easy," frontman Axl Rose appeared like a lightning rod and the rest of the band, which also features original members guitarist Slash and bassist Duff McKagan, were precise in every note.

Click here to read the band's complete Power Trip setlist.

Our highs and lows of Power Trip Day 1: Where's the good food hiding?

OK, so festival food is famously never great, but Coachella always includes some trendy (and mouthwatering) Asian food from LA and Stagecoach always has delicious BBQ (when Guy Fieri's involved, you know it's good), so what is Power Trip going to be notable for cuisine-wise? So far, crappy grilled cheese.

That might be on me for ordering something a bit odd, but I thought you couldn't mess up grilled cheese! It's so simple! Tomorrow I'll be going in a totally different direction and heading straight for the booth of a Palm Springs favorite: Sandfish.

Read up on our other highs and lows from the first day of the festival here.

Parking causes headaches on Power Trip Day 1, leads some to leave early

Parking for those who tried to get in after 4:30 p.m. today was reportedly out-of-this-world difficult (our own photographer nearly ran out of gas in the middle of Miles Avenue because traffic controlers forced him to circle the venue so many times), which seems to be the reason why many people were seen leaving the festival after the first hour of Guns N' Roses' set.

I can't blame them for wanting to beat the traffic, and I can't help but wonder how long it's going to take me to get out after Guns N' Roses is done playing ... moral of the story: get here as early as possible tomorrow, festivalgoers.

Iron Maiden delivers theatrical, energetic set to kick off the night

As Iron Maiden kicked off the first set of Power Trip performing "Caught Somewhere In Time," frontman Bruce Dickinson appeared as if he stepped into the present day from a futuristic sci-fi film set.

That post-apocalyptic vibe continued throughout the stellar performance, which included stage visuals showing the flux capacitor from the 1985 time travel comedy film "Back to the Future."

Want to see the complete set list? Click here.

—Niki Kottmann and Brian Blueskye

Metal fans came from all over the world for this event

As the rumors began circulating about Power Trip in March, Rob Myers of Hershey, Pennsylvania created the Facebook community “Power Trip Festival Group,” which has over 10,000 members. On Friday afternoon, Myers met a fraction of the group in front of the Ferris wheel for a group photo. A group member brought a California state flag and is having members sign it as he meets them at the festival.

Myers said he has created similar groups for festivals such as the Inkcarceration Music & Tattoo Festival in Mansfield, Ohio and estimates 5,000 attendees from all around the world and demographics joined the Power Trip group during April.

“People had interest in seeing six powerhouse acts all at once,” Myers said. “These bands have international recognition – Guns N’ Roses, Iron Maiden, Metallica – even in Europe, you don’t see all three of those bands at one festival. You may see one, but you’re not going to get all at once.”

The members of the group have posted invites for carpooling to the festival, social gatherings in the area and even shared travel tips for those new to the Coachella Valley. There’s a stronger sense of community among metal fans for this festival than the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and Stagecoach country music festival.

“If you go to any metal festival, especially if you’re in camping, you’re never going to have an empty stomach, an empty cup or go without anything you need,” Myers said. “I have met grandmothers and mothers at metal festivals and they’re the ones helping those who say ‘Hey, I need this’ or ‘I ran out of this.’ Everybody just wants to take care of each other. With metal, there are different emotions, some of these people have been hurt and have a stronger sense of empathy. I’ve noticed people who have been through something, metal is their healing." 

Our first impression of the festival: spacious

Although it was crowded by the entrance, once the gates opened 18 minutes behind schedule, our first impression of the festival was that it's wonderfully spread out. Nobody's on top of each other, and even though the merch tents were Coachella-level busy less than 15 minutes into the start of the festival, the Iron Maiden-specific and Guns N' Roses-specific booths had shockingly small lines.

This is also a little nerdy of us to notice, but the famed Coachella/Stagecoach Ferris wheel (aka Le Grande Wheel) is back with new open-air cars (as opposed to the traditional enclosed cars we're used to at the other two festivals).

Power Trip: Gates are open and crowd has cool cross-generational vibe

The gates are open at Power Trip but the music has yet to start. The crowd so far consists of lots of big groups and families with adult children. "How you holding up mom?" was heard from a man who appeared to be in his late 30s or early 40s.

Those who attended the original "Trip" ... Desert Trip in 2016 that featured the kings of classic rock ... will understand.

Also notable about the first hour on scene: It's hot. Overheard waiting to get through the gate: “I’m sweating so much I’m losing my buzz, it’s terrible!”

—Niki Kottmann and Kate Franco

Headed to Power Trip but don't want to miss the game? You can experience both

Goldevoice is typically all about the music. But this weekend at Power Trip, the promoter is offering a rare opportunity to watch live sports at one of its bar areas within the festival.

All weekend long, festivalgoers can head to the Holy Dive Bar to watch the following televised sports:

• Thursday: NFL Chicago @ Washington
• Friday: MLB Playoffs
• Saturday: MLB Playoffs
• Saturday: NCAA Football
• Sunday: NFL Football

—Niki Kottmann and Andrew John

Power Trip pre-game: Free tattoos at AC/DC-themed pop-up bar in Indio

AC/DC will hit the stage for the first time in seven years during the second day of Power Trip, but you don't have to wait until Saturday to get in on the fun.

Club 5 Bar in downtown Indio has officially opened as a pop-up fan experience called the AC/DC High Voltage Dive Bar , featuring collectible rock relics, unique Easter eggs, a beer garden food trucks and, perhaps most notably, free tattoos of the many different AC/DC logos over the band's 50-year history.

If you're looking for a place outside the festival grounds to honor the gods of rock, this is your spot.

Power Trip special guests: Who we think might make a stage cameo

Would it even be a Goldenvoice festival without surprise special guests? Here's a few we're hoping to see (and yes, some are far-fetched, but we can dream):

With Guns N' Roses:

• Misfits frontman Glenn Danzig (to sing "Attitude")
• Bob Dylan (to sing that cover of "Knockin' On Heavens Door")

With AC/DC:

• AC/DC could quite possibly bring out any rockers, but ... wouldn't it be amazing if they brought out actor/singer Jack Black for the cover of "It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)" from the movie "School of Rock"?

With Metallica:

• King Diamond (to sing "Mercyful Fate")
• St. Vincent, Slipknot vocalist Corey Taylor, or another artist who performed on the "The Metallica Blacklist"

Power Trip set times: When will Tool, Guns 'N Roses, Metallica take the stage?

Need some help planning your Power Trip? Here are the set times :

• Friday, Oct. 6:  Iron Maiden at 6:45 p.m., Guns N' Roses at 9:25 p.m.
• Saturday, Oct. 7:  Judas Priest at 6:45 p.m., AC/DC at 9:25 p.m.
• Sunday, Oct. 8:  Tool at 6:55 p.m., Metallica at 9:35 p.m.

Where is Power Trip festival 2023?

Power Trip, which features six heavy metal bands from Friday, Oct. 6 to Sunday, Oct. 8, is being held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. Music-lovers likely know (or know of) the venue as the home to the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and Stagecoach country music festival, which are held on the lush grounds at 81-800 51st Ave. over three weekends in April.

But this isn't the first October "Trip" staged by Goldenvoice. Desert Trip, featuring Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Neil Young and Promise of the Real, Roger Waters and Paul McCartney , was held at the polo grounds over two October weekends in 2016. It was heralded as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see some of the biggest names in classic rock on one stage.

—Kate Franco

From the archive: When Desert Trip rocked the music world in 2016

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Power Trip Festival 2023: Full Lineup and Details Announced

It may be the biggest North American rock festival ever

UPDATED: July 11, 2023

The stacked lineup for the all-new festival Power Trip is here. Earlier this week, headliners Metallica, Iron Maiden, Ozzy Osbourne, AC/DC,  Tool , and  Guns N’ Roses all teased the festival on their official social media. Now, the full lineup is officially confirmed for what may very well be the biggest hard rock festival ever in North America.

On Monday, July 10, Ozzy Osbourne revealed that he would no longer be performing at Power Trip. On Tuesday, July 11, it was announced that British metal icons Judas Priest would be stepping in for Ozzy. Priest will now play opposite AC/DC on Saturday, October 7.

Check out the full lineup artwork below.

Goldenvoice, the company behind Coachella, Stagecoach, Cruel World, and more will be putting on Power Trip. The festival will take place in Indio, California at the Empire Polo Grounds (home of Coachella) on October 6 through October 8, 2023.

Tickets go on sale Thursday, April 6 at 10am PT. Hotel and VIP Packages available starting Tuesday, April 4 at 10am PT. Fans can register for the on-sale now HERE . 3-Day General Admission tickets start at $599 + fees, or turn the volume up with GA + Shuttle ($699), The Pit ($1,599), Reserved Floor ($799 – $1,599), Grandstand Seating ($1,099 – $1,399), and various VIP Packages ($1,749 – $2,999). Payment plans (50/50) are available for general admission tickets. 

Camping options include Car & Tent Camping, ready-to-go 2 person Lodge/4 person tents, RV spots and more. Amenities and activities are available for all campers. Accommodations include hotel packages: Bundle your Power Trip tickets with nearby hotel accommodations and “any line” shuttle passes. Available for groups of 2 or 4 people, exclusively through   Valley Music Travel . Packages start at $3,199 + fees.

Fans who want to commemorate the weekend can pre-order a Power Trip Commemorative Poster. The premium quality giclee print poster delivered in advance of the show. Designed and printed by artist  J. Bannon  (limited edition of 1,000), the posters are available in 18×24 on fine art textured stock. For now, you must purchase a ticket in order to add the poster to your order.

After announcing his  retirement from touring  back in February, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Ozzy Osbourne has recently expressed his desire to still perform at some capacity in the future. Commercially, Ozzy is enjoying the fruits of his widely successful album  Patient No. 9 . He won two GRAMMY® Awards at the 65th annual event in Los Angeles last month. He took home the hardware for Best Metal Performance and Best Rock Album. It marked the metal legend’s first solo GRAMMY® win since 1994 when he won Best Metal Performance for “I Don’t Wanna Change the World ( Live & Loud ).

“I’m one lucky motherfucker to have won the Best Rock Album Grammy,” the now a five-time GRAMMY® Award winner exclaimed. “I was blessed to work with some of the greatest musicians in the world and Andrew Watt as my producer on this album. Winning the Best Metal Performance was equally gratifying being that the song featured my longtime friend and Black Sabbath bandmate, Tony Iommi.”

Metallica’s upcoming eleventh studio LP  72 Seasons  arrives on April 14 via the band’s own Blackened Recordings. Produced by Greg Fidelman with frontman James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and clocking in at over 77 minutes, the 12-track  72 Seasons  is Metallica’s first full length collection of new material since 2016’s  Hardwired…To Self-Destruct . The album will be released in formats including 2LP 140-gram black vinyl and limited edition variants, CD and digital download.

Additionally, Metallica are  returning to the road  this summer. The band previously announced their M72 Word Tour which will see the band perform back-to-back nights at each stop with no repeat performances. In each city, special guests on Night One will be Pantera and Mammoth WVH. Five Finger Death Punch and Ice Nine Kills will serve as support on Night 2. Tickets are on sale now  HERE . 

Iron Maiden brought their Legacy of the Beast Tour back to North American last year for another massive run. The band’s latest album  Senjutsu  arrived in 2021. The album peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, and No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Rock and Top Hard Rock Albums charts.

In 2020, AC/DC released their seventeenth studio album  Power Up . The record peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, and topped the charts in several other countries around the world. Once again, Angus and Malcolm Young’s nephew Stevie Young, who took over rhythm guitar duties for Malcolm after his passing in 2017. AC/DC have not toured since their Rock or Bust trek wrapped up in 2016.

Tool have a number of festival appearances slated for 2022, including a headlining slot at Aftershock. Last summer, they released their GRAMMY®-Award winning fifth album  Fear Inoculum  as a new black vinyl set via RCA Records. The 3-disc 180 gram set on black vinyl features new artwork by guitarist Adam Jones. It comes in a triple gatefold jacket and an exclusive 12″ x 36″ double-sided poster. Last March, Tool released a re-imagined version of “Opiate,” the title track from their first EP. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of their first commercially-available release, the band re-worked and extended the song –  “Opiate 2 “  – with an accompanying short film.

Guns N’ Roses are embarking on a massive world tour this summer. The North American leg runs through October 16m making stops in Boston, Chicago, Nashville, Charlotte, Vancouver, and more. The band is also returning to Hersheypark Stadium in Pennsylvania for the first U.S. show of the tour. They previously kicked off their We’re F’N Back! Tour there back in 2021. Revisit our review and live photos from the show  HERE .

Last year, Guns N’ Roses came out with a a new EP  Hard Skool . The record was released nearly a year ago on February 25, 2022. It was the first time in 28 years that vocalist Axl Rose, guitarist Slash, and bassist Duff McKagan collaborated together on new material together.

The trio was accompanied on the new studio effort by the current members of the GNR lineup, which is completed by guitarist Richard Fortus and drummer Frank Ferrer, as well as keyboardists Dizzy Reed and Melissa Reese. The EP featured live recordings of the band’s ‘91 power ballad “Don’t Cry” and “You’re Crazy” from their seminal debut LP  Appetite For Destruction .

Released back in August of 2021, the single “Absurd “ was the first new Guns N’ Roses song in 13 years.

Fresh off their  50th anniversary celebrations , Judas Priest are reportedly working on music for the follow-up to their acclaimed 2018 album  Firepower . The record is the band’s biggest commercial success, charting at No. 5 on the UK Albums Chart and Billboard 200 as well as hitting No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Hard Rock Albums chart. After delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Judas Priest toured relentlessly to celebrate the success of Firepower and the band’s five decades of heavy metal.

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Power Trip Festival 2023: Dates, schedule, headliners, where to buy tickets

• Published: Apr. 11, 2023, 9:30 a.m.

Metallica will headline the first Power Trip Festival, which will be held from Oct. 6-8 in California.

• Nicole Iuzzolino | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Hard rock and heavy metal is heading to California this fall.

The first Power Trip Festival will be held from Oct. 6-8 in Indio, California with several rock legends as headliners, including AC/DC and Ozzy Osbourne.

Power Trip Festival will mark the first time AC/DC will perform with Brian Johnson live since 2016. It will also be the first time Ozzy Osbourne will headline a festival since announcing his retirement earlier this year.

If you are interested in attending Power Trip Festival, here’s everything you need to know.

Who are the headliners for Power Trip Festival?

Six of the industry’s biggest rock artists will headline the California festival, including Guns N’ Roses , Iron Maiden , AC/DC , Ozzy Osbourne , Metallica and Tool .

Where can I buy tickets for Power Trip Festival?

If you want to buy tickets to attend the Power Trip Festival, they are available on the official website .

Tickets also are available to purchase on the secondary market. Music festival fans can buy tickets on Vivid Seats , StubHub , TicketNetwork , TicketCity and MegaSeats .

First-time Vivid Seats users can save $20 on ticket orders over $200 with the promo code NJ20 at checkout.

You can find the full lineup and schedule for the Power Trip Festival here .

More upcoming music festivals

Power Trip Festival is not the only festival going on this year.

Here are a list of upcoming festivals you do not want to miss.

• Adjacent Music Festival
• Barefoot Country Music Festival
• Tidal Wave Music Festival
• Sea.Hear.Now

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Power Trip 2023: AC/DC rocks festival with first live show in seven years

I t had been seven years since AC/DC played a live show, but on Saturday at Power Trip, it was evident that the iconic hard rock band had little, if any, rust to shake.

AC/DC brought a ton of energy to the crowd of an estimated more than 80,000 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio.

The performance came following years of speculation over whether the band would play together again. In their sixth decade making music, lead singer Brian Johnson was losing his hearing and had followed doctor’s orders to stop performing live.

The last time the group played together live was on Sept. 20, 2016, in Philadelphia, following a seven-leg, 79-date "Rock or Bust" world tour that included Gus N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose on vocals for the final 22 shows.

With longtime bassist Cliff Williams coming out of retirement, Matt Laug filling in on drums for Phil Rudd, and Angus and Stevie Young back on guitar, the band was reunited for at least one show here at Power Trip.

AC/DC went on stage promptly at 9:45 p.m., following Judas Priest, and played 25 songs until concluding at midnight. Fireworks exploded in the sky following the energetic performance.

The band opened for the first time ever with the song "If you Want Blood (You Got It)." By the fifth song, "Thunderstruck," the crowd was headbanging, dancing and singing along.

The set included all of the band’s big hits, yet also included "Demon Fire" and "Shot in the Dark" for the first time live. The two songs are from the band’s 2020 studio album "Power Up."

The band also played "Stiff Upper Lip" in a live show for the first time since 2003, and "Riff Raff" for the first time with Johnson since 1996.

The show felt like a full-circle moment, with the band playing here at Coachella in 2015, a year before AC/DC stopped touring.

Halfway through Saturday’s set, it appeared that a teenage boy sitting behind me was having a moment.

“This is the best time of my life,” the boy told his dad following "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" and "Shoot to Thrill," the 10th and 11th songs of the set.

The visual effects of the set were as impressive as the vitality. When the band played "Thunderstruck," the massive video monitors behind the stage displayed a video with thunder. During "Highway to Hell," huge (graphic) flames shot up the monitors and on the stage.

Angus Young was especially animated. By the fifth song, his hat had blown off. He eventually ripped his trademark sports coat off, and not long after, his tie was gone and his shirt was unbuttoned. He played a more than 10-minute guitar solo toward the end of the set.

The band concluded its set with an encore featuring "T.N.T" and "For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)."

Fans from all across the globe made the trek to see this show. A Power Trip Facebook group drew thousands of members leading up to the festival, which included Iron Maiden and Guns N’ Roses on Friday and will conclude with Tool and Metallica Sunday. Some on the fan page said they'd traveled to Indio from as far as Brazil, Germany, Iceland, Australia, New Zealand and seemingly everywhere in between.

Many did so likely because this could be a one-time-only show by the legendary group — or it’s perhaps the start of what could be more shows still to come.

If Saturday provided any indication, this group could still put on a live show with the best of them.

We spent years speculating whether AC/DC would ever play a live show again. Hopefully we don’t have to do that again.

More: AC/DC setlist

Andrew John is a reporter for The Desert Sun and the USA TODAY Network covering Power Trip. Email him at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Power Trip 2023: AC/DC rocks festival with first live show in seven years

Metallica, AC/DC, Judas Priest Rule at All-Metal ‘Power Trip’ Festival: Concert Review

By Jeff Miller

Jeff Miller

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“This is a celebration!” proclaimed Metallica’s James Hetfield midway through the band’s set at the first-ever all-metal “Power Trip” festival . His comment was actually an understatement: While major metal festivals have been staged for decades, this one placed six of the world’s most legendary heavy metal and hard rock bands in history on one stage at the Polo Grounds in Indio, Calif. — home of Coachella festival and, of course, “Desert Trip,” the similarly billed 2016 classic-rock super-festival that featured Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones, the Who, Roger Waters, Bob Dylan and Neil Young.

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If you’re thinking the crowd consisted largely of aging Beavis’ and Buttheads, you’re not wrong: One very awesome official tee shirt featured that duo headbanging on site, and the “newest” group in the lineup, Tool, released their first EP 31 years ago. And though many metalheads’ dreams of collaborations and reunions with past band members didn’t come to fruition, the fest was a testament to what nearly all of these long-running acts do best: hard-rocking classics and stage shows filled with various forms of over-the-toppedness, and with two acts playing per day to allow for proper headlining sets.

Worse, Guns N’ Roses, who have essentially been on one long tour since three key members reunited in 2016, played an over-long three-hour set that would have been much stronger if it was tighter. And while lead guitarist Slash has never sounded better, the same can’t be said for singer Axl Rose, whose vocals were inconsistent, perhaps due to the dry desert air.

Thankfully, rock valhalla arrived on day 2: Judas Priest and AC/DC were undeniable highlights of the weekend, with the former relentlessly blasting through hits like “A Touch Of Evil” and “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming” with full confidence and a sound-mix that showed off 72-year old singer Rob Halford’s near-operatic range, which he somehow delivered in a series of leather outfits despite the 90-degree-plus heat. Founding guitarist Glenn Tipton, who is suffering from Parkinsons’ Disease, joined the band for their encore, a family-minded move that was clearly relished by the band and their fans.

The nearly sold-out crowd was swelling with flashing red devil horns by the time AC/DC took the stage for their first show since 2016, reuniting with singer Brian Johnson (who took a leave of absence that year for hearing related problems) and slammed the field with a 24-song set that included nearly every song a fan could hope for: “Back in Black,” “Dirty Deeds,” “Hell’s Bells,” “For Those About To Rock,” “You Shook Me All Night Long,” “High Voltage,” “Highway to Hell,” and many more, delivering a great reminder that they’re among the most influential rock bands of all time.

The final day was an ode to two different brands of intensity, with Tool — an outlier in the lineup, as they’re more associated with the ‘90s alt-rock movement than classic metal — playing a preposterously loud, overly ambitious set of their proggy, moody ear-blasts amid surreal psychedelic videos depicting skeletons, body parts, and shape-shifting aliens. Sadly, they do a disservice to fans further back by not allowing close-ups of them playing to appear on the video screens, leaving the audience to wonder whether all of those drum sounds come from superhuman skin-pounder Danny Carey (spoiler from the front: they do).

Power Trip was billed as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see all these high-level heavy bands at once, and though there were some squandered opportunities to make the sets themselves stand out from what each of these bands does night after night on tour, devil horns were raised, countless beers were consumed, and ears were blown: a success by any suitable metric.

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AC/DC Make Victorious Return With First Live Show in Seven Years

• By Charisma Madarang

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AC/DC took to the stage for the first time in seven years on Saturday night of the Power Trip festival .

It was the first time lead vocalist Brian Johnson performed live with the group since September 2016 in Philadelphia, following a 79-date Rock or Bust world tour. The ill-fated trek  required the services  of Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose for the final 22 stops after Johnson bowed out with  hearing loss issues .

Saturday’s lineup also saw Matt Laug step in for drummer Phil Rudd, while longtime bassist Cliff Williams came out of retirement with Angus and Stevie Young on guitar.

AC/DC played a 24-song set and opened for the first time with “If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It),” according to Spin . The performance also packed hits “Back in Black,” “Thunderstruck,” “Have a Drink on Me,” “Highway to Hell,” and “You Shook Me All Night Long.”

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Shakin’ at the knees ⚡️ @acdc pic.twitter.com/KAV6oFzvLW — Power Trip (@Powertriplive) October 8, 2023

Last year, Johnson told  Rolling Stone   he didn’t know if AC/DC would perform again. “I would love to,” he said. “It’s as simple as that. I think everybody would. There’s a groundswell of people just asking. But I hate talking about the future, because, fuck, we were ready two years ago, and the pandemic came, and it screwed everything up. So I’m terrified to say what could happen and what couldn’t.”

Power Trip also saw Judas Priest reunite with guitarist Glenn Tipton, who retired in 2018 due to Parkinson’s disease. The band filled in for former Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne, who was scheduled to headline at the festival, but withdrew due to ongoing health issues .

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Get ready to rock with the official 2023 Power Trip app. Register your wristband in the app prior to visiting the festival for the smoothest entry & to secure your investment. Follow in-app instructions to complete your activation. Stay tuned for festival maps, set times, and more as we get closer to the festival. FYI: you may receive notifications based on your location at the festival that can help you plan your day, including info & weather alerts. Allow push notifications and location to be shared for best experience.

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Home » Europe » Moscow

EPIC MOSCOW Itinerary! (2024)

Moscow is the heart of Mother Russia. Just the mention of this city conjures images of colorful bulbous pointed domes, crisp temperatures, and a uniquely original spirit!

Moscow has an incredibly turbulent history, a seemingly resilient culture, and a unique enchantment that pulls countless tourists to the city each year! Although the warmer months make exploring Moscow’s attractions more favorable, there’s just something about a fresh snowfall that only enhances the appearance of the city’s iconic sites!

If you’re a first-time visitor to Moscow, or simply wanting to see as much of the city as possible, this Moscow itinerary will help you do just that!

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Best Time To Visit Moscow

Where to stay in moscow, moscow itinerary, day 1 itinerary in moscow, day 2 itinerary in moscow, day 3 and beyond, staying safe in moscow, day trips from moscow, faq on moscow itinerary.

Here is a quick look at the seasons so you can decide when to visit Moscow!

The summer months (June-August) are a great time to travel to Moscow to take advantage of the enjoyable mild temperatures. This is considered peak travel season. Bear in mind that hotel prices rise along with the temperatures!

If you’re planning a trip to Moscow during fall (September-November) try to plan for early fall. This way the temperatures will still be pleasant and winter won’t be threatening.

Russian winters (December-February) are not for the faint of heart as Napoleon learned to his peril. Some days the sun will be out for less than an hour, and snow is guaranteed. Although winters are exceptionally cold, this is when you’ll get a true glimpse of the Moscow experience!

The best time to visit Moscow is during spring  (March-May). The temperatures will begin to creep up and the sun begins to shine for significant portions of the day. Hotel rates will also have yet to skyrocket into peak ranges!

With a Moscow City Pass , you can experience the best of Moscow at the CHEAPEST prices. Discounts, attractions, tickets, and even public transport are all standards in any good city pass – be sure invest now and save them $$$ when you arrive!

Moscow is a large city with many accommodation options to choose from. Staying in a location that fits with your travel plans will only enhance your Moscow itinerary. Here is a brief introduction to a few great areas of the city we recommend checking out!

The best place to stay in Moscow to be close to all the action is Kitay-Gorod. This charming neighborhood will put you within walking distance to Moscow’s famous Red Square, thus cutting down on travel time. This will allow you to see more of the city in a shorter amount of time!

It’s surrounded by restaurants, cafes, bars, and shops. If you’re a first-time visitor to Moscow, or just planning a quick weekend in Moscow, then this area is perfect for you!

Another great area to consider is the Zamoskvorechye district. This area of the city offers a blend of new and old Moscow. It has an artsy vibe and there are plenty of fun sites you can explore outside of the main touristy areas of Moscow.

Of course, as in all areas of Moscow, it’s close to public transportation that will quickly connect you with the rest of the city and make your Moscow itinerary super accessible!

Best Airbnb in Moscow – Exclusive Apartment in Old Moscow

Modern and cozy, this apartment is in the heart of Old Moscow. Bordering the Basmanny and Kitay-Gorod districts, this two-bedroom flat is walking distance to the Kremlin and Red Square. Safe, quiet, and comfortable, this is the best Airbnb in Moscow, no question!

Best Budget Hotel in Moscow – Izmailovo Alfa Hotel

The Izmailovo Alfa Hotel is a very highly rated accommodation that provides all the components necessary for a comfortable trip to Moscow. There is an on-site restaurant, bar, fitness center, and an airport shuttle service. The rooms are modern and spacious and are equipped with a TV, heating/air conditioning, minibar, and more!

Best Luxury Hotel in Moscow – Crowne Plaza Moscow World Trade Centre

If you’re touring Moscow in luxury, the Crowne Plaza Moscow World Trade Centre is the hotel for you! Elegantly furnished rooms are equipped with a minibar, flat-screen TV,  in-room safes, as well as tea and coffee making facilities! Bathrooms come with bathrobes, slippers, and free toiletries. There is also an onsite restaurant, bar, and fitness center.

Best Hostel in Moscow – Godzillas Hostel

Godzillas Hostel is located in the center of Moscow, just a short walk from all the major tourist attractions and the metro station. Guests will enjoy all the usual hostel perks such as self-catering facilities, 24-hour reception, Free Wi-Fi, and security lockers. This is one of the best hostels in Moscow and its wonderful social atmosphere and will make your vacation in Moscow extra special!

Godzillas Hostel is one of our favourites in Moscow but they’re not taking guests right now. We’re not sure if they’re closed for good but we hope they’ll come back soon.

An important aspect of planning any trip is figuring out the transportation situation. You’re probably wondering how you’re going to get to all of your Moscow points of interest right? Luckily, this sprawling city has an excellent network of public transportation that will make traveling a breeze!

The underground metro system is the quickest and most efficient way to travel around Moscow. Most visitors rely exclusively on this super-efficient transportation system, which allows you to get to pretty much anywhere in the city! It’s also a great option if you’re planning a Moscow itinerary during the colder months, as you’ll be sheltered from the snow and freezing temperatures!

If you prefer above-ground transportation, buses, trams, and trolleybuses, run throughout the city and provide a rather comfortable alternative to the metro.

Moscow’s metro, buses, trams, and trolleybuses are all accessible with a ‘Troika’ card. This card can be topped up with any sum of money at a metro cash desk. The ticket is simple, convenient, and even refundable upon return to a cashier!

No matter which method you choose, you’ll never find yourself without an easy means of getting from point A to point B!

Red Square | Moscow Kremlin | Lenin’s Mausoleum | St. Basil’s Cathedral  | GUM Department Store

Spend the first day of your itinerary taking your own self guided Moscow walking tour around the historic Red Square! This is Moscow’s compact city center and every stop on this list is within easy walking distance to the next! Get ready to see all of the top Moscow landmarks!

Day 1 / Stop 1 – The Red Square

• Why it’s awesome: The Red Square is the most recognizable area in Moscow, it has mesmerizing architecture and centuries worth of history attached to its name.
• Cost: Free to walk around, individual attractions in the square have separate fees. 
• Food nearby: Check out Bar BQ Cafe for friendly service and good food in a great location! The atmosphere is upbeat and they’re open 24/7!

The Red Square is Moscow’s historic fortress and the center of the Russian government. The origins of the square date back to the late 15th century, when Ivan the Great decided to expand the Kremlin to reflect Moscow’s growing power and prestige!

During the 20th century, the square became famous as the site for demonstrations designed to showcase Soviet strength. Visiting the Red Square today, you’ll find it teeming with tourists, who come to witness its magical architecture up close!

The square is the picture postcard of Russian tourism, so make sure to bring your camera when you visit! No matter the season, or the time of day, it’s delightfully photogenic! 

It’s also home to some of Russia’s most distinguishing and important landmarks, which we’ve made sure to include further down in this itinerary. It’s an important center of Russia’s cultural life and one of the top places to visit in Moscow!

In 1990, UNESCO designated Russia’s Red Square as a World Heritage site. Visiting this historic site is a true bucket-list event and essential addition to your itinerary for Moscow!

Day 1 / Stop 2 – The Moscow Kremlin

• Why it’s awesome: The Moscow Kremlin complex includes several palaces and cathedrals and is surrounded by the Kremlin wall. It also houses the principal museum of Russia (the Kremlin Armory).
• Cost: USD $15.00
• Food nearby: Bosco Cafe is a charming place to grat a casual bite to eat. They have excellent coffee and wonderful views of the Red Square and the Moscow Kremlin!

The iconic Moscow Kremlin , also known as the Kremlin museum complex, sits on Borovitsky Hill, rising above the Moscow River. It is a fortified complex in the center of the city, overlooking several iconic buildings in the Red Square!

It’s the best known of the Russian Kremlins – citadels or fortress’ protecting and dominating a city. During the early decades of the Soviet era, the Kremlin was a private enclave where the state’s governing elite lived and worked.

The Kremlin is outlined by an irregularly shaped triangular wall that encloses an area of 68 acres! The existing walls and towers were built from 1485 to 1495. Inside the Kremlin museum complex, there are five palaces, four cathedrals, and the enclosing Kremlin Wall with Kremlin towers.

The Armoury Chamber is a part of the Grand Kremlin Palace’s complex and is one of the oldest museums of Moscow, established in 1851. It showcases Russian history and displays many cherished relics. Definitely make sure to check out this museum while you’re here!

The churches inside the Moscow Kremlin are the Cathedral of the Dormition, Church of the Archangel, Church of the Annunciation, and the bell tower of Ivan Veliki (a church tower).

The five-domed Cathedral of the Dormition is considered the most famous. It was built from 1475–1479 by an Italian architect and has served as a wedding and coronation place for great princes, tsars, and emperors of Russia. Church services are given in the Kremlin’s numerous cathedrals on a regular basis.

The Grand Kremlin Palace was the former Tsar’s Moscow residence and today it serves as the official workplace of the President of the Russian Federation (Vladimir Putin seems to have bagged that title for life) .

Insider Tip: The Kremlin is closed every Thursday! Make sure to plan this stop on your Moscow itinerary for any other day of the week!

Day 1 / Stop 3 – Lenin’s Mausoleum

• Why it’s awesome: The mausoleum displays the preserved body of Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin .
• Cost: Free!
• Food nearby: Khinkal’naya is a charming Georgian restaurant with vaulted ceilings and exposed brick. It’s a popular place with locals and right next to the Red Square!

Lenin’s Mausoleum, also known as Lenin’s Tomb, is the modernist mausoleum for the revolutionary leader Vladimir Lenin. It’s located within the Red Square and serves as the resting place for the Soviet leader! His preserved body has been on public display since shortly after his death in 1924.

It’s located just a few steps away from the Kremlin Wall and is one of the most controversial yet popular Moscow attractions!

Admission is free for everyone, you’ll only need to pay if you need to check a bag. Before visitors are allowed to enter the mausoleum, they have to go through a metal detector first. No metal objects, liquids, or large bags are allowed in the mausoleum!

Expect a line to enter the building, and while you’re inside the building, you’ll be constantly moving in line with other visitors. This means you won’t be able to spend as long as you’d like viewing the mausoleum, but you’ll still be able to get a good look. Pictures and filming while inside the building are strictly prohibited, and security guards will stop you if they see you breaking this rule.

The mausoleum is only open on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday – unless it’s a public holiday or a day scheduled for maintenance. The hours it’s open for each day are limited, make sure to check online before you visit to make sure you can fit this into your Moscow itinerary for that day!

Insider Tip: The Lenin’s Museum is there for people to pay their respect; remember to keep silent and move along quickly, it’s not intended for people to congregate around. Also, men are not allowed to wear hats and everyone must take their hands out of their pockets when inside the building.

Day 1 / Stop 4 – St. Basil’s Cathedral

• Why it’s awesome: A dazzling designed cathedral that showcases Russia’s unique architecture. This cathedral is one of the most recognizable symbols of the country!
• Cost: USD $8.00
• Food nearby: Moskovskiy Chaynyy Klub is a cozy cafe serving food items and pipping hot tea; it’s the perfect place to go if you’re visiting Moscow during the winter months!

Located in the Red Square, the ornate 16th-century St. Basil’s Cathedral is probably the building you picture when you think of Moscow’s unique architecture. Its colorful onion-shaped domes tower over the Moscow skyline!

The cathedral was built from 1555-1561 by order of Tsar Ivan the Terrible. It was designed with an iconic onion dome facade and enchanting colors that captivate all who see it. Fun fact: If you’re wondering why Russian churches have onion domes, they are popularly believed to symbolize burning candles!

This iconic cathedral has become a symbol of Russia due to its distinguishing architecture and prominent position inside the Red Square. It’s one of the most beautiful, wonderful, and mesmerizing historical cathedrals in the world!

The interior of the church surprises most people when they visit. In contrast to the large exterior, the inside is not so much one large area, but rather a collection of smaller areas, with many corridors and small rooms. There are 9 small chapels and one mausoleum grouped around a central tower.

Visiting the inside is like walking through a maze, there are even small signs all around the cathedral tracing where to walk, and pointing you in the right direction! The walls are meticulously decorated and painted with intricate floral designs and religious themes.

The church rarely holds service and is instead a museum open for the public to visit.

Insider Tip: During the summer months the line to go inside the cathedral can get quite long! Make sure to arrive early or reserve your tickets online to guarantee quick access into the cathedral!

Day 1 / Stop 5 – GUM Department Store

• Why it’s awesome: This is Russia’s most famous shopping mall! It’s designed with elegant and opulent architecture and provides a real sense of nostalgia!
• Cost: Free to enter
• Food nearby: Stolovaya 57 is a cafeteria-style restaurant with a variety of inexpensive Russian cuisine menu items including soups, salads, meat dishes, and desserts. It’s also located inside the GUM department store, making it very easily accessible when you’re shopping!

The enormous GUM Department Store is located within the historic Red Square. It has a whimsical enchantment to it that sets it apart from your typical department store.

A massive domed glass ceiling lines the top of the building and fills the interior with natural sunlight. There are live plants and flowers placed throughout the mall that give the shopping complex a lively and cheerful feel! A playful fountain sits in the center, further adding to the malls inviting a sense of wonder and amusement!

The GUM department store opened on December 2, 1893. Today, it includes local and luxury stores, including Fendi, Louis Vuitton, Prada, and many more! There are numerous cafes, restaurants, and even a movie theater inside!

For a special treat, head into Gastronom 1. This 1950s-style shop sells gourmet food items, like wine, freshly-baked pastries, cheese, Russian chocolate, and of course, vodka! Also, be on the lookout for a bicycle pedaling ice cream truck with an employing selling ice cream!

The ambiance is simply amazing, a trip to this idyllic shopping mall is an absolute must on any Moscow itinerary!

Insider Tip: Make sure to carry some small change on you in case you need to use the restroom, you’ll need to pay 50 rubles – or about USD $0.80 to use the bathroom in GUM.

Wanna know how to pack like a pro? Well for a start you need the right gear….

These are packing cubes for the globetrotters and compression sacks for the  real adventurers – these babies are a traveller’s best kept secret. They organise yo’ packing and minimise volume too so you can pack MORE.

Or, y’know… you can stick to just chucking it all in your backpack…

Novodevichy Convent | Gorky Park | State Tretyakov Gallery | All-Russian Exhibition Center | Bolshoi Theater

On your 2 day itinerary in Moscow, you’ll have a chance to use the city’s excellent public transportation service! You’ll explore a few more of Moscow’s historic highlight as well as some modern attractions. These sites are a little more spread out, but still very easily accessible thanks to the metro!

Day 2 / Stop 1 – Novodevichy Convent

• Why it’s awesome: The Novodevichy Convent is rich in imperial Russian history and contains some of Russia’s best examples of classical architecture!
• Cost: USD $5.00
• Food nearby: Culinary Shop Karavaevs Brothers is a cozy and simple place to have a quick bite, they also have vegetarian options!

The Novodevichy Convent is the best-known and most popular cloister of Moscow. The convent complex is contained within high walls, and there are many attractions this site is known for! 

The six-pillared five-domed Smolensk Cathedral is the main attraction. It was built to resemble the Kremlin’s Assumption Cathedral and its facade boasts beautiful snowy white walls and a pristine golden onion dome as its centerpiece. It’s the oldest structure in the convent, built from 1524 -1525, and is situated in the center of the complex between the two entrance gates.

There are other churches inside the convent as well, all dating back from many centuries past. The convent is filled with an abundance of 16th and 17th-century religious artworks, including numerous large and extravagant frescos!

Just outside the convent’s grounds lies the Novodevichy Cemetery. Here, you can visit the graves of famous Russians, including esteemed authors, composers, and politicians. Probably the most intriguing gravestone belongs to Russian politician Nikita Khruschev!

The Novodevichy Convent is located near the Moscow River and offers a peaceful retreat from the busy city. In 2004, it was proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The convent remains remarkably well-preserved and is an outstanding example of Moscow Baroque architecture! 

Insider Tip: To enter the cathedrals inside the complex, women are advised to cover their heads and shoulders, while men should wear long pants.

Day 2 / Stop 2 – Gorky Central Park of Culture and Leisure

• Why it’s awesome: A large amusement area in the heart of the city offering many attractions!
• Cost: Free! 
• Food nearby: Check out Mepkato, located inside Gorky Central Park for a casual meal in a cozy setting. There are indoor and outdoor seating options and the restaurant is child-friendly!

Gorky Central Park of Culture and Leisure is a large green space in the heart of Moscow. The park opened in 1928, and it stretches along the scenic embankment of the Moskva River. It covers an area of 300-acres and offers a lovely contrast from the compact city center.

You’ll find all sorts of wonderful attractions, from boat rides to bike rentals to tennis courts and ping-pong tables, and much more! there are an open-air cinema and festive events and concerts scheduled in the summer months.  A wide selection of free fitness classes is also offered on a regular basis, including jogging, roller skating, and dancing!

Although many of the options you’ll find here are more suited for outdoor leisure during the summer, you’ll also a selection of winter attractions, including one of Europe’s largest ice rinks for ice-skating!

If you’re trying to decide what to do in Moscow with kids, the park also offers several venues designed specifically for kids. Check out the year-round Green School which offers hands-on classes in gardening and art! You can also feed the squirrels and birds at the Golitsinsky Ponds!

The park is very well maintained and kept clean and the entrance is free of charge, although most individual attractions cost money. There is also Wi-Fi available throughout the park.

With so many attractions, you could easily spend all day here! If you’re only planning a 2 day itinerary in Moscow, make sure to plan your time accordingly and map out all the areas you want to see beforehand!

Day 2 / Stop 3 – The State Tretyakov Gallery

• Why it’s awesome: The gallery’s collection consists entirely of Russian art made by Russian artists!
• Food nearby : Brothers Tretyakovs is located right across the street from the gallery. It’s a wonderfully atmospheric restaurant serving top quality food and drinks!

The State Tretyakov Gallery was founded in 1856 by influential merchant and collector Pavel Tretyakov.  The gallery is a national treasury of Russian fine art and one of the most important museums in Russia!

It houses the world’s best collection of Russian art and contains more than 130, 000 paintings, sculptures, and graphics! These works have been created throughout the centuries by generations of Russia’s most talented artists!

The exhibits range from mysterious 12th-century images to politically charged canvases. The collection is rich and revealing and offers great insight into the history and attitudes of this long-suffering yet inspired people!

All pictures are also labeled in English. If you plan to take your time and see everything inside the museum it will take a good 3-4 hours, so make sure to plan your Moscow trip itinerary accordingly! This gallery is a must-see stop for art lovers, or anyone wanting to explore the local culture and history of Russia in a creative and insightful manner! 

Insider Tip: When planning your 2 days in Moscow itinerary, keep in mind that most museums in Moscow are closed on Mondays, this includes The State Tretyakov Gallery!

Day 2 / Stop 4 – All-Russian Exhibition Center

• Why it’s awesome: This large exhibition center showcases the achievements of the Soviet Union in several different spheres. 
• Food nearby: Varenichnaya No. 1 serves authentic and homestyle Russian cuisine in an intimate and casual setting.

The All-Russian Exhibition Center is a massive park that presents the glory of the Soviet era! It pays homage to the achievements of Soviet Russia with its many different sites found on the property.

The center was officially opened in 1939 to exhibit the achievements of the Soviet Union. It’s a huge complex of buildings and the largest exhibition center in Moscow. There are several exhibition halls dedicated to different achievements and every year there are more than one hundred and fifty specialized exhibitions!

The Peoples Friendship Fountain was constructed in 1954 and is a highlight of the park. The stunning gold fountain features 16 gilded statues of girls, each representing the former Soviet Union republics. 

The Stone Flower Fountain was also built in 1954 and is worth checking out. The centerpiece of this large fountain is a flower carved from stones from the Ural Mountains! Along the side of the fountain are various bronze sculptures.

You will find many people zipping around on rollerblades and bicycles across the large area that the venue covers. It’s also home to amusement rides and carousels, making it the perfect place to stop with kids on your Moscow itinerary! Make sure to wear comfortable shoes and allow a few hours to explore all the areas that interest you!

Day 2 / Stop 5 – Bolshoi Theater

• Why it’s awesome: The Bolshoi Theater is a historic venue that hosts world-class ballet and opera performances!
• Cost: Prices vary largely between USD $2.00 –  USD $228.00 based on seat location.
• Food nearby: Head to the Russian restaurant, Bolshoi for high-quality food and drinks and excellent service!

The Bolshoi Theater is among the oldest and most renowned ballet and opera companies in the world! It also boasts the world’s biggest ballet company, with more than 200 dancers!

The theater has been rebuilt and renovated several times during its long history. In 2011 it finished its most recent renovation after an extensive six-year restoration that started in 2005. The renovation included an improvement in acoustics and the restoration of the original Imperial decor.

The Bolshoi Theater has put on many of the world’s most famous ballet acts! Tchaikovsky’s ballet Swan Lake premiered at the theater in 1877 and other notable performances of the Bolshoi repertoire include Tchaikovsky’s The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker!

Today, when you visit the theater, you can expect a magical performance from skilled singers, dancers, and musicians with the highest level of technique!

If you don’t have time to see a show, the theater also provides guided tours on select days of the week. Tours are given in both Russian and English and will provide visitors with a more intimate look at the different areas of the theater!

The stage of this iconic Russian theater has seen many outstanding performances. If you’re a fan of the performing arts, the Bolshoi Theater is one of the greatest and oldest ballet and opera companies in the world, making it a must-see attraction on your Moscow itinerary!

Godzillas Hostel

Godzillas Hostel is located in the center of Moscow, just a short walk from all the major tourist attractions and the metro station.

• Towels Included

Cosmonautics Museum | Alexander Garden | Ostankino Tower | Izmaylovo District | Soviet Arcade Museum

Now that we’ve covered what to do in Moscow in 2 days, if you’re able to spend more time in the city you’re going to need more attractions to fill your time. Here are a few more really cool things to do in Moscow we recommend!

Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics

• Hear the timeline of the ‘space race’ from the Russian perspective
• This museum is fun for both adults and children!
• Admission is USD $4.00

The Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics is a museum dedicated to space exploration! The museum explores the history of flight, astronomy, space exploration, space technology, and space in the arts. It houses a large assortment of Soviet and Russian space-related exhibits, and the museum’s collection holds approximately 85,000 different items!

The museum does an excellent job of telling the full story of the exciting space race between the USSR and the US! It highlights the brightest moments in Russian history and humanity and is very interesting and fun for all ages!

If you’re a fan of space or just curious about gaining insight into Russia’s fascinating history of space exploration, make sure to add this to your 3 day itinerary in Moscow!

The Alexander Garden

• A tranquil place to relax near the Red Square
• Green lawns dotted with sculptures and lovely water features
• The park is open every day and has no entrance fee

The Alexander Garden was one of the first urban public parks in Moscow! The garden premiered in 1821 and was built to celebrate Russia’s victory over Napoleon’s forces in 1812!

The park is beautiful and well maintained with paths to walk on and benches to rest on. The park contains three separate gardens: the upper garden, middle garden, and lower garden.

Located in the upper garden, towards the main entrance to the park is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier with its eternal flame. This monument was created in 1967 and contains the body of a soldier who fell during the Great Patriotic War!

The park stretches along all the length of the western Kremlin wall for about half a mile. Due to its central location in the city, it’ll be easily accessible when you’re out exploring The Red Square.

It provides a bit of relief from the city’s high-energy city streets. Bring a picnic lunch, go for a walk, or just sit and people watch, this is one of the best Moscow sites to wind-down and relax!

Ostankino Television Tower

• Television and radio tower in Moscow
• Currently the tallest free-standing structure in Europe
• Make sure you bring your passport when you visit, you can’t go up without it!

For spectacular views of the city, make sure to add the Ostankino Television Tower to your itinerary for Moscow! This impressive free-standing structure provides stunning views of the city in every direction. The glass floor at the top also provides great alternative views of the city!

It takes just 58 seconds for visitors to reach the Tower’s observation deck by super fast elevator. The tower is open every day for long hours and is a great site in Moscow to check out! There is even a restaurant at the top where you can enjoy rotating views of the city while you dine on traditional Russian cuisine or European cuisine!

The tower is somewhat of an architectural surprise in a city that is not known for skyscrapers! To see the city from a new perspective, make sure to add this stop to your Moscow itinerary!

Izmaylovo District

• The most popular attractions in this district are the kremlin and the flea market
• Outside of the city center and easy to reach via metro
• Most popular during the summer and on weekends

Travel outside the city center and discover a unique area of the city! The Izmaylovo District is a popular destination for locals and tourists alike, and one of the coolest places to see in Moscow! The two main attractions we recommend checking out are the Kremlin and the flea market.

The Izmailovo Kremlin was established as a cultural center and molded after traditional Russian architecture. This colorful complex is home to several single-subject museums, including a Russian folk art museum and a vodka museum!

Next to the Kremlin is the Izmailovo open-air market, which dates back to the 17th century! The market is connected to the Izmailovo Kremlin by a wooden bridge. Pick up all your Russian souvenirs here, including traditional handicrafts, paintings, books, retro toys, and Soviet memorabilia!

You will find many hand-made and hand-painted options available at higher prices, as well as mass-produced souvenir options at lower prices!

Museum of Soviet Arcade Games

• Closed on Mondays
• Filled with old arcade games that visitors get to try out!
• The museum also includes a small cafe and burger shop

For something a little different, check out the Museum of Soviet Arcade Games! The museum features roughly 60 machines from the Soviet era, including video games, pinball machines, and collaborative hockey foosball! The machines inside the museum were produced in the USSR in the mid-1970s.

The best part is, most of the games are still playable! Purchase tickets and try the games out for yourself! The museum also has a neat little screening room that plays old Soviet cartoons and an area with Soviet magazines! This unique attraction is a fun addition to a 3 day itinerary in Moscow, and an attraction that all ages will enjoy! 

Whether you’re spending one day in Moscow, or more, safety is an important thing to keep in mind when traveling to a big city! Overall, Moscow is a very safe place to visit. However, it is always recommended that tourists take certain precautions when traveling to a new destination!

The police in Moscow is extremely effective at making the city a safe place to visit and do their best to patrol all of the top Moscow, Russia tourist attractions. However, tourists can still be a target for pickpockets and scammers.

Moscow has a huge flow of tourists, therefore there is a risk for pickpocketing. Simple precautions will help eliminate your chances of being robbed. Stay vigilant, keep your items close to you at all times, and don’t flash your valuables!

If you’re planning a solo Moscow itinerary, you should have no need to worry, as the city is also considered safe for solo travelers, even women. Stay in the populated areas, try and not travel alone late at night, and never accept rides from strangers or taxis without a meter and correct signage.

The threat of natural disasters in Moscow is low, with the exception of severe winters when the temperature can dip below freezing! Bring a good, warm jacket if you visit in Winter.

However, please note that Russian views on homsexuality are far less accepting than those in Western Europe. Likewise, Non-Caucasian travellers may sadly encounter racism in Russia .

Don’t Forget Your Travel Insurance for Moscow

ALWAYS sort out your backpacker insurance before your trip. There’s plenty to choose from in that department, but a good place to start is Safety Wing .

They offer month-to-month payments, no lock-in contracts, and require absolutely no itineraries: that’s the exact kind of insurance long-term travellers and digital nomads need.

SafetyWing is cheap, easy, and admin-free: just sign up lickety-split so you can get back to it!

Click the button below to learn more about SafetyWing’s setup or read our insider review for the full tasty scoop.

Now that we’ve covered all the top things to see in Moscow, we thought we’d include some exciting day trips to other areas of the country!

Sergiev Posad (Golden Ring)

On this 7-hour guided tour, you’ll visit several scenic and historic areas of Russia. Start your day with hotel pick-up as you’re transferred by a comfortable car or minivan to Sergiev Posad. Admire the charming Russian countryside on your drive and enjoy a quick stop to visit the Russian village, Rudonezh!

You’ll see the majestic Saint Spring and the Church of Sergiev Radonezh. You’ll also visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, one of the most famous Orthodox sites in Russia!

Lastly, you’ll swing by the local Matreshka market and enjoy a break in a nice Russian restaurant before returning to Moscow!

Day Trip to Vladimir and Suzdal

On this 13-hour trip, you’ll discover old Russia, with its picturesque landscapes and white-stoned beautiful churches! You’ll visit the main towns of the famous Golden Ring of Russia – the name for several cities and smaller towns north-east of Moscow.

Your first stop will be in the town of Vladimir, the ancient capital of all Russian principalities. The city dates back to the 11th century and is one of the oldest and the most important towns along the Ring! Next, you’ll visit Suzdal, a calm ancient Russian town north of Vladimir with only 13,000 inhabitants!

The old-style architecture and buildings of Suzdal are kept wonderfully intact. If you’re spending three days in Moscow, or more, this is a great option for exploring the charming areas outside the city!

Zvenigorod Day Trip and Russian Countryside

On this 9-hour private tour, you’ll explore the ancient town of Zvenigorod, one of the oldest towns in the Moscow region! As you leave Moscow you’ll enjoy the stunning scenery along the Moscow River, and make a few stops at old churches along the way to Zvenigorod.

Upon arrival, you’ll explore the medieval center, including the 14th-century Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery. Next, you’ll take a break for lunch (own expense) where you’ll have the chance to try out the Russian cuisine! Next, you’ll visit the Museum of Russian Dessert and sip on tea at a Russian tea ceremony.

The final stop of the day is at the Ershovo Estate, a gorgeous place to walk around and enjoy nature!

Day Trip to St Petersburg by Train visiting Hermitage & Faberge

On this full-day tour, you’ll enjoy a a full round trip to St Petersburg where you’ll spend an exciting day exploring another popular Russian city! You’ll be picked up from your hotel in Moscow and be transferred to the train station where you’ll ride the high-speed train ‘Sapsan’ to St Petersburg.

Upon arrival, you’ll start the day by touring the Hermitage Museum and the Winter Palace. Next, you’ll visit the Faberge Museum, where you’ll explore the impressive collection of rare Faberge Eggs! In the afternoon, enjoy a sightseeing boat ride and a traditional 3-course Russian lunch.

If you’re spending 3 days in Moscow, or more, this is an excellent trip to take!

Trip to Kolomna – Authentic Cultural Experience from Moscow

On this 10-hour tour, you’ll escape the city and travel to the historic town of Kolomna! First, you’ll visit the 14th-century Kolomna Kremlin, home to the Assumption Cathedral and an abundance of museums!

Next, enjoy lunch at a local cafe (own expense) before embarking on a tour of the Marshmallow Museum – of course, a marshmallow tasting is provided!  Your final stop is the Museum of Forging Settlements, where displays include armor and accessories for fishing and hunting.

Discover this beautiful Russian fairytale city on a private trip, where all of the planning is taken care of for you!

Stash your cash safely with this money belt. It will keep your valuables safely concealed, no matter where you go.

It looks exactly like a normal belt  except for a SECRET interior pocket perfectly designed to hide a wad of cash, a passport photocopy or anything else you may wish to hide. Never get caught with your pants down again! (Unless you want to…)

Find out what people want to know when planning their Moscow itinerary.

How many days you need in Moscow?

We recommend that you spend at least two or three days in Moscow to take it all in.

What’s the best month to visit Moscow?

The best time to visit Moscow is over the spring, from March to May as temperatures are mild, crowds are thin and prices are reasonable.

What are some unusual things to do in Moscow?

I mean, queuing up to see an almost 100 year old corpse is pretty unsual! Check out Lenin’s Mausoleum if you fancy it!

What are some fun things to do in Moscow?

The Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics is a fun place to explore the famous space race from the perspective of the ‘other side’!

We hope you enjoyed our Moscow itinerary! We’ve made sure to cover all the Moscow must-sees as well as some unique attractions in the city! Our addition of insider tips, favorite food stops, and day trips from Moscow is an added bonus and will guarantee you make the most out of your exciting Russian vacation!

Immerse yourself in the modern and traditional Russian lifestyle! Get lost in museums, witness awe-inspiring architecture, and indulge in Russian cuisine! Spend the day strolling through all of the charming sites of Moscow, admiring the beautiful scenery and discovering the city’s fairytale-like enchantment!

And for transparency’s sake, please know that some of the links in our content are affiliate links . That means that if you book your accommodation, buy your gear, or sort your insurance through our link, we earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). That said, we only link to the gear we trust and never recommend services we don’t believe are up to scratch. Again, thank you!

Alya and Campbell

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• International edition
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Russia-Ukraine war: Moscow’s bid to return to UN’s top human rights body fails after vote – as it happened

Albania and Bulgaria receive more votes at general assembly, after Russia was suspended from body last year

• What we know on day 594 of the invasion
• 10 Oct 2023 Closing summary
• 10 Oct 2023 Zelenskiy pledged not to attack nuclear plant in Zaporizhzhia, says IAEA chief
• 10 Oct 2023 Russian bid to return to UN rights body fails after vote
• 10 Oct 2023 Ukrainian frontline town of Avdiivka under 'severe artillery attack', says police officer
• 10 Oct 2023 Finland: Nato ready to assist investigation into pipeline damaged by 'external activity'
• 10 Oct 2023 Two Ukrainian defence ministry officials held on suspicion of embezzlement
• 10 Oct 2023 Russia will resume nuclear tests only if the US does it first, says deputy foreign minister
• 10 Oct 2023 Russia upholds detention of US reporter Evan Gershkovich
• 10 Oct 2023 Summary of the day so far...
• 10 Oct 2023 Ukrainian authorities investigating almost 100,000 war crimes
• 10 Oct 2023 Who decides who joins the UN human rights council?
• 10 Oct 2023 Zelenskiy visiting Romania
• 10 Oct 2023 Russian casualties rise by 450, says Ukraine
• 10 Oct 2023 Russia seeks return to UN human rights council

Russian bid to return to UN rights body fails after vote

Russia has missed out on a bid to return to the UN’s top human rights body, with Albania and Bulgaria winning more votes at the general assembly, Reuters reports.

Russia won 83 votes, while Albania received 123 and Bulgaria got 160 in a secret ballot.

The election is seen as a crucial test of western efforts to keep Moscow diplomatically isolated over its invasion of Ukraine, for which it was ousted from the Geneva-based human rights council 18 months ago .

Russia’s suspension last year made it the first permanent member of the UN security council to have its membership revoked from any UN body.

Closing summary

Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, says Volodymyr Zelenskiy has promised him that Ukraine will not attack Europe’s biggest nuclear plant as part of its counteroffensive against Russia.

Russia has missed out on a bid to return to the UN’s top human rights body, with Albania and Bulgaria winning more votes at the general assembly, Reuters reports .

Russian forces have been closing in on the eastern Ukrainian town of Avdiivka , which has been hit by intense shelling since the morning, officials said .

Extensive damage to an undersea gas pipeline and communications cable connecting Finland and Estonia “could not have occurred by accident” and appears to be the result of a “deliberate … external act”, Finnish authorities have said .

Volodymyr Zelenskiy called for steps to ensure Russia does not turn the Black Sea into a “dead zone” for shipping after Moscow quit a deal allowing safe Ukrainian grain exports. On his first trip to Romania since Russia’s invasion , Zelenskiy said after talks with his counterpart, Klaus Iohannis , that he had heard “good news” on artillery and air defence supplies from the Nato and EU member state.

Ukraine reportedly said on Tuesday that it was holding two senior defence ministry officials on suspicion of embezzling $7m (£5.7m) earmarked for buying bulletproof vests.

A Russian court has dismissed a complaint by the Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich against the extension of his pre-trial detention, more than six months after his arrest on spying charges . Judge Yuri Pasyunin at Moscow city court ruled to “keep the detention without changes” until 30 November, an Agence-France Presse reporter at the court said.

The National Police of Ukraine has documented nearly 100,000 war crimes committed by Russian forces in Ukraine, according to the head of the body . Speaking to the Interfax-Ukraine news agency, Ivan Vyhovsky said the evidence being gathered would form the basis of future attempts to prosecute the perpetrators.

Russia is unlikely to launch an additional mobilisation drive before the presidential election next year, the UK’s Ministry of Defence has said . In its daily intelligence update, the MoD said Vladimir Putin would “almost certainly” run for re-election in the vote, scheduled to take place on 17 March.

Vladimir Putin discussed trade and security with Mali’s leader on Tuesday in their third phone conversation in less than two months, the Kremlin said.

The frequency of Putin’s contacts with Mali’s interim president Assimi Goita underlines Moscow’s strong interest in building its influence in the Sahel region of west Africa where it is cultivating strong security ties at the expense of France and the US.

The two leaders discussed their “mutual commitment to further strengthening trade and economic ties, security cooperation and the fight against terrorism”, the Kremlin said in a statement.

Mali is one of six African countries to which Putin promised to supply free grain at a summit in Russia in July.

A senior Russian official accused the US of deploying unmatched efforts to ensure Russia remained out of the human rights council (see earlier post at 16:50 for more details on the vote).

“The United States campaigned for Albania,” Maria Zabolotskaya, Russia’s deputy permanent representative to the UN, was quoted as saying by RIA news agency.

“Such a campaign directly aimed against us is unprecedented,” she added.

Amid some signs of supposed Ukraine war “fatigue”, some diplomats earlier said Russia had a reasonable chance of getting voted back on to the council, according to Reuters.

“It was not even that close in the end,” said Richard Gowan, the UN director of the International Crisis Group.

“I think western diplomats may have been overstating the risk of a Russian win to keep UN members on their toes.”

China and Cuba were also among the winners of Tuesday’s vote. The next three-year term begins on 1 January.

Bulgarian police have arrested 12 people accused of illegally exporting dual-use goods to Russia that can be used by the Russian military in the war in Ukraine .

The Associated Press reports:

The interior ministry chief secretary, Zhivko Kotsev , told reporters on Tuesday the suspects included citizens of Bulgaria, Russia and Belarus. The operation to arrest the suspects was carried out by several agencies after the state agency for national security received information about the illegal transfer of goods with possible dual use, the agency head, Plamen Tonchev, said. Such exports to Russia are banned under EU sanctions imposed on Russia after it launched its war in Ukraine . “An international network has been revealed for the illegal supply of dual-use goods with civilian and military applications from European countries to the Russian Federation,” Tonchev said. He added that the shipments were not intended for the regular Russian army, but for the special forces fighting in Ukraine, like the Wagner group and the Akhmat paramilitary unit.

Commenting on Russia’s failure to regain a seat on the human rights council (see earlier post at 16:50 ), Louis Charbonneau , of international NGO Human Rights Watch, said:

UN member states sent a strong signal to Russia’s leadership that a government responsible for countless war crimes and crimes against humanity doesn’t belong on the human rights council.

Albanian ambassador Ferit Hoxha, whose country received 123 votes, had said earlier that the UN general assembly “has an important choice” to “demonstrate that it is not ready to take an arsonist for a firefighter.”

It comes just days after a Russian missile attack on the Ukrainian village of Hroza was reported to have killed more than 50 people .

Zelenskiy pledged not to attack nuclear plant in Zaporizhzhia, says IAEA chief

In an interview with the Guardian, the nuclear watchdog chief said he was most concerned about the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant becoming engulfed in fighting between the two sides, but insisted he had obtained a commitment from the Ukrainian president.

“President Zelenskiy has personally assured me that they will not directly bomb or shell it,” Grossi said, although he added that Zelenskiy had told him “all other options are on the table” in terms of taking it back.

That means Ukraine would comply with the first of the five new nuclear safety principles – “do not attack a nuclear power plant” – initially outlined by Grossi at the UN security council at the end of May to avert “a catastrophic accident”.

The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station was captured by Russia in March 2022, the first time any reactor has been captured in war, prompting fears of a fresh incident in the same country where an explosion at Chornobyl spread radioactivity across Europe in 1986.

Grossi said the danger was that “anything can happen at any time” given the prevailing military situation. “I’m often asked, is [the power station] safe now? No. It’s in the middle of a war zone with a counteroffensive,” he said.

You can read the full story here:

Ukrainian frontline town of Avdiivka under 'severe artillery attack', says police officer

Russian forces have been closing in on the eastern Ukrainian town of Avdiivka , which has been hit by intense shelling since the morning, officials said.

A local police officer, Pavlo Diachenko, told AFP that Avdiivka, now home to fewer than 2,000 people, was undergoing a “severe artillery attack”.

Avdiivka lies less than six miles from the Russian-controlled stronghold of Donetsk and has long been a target for Moscow’s forces.

Ukraine has managed to cling on to the frontline town, despite constant strikes that have forced much of its civilian population to flee.

“For over a year, there has been the danger that (Avdiivka) can be occupied, but now the situation has worsened rapidly,” Vitaliy Barabash, head of the town’s administration, said.

Russian troops launched an artillery attack in the morning and were firing incessantly, he said. These claims are yet to be independently verified.

Poland’s two highest-ranking military officers have resigned days before a crucial election and amid the war in neighbouring Ukraine.

On Tuesday, the armed forces operational commander, Lt Gen Tomasz Piotrowski , and the chief of staff, General Rajmund Andrzejczak , submitted their resignations, spokespeople for the respective services confirmed to Reuters.

National Security Bureau chief Jacek Siewiera said the president had accepted their resignations and new commanders would be appointed later in the day. No reason was given for the departures.

“(It is) a complete disgrace for Minister Blaszczak, who has long crossed over the line into using the Polish army in a partisan way,” Tomasz Siemoniak, a former defence minister from the opposition Civic Platform, wrote on X.

“This is a Law and Justice party (PiS) disaster in the defence sector at a time of great threats to Poland,” he said.

Rattled by Russia’s invasion of neighbouring Ukraine , Poland has increased military spending to about 4% of national output this year and has also moved soldiers to its border with Belarus, a close ally of Moscow.

With a closely contested election in Poland on 15 October, some experts have said the pace of military spending and the domestic debate around it were being driven in part by campaigning.

Russians who leave the country and support Ukraine should be sent to a far eastern region known for its Stalin-era Gulag prison camps if they ever return home, the speaker of the Russian parliament’s lower house, the state Duma, said.

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine last February, and its subsequent mobilisation campaign, prompted at least several hundred thousand Russians to leave their homeland.

Vyachelav Volodin , the speaker of the Duma, told lawmakers on Tuesday that those who had left Russia and rejoiced at Ukrainian drone and missile attacks on their country should know that they were no longer welcome in their homeland.

Volodin said:

Those who left the country and committed despicable acts, rejoicing at the shots fired on the territory of the Russian Federation, wishing victory to the bloody Nazi Kyiv regime, should realise that no one is waiting for them here. But if they do come back, then Magadan will be provided for them.

For Russians, Magadan is synonymous with the gulag – a series of forced labour camps where Russians were used as slave labour under Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin .

Air force Gen Charles Q. Brown , who took over as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff last month, arrived in Brussels on Tuesday for a monthly meeting of global support for Ukraine , known as the Ukraine Contact Group.

He will be joined by the US defence secretary, Lloyd Austin , later this evening, Reuters reports.

The general faces the daunting task of assuring allies that the US remains committed to supporting Ukraine, even though the House of Representatives, which holds the key to future aid, is without a leader .

The situation has been further complicated by the weekend’s escalation of violence in the Middle East .

Joe Biden’s administration has repeatedly stressed its support for Ukraine and will announce a new weapons package for Kyiv while military leaders are in Brussels.

“Over the next few days I’ll be having meetings to reassure our partners,” Brown said.

“I recognise that what is going on in the US, on the hill. [Allies] will have questions and concerns,” he added.

Vladimir Putin hosted Iraq’s prime minister, Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani , in the Kremlin on Tuesday, praising cooperation between their countries at the OPEC+ group of top oil producers.

Putin told Sudani at the start of their first ever meeting:

We coordinate work within the framework of OPEC+ and do this very successfully with the aim of stabilizing the situation on world markets. Overall, we succeed in this, and I hope we will continue to work with you in the future.

Finland: Nato ready to assist investigation into pipeline damaged by 'external activity'

Here is a press release from the office of the president of Finland, Sauli Niinistö:

The damage to the underwater infrastructure has been taken seriously and its causes have been investigated since Sunday. The political leadership has been closely informed of the situation. It is likely that the damage to both the gas pipeline and the data cable is caused by external activity. What specifically caused the damage is not yet known. The investigation will continue in cooperation between Finland and Estonia. We are also in constant contact with our allies and partners. I discussed with Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg today. Nato is ready to assist with the investigation. Finland’s level of preparedness is good. These events have no impact on our security of supply.

Finland joined Nato in April 2023, having applied after the Russian invasion of Ukraine .

Reuters has a quick snap that the Nato secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg , has said it is sharing information over the damage to underwater infrastructure between Estonia and Finland , and stands ready to support the allies concerned.

Leonid Pasechnik , Russian-installed head of the chiefly unrecognised Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR) , which the Russian Federation claims to have annexed, has issued a status update on the Telegram messaging service.

In it, he claims that in the last week the Russian military has foiled at least 32 attempts by Ukrainian armed forces to take territory in Luhansk region. He claims that “during 26 attempts to cross the airspace of the LPR, the enemy lost 34 drones”.

He said: “The complex actions of our motorised riflemen, reconnaissance officers, artillerymen, the competent work of air defence units, electronic warfare and UAV service specialists made it possible to pin down the Ukrainian armed forces’ offensive along the entire frontline.”

The claims have not been independently verified.

Just a little more here on the damage to a gas pipeline connecting Finland and Estonia . Finland’s public service broadcaster Yle reports that the government is to hold a press conference at 5.30pm local time (3.30pm BST). It says the authorities have located the damaged point, and that there is also damage to a communications cable between the two nations, both of which are Nato members and border Russia .

Here are some images released of Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskiy with his Romanian counterpart, Klaus Werner Iohannis , and their delegations in Bucharest.

Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy , said on Tuesday he had “good news” on artillery and air defence supplies after talks with his Romanian counterpart, Klaus Iohannis , in Bucharest , but gave no details.

Speaking to reporters in the Romanian capital, he said:

My main accent today was air defence. And I’m glad that Ukraine was heard by the Romanian side.

Zelenskiy also said everything possible should be done to prevent Russia turning part of the Black Sea or the Danube region into what he described as a maritime “dead zone”.

Russia has pulled out of a deal that guaranteed safe shipments of Ukrainian grain via the Black Sea , and has been attacking Ukrainian port infrastructure on the Danube River.

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