Festival Review: Rock Werchter 2026
Rock Werchter returns with a stellar edition featuring stellar performances by LANDMVRKS, Kae Tempest, Mogwai, David Byrne, CMAT and Pup set against the idealistic Belgian sun.
Rock Werchter is a well-oiled machine; organised to perfection, taking place in the Belgian heartlands deep in Leuven with a capacity 88,000 strong; having recently moved into an eclectic taste highlighting its status as good for everyone – regardless of your music genre you’ll find something to love. This year was no different; combining small, intimate stages like the newly christened Gladiator-style combat arena akin to open warfare when there was a mildly heavy band on called The Nest with the big anthem-ready festival parks.
What’s rapidly apparent from the moment you set foot in the Hive is how friendly and welcoming everyone is. We kick things off with a party and a singalong to classics like Kings of Leon’s staple ‘Sex on Fire’ as well as local Belgian staples where the audience gets to join in a band-backed karaoke in a festival tent before Belgium almost immediately kill the mood by going 2-0 down against Senegal. That doesn’t last; thankfully, and the atmosphere is in full swing when they come from behind to win – and the party can start and it goes well into the night. As first days go; it’s special – no music on the warm-up day but the karaoke does it itself – perfect chance to get to know your camping neighbours. But of course – the music is what we’re here for – and the music is what we get! What a lineup – four jam-packed days of class taste and music across the board.
THURSDAY 02 JULY
The multiple stages allow the festival to book some small local acts in addition to big names; first up is a trip to Balu Brigada in the Barn and it’s immediately apparent that the closed off tent-type arena-sized level infrastructure is ready for the unbearable heat. And Balu Brigada themselves are a top-class new band; hailing from Auckland, New Zealand, able to run through a short but intense set that gets the crowd warmed up and showing immediately the pull of this festival’s strength in depth: if you stay on the main stage you miss out on some really good bands. Barricading for 12 hours in the heat is no fun and completely unnecessary – the festival is designed to cater for the wanderer. Brigada’s set is one of fury; intensity and tap through crowd pleasers like ‘Backseat’ and ‘So Cold’. It’s a short set; it doesn’t fill their time – but as a warm-up, it works wonders.
Next up is All Them Witches – also in the Barn – who sound a bit too background noise-y for me but you can recognise their potential – so we are tempted by the allure of the Roman Colosseum amphitheatre-type building of The Nest and hotly tipped indie Irish band Basht. That show the potential of anyone there who is there for a mosh pit; and we have crowd-surfers and handwaving from the off. Everyone respects these new bands given the opportunity and that’s what makes the discovery stage so special: the latest Irish indie band that establish themselves as the most exciting force coming out of Dublin today – their catchiest bouncy track ‘Kiera Knightley’ really fills the room. It’s a bop and everybody is in a good mood – they feel so self-assured and so self-confident it isn’t long before they’re back and further down the billing. The chorus isn’t complex – “Keira Knightley x3” is repeated; but it’s impossible not to get swept up in.
Popular acts in The Barn mean that we sacrifice a good spot for The Vaccines as it’s packed out; but the 2000s UK indie favourites have a kind of odd festival set; deploying their hits like ‘Wetsuit’ and ‘Post Break-up Sex’ early on within the first four songs and coming out of the gate flying. The crowd is in a good mood; the singalongs vibrate – and it’s a good bouncy band to put on earlier in the day even if they don’t have the energy to keep up the levels going forward. The sun is out, the sun is shining – it’s good, sensible booking to get the crowd in a good mood.
My favourite act of day one is Leeds heroes Yard Act; with their third album on the way and keep themselves fresh and exciting throughout. James Smith is in high spirits and can embrace their fun side as they’re back; later in the day from when I last saw them in 2024 and recognising that they’re only on the ascendancy. They call to mind bands gone by: no longer with Talking Heads style dancers but instead have a vibe of The Fall; and new songs fit in seamlessly with the old heavy hitters – ‘New Beginnings’ keeps the punk energy and here’s a touch of self-awareness that they’ve never really lost – Smith is aware that they’re very good – and refuses to let up and with that brings the sense of self-confidence that comes two albums deep. No longer do they view themselves as imposters – they deserve a seat at the table. ‘We Make Hits’ is impeccable – and yes, Yard Act very much do.
The Nest takes a heavier turn – Karen Dio operates in the poppier side of metal but isn’t afraid to lean into that; her cover of Chappell Roan’s ‘Casual’ is made for the “this is a metal gig they’re not going to play Chappell Roan”-ready memes but delivered with a firecracker of a voice that establishes herself as a future festival headliner in the making: new song ‘Choke’ keeps up that star power and she commands the stage; exploring personal freedom, eternal youth and lived in experience rather than nostalgia. We also get a pairing with the intense loud outfit PUP; from Canada – who dive into the crowd and play up to the intense draw of the crowd surfers. It’s a real ‘Wild Wild West’ out there as the circle pits absolutely pop off, and for ‘If This Tour Doesn’t Kill You, I Will’; there is no a dry eye in sight. They are one of the best bands of the festival weekend: and deserve a Turnstile summer of their own.
Day one main stage closure for me is The War on Drugs; who have kept up their staying power and have the perfect weather for a festival as they play in the setting sun to ‘Red Eyes’ and ‘An Ocean in Between the Eyes’; with no new material but allow fans to experience the nostalgia overload of the best of ‘Lost in the Dream’ and ‘A Deeper Understanding’. The perfectly calm modern rock giants operate in their own to cast a sheer spell on the entire audience. Andam Granduciel’s chaotic; melancholic fusion is one of delight – pure beauty at work.
It’s tranquil and rewarding – the perfect bliss-induced way to lull you into a self-induced sense of complacency that is rudely awakened by the abrasive; brash and organised wall of sound that immediately follows – forsaking crowd-pleasing singalong act Mumford and Sons for Blood Incantation in Klub C – the progressive death metal band from Denver, Colorado. ‘The Stargate’ and ‘The Message’ gets a run-out with the three tablets being deployed in perfect order for such a unique set. It’s appropriately apocalyptic – the kind of band that says “we’ve only got two songs left” and goes on for half an hour almost anyway. They’re serious, but also silly and self-aware – the metal scene couldn’t have been better right now and anyone who misses out on this set is missing out on a display of chaotic enthusiasm. Their black hood-wearing outfits resembled their peak metal entrance, but they don’t stay on for long – translating ‘Absolute Elsewhere’ to such a wide audience that has led them being the perfect counterbalance for an act like Mumford and Sons. Take risks – stay away from the main stage – and you might be rewarded with the best of a whole scene.
FRIDAY 03 JULY
The novelty of the World Cup happening on at the same time means that the feel good atmosphere carries back to the campsite – unless you end up supporting Mexico or the United States; and by the time day two gets underway, the feel good factor is in full effect with Wolf Alice; a textbook example of how different countries can have different music tastes as a few days later they are headlining Finsbury Park and at the top end of a day that is more or less the same as the Friday. Flagship single of new album ‘The Clearing’; ‘Bloom Baby Bloom’ makes the case immediately for their star power – and the angry rawness of ‘Yuk Foo’ almost translates into Amyl and the Sniffers-esque punk energy; pure unrivalled fury. Wolf Alice ‘Play the Greatest Hits’ with ‘Don’t Delete the Kisses’ to wrap up their set – using a wide range of grunge influences to make their set feel utterly unique. It’s pure indie fury – a sense of real coolness in motion that refuses to let up; capable of shifting genre-jumping a will; and Rowsell’s aura is evident from the moment she walks on stage with a megaphone in hand. This is their moment – their time – and if Wolf Alice do ever come back to Werchter; a headline slot is no less than they deserve.
The last time The Last Dinner Party played Rock Werchter they were in a smaller stage just after they’d released buzzy new single ‘Nothing Matters’ – and now they’re back and have overcome album number two syndrome. Their baroque pop excess is more confident and more self-aware now, a tongue in cheek about their extravaganza that they absolutely lean into and embrace. Abigail Morris is one of the most self-assured and confident popstars and doesn’t take long to run into the adoring crowd making the barricaders feel like they are the most important people in the world in that moment – ‘From the Pyre’ gets the most rewarding run of the setlist; and now officially released after a long-time feature as part of their tours – ‘Big Dog’ allows The Last Dinner Party to go full baroque rock – capable of exploding into an intense overload of tracks that run through to the aggressive; power-anthem of ‘This is the Killer Speaking’.
They’re aware that even despite the new material; the crowd are here for hit ‘Nothing Matters’ – and lean into that expectation; with Morris encouraging the crowd to sing along to ‘Killer’ otherwise they’ll walk off the stage and not play the hit. The crowd obligies – and the feel-good early afternoon spirit is really kept up.
After wandering over to catch a packed-out Nest for the buzzy indie Irish band Keo; who sound like the Irish answer to Oasis – slick and stylish with a warm crowd-pleasing approach featuring notable hit ‘I Lied, Amber’ – their authenticity and vulnerability shines through matching their hype with an energetic stage presence that sees them deserving of a welcome return even as early as ’27. It feels like you’re transported to a pastiche of 90s grunge and Britanica even despite their Irish origins. Indie act Franz Ferdinand continues the feel-good wave of the afternoon; the Scots clashing with Royel Otis and there is some sound bleed; meaning that we get a bit of ‘Murder in the Dancefloor’ to break up Ferdinand’s set. But the vibes? Immaculate – and that’s only an issue when watching in the park. ‘Take Me Out’ is a real delight – and the crisp clear musical style of the band is felt vibrating around the park.
I saw Kneecap bring out Kae Tempest at Crystal Palace Park last weekend; and they more than delivers with the solo set that’s one of the best of the festival. The vocalist is incredibly talented; using their playwrighting experience to opt a transformative lyrical experience. I’s a record of self-discovery and sheer power; gorgeous and utterly raw with an exploration of gender identity and self-discovery. The room’s heaviness is emotive and rewarding – a safe space that invites a crowd to be wholly rewarding and respectful. It’s honest, open and encourages the rare display of emotional affection and an outpouring of healing. Tempest is not a name that jumped out as a must-see at Werchter; yet stumble in and you be rewarded. Too much of the emphasis these days is being placed on the barricade: you must be front and centre. Werchter is best equipped for the discovery; the brevity and sense of adventure. Or in Tempest’s case – to have your heart broken and repaired; and re-healed – all in the same set.
Due to the football; closure for day two of the festival proper meant Radio Free Alice – but what a way to bow out. They’ve been getting some press supporting bands like Geese and The Killers and have the skill to back it up – being in the pit meant looking out for an army of crowd-surfers; but I wouldn’t have it any other way – the sharp, intense brawl that follows is catchy, cohesive and memorable – the 90s energy is alive with this one and ‘Toyota Camry’ shines in that old-school nostalgia feel – “you fell asleep in your school / and stop It's not fair to ostracise for dirty jokes that made her cry / But now they know you were nevеr shy” call to mind The Smiths at their peak and the well-polished structure allows for a co-ordinated band to get the best – and I mean the best out of the crowd – they play with a sense of urgency and purpose that most bands struggle to match. Deployed early on; ‘Paris is Gone’ has the hook of the crowd: guitar riffs that call back The Clash and the 90s sound and style that has imitated by Fontaines DC has a new successor; angular in its sound with clever notes and melodic bass lines that really shine with a sense of playfulness that is impossible to resist
SATURDAY 04 JULY
And here comes time for day three. It is the fourth of July; it is Independence Day for the United States: we have a whole host of Americans lined up for us later with acts like Matt Berninger of The National using their position on stage to talk shit about President Trump, but first up and surely to be a lot bigger on stage is Landmvrks – case in point; Werchter once again giving early spotlight to bands that will come back and headline. They are influenced – and this is immediately evident in the first few songs: very heavily by Linkin Park; with similar beatdowns, emotional lyrics and with added transition to French and English lyrics. The violent screams of ‘Creature’ come on to a barnstorming reception and even for early in the afternoon, the heavy pits form and chaos reigns. It’s fucking insane with appropriate visuals and vocals that feel like the natural heir to Chester’s greatness – Florent Salfati has a real stage presence that just feels utterly unmatched in the scene, the gravelling disorientated vocals coming out thick and fast. It has some of the best production of the set and the vocal styles are hit superbly well. These guys have their own distinctively authentic and guttural sound that could see them return and much later in the evening: the way Salfati commands the crowd is something few modern metalcore bands can rival. In fact – he might just be the best frontman in the entire scene; mixed in with a hefty wave of anime influences catering to a fanbase that shows their origins as a French band – it feels like you’re watching an anime episode when you’re watching the visuals of LANDMVRKS, continuing the tie of geek culture with rock and metal that has lasted an age.
Next was a transition back into the UK’s near-legendary Windmill scene on the Nest and we got to see the best and brightest take the stage – Brighton band The New Eves brought an air of Midsommar-hinged British folklore Mark Jenkin-type otherworldliness to their set especially with banger ‘Cow Song’; drawing the crowd under a spell in the beating hot summer weather. Man/Woman/Chainsaw’s artistic sensibilities made their lengthy touring schedule in London before releasing any new music feel worth it – as run throughs of entirely new material pulled from new album ‘Cannonball’ gave fans a taste of their next chapter: ‘Get Up and Dance’ brought the crowd to their feet; and the wonderfully apt ‘Goddamn, Lizard Man’ followed. A real revelation for those not based in London; few better positioned to explode into the gap that has now been created by bands like Westside Cowboy to follow in their rhythm. Later in the evening we catch Florence Road on The Nest – a real highlight of an indie upstart band the latest wave of Irish success story. By this point; The Nest has earned its sense of discovery stage: the lengthy eleven track setlist allows them to go through their entire material.
Back then, to the main stage – the Irish contingent of the festival audience journeyed down for a politically charged; but perhaps less incendiary take than their festivals at home, with Irish duo Kneecap – Mo Chara leading a Free Palestine chant as always and encouraging a tight run through of their set that masterfully fuses second album ‘Fenian’ with ‘Fine Art’ for a savage second go that holds nothing back. They are aware that most people back home don’t even speak their language – let alone anyone abroad – and it feels darker; grimier and somehow even more politically charged than before – moving towards an attitude that comes for those who dare to colonise than just simply having fun and doing ketamine in a club bathroom. The pits swirl around us – and DJ Próvai – no doubt sweltering hot in all Irish balaclava and heavy jacket – jumps into the pit towards the set’s climax. Old favourites – appropriately ‘Get Your Brits Out’ in an audience full of largely Europeans – goes down hard – and with the likes of Yard Act, Kneecap and The Last Dinner Party all being given elevated slots here at Werchter two years later It feels like the festival is slowly prepping for these acts to take the next step up to festival headliners in the future and an ode to Werchter’s status as a kind of proving ground of a festival for future talent.
The switch to American country becomes apparent afterwards for a fun, yeehaw-tinged double-barrelled pairing of Renee Rapp and Halsey; who has recently publicly spat with music critic Anthony Fantano after reviewing her album negatively when we all knew he was never going to like It anyway, rendering his review pointless. Halsey’s set is for the fans: abrasive; brash; fuck you if you don’t like it, it’s not for you – raw alt-rock energy, a direct counterpoint to Rapp’s voice which carries the crowd with a sense of desire, queer joy and longing. The self-awareness of Halsey’s ‘At Least I’m Hot’ sings through the festival park – and paired with the grandstanding of Halsey’s ‘I am not a woman, I’m god’ – comes for blood with an investigation into mortality and purpose. It taps into the overwhelming feelings of young adulthood and the feeling of nailing a life that you’re dramatically underqualified for. Buckle up America; we’re witnessing two unflinchingly honest pop artists revel in their scene. Halsey does fail to engage the crowd early on; calling the reception the worst of the audiences she’s had on this tour to their faces; but it doesn’t take long for the tide to change.
Clashes mean an early departure from Halsey is necessary for Matt Berninger; whose setlist is a world removed from The National’s for something more intimate and it’s instantly rewarding. It is perhaps; the most intimate set of the entire festival – he wades through the crowd; takes an audience members’ phone, and holds it aloft to the audience – the big screens switch in adoration to show the family member watching at home to join in on the party. Berninger’s set is soulful; introspective, and commandingly intimate in a way that few artists of his level can achieve. ‘Inland Ocean’ is beautiful and sorrowful in equal measure; a touch of class accomplished with rare gravitas that few artists can muster. To go from ‘Bonnet of Pins’ into ‘Inland Ocean’ shows an artist capable of maximising his writing whilst retaining the charm of the mothership.
Then; it’s time for Gorillaz. The Saturday is the staked day of the festival; there’s bands everywhere you look. Damon Alborn comes on and the crowd are basked in adoration – touring the new album ‘The Mountain’; debuting with the titular track and a room for regular guest Kara Jackson on ‘Orange County’. Alborn’s brilliance basks the room – ‘Last Living Souls’ deployed famously early. He is drunk; and sometimes tired and out of rhythm – but it was a fucking blast to see them for the first time all the same and the energy maxed in with the engineered music of the collaborators got the people dancing; many of whom had been standing still all day. It’s lively; entertaining and so immersive – capable of winning over an entire crowd.
But as with Thursday. The real star was in Klub C; the real star was CMAT – who plunged the night into an evening of Irish queer-friendly two-stepping and commanded the audience attention from the off – my favourite headliners of the three closing acts (though a clash with Pixies when nothing paired against 21 Pilots? Unforgivable) – who brought one of her most memorable shows to date. ‘The Jamie Oliver Petrol Station’ gets a runout; as does ‘When a Good Man Cries’ – it’s therapeutic; rewarding; the sense of healing that CMAT gives is unrivalled – and then she comes for the beauty standards of a whole scene with ‘Take A Sexy Picture of Me’; having a go at those who would decry her beauty standards. It’s a festival of real power and potential – and having seen her a number of times this is her most confident and self-assured performance to date; making a case for the best pop girlie of our current era – above your Charli XCXs, Taylor Swifts or Sabrina Carpenters – and few artists can have literally the entire stage two-stepping long before the night is done. Her comedy is excellent as ever: asking on stage for a bottle of wine; is given a can of alcohol and then proceeds to down both – it’s a real riot of a good time.
Day three closures come with emo-angsty headliners Twenty-One Pilots; who seem to fit into a direct category of fans being largely under 30 and those who don’t like them being over 30. I was ready to be surprised; and naturally; being over 30, I was not impressed – and for their adoring fans, they delivered – with Tyler launching into the crowd during ‘Ride’ and deploying a snippet of Cher’s ‘Believe’ during ‘Tally’ before launching into a cover of The White Stripes’ ‘Seven Nation Army’, complete with a Jack White clip intro owing to their forebears – White sadly missed from this festival booking himself. ‘Stressed Out’ of course; is the hit – and early favourites like ‘Heathens’ and ‘Tear in My Heart’ go down a bomb. By the time the set ends; few are doubtful of Twenty-One Pilots’ worthy place as headliners – especially when positioned against acts like Gorillaz as higher on the bill; as they more than live up to their magnitude.
SUNDAY 5th JULY
Everybody had their own “day” at Rock Werchter and Sunday was mine: we started; as always, at The Nest with Westside Cowboy – who bring a touch of British country to the scene. Introduced as a band who have supported Geese; they really should be rightly as big as Geese – most British indie in the scene since is just Westside in different styles – and their maverick; free-flowing tongue is uniquely perfect and easy to jive to. New single ‘Kick Stones (The Boys)’ is a delight, as is harmony ‘Strange Taxidermy’ where the entire band make the most out of one microphone in the sweltering heat; their unique style crafting out a piece that works wonders. Each time you see Westside Cowboy – and this is my fourth – one of the undisputed highlights of Britain’s tastemaker festival The Great Escape – you remain only more convinced that they’re the next big thing. Staying on the Nest we’re also met with Ireland’s next big thing; Newdad – who have time for a Yeah Yeah Yeahs cover of ‘Heads Will Roll’ and annual Fontaines lead-in track ‘Sickly Sweet’. Their immediacy creates a sense of jangled indie that’s an ode to the Manchester scene as much as it is their native Ireland – the perfect pairing with Mancunians Westside Cowboy – showing broad emotional range throughout their tracks and the star power of the awkwardly charming Julie Dawson. Their music dips into the Cure or Wolf Alice territory at times – and as this festival has been a weekend for showcasing the best Ireland has to offer; it seems appropriate that the last Irish act we see of the festival is one of the best on the billing.
This Sunday is in retrospect; probably one of the best single days in festival booking history and that is no hyperbole. Early warm-ups like Westside Cowboy and Newdad are fantastic and we have time to catch local Belgian rockers Kaat Van Stralen open the main stage and Tiktok-friendly loveable indie Chezile lead a warm singalong. But what comes next? What comes next is history as we are plunged straight into eardrums-destroying Mogwai; who somehow only get louder and louder each time I see them – a sonic wall of sound blasting at the audience for the entire hour span of their set that features only 10 tracks; but when one of them is the twelve minute barnstormer ‘Mogwai Fear Satan’ that is easily forgiven.
They let their flags do the talking for them as have largely limited crowd interaction: a Trans Pride and Palestinian Flag adorns the stage as their sonic energy pulsates through the room, well-servicing fans of ‘Young Team’ with ‘Yes! I Am a Long Way From Home’ and the ferocious sound design really aids the marvel that we get. They are goth in design but fit in the post rock category of the kind that you’d find headlining Arctangent festival – post-rock in nature but still very much a current force of wicked invention in the scene. There is time for convention, yes, in ‘Ritchie Sacramento’ – and their journey throughout the scene has taken them everywhere from a sold out show in Alexandra Palace in 2022 to a scoring of a Zinedine Zidane on-pitch documentary film; showcasing their strength in depth and range. There are no greater rock bands than Mogwai now – and this is a reminder of their sheer class and unmatched talent.
By this point, the Barn is packed well beyond breaking point for Talking Heads frontman David Byrne. He has a unique set-up and a backup of gifted blue-costumed dancers that come on and the audience is completely engrossed in adoration – this is the chance of a lifetime many will get to see a legend. It’s divided into two parts – similar to his solo set but obviously structured differently; whereas that felt like Talking Heads tracks interspaced with Byrne songs – this feels like a set of two halves; one half for Byrne, one half for Talking Heads – and as great as Byrne’s original material is; everyone is only there for the classics. Which is a shame, as there’s a real charm to the endearing optimism of ‘Everybody Laughs’, a track that sums up the feel good factor of the weekend. His engagement with the audience is perfect – telling them about the time he took LSD, and engaging with the audience to love humans despite their failings by taking a Martian’s perspective on ‘Like Humans Do’. It’s utterly unique – and few can capture the magic that is David Byrne. It’s always fun to write about his original material because the Talking Heads tracks – and there is time for Talking Heads tracks – have been written about to death. What more is there to say? The reception in the Barn does the talking for him – he cues up the intro to ‘Psycho Killer’, one of the greatest songs ever written; first up with a quasi-James Bond-intro lightshow, commanding the lighting technician to keep up as he moves around the room, introducing himself with a shadow that is not his own. It is an arrangement by the late composer Arthur Russell that Byrne pays tribute to here – and we’re in full Talking Heads mode through to the end – ‘Life During Wartime’, ‘Once in a Lifetime’ and ‘Burning Down the House’ builds to a rampant conclusion that leaves many in the audience in awe. For many – this is a ‘Once in a Lifetime’ experience that they’ll never forget; and Byrne is aware.
Due to clashes, talented acts like House of Protection, Rise Against and A Perfect Circle go unmissed, but we make it over to the main stage in time for Moby, whose performance of ‘Extreme Ways’ was an absolute must-see this weekend due to its usage in ‘The Bourne Identity’. It’s an inventive mashup as always – the dance-hall days energy propelling the soundtrack forward. He pays tribute to the time that he was at Rock Werchter and saw David Bowie with an emotional cover of ‘Heroes’ that tells the audience to imagine they’re just jamming with Bowie and Moby in an intimate setting; and the sucker punch of ‘Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad?’ that immediately follows shows Moby’s emotional range as a DJ. He has time; of course – for mashups – combining ‘Next is the E’ with Eminem’s ‘Without Me’ and Nirvana’s ‘All Apologies’ being used as an intro for ‘In This World’ with the riff. It’s a reminder of why he’s such a techno giant – and few can rival in his place.
After Moby and a good healthy wait; it’s time for The Cure. Robert Smith comes on stage with his nonchalance and awkward shyness that gives off a vibe of a man that’s up past his bedtime; but it quickly becomes apparent that this is part of the act – and we’re descendant into gothic ecstasy from the moment the music starts. This is a more traditional Cure setlist than the deep-cut extravaganza that I was lucky enough to catch at Primavera earlier in the year in Barcelona; but with 29 songs, we still get time for the ones everyone knows; and the more obscure stuff like ‘Trust’; and ‘From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea’, played immediately after the juggernaut that is ‘A Forest’. Early on favourites like ‘Lovesong’ and ‘Pictures of You’ wow the packed out crowd – so packed; until people start dovetailing off towards the end it is near impossible to move – and the nine song encore of ‘The Lovecats’, ‘Close to Me’ and ‘Friday I’m in Love’ shows that few artists have the endurance and staying power of The Cure. Nobody does; I’d argue – the ability to take these songs and make them timeless.
As a way to close a stellar edition of Rock Werchter where everything went a lot better than the missed chaos of Kings of Leon and Sam Fender sized dropouts of last year; with only losing Elvis Costello and The Warning from this year; the well-oiled cog of the festival machine showed once again why it’s one of the premiere destinations for some of Europe’s biggest and newest acts. The festival atmosphere; helped by a healthy group of WhatsApp likeminded solers that even made local news during the festival; made sure that you were never truly alone at any of the gigs that you went to even if you came with mates; and everyone at the festival seemed to be willing to and open to making friends – a real novelty experience after the coldness of the audience at Primavera Sound. Werchter is as much a community as it is a festival – and you’d be wrong to not to want to come away repeating that experience next year.
Photos by Foto Jokko, Jens BAERT, BEN HOUDIJK