Pukkelpop 2011

[Cactusgirl]

Such awful news. Hope everyone from here is safe.

X

[karelaanzee]

3 dead confirmed.

Festival canceled for today, a light-version tomorrow and saturday.

Big tragedy...

[pumpkinprincess1]

so tragic. and the second in a week. hope everyone is ok. and prayers out to everyone.x

[pryce]

Fest is cancelled ... Rip too all those dead ... Was horrific to be ther.. still shaken , but its the right call to make .....

[DDave]

Shocking events. RIP to the dead.

Hope all on this board who went are ok.

[sthorpe]

Shocking events. RIP to the dead.

Hope all on this board who went are ok.

[random_man]

Really sad news!

[pumpkinprincess1]

@pryce and sthorpe, glad to hear you are ok. no wonder you's will be shaken. it looked like a hurricane force wind.

has anyone heard from semprini?

defo the right decision to cancel the fest. although as disappointing as it may be for those who have travelled out there i don't think it could have gone on.

hope everyone returns safe. still thinkin of those lost and injured.x

[Paul ™]

Thoughts to all those affected by this tragedy x

[pinback]

I actually played on that stage a few years ago, I'm really upset by it, didn't sleep a wink last night thinking about it. Lovely festival, very professionally run, it's been going for 20+ years so I don't think it a case of them beign cowboys, just freak weather...

[Scottish Stu]

Thoughts go to all those involved.

[the_derminator]

A very sad situation, and our thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives.

Condolences to all those affected by these events, and a safe journey home.

Derm

[londonlax]

Just got back to London. That was the most terrifying thing I have ever experienced but at least I was able to get home in one piece.

I was outside at the main stage under the food stall canopy at the back. It ripped up and blew away whilst we were taking shelter, everyone went scrambling for somewhere to hid whilst trees and stalls came down around us and being pelted with hale stones. Then got back to my tent and it was filled with water.

Big thanks to Eurostar though who put us on the next train back to London at no charge this morning.

Edited August 19, 2011 by londonlax

[Semprini]

Happy to say that Trufflehound, his wife, my two friends and myself are all safe and well.

We're just trying to get our heads round what happened as it was like nothing I've ever experienced before. It had been a fantastic day with great weather and no sign of what was to come but around 6pm it all changed. The sky went black and I was caught in the worst of it as I ran from the Boiler to the Club to meet with my friends. The TV screen by the club fell down and there were some big trees down too. The worst bit we saw was the Chateau which was totally levelled but the Shelter, Wablief? and Boiler were also badly damaged. It was 15 minutes of carnage and the place looked like a war zone at the end. So sad for the people who didn't make it but it felt like a complete lottery at the time - we didn't know whether it would be safer to get under cover or in the open.

[londonlax]

The red and white shelter across the field in this video is the one I was under.

When it starts ripping up we ran across the field being hit by the falling branches.

[glasto-worker]

Sadly its now five

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-14586001

saw it on Sky and it did look horrendous.

Sure we may get a bit wet or muddy but you dont expect to be killed being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

RIP

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLO5zl5s4XY

Edited August 19, 2011 by glasto-worker

[dublinminx]

What a tragedy. Glad you guys made it home.

[DDave]

Happy to say that Trufflehound, his wife, my two friends and myself are all safe and well.

We're just trying to get our heads round what happened as it was like nothing I've ever experienced before. It had been a fantastic day with great weather and no sign of what was to come but around 6pm it all changed. The sky went black and I was caught in the worst of it as I ran from the Boiler to the Club to meet with my friends. The TV screen by the club fell down and there were some big trees down too. The worst bit we saw was the Chateau which was totally levelled but the Shelter, Wablief? and Boiler were also badly damaged. It was 15 minutes of carnage and the place looked like a war zone at the end. So sad for the people who didn't make it but it felt like a complete lottery at the time - we didn't know whether it would be safer to get under cover or in the open.

[TheOffspring]

I was really scared... My sister, my friends were there. But they're allright. Others can't say that. It is just horrible...

Glad they cancelled the festival... I couldn't try to amuse me were people died. Good luck everyone, hope to see you next year.

[TheNewUnion]

Home safe after taking a couple of days in Antwerp after the storm.

I've never seen anything like that happen before - 20 minutes and the festival site was destroyed. We were heading back to the festival site when the storm hit and basically got beaten back by the weather. There was debris flying everywhere. My mate ripped a couple of signs off the fence and we sheltered under them. My back and arm are like I've been beaten, dozens of bruises from the hail stones.

One of the most frightening things I've ever seen. It's a miracle more weren't killed and injured. We saw lightening strikes on trees, cars crushed by falling sighes, debris and huge trees. Utterly insane. I know some of the media are saying it was a "stage collapse", it was much worse that that. Many of the guys we camped with had been in there when the storm hit, one guy was in The Club and escaped over the stage and into the back of one of the trucks in the backstage area. Out tent neighbours had to climb through the Pukkelpop glitterball sign to get out of the arena. An aussie guy we were with was literally seconds out of the Boiler/Dancehall outdoor area when it went down.

Thoughts go out to those injured and the families of those sadly lost. Respect to the people of Hasselt/Kewit. We saw the opticians opening their doors taking people in, a group of kids (no more than 18) were sat outside a house, the lady came out and made them come inside. Great to see so many pulling together together.

Some of the pictures in the local papers were heartbreaking. I do want to go back next year though, I hope they put on the best Pukkepop ever as a tribute to those lost.

Edited August 21, 2011 by TheNewUnion

[august1]

what an odd few days, thoughts with families and friends of the fallen, it could have been quite easily more. I was in the tent not long before it happened, what could have been under different circumstance.

What are peoples thoughts on the festival being cancelled? I think if it was safe enough to continue then maybe it should have, although I wouldnt have turned up as it feels wrong to enjoy yourself in the same spot as tradgey, but on the other hand what better way to celebrate those 5 peoples lives then 60,000 people having a drink for them.

I hope this isnt the end for Pukkelpop or my experience at the festival as it would be a shame to end on such a terrible note. Hopefully a full post mortem will be done and changes will be made for next year, but I can see the festival being unable to carry on or possibly needing a year out.

[Trufflehound]

One of the most frightening things I've ever seen. It's a miracle more weren't killed and injured. We saw lightening strikes on trees, cars crushed by falling sighes, debris and huge trees. Utterly insane. I know some of the media are saying it was a "stage collapse", it was much worse that that.

[Trufflehound]

What are peoples thoughts on the festival being cancelled? I think if it was safe enough to continue then maybe it should have, although I wouldnt have turned up as it feels wrong to enjoy yourself in the same spot as tradgey, but on the other hand what better way to celebrate those 5 peoples lives then 60,000 people having a drink for them.

Edited August 22, 2011 by Trufflehound

[TheNewUnion]

Have to agree with the cancellation, the festival site was devastated, there was no way they could get up and running again, too much damage. If they could have just run 1 or 2 stages it would have just been wierd, it was a very odd night, atmosphere was really strange and no one was up for anything anymore.

Agree on the "luck factor" too. We wandered up and down the road to see what was happening, out of the festival and turn right everything was destroyed, all the stalls etc were down and there was debris everywhere, wander the other way towards the station and yeah, there were bits of damage here and there but nothing on the scale of the site. Was a 1 in a million storm hitting us dead on, brutal.

I'm with you on Pukkelpop 2012, if it going ahead I'm planning to be there.

[pumpkinprincess1]

from the footage it looked terrifying. i am just glad you guys are ok.

i dont think it would have been appropriate to carry on after finding out the number dead and injured. and it could have been much worse.

it really looked like a hurricane. a total freak storm that as you say might never happen again in our lifetime. no matter what prep they do, you can't account for something like that. so sad and so unlucky.

glad you are all home, it may take some time to get over the fright, but to be safe and well is the main thing.x