Pukkelpop 2016

[Dietediet]

Editors is playing Germany 2 days before Werchter, so that's a go. Probably a Pukkelpop certainty for 2017. 

[johnybegood]

I've just have been reading last pages of Reading Festival efestivals forum and everybody is predicting Kanye West as one of the headliners. If that becomes true, is the typical headline act that Pukkelpop is signing in the last years. What do you think about that?

Edited October 22, 2015 by johnybegood

[Dietediet]

He'd indeed make a typical Pukkelpop headliner. Not the obvious touring fests every 2 years kind of act, supposedly great live show, appealing to both mainstream and alternative crowds. I'm wondering if Pukkelpop has the guts for it, considering the controversy that would no doubt follow...

[gazza_20]

He'd indeed make a typical Pukkelpop headliner. Not the obvious touring fests every 2 years kind of act, supposedly great live show, appealing to both mainstream and alternative crowds. I'm wondering if Pukkelpop has the guts for it, considering the controversy that would no doubt follow...

Given they didn't exactly pull of great acts for headliners overall this year I can't see that risk being taken, alternatively they could just continue in that way.

[DDave]

Given they didn't exactly pull of great acts for headliners overall this year I can't see that risk being taken, alternatively they could just continue in that way.

The reason for the slow ticket sales and negative feedback in my opinion last year were the size, not necessarily the quality of 2 of the headliners, which has a knock on effect for the rest of the bill. No one can argue that Kanye, like him or not, is about as big as it gets in his genre.

Edited October 22, 2015 by DiscothequeDave

[Semprini]

Well they fit the pattern of awful bookings in high spots this festival is becoming synonymous with.

Isn't it fortunate then that Pukkelpop is about so much more than the handful of bands who play after dark on the Main Stage each night! As long as you've got an open mind and a reasonably varied taste in music then you'll rarely be stuck for something to see.

As for Kanye, irrespective of what you might think of him and his music, he's undoubtedly one of the biggest names on the planet right now so I can't personally see how him headlining would be a gamble or risk? The festival has a good track record of booking hip hop/rap acts, plus it's not often PKP get artists the summer after they've headlined Glastonbury so I think they'd jump at the chance if he became available. I'm not a huge fan of his music but I'd definitely go and have a look if he played, just like I did with Eminem and Outkast.

[lightning1000]

I never said it was an awful festival, just that it's getting a reputation for booking awful headliners.
I've never been so am in no position to say if the festivalis good or not. I'm doing werchter again this year, I was considering doing pukkelpop but last year's bookings have put me off. Dance music generally does nothing for me, neither does rap or hip hop. There's of course a few exceptions. It looked like it's a European version of what reading festival has become, which isn't really for me anymore

[gazza_20]

The reason for the slow ticket sales and negative feedback in my opinion last year were the size, not necessarily the quality of 2 of the headliners, which has a knock on effect for the rest of the bill. No one can argue that Kanye, like him or not, is about as big as it gets in his genre.

You are joking yes?. Eminem is the biggest ticket seller in the genre about bar none today. It's not a bias view at all either, you can't tell me that Kanye can go and sell out two dates at Wembley Stadium with the 1st one selling very quickly! He also sold out his outdoor Bella Scottish show quickly, his days and weekend for V Fest flew out and his day ticket at Reading quicker than any other headliner that has sold out in recent times. Despite his lyrics etc, Eminem is a WAY less controversial artist in people's eye's on a wider scale. I'll admit that he shouldn't perform songs anymore than require a backing track and him to rap over it for what he charges but then for a fair bit of it, if he didn't he probably wouldn't have a show, but he's far from the only person that does this. Didn't BMTH pretty much do that at Reading?, and they don't have a front man that has lyrics that fast from when he was younger it's harder to perform now. 

[Semprini]

I know you weren't calling the whole festival awful but the point I was making is that with over 200 bands and DJs on offer the importance of the headliners, for me anyway, diminishes somewhat. I think the RW organisers do a great job of stacking the top of their bill every year, often having 2/3 headline size bands playing on the same night, but they have a bigger capacity than PKP and there's only three stages to fill. If you want bands of that caliber then RW is definitely the right choice, but of course you know that already!!

When it comes to the quality of headliners though it's subjective really. I don't like who they've booked recently either but enough people must have done as it's sold out every year. Dave probably won't agree with me on this but when you have as many stages and bands as PKP, something has to give. You can't book many (if any) 1 million euro headliners without the rest of the bill suffering, and I don't think the PKP organisers are prepared to do that. What will be interesting to see though is whether there's a noticeable difference in the quality of the top end of the line up now that the festival is financially solvent again?

I've never been to Reading so can't comment on how it compares to PKP. There's usually a fair bit of overlap each year (40-50 bands is the norm) but from what I've read and heard the atmosphere and general attitude of festival goers is very different between the two. Yes, the crowd at PKP is made up of a lot of teenagers but they know how to behave and handle themselves, unlike many of their English counterparts.

[Dietediet]

As for Kanye, irrespective of what you might think of him and his music, he's undoubtedly one of the biggest names on the planet right now so I can't personally see how him headlining would be a gamble or risk? 

Well, he'd be the biggest shitstorm any Belgian festival headliner will ever have caused, without a doubt. Although that doesn't say anything really, looking at how Rock Werchter causes at least one shitstorm of comments a year, and still sells out way in advance. 

[TheNewUnion]

Kanye went down like a cup of cold sick at Glastonbury (based on the opinions of friends who were at the show and watched on TV) BUT I think he would be a good booking for PKP. Yes, I'd be elsewhere but he's a huge name, he'll draw a crowd and he will make headlines.

[TheNewUnion]

Good news, flights booked

bad news, Red Hot Chili Peppers are on tour.

[Trufflehound]

Good news, flights booked

bad news, Red Hot Chili Peppers are on tour.

Good news. RHCP are pretty much nailed on for Werchter.

[TheNewUnion]

Good news. RHCP are pretty much nailed on for Werchter.

That's not good news, that's great news. I'd rather Bastille headlined again then RHCP (I'd rather see Dave Lee Travis play Macbeth to be honest).

Given how good Neil Young & Promise of the Real were two weeks ago, it would be great if they tour Europe and play PKP, I will not hold my breath though.

 

[Semprini]

I follow Chokri's daughter on Twitter (she also works for the festival) and she tweeted earlier tonight about an announcement on Wednesday. I replied asking if it was anything to do with PKP and she said 'who would know, stay tuned to our snapchat'. Doubt it's anything line up related this early on but will give it a look.

Great to see that RW have again taken one for the team and booked Florence - let's hope they also come good on RHCP. Looking forward to seeing some of the first announcements over the next few weeks, this is always an exciting time of the year! Wouldn't mind LCD and New Order at PKP next summer from the early rumours going round. Will be putting the Chems on my list again and, after seeing them a couple of weeks ago, Leftfield too. Was easily the loudest gig I've ever been to and, although they wouldn't be much of a draw for the majority of the festival demographic, they'd smash the Dance Hall to pieces if they played.

[DDave]

Have they ever announced a headliner this early?

[Dietediet]

Don't think any August festival has ever announced names this early. Doubt it'll be a headliner either, considering Pukkelpop has been doing the 'dropping 2/3 of the lineup as first announcement' tactic since forever.

Perhaps the return of Polsslag, Chokri never said the end was definitive. 

[Semprini]

Wonder if it might be something 2manydjs related around Christmas time? It's been a good couple of years since they've done a Soulwaxmas and I'm pretty sure PKP were involved in the Belgian leg of at least one of them.

[DDave]

Wonder if it might be something 2manydjs related around Christmas time? It's been a good couple of years since they've done a Soulwaxmas and I'm pretty sure PKP were involved in the Belgian leg of at least one of them.

Good shout.

[Dietediet]

No recent updates on their Snapchat so far. 

Also, could be a bit far fetched but: some people on the Bestival board are mentioning The Cure. Booking The Cure is one of Chokri's biggest wishes. 1+1=2? 

[Trufflehound]

Great news for Pukkelpop - Red Hot Chilli Peppers confirmed for Werchter.

 

Another bullet dodged.

[DDave]

2 minutes ago, Trufflehound said:

Great news for Pukkelpop - Red Hot Chilli Peppers confirmed for Werchter.

 

Another bullet dodged.

I've learned from last year to only give an opinion on who we're not getting when I know the acts we ARE getting. I don't particularly mind RHCP but I'll take them over Bastille/Alt J / Linkin Park any day.

[johnybegood]

2 hours ago, Trufflehound said:

Great news for Pukkelpop - Red Hot Chilli Peppers confirmed for Werchter.

 

Another bullet dodged.

Great news? 2013 headliners: The XX, Eels and Enimem. 2014: Mackelmore, Editors and QOTSA. 2015: Alt-J, Bastille and Linkin Park.

In a few months, we will see 3 headliners much worse than RHCP. I'm sure about that. 

 

[Semprini]

Well I'm happy RW have booked RHCP. They no doubt cost a fortune and therefore would have taken a big chunk out of the PKP budget.

[DDave]

http://www.nme.com/news/nme/89701?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=tool

 

Tool on US tour in January. Not my thing but could find their way to Europe in the summer, and they've headlined PP before.