Tragedy- Pukkelpop

One of Belgium’s most popular festivals was struck by tragedy this year after freak weather conditions caused the death of five people and multiple causalities. Heavy rainfall during the three day long festival caused staging to collapse, crushing festival goers underneath and chaos to those surrounding. I do wonder whether more could have been done as these conditions aren’t unheard of in Belgium where temperatures typically soar above 40oc during the summer season, heightening the expectations of freak conditions.

I experienced these temperatures first hand at rockwerchter festival in Belgium last year only a short distance from Pukkelpop which attracts some of the biggest names in music. In 2010 two stages were shared by the likes of Green Day, Muse, Pink, Rammstein, Pearl Jam and is also why it’s popular amongst locals who substantiate a large proportion of the audience. Belgium as a city had a lot to offer and is possibly the only place I was served cheese as a complimentary side to my beer. I also managed to catch a short leg of the tour de France as well as see Kelly from the stereophonics wondering around cathedral square ahead of his performance at Rockwerchter.

Unfortunately newspapers have been plagued by tragic stories, the most recent at Pukkelpop this year and those trampled to death at Germany’s love festival the year before. Let’s hope the muddy condition of Glastonbury is all that graces the front pages in the years to come.