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Belgium’s Graspop activates emergency weather plan

"Let’s stay positive," say promoters after the festival site was hit by torrential rain ahead of tomorrow's opening day

By James Hanley on 19 Jun 2024

Powerwolf at Graspop


image © TheFoxxo

Belgium’s Graspop Metal Meeting has activated its emergency weather plan after the festival site was hit by torrential rain ahead of the event.

Taking place in Dessel, the 55,000-cap heavy metal festival is scheduled to start tomorrow (20 June) and run until Sunday. The four-day festival will be headlined by Tool, Alice Cooper, Five Finger Death Punch, Judas Priest, Bring Me The Horizon, Avenged Sevenfold, Scorpions and Machine Head.

However, organisers have cancelled their entire Wednesday evening programme, including the pre-party, and closed the onsite car parks. They say they are continuing to “closely monitoring the situation”, but are confident the festival proper will go ahead as planned.

“Fortunately, the weather forecast for tomorrow is better, so let’s stay positive,” says a statement. “The programming of the other festival days is not at risk. The organisation of Graspop Metal Meeting is ready to give it all for four days. We thank everyone for their understanding in this unpredictable situation.”

For people who are absolutely required to stay overnight on Wednesday, emergency accommodation will be provided

Car parking will not be available today (19 June), with those who need to spend the night at the campsite advised to travel to the venue via public transport.

“For people who are absolutely required to stay overnight on Wednesday, emergency accommodation will be provided,” adds a message from promoters.

Held over five stages, other acts on the bill include Deep Purple, Megadeth, Babymetal, Limp Bizkit, Architects, Turnstile, Bruce Dickinson, Electric Callboy, Pendulum and Corey Taylor.

Past headliners at Graspop, which launched in 1996, include Guns N’ Roses, Iron Maiden, Slipknot, KISS, Black Sabbath, Rammstein, Motörhead, Mötley Crüe, Korn and System Of A Down.

 


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