Rock Werchter

infobox music festival
music_festival_name = Rock Werchter


location = Werchter, Belgium
years_active= 1974 - present
dates = Late June to Early July
genre = Alternative rock, Pop
website = http://www.rockwerchter.be

Rock Werchter is an annual music festival in the village of Werchter in Belgium since 1974. The 2003, 2005, 2006 and 2007 festivals received the Arthur award for "best festival in the world at" International Live Music Conference (ILMC). Since 2003 the Werchter has become a 4-day festival, as it was sold by owner Herman Schueremans to American organizers Live Nation.

The festival started in 1974 as a one-day festival with performances from Banzai and Kandahar. Over the years it became Belgium's largest music festival. Originally it was a double-festival, called "Torhout-Werchter", with two festival areas on different places in Belgium: one in Werchter and one in Torhout. In 1999, the festival dropped the Torhout site and since, it only takes place in Werchter.

History

The festival started off as a one-day event, became a two-day festival in 1996, went on to become a 3-day festival in 1999, and has been a 4-day festival since 2003.

1977 Festival

Performers included: The Bintangs - Kaz Lux & Bien Servi - Philip Catherine - Jan Akkerman - Kayak - Dr. Feelgood

1978 Festival

Performers included: Gruppo Sportivo - Raymond van het Groenewoud -The Runaways - Talking Heads - Dr. Feelgood - Nick Lowe, Dave Edmunds & Rockpile

1979 Festival

Performers included: The Bintangs - Kevin Coyne - Raymond van het Groenewoud & de Centimeters - Tom Robinson Band - Talking Heads - Dire Straits - Rory Gallagher

1980 Festival

Performers included: Jo Lemaire & Flouze - Kevin Ayers - The Blues Band - Mink DeVille - Fischer-Z - The Specials - The Kinks

1981 Festival

Performers included: De Kreuners - The Undertones - Toots & The Maytals - Elvis Costello and the Attractions - The Cure - Robert Palmer - Dire Straits

1982 Festival

Performers included: Allez Allez - The Members - U2 - Steve Miller Band - Mink DeVille - Tom Tom Club - Talking Heads - Jackson Browne

1983 Festival

Performers included: The Scabs - Warren Zevon - John Cale - Eurythmics - Simple Minds - U2 - Peter Gabriel - Van Morrison

1984 Festival

Performers included: The Alarm - Chris Rea - Nona Hendryx - David Johansen - John Hiatt - Joe Jackson - Simple Minds - Lou Reed

1985 Festival

Performers included: The Ramones - R.E.M. - Lloyd Cole & the Commotions- The Style Council - Depeche Mode - Paul Young & The Royal Family- U2 - Joe Cocker

1986 Festival

Performers included: The Beat Farmers - The Waterboys - The Robert Cray Band - Simply Red - Lloyd Cole & the Commotions - Talk Talk - UB40 - Elvis Costello & the Attractions - Simple Minds

1987 Festival

Performers included: Julian Cope - The Triffids - The Housemartins - Iggy Pop - Echo and the Bunnymen - The Pretenders - Eurythmics - Peter Gabriel

1988 Festival

Performers included: 10,000 Maniacs - Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers - Carmel - Los Lobos - John Hiatt - INXS - Bryan Adams - Sting

1989 Festival

Performers included: Texas - Pixies - Tanita Tikaram - Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds - The Robert Cray Band - Elvis Costello - R.E.M. - Joe Jackson - Lou Reed

1990 Festival

Performers included: Mano Negra - De La Soul - Jeff Healey Band - Lenny Kravitz - Ry Cooder/David Lindley - Wendy & Lisa - Sinéad O'Connor - Midnight Oil - Bob Dylan - The Cure

1991 Festival

Performers included: The Scene - Dave Stewart & The Spiritual Cowboys- Deee-Lite - Happy Mondays - Bonnie Riatt - Pixies - Iggy Pop - Paul Simon - Sting

1992 Festival

Performers included: The Scabs - Smashing Pumpkins - Extreme - Urban Dance Squad - Luka Bloom - Crowded House - Lou Reed - Red Hot Chili Peppers - Bryan Adams

1993 Festival

Performers included: The Levellers - Sugar - The Tragically Hip - Sonic Youth - The Black Crowes - Faith No More - Neil Young with Booker T & the MG’s- Lenny Kravitz - Metallica

1994 Festival

Performers included: Clawfinger - Helmet - Grant Lee Buffalo - Therapy? - Buffalo Tom - John Hiatt - Spin Doctors - Sepultura - Rage Against the Machine - Peter Gabriel - Aerosmith

Camping Festival : Green Apple - Quick Step - Sass Jordan - Ashbury Faith - Senser - dEUS - tool - The Scene

1995 Festival

Performers included: Channel Zero - Bodycount - Senser - dEUS - Jeff Buckley - PJ Harvey - Spearhead - The Offspring - Belly - Therapy? - Morphine - The Cure - The Cranberries - R.E.M.

Camping Festival : Ben Harper - Dave Matthews Band - Soul Coughing - Weezer - The Scene - Tricky - Orbital

1996 Festival

Performers included: Skunk Anansie- Dog Eat Dog- Me'shell N'Degeocello- Grant Lee Buffalo- Fun Lovin Criminals- Foo Fighters- Moby- Therapy?- Underworld- David Bowie- Chemical Brothers- The Prodigy- Metal Molly- Presidents of the USA- House of Pain- Moloko- Afghan Wigs- Moondog Jr.- Alanis Morissette- Pulp- Sepultura- Massive Attack- Rage Against the Machine- Radiohead- Red Hot Chili Peppers- Björk- Neil Young & Crazy Horse

1997 Festival

Performers included: Osdorp Posse - Silverchair - Placebo - Paul Weller - Suede - David Bowie - The Chemical Brothers - Reef - 16 Horsepower - Rollins Band - Daft Punk - Channel Zero - Fun Lovin' Criminals - Supergrass - Live - Sheryl Crow - Radiohead - Jamiroquai - Smashing Pumpkins - The Prodigy - Spearhead - Zap Mama - David Byrne - Beck - dEUS

1998 Festival

Performers included: ABN-Junkie XL-Moby-Jon Spencer Blues Explosion-Sonic Youth-Pulp-Underworld-Reprazent ft Roni Size-Eagle Eye Cherry-Ben Folds Five-Dave Matthews Band-Hooverphonic-Morcheeba-Tindersticks-Evil Superstars-Money Mark-Tori Amos-Garbage-Therapy?-Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds-Beastie Boys-Björk

1999 Festival

Performers included: Mercury Rev-Pavement-Blur-Trish & Kash-Chemical Brothers-Praga Khan-Jan van Biesen-Fatboy Slim-Soulwax-Monster Magnet-Live-Marilyn Manson-Skunk Anansie-Texas-Bryan Adams-Metallica-Arid-Wilco-Everlast-Lamb-Suzanne Vega-Zita Swoon-Björn Again-Flying Deweale Brothers-Noordkaap-Stereophonics-Heather Nova-Placebo-Robbie Williams-Faithless-Lenny Kravitz-R.E.M.-Cree Summer-De Mens-Tin Star-The Roots-Afro Celt Sound System-Gus Gus-Green Velvet-Basement Jaxx

2000 Festival

Performers included: Venus-Muse-Nine Inch Nails-Oasis-Praga Khan-Wheat-The Flaming Lips-Death in Vegas-Jan Van Biesen-Luke Slater-Laurent Garnier-Metal Molly-HIM-Bomfunk MC's-Groove Armada- Bush-Macy Gray-Live-Moby–Texas-Gorki-Elliott Smith-Dead Man Ray-Kelis-Horace Andy-Laïs-Suzanne Vega-Arid-El Tattoo del Tigre-Krezip-Heideroosjes-Asian Dub Foundation-A Perfect Circle-Soulwax-Counting Crows-Paul Weller-The Cure-Sandy Dillon-An Pierle-Gomez-Eels-Travis-Lamb

2001 Festival

Performers included: Queens of the Stone Age-Deftones-Tool-Fun Lovin’ Criminals-Hooverphonic-Basement Jaxx-Goldfrapp-Buscemi-Kosheen-St. Germain-Roger Sanchez-Feeder-Manu Chao-Ash-Wheatus-Talvin Singh-Stereo MCs-Das Pop-Ben Harper en The Innocent Criminals-Laïs-Sting-Beck-Suzanne Vega-David Gray-Dandy Warhols-Black Crowes-Aimee Mann-George Thorogood-Monza-Tom McRae-DAAU-Lucy Pearl-Novastar-De Mens-Stereophonics-Anouk-PJ Harvey-Placebo-Everlast-Muse-Weezer-Mauro-JJ72-Sigur Rós-Grandaddy-16 Horsepower-Zita Swoon-Afro Celt Sound System-Roxy Music-Faithless-Coldplay-Incubus

2002 Festival

Performers included: dEUS- Chemical Brothers-Morcheeba-Arno-Dropkick Murphys-2 Many DJ's-Praga Khan-Green Velvet- Luke Slater-Sonic Youth-The White Stripes-Black Rebel Motorcycle Club-The Notwist-Red Hot Chili Peppers-Rammstein-Bush-Nelly Furtado-Queens of the Stone Age-Mercury Rev-Madrugada-Within Temptation-Hoobastank-Roger Sanchez-Air-Ozark Henry-Calexico-Röyksopp-An Pierlé-Lambchop-Ed Harcourt-.Calibre-Carl Cox-Faithless-Coldplay-Lamb-Arid-Heather Nova-Spearhead-Zornik-Kane- Yann Tiersen-Erykah Badu-Cornelius-Starsailor-Millionaire-Ozomatli

2003 Festival

The 30th edition of the Werchter festival, in 2003, was the first time Werchter became a 4-day festival. The full lineup (in reverse order) for the main stage was:

Day 1: Underworld, Radiohead, Björk.

Day 2: Massive Attack, Moby, Ozark Henry, The Roots, Feeder, Morgan Heritage, The Polyphonic Spree.

Day 3: Metallica, Arno, Queens of the Stone Age, Anouk, Xzibit, Millionaire, Stone Sour, 't Hof van Commerce, Krezip.

Day 4: R.E.M., Coldplay, Counting Crows, Cypress Hill, The Cardigans, Supergrass, Stereophonics, De la Soul, Das Pop.

2004 Festival

The 2004 festival took place from July 1-July 4, with a reported attendance of 280,000 people. The festival shared bands with Roskilde Festival in Denmark which was held at the same time. The Cure, Metallica, Lenny Kravitz, Pixies, Muse, Moloko (among others) were top of the bill for Werchter's 2 stages.

The full lineup (in reverse order) for the main stage was:

Day 1: Basement Jaxx, The Cure, Pink, Sean Paul, Michael Franti & The Spearheads.

Day 2: Metallica, KoЯn, The Darkness, Dropkick Murphys, Monster Magnet, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Lostprophets.

Day 3: Lenny Kravitz, Muse, Moloko, Wu-Tang Clan, Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, The Black Eyed Peas, Within Temptation, Heideroosjes, The Rasmus.

Day 4: 2 Many DJ's, Placebo, Pixies, PJ Harvey, Lamb, Starsailor, Zornik, Danko Jones. David Bowie was meant to headline the festival but had to cancel.

2005 Festival

The festival took place from June 30-July 3, with the headlining bands being The Chemical Brothers, Faithless, Rammstein, The Tears, and R.E.M.. The full lineup for the main stage (in reverse order) was:

Day 1: The Chemical Brothers, Kraftwerk, Snoop Dogg, Ozark Henry, New Order, The Bravery.

Day 2: Faithless, Green Day, Velvet Revolver, Garbage, Within Temptation, Jimmy Eat World, K.T. Tunstall, Simple Plan.

Day 3: Rammstein, Nine Inch Nails, Audioslave, The Game, 't Hof van Commerce, Daan, Pennywise, Therapy?.

Day 4: R.E.M., Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age, Soulwax, Keane, Feeder, Kane, Flogging Molly

2006 Festival

Dates: June 29 - July 2.

Ticket presale started on March 18 2006.

Announced lineup was:

Day 1:
Matisyahu, Deftones, Manu Chao Radio Bemba Sound System, Kaizers Orchestra, Death Cab for Cutie, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Black Eyed Peas, Tool.
Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley, The Streets, Roger Sanchez

Day 2:
The Who, Muse, Skin, Kanye West, Editors, Live, Anouk.
The Kooks, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Elbow, Mogwai, , Soulwax Nite Versions, Tiga, 2 Many DJ's

Day 3:
Wolfmother, Arsenal, Kelis, Kaiser Chiefs, Franz Ferdinand, Placebo, dEUS.
Donavon Frankenreiter, Arctic Monkeys, Goldfrapp, Sigur Rós

Day 4:
Absynthe Minded, Eels, Starsailor, Robert Plant & The Strange Sensation, Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals, Hooverphonic, Depeche Mode.
Collective Soul, Bettye LaVette, An Pierlé & White Velvet, Laurent Garnier & Bugge Wesseltoft featuring Philippe Nadaud, Super Discount

=2007 Festival=

Dates: June 28 - July 1.

Ticket presale started on February 20 2007.

Full Festival Line-up:

Day 1:

"Main Stage:" Billy Talent, Zornik, My Chemical Romance, Marilyn Manson, Björk, Muse

"Pyramid Marquee:" Milow, Air Traffic, Air, Rufus Wainwright, Beastie Boys, Dr. Lektroluv

Day 2:

"Main Stage:" The Van Jets, Enter Shikari, Kings of Leon, Kaiser Chiefs, Bloc Party, Queens of the Stone Age, Arctic Monkeys, Pearl Jam

"Pyramid Marquee:" Jason Mraz, Oi Va Voi, Joan As Policewoman, Sioen, Lily Allen, Admiral Freebee, Satellite Party, Gabriel Rios

Day 3:

"Main Stage:" Heideroosjes, Razorlight, Amy Winehouse, Snow Patrol, The Killers, Peter Gabriel, Keane, The Chemical Brothers

"Pyramid Marquee:" The Bravery, The Hold Steady, Blonde Redhead, Klaxons, Goose, Arno, The Good, the Bad and the Queen, LCD Soundsystem

Day 4:

"Main Stage:" !!!, Mastodon, The Kooks, Interpol, Incubus, Metallica, Faithless

"Pyramid Marquee:" Stijn, Cold War Kids, Maxïmo Park, John Legend, Frank Black, Damien Rice, The Australian Pink Floyd Show, Tori Amos

2008 Festival

*Day 1, 3rd July 2008"Main Stage:" The Chemical Brothers, R.E.M., Lenny Kravitz, Mika, Counting Crows, Air Traffic "Pyramid Marquee:" 2manydjs, Soulwax, Shameboy, The National, Vampire Weekend, Modern Skirts

*Day 2, 4th July 2008"Main Stage:" Moby, Neil Young, The Verve, Jay-Z, Babyshambles, Slayer, Monza, The Black Box Revelation "Pyramid Marquee:" Digitalism, Hot Chip, Zita Swoon, Duffy, My Morning Jacket, Ben Folds, Patrick Watson, The Cool Kids

"Babyshambles canceled and were replaced by Air Traffic."

*Day 3, 5th July 2008"Main Stage:" Radiohead, Sigur Rós, Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals, Kings of Leon, Editors, The Hives, Gossip, The Whigs "Pyramid Marquee:" Róisín Murphy, Gnarls Barkley, MGMT, Kate Nash, KT Tunstall, Galactic, Band of Horses, Donavon Frankenreiter

*Day 4, 6th July 2008"Main Stage:" dEUS, The Black Box Revelation, Anouk, Beck, Kaiser Chiefs, The Raconteurs, The Kooks, Panic at the Disco, The John Butler Trio "Pyramid Marquee:" Nightwish, Underworld, Justice, Grinderman, Mark Ronson, Hercules and Love Affair, Tim Vanhamel, DeVotchKa

The 2008 festival ticket includes free rail travel nationwide to and from the festival.Fact|date=May 2008

External links

* http://www.rockwerchter.be
* http://www.myspace.com/rockwerchter