Festivals
3rd - 6th July 2025
One of Europe’s most beloved festivals goes all out to ensure this year is truly unforgettable.
It’s early July in Belgium on a sweltering day. The sun blazes down on some weary faces, while others stubbornly carry their water bottles, pushing forward with tents and heavy backpacks along a muddy path towards an ever-present thumping bass. The reality is, the heat won't deter anyone from attending this year’s Rock Werchter festival, marking its esteemed 50th anniversary. The weekend promises an impressive lineup, featuring renowned legends alongside the hottest acts of the moment. As festival-goers stroll in during the early evening of the first day, a crowd is forming to catch a glimpse of Jacob Collier’s electrifying performance at Rock Werchter’s Barn stage. He exudes the perfect amount of infectious energy to kick off the festival (no surprises there) with spirited renditions of ‘All I Need’ and ‘Over You’, encouraging the audience to join in with scattered yet enthusiastic harmonies, swaying along in such overwhelming joy that it’s nearly impossible not to immerse oneself in this heartwarming atmosphere.
Meanwhile, over on the Main Stage, Deftones are presenting a strikingly different experience to an evolving crowd that continues to grow, moving through the moody atmosphere of ‘Beware’ and progressively increasing the tempo with each song as their set approaches its climax. By the end, lead singer Chino Moreno is soaked with sweat (not surprising considering how vigorously he thrashes his head to Stephen Carpenter’s aggressive riffs), serving as the perfect lead-in to the night’s headline act: Linkin Park. For many, this will be their first opportunity to see Linkin Park featuring new lead singer Emily Armstrong, who joined the band last year after its seven-year hiatus following Chester Bennington’s tragic death. It’d be reasonable for them to feel nervous about performing, yet an exhilarating hour and a half awaits us as Mike Shinoda addresses the roaring crowd: "Good evening, Werchter. Are you ready to have a good time with us?" He soaks in the crowd's enthusiastic cheers for a brief moment before exclaiming, "Let’s go!" and launching into an explosive opening number, ‘Somewhere I Belong’. Emily quickly finds her rhythm, delivering powerful, commanding vocals through ‘Numb’, ‘Heavy Is the Crown’, and ‘The Emptiness Machine’ in a whirlwind performance that requires time to absorb this significant moment in rock history.
Next up, after a restful night at the festival’s Hive Resort, the San Diego group Thee Sacred Souls takes to KluB C. This suave trio delivers a smooth set, enchanting the crowd with fan favorites ‘Can I Call You Rose?’, ‘Will I See You Again?’, and ‘Easier Said Than Done’, eliciting a dreamy response with Josh Lane's every lyric. Then, it’s the turn of Isle of Wight duo Wet Leg, whose upcoming album ‘Moisturizer’ is just around the corner. Rhian Teasdale makes it clear she has this on her mind as she confidently steps onto the stage and launches into ‘Wet Dream’ with the energy and flair of a seasoned performer. However, it’s the afternoon, so the audience is craving a bit more excitement to get their cheers going. "How do you guys feel about screaming?" Rhian shouts, "Are you ready to rage?" And just like that, the crowd echoes back, screeching “What?” as they rock out to ‘Chaise Longue’.
Across the field, Celeste captivates a growing audience that spills out beyond the venue. In a moving moment during ‘Strange’, she becomes emotional, and several front-row fans join her in tears. For this artist (envision a blend of Adele, Amy Winehouse, and a bit of Jorja Smith), it’s a pivotal moment that requires a pause, a deep breath, and a round of applause to move through. We are faced with a delightful dilemma on who to see next - Lola Young is perhaps the most highly anticipated newcomer on this year’s lineup, a fact evident as The Barn fills up in minutes before her entry. Though she recently performed at Wembley Arena during Capital’s Summertime Ball just days ago, she appears genuinely surprised by the throng of fans before launching into her latest hit, ‘One Thing’.
However, it would be dishonest not to mention that Green Day and Raye are our two standout favorites from Rock Werchter 2025. It’s not an everyday occurrence to hear the energetic riff of ‘American Idiot’ resonate through a midnight crowd stretching far back, all screaming their hearts out, especially on the 4th of July. Billie Joe Armstrong struggles to hear himself above the fervor but makes a point to give his fellow band members Tré Cool and Mike Dirnt their moment in the spotlight before
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One of Europe's most beloved festivals is going all out to ensure this year is truly unforgettable.