Graspop Metal Meeting
51°13′48.15″N 5°05′2.36″E / 51.2300417°N 5.0839889°E
| Graspop Metal Meeting | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Rock, heavy metal, punk |
| Dates | Usually last weekend in June |
| Location(s) | Dessel, Antwerp, Flemish Region, Belgium |
| Years active | 1996–present |
| Website | www.graspop.be |
Graspop Metal Meeting is an annual metal festival in Dessel, Belgium that has taken place each year since 1996. Despite the small size of the festival grounds (upholding a perimeter of only ~4 km) the festival draws a large number of international spectators, with a total of 142,000 visitors in the course of the 2011 edition.[1] The event was not originally a heavy metal festival; rather, it was conceived as a local family festival. In 1995, the headliners billed were Joe Cocker and Simple Minds. However, due to the public being oversaturated with family festivals, the number of visitors had dropped to an all-time low.
History
Founder Peter Van Geel realized that mainstream rock music held insufficient appeal to festival visitors. Reflecting on the most memorable acts of the preceding years (Motörhead, Ramones, Paradise Lost, and so forth) and on his own musical preferences, he decided in favour of a drastic reorientation.
After discussions with Werchter festival promoter Herman Schueremans, Van Geel contacted Bob Schoenmaekers, the owner of the Biebob concert venue and metal club in nearby Vosselaar. A couple of years earlier, Schoenmaekers had set up his "Midsummer Metal Meeting" in Vosselaar and because of space limits, he was considering an open air festival. The initial contact soon led to close collaboration. The duo decided to launch a brand-new metal festival under the name of "Graspop Metal Meeting". The date of choice was to be the last weekend of June.
The new direction proved to be a successful one. The festival has seen a continually rising number of visitors over the years, and has been able to attract the most popular international bands in the genre. Since the festival's inception in 1996, Iron Maiden has been the most frequent headliner, with six appearances. Other bands which have prominently been featured are Arch Enemy (6), Cradle Of Filth (6), My Dying Bride (7), Moonspell (6) and Saxon (7).
Location
The festival is located in Kastelsedijk, in Dessel and is situated about 60km away from Antwerp, 110km from Brussels, 35km from Eindhoven, 170km from Amsterdam and 150km from Düsseldorf.
Dessel is a municipality with 9103 inhabitants in the province of Antwerp in Belgium[2]. The 27.03 km ² comprehensive community lies in the Flemish Region, also known as Flanders, this is the officially Dutch-speaking part of Belgium. The distance to the neighboring country the Netherlands is less than 10 km. The largest part of the economy of Dessel is determined by different regions of the nuclear power industry. Dessel is the twin town of Hesse-Lichtenau.
Tickets
Combination tickets for the Graspop Metal Meeting include camping from Thursday to Monday, parking for your vehicle and entery the festival site. Day tickets are available, they do not include camping, you can purchase a camping ticket separately. Camping tickets allow day ticket holders to spend the night on the camping site. A camping ticket is valid on the same day as the festival ticket.
In 2009 Graspop Metal Meeting introduced a VIP ticket. The VIP package consists of: parking space in the VIP car park; which is nearer the festival ground, access to the VIP lounge, and separate entrances to the campsite and the festival arena.
| Ticket Prices | |||
| Year | Combi Ticket | Day Ticket | Camping Ticket |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1996
|
|
|
|
Accommodation
Most people who stay at Graspop Metal Meeting will camp in a tent. Campsite accommodation is provided in the cost of a combi ticket but festival-goers must bring their own tents.
Caravans and trailer tents are not allowed onto the camp site. However you can book a pitch in addition to the main ticket which allows access to Graspop Metal Town.
Graspop Metal Town
Graspop Metal Town is located at just 1km from the festival site; and is a veritable open air hotel with its proper sanitary facilities, breakfast tent, bar and reception desk. You can either spend the night in a festihut or you can book a pitch for your motorhome, caravan or tent.
Festihuts
Introduced in 2008 the festihut is a wooden cottage equipped with beds or bunk beds and mattresses.
Festihut details:
- Four people per festihut, equipped with (bunk) beds and mattresses
- Dimensions: 3 m x 2.5 m (7.5 m²)
- Lockable door and insulated roof
- One window as a minimum
- Wooden floor at least 10 cm above the ground
- 1 rechargeable lantern per hut (to be charged at the reception desk)
- All huts have electricity (max. 300W)
- Guests must bring their own sheets
- Smoking inside the festihut is prohibited
The cost of a festihut is €600 for 4 people, €575 for 3 poeple, €550 for two people and €525 for a single person (2012 prices)[13].
Pitches
Metal Town has space for 200 pitches, for people who want to bring a caravan, mobile home, or tent.
Pitch details:
- 1 pitch = max. 6 persons
- Max. vehicle dimensions 8m x 4m (8.7 x 4.4 yd).
- A few oversized pitches (PLUS 12m x 4m) will be available for oversized vehicles. Additional charge: 50€/pitch.
- Every pitch has electricity (max. 300W). Electricity is available people need to bring your own extension lead.
- (Folding) caravan owners must return their car to the car park after leaving their caravan at the pitch.
- Each pitch is rented for 4 nights.
- Owners who leave their motorhome or (folding) caravan behind will be fined 500€/vehicle.
- One trailer tent and/or additional tent is allowed per pitch
€275 for 6 people, €250 for 5 people, €225 for 4 people, €200 for 3 people, €175 for 2 people, €150 for 1 person (2012 prices)[14].
Graspop Metal Meeting 1996
The first Graspop Metal Meeting was scheduled for 30 June 1996 and immediately the change of course proved to be roaring success. Over 10,000 people got to see fifteen bands on two stages with Iron Maiden and Type O Negative as headliners. [15]
| Sunday June 30 | ||
| Mainstage | Marquee | |
|---|---|---|
|
Iron Maiden
|
Type O Negative
| |
Graspop Metal Meeting 1997
In 1997, the event threatened to be a washout due to unseasonably bad weather. In spite of the deluge, the turn-out was even better than the year before. Now with three stages, and the introduction of the ‘skate stage’, and it was becoming increasingly obvious that the site at ‘De Witte Berg’ was not only too wet, but also too small.[16]
| Sunday June 29 | ||
| Mainstage | Marquee | Skate Stage |
|---|---|---|
|
Megadeth
|
My Dying Bride
|
|
Graspop Metal Meeting 1998
For the 1998 edition, the festival relocated to the much larger Boeretang site and Peter Van Geel and his team booked an even bigger act to conclude the festivities. Headliners Black Sabbath drew a crowd with the attendance at nearly 20,000.[17]
| Sunday June 28 | ||
| Mainstage | Marquee I | Marquee II |
|---|---|---|
|
Black Sabbath
|
Paradise Lost
|
Primus
|
Graspop Metal Meeting 1999
The bill for the 1999 edition may have been slightly less impressive with closers Manowar, Danzig and Cradle Of Filth, but by now the Graspop Metal Meeting had built a solid fan base and the festival was also starting to make a name for itself abroad.[18]
| Sunday June 27 [19] | ||
| Main Stage | Marquee I | Marque II |
|---|---|---|
|
Manowar
|
Cradle of Filth
|
Danzig
|
Graspop Metal Meeting 2000
The 2000 edition marked the triumphant return of Iron Maiden and together with the likes of Machine Head, Cro-Mags and My Dying Bride.[20]
| Saturday June 24 | ||
| Mainstage | Marque I | Marque II |
|---|---|---|
|
Iron Maiden
|
My Dying Bride
|
Cro-mags
|
Graspop Metal Meeting 2001
In the meantime, the free campsite was also becoming extremely popular. In 2001, GMM decided to organise a campingfest with Rose Tattoo and Nevermore as headliners. The following day, Judas Priest, Marduk and Suicidal Tendencies shook Dessel to its foundations. Attendance easily broke the 20,000 barrier that year, making the Graspop Metal Meeting one of the larger festivals of Belgium.[21]
| Friday June 22 [22] | ||
| Marquee 1/Campfest | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Action in DC
| ||
| Saturday June 23 | ||
| Main Stage | Marquee 1 | Marquee 2 |
|---|---|---|
|
Judas Priest
|
Marduk
|
Suicidal Tendencies
|
Graspop Metal Meeting 2002
The campingfest had been so successful that, on the Friday two stages warmed up our festivalgoers; with Saxon and Agnostic Front headlining.[23]
| Friday July 5 [24] | ||
| Marquee I | Marquee II | |
|---|---|---|
|
Saxon
|
Agnostic Front
| |
| Saturday July 6 | ||
| Main Stage | Marquee I | Marquee II |
|---|---|---|
|
Slayer
|
My Dying Bride
|
Biohazard
|
Graspop Metal Meeting 2003
Meanwhile GMM had developed into a genuine two-day event and in 2003 some 50,000 people made their way to the festival grounds. Graspop was fast becoming a household name right across Europe. Bands that played this year were; Type O Negative, Sepultura, Stratovarius, Iron Maiden, Alice Cooper, Ministry and Stonesour. [25]
| Friday July 4 [26] | ||
| Marquee I | Marquee II | |
|---|---|---|
|
Type O Negative
|
Stratovarius
| |
| Saturday July 5 | ||
| Main Stage | Marquee I | Marquee II |
|---|---|---|
|
Iron Maiden
|
Ministry
|
Stone Sour
|
Graspop Metal Meeting 2004
In 2004, Graspop Metal Meeting spanned into a three day event. The campingfest opened the proceedings on Friday, while full programmes on three separate stages were scheduled for both Saturday and Sunday. Attendance climbed to 75,000, putting paid to those critics who had long claimed metal to be a fringe phenomenon in Belgium. Iced Earth and Exodus were top of the bill on Friday, while Alice Cooper, Cradle Of Filth and Agnostic Front closed on Saturday. On Sunday, Judas Priest celebrated the return of Rob Halford.[27]
| Friday June 25 [28] | ||
| Main Stage | Marquee I | |
|---|---|---|
|
Iced Earth
|
Exodus
| |
| Saturday June 26 | ||
| Main Stage | Marquee I | Marquee II |
|---|---|---|
|
Alice Cooper
|
Cradle of Filth
|
Agnostic Front
|
| Sunday June 27 | ||
| Main Stage | Marquee I | Marquee II |
|---|---|---|
|
Judas Priest
|
Dimmu Borgir
|
Hatebreed
|
Graspop Metal Meeting 2005
The 2005 edition marked the tenth anniversary of the Graspop Metal Meeting and an amazing 80,000 metal fans thanked the organisers for ten long years of unremitting effort. The campingfest became a thing of the past as GMM now scheduled three full festival days on four stages that welcomed over 60 bands. After top acts like Slipknot, System Of A Down and Slayer had set the festival grounds ablaze, headliners Iron Maiden wrapped up the three-day anniversary party in style with a vintage ‘early days’ set[29][30].
| Friday June 24 | |||
| Main Stage | Marquee I | Marquee II | Metal Dome |
|---|---|---|---|
|
System of a Down
|
Nevermore
|
Kreator
|
In-Quest
|
| Saturday June 25 | ||
| Main Stage | Marquee I | Marquee II |
|---|---|---|
|
Slipknot
|
In Flames
|
Anthrax
|
| Sunday June 26 | ||
| Main Stage | Marquee I | Marquee II |
|---|---|---|
|
Iron Maiden
|
Lacuna Coil
|
Terror
|
Graspop Metal Meeting 2006
Just like all previous editions, GMM 2006 was a roaring success. On Saturday, bands and fans had to suffer in the blistering heat, but the following day torrential rains swept across the Dessel festival grounds. The cloudburst just before the Helloween gig was particularly spectacular. Korn were forced to cancel their set just days before the festival, so there wasn’t enough time to find a suitable replacement. Fortunately GMM could count on Soulfly, Opeth, My Dying Bride and Alice In Chains to play a slightly longer set. Saturday’s headliners Guns N’ Roses ran late, so no surprises there. Mr Axl Rose saw fit to let his fans soak for 80 minutes before taking the stage.[31]
| Friday June 23 [32] | |||
| Main Stage | Marquee I | Marquee II | Metal Dome |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Whitesnake
|
Satyricon
|
Die Krupps
|
Axamenta
|
| Saturday June 24 | |||
| Main Stage | Marquee I | Marquee II | Metal Dome |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Guns N' Roses
|
Death Angel
|
Action in Dc
| |
| Sunday June 25 | |||
| Main Stage | Marquee I | Marquee II | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Motörhead
|
Cradle of Filth
|
Arch Enemy
| |
Graspop Metal Meeting 2007
Attendance breached the 100,000 barrier this year. This year’s edition also saw the introduction of the all-in festival ticket, giving metal fans access to free public transport to the festival site. [33]
| Friday June 22 [34] | |||
| Main Stage | Marquee I | Marquee II | Metal Dome |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Aerosmith
|
Blind Guardian
|
Therion
|
Volbeat
|
| Saturday June 23 | |||
| Main Stage | Marquee I | Marquee II | Metal Dome |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Iron Maiden
|
Dimmu Borgir
|
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
|
Bloodsimple
|
| Sunday June 24 | |||
| Main Stage | Marquee I | Marquee II | Metal Dome |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Ozzy Osbourne
|
Amon Amarth
|
Mastodon
|
Stormrider
|
Graspop Metal Meeting 2008
Volbeat and Opeth’s late cancellations were the only hiccup. GMM 2008 was unique in more ways than one. At The Gates and Forbidden reformed whereas Ministry were on their farewell tour. Finally, GMM 2008 will be remembered as the year we introduced the Festihuts. [35]
| Friday June 27 | |||
| Main Stage | Marquee I | Marquee II | Metal Dome |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Judas Priest
|
Ministry
|
Morbid Angel
|
Firewind
|
| Saturday June 28 | |||
| Main Stage | Marquee I | Marquee II | Metal Dome |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Kiss
|
My Dying Bride
|
Helmet
|
|
| Sunday June 29 | |||
| Main Stage | Marquee I | Marquee II | Metal Dome |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Iron Maiden
|
At the Gates
|
Arch Enemy
|
Action in DC
|
Graspop Metal Meeting 2009
GMM 2009 marked the 14th edition of our prestigious festival and once again the key word was innovation: some 130,000 people inaugurated the new festival grounds "Stenehei" and the new 24 hour zone created a corridor between the campsite and the actual festival arena. This year also saw the introduction of the boozebags and the new Graspop token now pays for both food and drink. Our thoughts go out to [Killswitch Engage]], who were forced to cancel their show due to a death in the family. The Belgian band In-Quest were able to replace Killswitch Engage. Five Finger Death Punch cancelled, and were replaced by Delain.[36]
| Friday June 26 [37] | |||
| Main Stage | Marquee I | Marquee II | Metal Dome |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Mötley Crüe
|
Dream Theater
|
Down
|
The Gathering
|
| Saturday June 27 | |||
| Main Stage | Marquee I | Marquee II | Metal Dome |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Slipknot
|
Lacuna Coil
|
Volbeat
|
Wolves in the Throne Room
|
| Sunday June 28 | |||
| Main Stage | Marquee I | Marquee II | Metal Dome |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Marilyn Manson
|
Children of Bodom
|
Sick of It All
|
Karma to Burn
|
Graspop Metal Meeting 2010
This year Graspop Metal Meeting introduced the token machines; so people didn't have to queue at manned counters. Also a new plastic floor was placed in front of the main stage to stop dust clouds. Another first was GMM TV; a total of 15 screens gave an overview of what was going on all across the festival grounds. Visitors could watch the shows on the various stages, follow the action at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, read the latest news or take the GMM quiz.[38]
| Friday June 25 [39] | |||
| Main Stage | Marquee I | Marquee II | Metal Dome |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Aerosmith
|
My Dying Bride
|
Saxon
|
Nile
|
| Saturday June 26 | |||
| Main Stage | Marquee I | Marquee II | Metal Dome |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Soulfly
|
Immortal
|
Airbourne
|
Eluveitie
|
| Sunday June 27 | |||
| Main Stage | Marquee 1 | Marquee 1 | Metal Dome |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Kiss
|
Amon Amarth
|
Devil Driver
|
Finntroll
|
Graspop Metal Meeting 2011
The 16th edition of Graspop Metal Meeting kicked off on Thursday when three Belgian bands, The Minority Print, Evilenko and Warbeast, faced off in the Red Bull Bedroom Jam. Later that evening thousands of people let their hair down and moshed the night away at the video top 100 bash. On Saturday Channel Zero replaced Ozzy Osbourne following Ozzy Osbourne's cancellation (due to a severe laryngitis), Judas Priest took on headlining duties.[40]
| Friday June 24 | |||
| Main Stage | Marquee I | Marquee II | Metal Dome |
|---|---|---|---|
|
The Scorpions
|
Iced Earth
|
Parkway Drive
|
Duff McKagan's Loaded
|
| Saturday June 25 | |||
| Main Stage | Marquee I | Marquee II | Metal Dome |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Judas Priest
|
Cradle of Filth
|
Bullet For My Valentine
|
Pain
|
| Sunday June 26 | |||
| Main Stage | Marquee I | Marquee II | Metal Dome |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Slipknot
|
Cavalera Conspiracy
|
Bring Me The Horizon
|
Soilwork
|
Graspop Metal Meeting 2012
| Friday June 22 [42] | |||
| Main Stage | Marquee I | Marquee II | Metal Dome |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Ozzy and Friends
|
Lamb of God
|
Kyuss Lives!
|
Cannibal Corpse
|
| Saturday June 23 | |||
| Main Stage | Marquee I | Marquee II | Metal Dome |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Limp Bizkit
|
Dimmu Borgir
|
Pennywise
|
Ihsahn & Leprous
|
| Sunday June 24 | |||
| Main Stage | Marquee I | Marquee II | Metal Dome |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Guns N' Roses
|
Children Of Bodom
|
Hatebreed
|
Black Veil Brides
|
External links
References
- ^ http://epic.skynetblogs.be/archive/2011/06/28/graspop-2011-een-terugblik.html
- ^ http://www.dessel.be/dessel%20in%20cijfers/3093/default.aspx?_vs=0_N
- ^ http://www.festivalinfo.nl/festival/1051/all_desc/Graspop_Metal_Meeting/2003/
- ^ http://www.metalstorm.net/events/news_comments.php?news_id=451
- ^ http://www.festivalinfo.nl/festival/2780/all_desc/Graspop_Metal_Meeting/2005/
- ^ http://web.archive.org/web/20060430184725/http://www.graspop.be/pages/tickets/tickets_vlaanderen.php
- ^ http://web.archive.org/web/20070602065243/http://www.graspop.com/
- ^ http://www.graspopmetalmeeting.de/history/2008/
- ^ http://www.graspopmetalmeeting.de/history/2009/
- ^ http://www.graspopmetalmeeting.de/history/2010/
- ^ http://www.graspopmetalmeeting.de/history/2011/
- ^ http://www.graspopmetalmeeting.de/infos/tickets/
- ^ http://www.graspop.be/en/info/1086/Metal-Town.html
- ^ http://www.graspop.be/en/info/1086/Metal-Town.html
- ^ http://www.graspopmetalmeeting.de/history/
- ^ http://www.graspopmetalmeeting.de/history/
- ^ http://www.graspopmetalmeeting.de/history/
- ^ http://www.graspopmetalmeeting.de/history/
- ^ http://web.archive.org/web/19990825044018/graspop.com/bands.htm
- ^ http://www.graspopmetalmeeting.de/history/
- ^ http://www.graspopmetalmeeting.de/history/
- ^ http://web.archive.org/web/20010814232712/http://www.graspop.com/bands.htm
- ^ http://www.graspopmetalmeeting.de/history/
- ^ http://web.archive.org/web/20021017064435/www.graspop.com/main.htm
- ^ http://www.graspopmetalmeeting.de/history/
- ^ http://web.archive.org/web/20030207162340/www.graspop.com/uk/index.htm
- ^ http://www.graspopmetalmeeting.de/history/
- ^ http://web.archive.org/web/20040616025019/http://www.graspop.be/pages/kalender_tijd.php
- ^ http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/iron-maiden/2005/boeretang-dessel-belgium-13d59175.html
- ^ http://www.graspopmetalmeeting.de/history/
- ^ http://www.graspopmetalmeeting.de/history/
- ^ http://web.archive.org/web/20060701153449/http://www.graspop.be/pages/kalender_tijd.php
- ^ http://www.graspopmetalmeeting.de/history/
- ^ http://web.archive.org/web/20070601063805/www.graspop.be/pages/kalender_tijd.php?d=0
- ^ http://www.graspopmetalmeeting.de/history/
- ^ http://www.graspop.be/en/historiek/index.html
- ^ http://img11.imageshack.us/f/graspop2009.png/
- ^ http://www.graspop.be/en/historiek/index.html
- ^ http://www.metalstorm.net/events/event.php?event_id=38536
- ^ http://www.graspop.be/en/historiek/index.html
- ^ http://www.graspop.be/2010/en/day-schedule.php?tl=en
- ^ http://www.graspop.be/en/bands/days/index.html
