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Posted by Ronald on July 31st, 2008 at 11:03 am

Like I mentioned in an earlier post the festival season is full force ahead and I feel like I’m in music heaven with so many nice gigs to see and so little time. But a few weeks ago it was time for one of the highlights of the year: the Rock Werchter festival was about to kick off! We got off on a bad start as our friend’s car turned out to be broken so we fell back to our emergency plan and borrowed another car that had to be driven to us first. But finally we could head down to Belgium, made it through the eternal traffic jam around Antwerp and finally were proudly sipping a nice cold beer in front of our tent that was to be our home base for the next four days. I read some forum posts from people whining about the four day program. But with bands like REM, Radiohead, Lenny Kravitz, Chemical Brothers, Neil Young, Slayer, Editors, Kings Of Leon, The Raconteurs, The Kooks, Kaiser Chiefs, dEUS, Beck and many many more, the program was looking better than ever and it promised to be a good edition.

Rock Werchter at Ronselaar Belgium 3,4,5 and 6 July 2008 

And I can tell you already that it was. It seemed the programmer gave me a call to ask what bands I really wanted to see since I almost found no conflicts in the program. Except on Sunday when Grinderman and The Raconteurs were playing at the same time. So what bands did I see?

Thursday

While waiting in line for over an hour to get in we made it inside while the Counting Crows were playing. I never liked them a lot for their depressing music. And on stage it wasn’t a lot better. Not much going on and it seemed many people got bored of their performance. So first things first: we had to buy our drink tickets and get that first beer of the festival.

The National(Ronald says: 2 out of 5)
While Mika was taking the main stage I headed for the tent where this band was playing. I didn’t know them so I was hoping for a surprise. Their singer has a pretty good voice and I just can’t figure out which singer he reminds me of. Some songs were good however it never got me really excited though. They couldn’t actually impress me but it was a nice performance. Maybe they’ll grow into it. I got to see them a bit more up close when that black cloud in the sky decided to let go of its load.

Lenny Kravitz(Ronald says: 3 out of 5)
I have two problems with Lenny Kravitz: he never sounds original although his voice is and in his live performances he tends to stretch songs way beyond your attention span making it a quite hard to swallow. However to my surprise this time he was able to keep my attention. Some good musicians on stage were playing an energetic set keeping the momentum for most of the set. Except for the end where Lenny managed to start one of his infamous jams but this time decided to end the song just in time.

Soulwax(Ronald says: 4 out of 5)
I probably hurt many people’s feelings by telling that I don’t like REM. Too depressing and musicians that take it all too serious taking the fun out of music. So I went to see Soulwax in the tent instead. I got to know this Belgian band many years ago when they were a rock band experimenting with electronic music. Now they are…what are they? It’s kind of like a DJ set with live musicians that play dance music mixed with rock elements…or something like that. They had people dancing from the start and it was a good set. De Dewaele brothers that are the core of the band prove to be very talented musicians (like they still have to) and it’s admirable to see how they keep exploring new directions with their music.

2ManyDJs(Ronald says: 4 out of 5)
And since they were set up in the tent anyway with their other band Soulwax the Dewaele brothers still weren’t tired and wanted to keep everyone dancing. This band is a DJ set and the two brothers mix records that seem to have nothing in common blending it into a complete new track. This time they cranked it up a bit and now everyone in the fully packed tent was jumping like crazy. Check this out Michael Stipe and co.! This is how you put the fun into music.

Day 1 turned out to give us a killer start!

Friday

And my hangover on day 2 turned out to have a killer start as well. We wanted to have a slow start but probably wouldn’t get the chance since Slayer was taking the stage early. While we entered the festival a Belgium band named ‘Monza‘ were performing on the main stage. What I heard from it sounded pretty nice. Unfortunately I wasn’t entirely back on my feet yet to give them a proper listen. Maybe I’ll be able to catch them some other time.

Slayer(Ronald says: 3 out of 5)
I’m a bit too much of sissy to actually appreciate this type of heavy music. However in this band the godfather of metal drumming is playing, Dave Lombardo, so I always want to check them out. They have been around for a while and can pick songs from an extensive repertoire. Metal nowadays almost has become a bit main stream although their fan base still is relatively small. Even a big band like Slayer didn’t draw a big crowd and we could make it close to the stage. Unfortunately the setup was bad for a drum lover like me and it was hard to spot Dave behind his drum kit. Impossible even to see his impressive feet work and the camera shots on the big screens weren’t really helpful either. Too bad since it’s always a treat to see him play. The band played tight as always and despite the fact they’re not the youngest anymore. I guess that was kind of showing. Metal bands used to be kind of scary to non-metal fans.  However now they didn’t seem so scary anymore. Instead singer Tom Araya now and then was enjoying the crowd with a big Colgate smile and occasionally threw in a shy ‘thank you’ looking almost cuddly like a big teddy bear. Of course they played many big hits including songs of their all time classic metal album ‘Reign In Blood’. All in all a nice performance. Lots of respect for these metal heroes.

Air Traffic(Ronald says: 2 out of 5)
Babyshambles canceled very late because Pete Doherty didn’t feel like showing up once again leaving their fans out in the cold. Air Traffic were so kind to fill in and played their second gig in two days at this festival. Where Slayer woke me up Air Traffic put me back to sleep. No matter how kind they look this band just doesn’t do it for me. Their music is too boring and their performance even more. After three songs I lost interest and spent most of the concert talking to my friends and washing away the final hangover bits with nice cold beers.

Jay-Z(Ronald says: 3 out of 5)
I actually wanted to see My Morning Jacket but somehow didn’t make it to their concert. I think I kind of forgot. Could’ve been the Belgian lagers that tasted so good in the sun. So instead we were watching Jay-Z all of a sudden. What happened!? I was watching a hip-hop act! And, no offense guys, I just really don’t like hip-hop. It wasn’t bad. He had a great band on stage: an actual real drummer, percussionist, horns section, back ground singers, the works. And those guys could play! Just a shame this guy with gold chains and mic was talking and shouting through the music. ‘Show me your diamond’!? What the hell!? The rest of the crowd liked it so kudos to Jay-Z. Just not my cup of tea.

Zita Swoon(Ronald says: 5 out of 5)
It’s hard to describe the music of this band. Some call it art pop but I think that doesn’t give them enough credit. I’ve seen this band many times over the past years and every time they seem to be better.  The band is playing very good and creative. Their set list is well balanced with up tempo songs following beautiful ballads at the right moment. Of course being from Belgium it’s a home game but the fully packed tent loves it and for a reason. The atmosphere is really great and when they finish their set the crowd absolutely begs for more. One of the highlights without a doubt.

Neil Young(Ronald says: 4 out of 5)
Every year Rock Werchter books an old legendary act. In the past we’ve seen The Who, Pixies and should have seen David Bowie who unfortunately had to cancel due to health problems. This year it was Neil Young’s turn. His stage setup was an interesting one with some weird looking instruments. A painter’s easel was standing up front and during the concert paintings expressing the name of the song were showing on it. Neil was dressed in paint covered clothes rocking his boots off. I was impressed. This guy was still going strong. Of course he has written so many good songs over the years that he can play for hours. And so he did. “Heard of Gold”, “Old Man” and a great version of “All Along The Watch Tower”. His guitar was screaming like never before and his voice was loud and strong at times and soft and vulnerable at others. Amazing to see this legend play so full of fire and passion still after all these years. And thank you for not playing “Rocking In A Free World”…

Moby(Ronald says: 3 out of 5)
I always have mixed feelings about Moby. He has some really catchy songs but also made some really boring music. His live shows usually are quite energetic with plenty of light effects. This time he doesn’t bring a band but instead the tape is running. This makes it all a bit more static despite his efforts to bang some drums and the presence of female singer Joy Malcolm. The first half of the show is quite good. Everyone is dancing and jumping. Joy Malcolm has a clear voice that combines nicely with the music although the lyrics are scarce in Moby’s music. Despite playing many of his hits like ‘Honey’, ‘Go’, ‘We Are All Made Of Stars’ and ‘How Does My Heart Feel So Bad’ after a while it does get a bit weary. There’s just nog enough going on on stage. So maybe next time also bring a whole band like Jay-Z to join Ms. Malcolm.

Saturday
(Ronald says: 6 out of 5)
Today we had to go to a wedding. Fortunately it was in Spa which is a 1,5 hour drive away from the festival. So we got up early, joined our friends that rented a nice cabin near Spa, got into a nice real warm shower (yeah!),  said goodbye to my morning turd on a real nice toilet (yeah!) and got into my suit (hm). This is weird when you’re all in the festival rhythm. But the wedding was great with plenty of excellent food, lots of champagne and other drinks and good company.

So we didn’t get to see a.o. Mgmt, The Hives, the Editors which was the 1000th Werchter concert, Kings Of Leon, Roisin Murphy and Radiohead. What I heard, The Hives, the Editors Roisin Murphy and Radiohead were the highlights of the day. Always nice to have an excuse to include a picture of Roisin so here you go.

Sunday

Despite the great party with a lot of drinking and going to bed late we got up on time so we could return to the festival on time. We did miss the John Butler Trio which was really good according to our friends. So without the suit but nicely showered we continued where we left off which was drinking beer and enjoying the music.

Tim Van Hamel(Ronald says: 3 out of 5)
I was looking forward to this performance. I loved Tim van Hamel’s old band Millionaire and was really curious what he would come up with live. He worked together with Josh Homme on Millionaire’s second album and in the Eagles Of Death Metal so it promised to be good. It turned out different than I expected. The songs were more quiet and relaxed rock songs. Since we were outside the tent watching the big screen I didn’t really get into it. I probably have to listen to the album first and maybe catch him again live some other time to fully grasp it.

Hercules And Love Affair(Ronald says: 2 out of 5)
I didn’t really know this band but we wanted to get away from Anouk. It’s a mixture of dance and pop tunes. A bit of soul mixed with summer beats. Two female singers are taking turns on the lead vocals although later I found out that one of them is actually a man. (S)he was looking very sexy in a short dress and moving around the stage with subtle dances so I was a bit puzzled when I found out. Unfortunately their vocals weren’t convincing as was the rest of the music. The vocals were not powerful enough and even out of tone sometimes. The music was too laid back to make it really exciting. And the horns section didn’t get enough space to show their stuff but were restricted to playing in between melody lines most of the time. Fortunately I heard Anouk wasn’t a lot better.

The Kooks(Ronald says: 3 out of 5)
Despite being a band that has many teenage girl fans which usually isn’t a positive criteria for good music I like their songs. Not really complicated but feel good music. A year ago the band was looking really uninspired and tired maybe because of extensive touring. Singer Luke Pritchard was even looking bored making the concert a routine job. However this year the band was making up for it. They were looking energetic, fresh and revived. Probably because they have been in the studio for quite a bit to release their second album. They played many of their hit songs like ‘Naive’, ‘Ooh la’, ‘She Moves In Her Own Way’ but also plenty of songs of their latest album ‘Konk‘ that fit well. Pritchard was even communicating with the crowd now and then this time to keep everyone focused making it a good and entertaining concert.

The Raconteurs(Ronald says: 5 out of 5)
I’ll let you in on a secret: I don’t like the White Stripes. Sorry. The bands just doesn’t work for me and Meg can’t play the drums. But Jack White is a very talented musician and I’m really glad he’s also in the Raconteurs where his talent is more suited I think. I was planning on combining part of this set with Grinderman’s performance on the other stage. But it was too crowded to get to that stage fast so I decided to stay at the main stage. I love their latest album ‘Consolers Of The Lonely’, love their sound and the songs are brilliant. The last time I saw them live was a few years ago when they played a good set. This time however they blew me off my feet. This was brilliant. The band was playing very tight. Guitars were screaming. Jack White’s voice sounded great sometimes almost hysterical where Brendan Benson was singing beautiful ballads. Influences from 60s and 70s rock are obvious and are completely in place in the nice compositions. After the encore they left everyone standing in awe. Simply amazing. Just like Grinderman what I heard so hopefully I’ll be able to catch them soon as well.

Kaiser Chiefs(Ronald says: 4 out of 5)
What can I say. I saw them play many times now the last time being a few weeks back on Pinkpop. So after that many times doesn’t it get old? No it doesn’t. They always play great. And this time was no exception. Yes, I’ve heard all the songs a dozen times before but these guys just know how to please a crowd. Ricky Wilson is this tornado of energy that uses the whole stage. He jumps up and down, jumps into the crowd, climbs the light pole runs and jumps on the P.A. tower giving all he’s got. And there’s no way you can stand still. They even threw in some new songs which weren’t surprising but are similar to their hits. But who cares. Mark Ronson joins the party on stage to play the tambourine. These guys are the ultimate live party rock band playing everyones socks off. So keep it coming Wilson and co. Next time I’ll be there again to party with ya.

Beck(Ronald says: 3 out of 5)
Another very talented musician was playing tonight: Beck Hansen. He made some very good albums in the past and his live shows usually are very good bulging with creativity. However tonight it was a bit weary. Beck played some hit songs and some new songs of his latest album ‘Modern Guilt’ and was wearing a big pair of sun glasses most of the concert. But even the glasses didn’t look funny. Later I heard he was actually sick so that was the reason that he looked so pale. His songs are still good enough to make it an entertaining show. Hopefully next time I see him he’s all well again.

dEUS(Ronald says: 4 out of 5)
One of my favourite Belgian bands had the honour of being the closing act of the festivals. I think dEUS is one of the ambassadors of the Belgian music scene and represents everything what I like about alternative Belgian music: creative, intelligent music, good musicians and carefully created thought-through compositions. They try to find new directions on every new album and never sound main stream. Maybe their latest album ‘Vantage Point’ isn’t their best but I think it’s still good holding some nice songs like ‘The Architect’ and ‘Slow’. And these songs also prove to be good live. They blend in nicely with all the other great dEUS songs like ‘Little Arithmetics’ and ‘Bad Timing’. During ‘Popular Culture’ a children’s choir joins them on stage. Of course during the encore they play ‘Roses’ and close the night with ‘Suds And Soda’ where the kids of the choir are allowed to go crazy on the stage. After these musical fireworks it’s time for real fireworks. Werchter 2008 once again was a great edition where big bands delivered big performances and Belgian bands proved to be part of those big bands. And then there’s the great atmosphere of the festival and very friendly and relaxed Belgian people and their fine beers making it one of the best festivals around. We’ll be there again next year.