Shauna Watson
Music Editor
The organisers of Belgium music festival, Pukkelpop, have confirmed that the festival will go ahead in 2012. The statement made by organisers on the official Pukkelpop website was posted recently after concerns were raised about the continuation of the festival following a severe thunderstorm on the opening day of the event in August. The remainder of the festival was subsequently cancelled after 5 people were killed and several severely injured by the collapse of the Chateau stage caused by the torrential rain and forceful winds. Collapsed tents, speakers and large TV screens and uprooted trees were also reported to have been part of the carnage following the storm.
The festival, which will run into its 27th year in 2012, has seen such notable headliners as Ramones, Daft Punk, Nirvana and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers. The main acts lined up for the 2011 festival included Eminem, Offspring and the Foo Fighters among others acts who were forced to leave the arena near the city of Hasselt along with over 140,000 attendees.
The organisers reiterated that “Pukkelpop will be Pukkelpop” and continue in its original form of three days, eight stages, a mixture of the best bands, DJs and sideshows of the moment combined with a distinctive focus on artists of tomorrow and will take place on the 16th-18th of August 2012.
