And we’re off. For another year. The sun – is appropriately baking; 40 degrees on the Tuesday. Perfect camping weather for the premiere Belgian pop/rock festival celebrating its fiftieth year. It’s a bit of a mixed bag – but the good largely outweighs the bad. As a legacy show; Werchter left something to be desired. As another year? Incredible as always.
The Headliners at Rock Werchter
Linkin Park opened up the first day of the Thursday night headliner with Emily Armstrong the new frontrunner. She seemed in fine command of the vocals – I stayed through to The Emptiness Machine and caught In The End on my way out – but it didn’t quite really do anything for me as a band; too much a detachment from Chester’s original style to fully adjust to it whilst at the same time too wrapped up in staying true to the original numbers. I ended up enjoying Nia Archives over on the almost-empty Klub C stage more – rampant, high-energy electronic music that kept the party started. It helped that the crowd around me were far more into it – and the brilliant beats jolted me right awake again.
Saturday’s headliner was Green Day – and for context, I bloody love Green Day. American Idiot was the first record I ever bought. It was an easy win. Their usual bit about coming onto Bohemian Rhapsody and having a giant man dressed in a bunny suit run around the stage to The Ramones got the crowd hyped up; and when they came on it was to the title track which was even better. They ran through much of the hits from both American Idiot and Dookie, in fine form complete with Billie Joe Armstrong (turns out you have a 50% shot of headlining Rock Werchter this year if you have the surname Armstrong) showing why he’s the greatest frontman in modern rock’n’roll – pure energy from start to finish and a crowd-pleasing delight that won’t go away quietly – punk to the ground; leading an anti-Trump rallying cry filled with expletives and encouraging audiences to love each other and forget amazon, twitter, the internet – and just allow each other to have fun. As a showman, Armstrong was invincible – leading the crowd completely under his spell, gifting the opportunity for one of their number to have their own “Good Riddance” moment – he’s capable of changing lives everywhere he goes.
Frequent show canceller Sam Fender cancelled leading to a last-minute stand-in for Yungblud; but neither Yungblud or Olivia Rodrigo (or for that matter, any of the Sunday acts) were my thing so I went back on the Sunday in the end. Bit of an underwhelming year given how hyped I was for People Watching live; but Green Day alone – oh my god; and the headliners overall were much better than last year’s bland combination of Maneskin and Lenny Kravitz. Besides – as we all know, the real festival isn’t about the headliners it’s about the undercard.
The Legacy Acts at Rock Werchter
Legacy Acts dominated Rock Werchter with bands that have been around for years. Iggy Pop was my headliner on the Thursday; not billed as a last tour but you’d be hard pressed to see how he’d keep going. Triumphant from start to finish – a real maelstrom of hit after hit, knocking it out of the park. The Passenger. Lust for Life. Interacting with the crowd with more energy than people 40 years younger. There’s something so special about joining in with a singalong to The Passenger it’s hard to forget anything ever else matters. He went through a ton of Iggy and the Stooges songs – including the much anticipated I Wanna Be Your Dog, and Raw Power being the second song on shows his strength.
Jazz band Cymande are the coolest jazz band in the world and really delivered with a seismic shift following their explosive resurgence. Now they’re a real contender of a band – danceable, fun – lively and a real firecracker of an act.
Heilung are on their last tour before a bit of a break but the folk act transformed themselves into a Viking Ritual for the day; forcing a crowd of revellers to slow down to their level as their immaculate costumes and set designs made you think it was a performance and not a folk gig. Each song seamlessly blended into one and they made the most out of their stage slot. By far and away the best dressed show at Rock Werchter.
I wasn’t expecting crowd-surfing to happen during Weezer let alone it to be literal but a woman got up on a mattress and rode to the front. It was mega good – Weezer were going through all the hits like a band on a mission – Buddy Holly, My Name is Jonas, and they even changed Pork and Beans to include “Wet Leg knows the way to the top of the charts” – referencing the band playing the same festival. Few crowd-pleasing sets like a Weezer set.
De La Soul got the party started in the baking, sweltering hot sun. Me Myself and I was a triumphant single and there was a weird moment with the band where they passed off them going backstage for a few songs because they were French and having a smoke break; but the charm of De La Soul and their ability to get the party started was a no brainer. A Roller Skater Jam Named Saturdays also featured and the infectious energy was hard not to jam to.
If you’d worried Beth Gibbons was not capable of putting on a majestic show you needn’t have. Her setlist was intimately powerful – throwing in a couple of Portishead songs – Roads and Glory Box, but devoting much of her time to her own setlist, you got to see her craft her vision before you like few else can even be capable of – Lives Outgrown is a mastermind of a triumph.
Simple Minds were the weakest of the legacy acts that I saw – the crowd weren’t engaged at all and only mustered up the energy for Don’t You Forget About Me. They’re a band that’s aware that they’ve only got one song. I wasn’t too wowed, but you can’t win them all even with a line-up as good as this one.
The Heavyweights
I have an Amyl and the Sniffers problem. I’ve seen them six times. I love them. But they’re a band that’s almost grown too big for what they are. They’re a pub band – best in small venues, Scala, the Roundhouse, even the small stage at a festival. To see them become the heir to AC/DC and embrace the headline slots feels almost wrong – but at the same time, I’m so happy for their explosion. Amy Taylor is a frontwoman talking as much political hot takes as Bob Vylan and Kneecap – they even supported Fontaines and Kneecap on their recent tour in Finsbury Park – and they were on fine form here. I miss the closeness of the intimate pub settings. But the anthems are stadium ready – Security, Knifey, and even the slower tracks like Big Dreams show their range. If this is a new chapter for Amyl and the Sniffers then we should embrace it – and hope that stadiums are their next chapter after Alexandra Palace in October.
Fontaines DC were also very good. I’ve seen them a few times now; and clashing against Ezra Collective was the cruellest. I also think Dogrel is their best album. But it’s hard not to admire frontman Grian Chattan’s charisma – solo tour, when? – and the need to not say very much and have that become more than what you’re saying. Here’s the Thing, Jackie Down the Line, It’s Amazing to Be Young, all belters – and ending on Starbuster was a real triumph. It’s hard not to look at this as one of the greatest rock bands of their generation – almost certainly headline status a few years down the line. Their growth is gigantic. Like Amyl the main stage is almost too big for them however – they thrived at Alexandra Palace even with the shoddy sound set-up. They need a smaller stage. Probably a few years earlier or a stronger Werchter lineup and both would’ve got one.
The crowd for metal heavyweights Amenra was massive. Suitably packed. Razoereater and A Solitary Reign really delivered and they need the inside stage to do them justice. The gothic metallic headbangers flexed their creative masterclass and the stoic approach was incredible – carrying unbelievable weight to their setlist. It’s a show that’s serious and makes them aware of how important their work is to their fans – it’s a devoted fandom that will embrace a deeply personal show and the deeply personal show is what Amenra gave us; making one of Werchter’s biggest stages feel the smallest.
Bright Eyes are one of my bucket list bands going into this gig and Conor Oberst more than delivered his alternative indie twang with confidence – introducing his hit songs by declaring he was going to sing wheels on the bus, and going through the motions in fine form that made the wait well worth it. We Are Nowhere and It’s Now I adore the emotionally charged introspection – I Won’t Ever Be Happy Again felt just about right, and of course, First Day of My Life – over eleven or so tracks the tunes came belting out one after another.
Boston Manor bought emo brilliance to The Slope and they more than delivered with compelling emotional beatdowns and a heavyweight core to their set that created four separate mosh pits – fans were aware of when they were walking into a heavy show and they adapted accordingly. Seeing them in the heat as opposed to the dark basement of 02 Kentish Town Forum felt like a different show – Container, Heat Me Up and Halo went on firing on all cylinders. Their 2024 album is a masterstroke and to come from Blackpool, a town where they’re full aware nothing ever happens – Boston Manor are ready for the big time.
It was refreshing to see Wet Leg not have to compete for audiences’ attention with England in the Euros. They delivered a majestic main stage performance – Rhian Teasdale comes in swinging like a boxer ready to take centre stage – and their long-awaited second album, Moistureizer, gets the spotlight here. One of the biggest criticisms – unfairly – of them has been that they’re overnight one-hit-wonders. Not the case – Wet Leg are here to stay. Ur Mum is catchy – “You think I’m pretty / You think I’m pretty cool / You wanna fuck me / I know, most people do” and there’s a reason why it’s one of their best hits – mixed in with the slow and steady warmers of songs like CPR. The momentum is everywhere, and they’re an indie band that will go the distance.
The Punk Newcomers
Woof Woof. I had to tell people standing in front of me in the Fat Dog pit at the Slope that once the crowd surfing starts, it doesn’t stop. They promptly bolted. And start it did and mosh they did – the post-punkers are one of the most fun bands around and they more than delivered at this edition of the festival – from a crowd that weren’t engaged at the start to moshing by the first song. By far my favourite pit – I was the first crowd surfer on the left side and helped about twenty others up. Running was a great song to end on and they had time for the classics of King of the Slugs and Peace Song.
Lambrini Girls are a politically charged band who looked at Bob Vylan at Glastonbury the week before and said “hold my beer, I’m going in”, and got a “fuck the IDF”, ACAB and Fuck JK Rowling chant going – playing hits like Terf Wars and even jumping off the top of the Slope stage into an adoring crowd – Phoebe is a legend of a frontwoman who more than captivated the audience – Big Dick Energy, God’s Country, a mix of old and new – the third time I’ve seen this band and they did not disappoint. Cuntology 101 is a belter. The best crowds to be had were on the Slope stage and I practically stayed there for half the festival.
Gurriers are a band that come onto Franki Valleri’s Can’t Take My Eyes Off You and are another Irish band to join a much-lauded festival known for its love of Irish acts. The album Come and See is a barnstormer and songs like Des Goblin and opening with Nausea ensured that the pit was friendly, welcoming and riotous from the word go – the great dust storms of 2025 Rock Werchter will be remembered long after the festival has finished.
I saw The Scratch at Jera on Air a few weeks before and they really blew me away again. The Irish punk band was due to play at Radar Festival but recently dropped out in support of Bob Vylan, who was recently pulled – through no fault of the festival itself; but the actions of the Greater Manchester Police. The Scratch’s firecracker blend of heavy metal and Irish traditional music made them a perfect fit for this festival – and The Slope stage showcased the best of the new music the genre has to offer.
From Essex, Bad Nerves are self-titled the “current best band on the planet”. The jury’s out on whether they are – but the punk rockers are explosive, clever, garage and powerpop mixed in with a hyperkinetic energy that feels like the natural heir to Black Flag. That’s no small comparison.
The Pop Sensations
Lola Young is a master of the genre that she operates in; and the packed out barn that provides a spotlight for her talent shows her strength. Touring her new album including title track Messy put a spotlight on her brilliant stage presence and capable to win a crowd over – one of the best and brightest of her generation.
One of the unfortunate problems of being on main but not a headliner is getting people camping for the headliners – in this case, Green Day. Thankfully Girl in Red is confident enough to deal with this sort of thing and her set; featuring songs mostly recorded in her bedroom about mental health and romance, paved the way for an introspective setlist that became a rock show – making the most of the campers to get the crowd going. I wanna be your girlfriend and dead girl in the pool. were mega – and truly confident.
If I was picking three favourite acts – and I want to shout out The Sacred Souls as well; a phenomenal jazz act – it would be Lambrini Girls, Fat Dog and Gurriers. Their magnetic stage presence, hyper energy and super engaging crowd – the best of the festival can be found at the slope, far away from the half-engaged at best main stage – where Rock Werchter has assembled a phenomenal section of some of the best and brightest future generations. This festival was beset by problems and ended up resorting to an all-too similar list of repeat artists from last year – we didn’t need Tom Odell, Yungblud or Nothing but Thieves back so soon especially all on the same day – but what worked, worked very well. No festival is immune to cancellations but Rock Werchter should’ve known better than to book such a likely act to headline. A different year – we would be looking at Kings of Leon and Sam Fender topping a triumphant Saturday. Sadly – not the case here.
Rock Werchter took place from July 3-6, 2025.
Learn more about Rock Werchter at the official website for the festival.
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