Pukkelpop 2015

[Dietediet]

Looks like their snapchat will be providing us with behind the scenes kind of stuff. Not sure if I understood it correctly, but I think they just revealed that Maes will be brewing special Pkp-pints.

[DDave]

Pints are confirmed. Less litter I suppose.

[Semprini]

And less trips to the bar. Surely this news is the deciding factor for you to book up Dave?

 

Saw a couple of snapchat pictures yesterday of the stages. Chokri's daughter is in charge of it this afternoon so hopefully she'll give us a decent insight into the set up of the site.

[TheNewUnion]

Having thought about it, I think they are using the word "pint" to mean beer, rather than a volume of liquid. So it'll be a special edition Maes (which I've never successfully pronounced) rather than large cups of beer.

[Semprini]

Think you might be right about that. Found an article explaining that the beer has been brewed especially for PKP and will only be available for the duration of the festival. Apparently it's got a fruitier flavour than the normal stuff and will weigh in at a more than respectable 6%. Will definitely have to take it easy or else I'll be passed out somewhere by about 5pm.

[Dietediet]

Yes, my bad, in Flanders we use pint to refer to lager/pils, not to the size.

No doubt that the account will also tour us around the site when it's taking shape. They're at least hinting at more to come.

[Trufflehound]

So it'll be a special edition Maes (which I've never successfully pronounced) .

 

Found an article explaining that the beer has been brewed especially for PKP and will only be available for the duration of the festival. Apparently it's got a fruitier flavour than the normal stuff and will weigh in at a more than respectable 6%..

 

It won't have been brewed especially for PKP, whatever the marketing says (and don't forget, Alken-Maes is owned by Heineken, who are the world champions at marketing).

 

All large-scale lager/pils brewers brew their beers at "high-density", which creates something at around 8 or 9%. They do this for purely economic reasons, as it saves massive amounts of space when you're fermenting and conditioning the beer. That's fair enough, they're quite open about it. Why pay to store extra water?

 

Some of this high-density crap gets canned directly, and is what ends up in supermarkets marketed as "super-strength lager", designed to appeal to teenagers and alcoholics.

 

The rest gets diluted with water down to 5%-ish ABV at the point of putting into kegs/bottles/cans, and is what you see the world over as "normal" lager/pils.

 

Be nice to be proved wrong, but I strongly suspect all they have done here is taken the normally brewed high-density stuff, and just not watered it down so much. It makes perfect sense that simply not putting as much water in something is going to make it taste fuller and fruitier.

 

Sorry. Professional cynical rant over.

 

I do however hope that it is going to be served alongside the normal 4.8% Maes Pils, and not replace it. Not that I'm fond of Maes - quite the opposite actually. But there are going to be a lot of 16/17 year olds there who won't be as used to drinking in volume like us old soaks. I think only feeding them stronger beer and not giving them the chance to drink something lighter would be irresponsible. (Yes, I know, they could also choose water or cola, and some responsible ones will, but we all know what most teenagers are like...)

[Dietediet]

 

I do however hope that it is going to be served alongside the normal 4.8% Maes Pils, and not replace it. Not that I'm fond of Maes - quite the opposite actually. But there are going to be a lot of 16/17 year olds there who won't be as used to drinking in volume like us old soaks. I think only feeding them stronger beer and not giving them the chance to drink something lighter would be irresponsible. (Yes, I know, they could also choose water or cola, and some responsible ones will, but we all know what most teenagers are like...)

 

The newspapers today confirm that it'll be served alongside the regular Maes beer. Probably a tad more expensive too then.

[Monnk]

Hi there! 

Total pukkelpop virgin here, just wondering if anyone could give me any advice. Im travelling from Ireland to the festival and its looking more and more likely that it would be far easier to try and find a tent in Belgium, rather than trying to lug one on a plane all the way from home. Do any of you know of any good places to get a basic, cheap festival tent ? Thanks in advance !

[DDave]

Hi there!

Total pukkelpop virgin here, just wondering if anyone could give me any advice. Im travelling from Ireland to the festival and its looking more and more likely that it would be far easier to try and find a tent in Belgium, rather than trying to lug one on a plane all the way from home. Do any of you know of any good places to get a basic, cheap festival tent ? Thanks in advance !

There's a Sports World (Sports Direct) in Hasselt. Had to buy some waterproof shoes from there last year so they might do tents.

http://be.sportsdirect.com/hasseltswbe-store-0522

[TheNewUnion]

Just had a rave days reminisce to Altern 8. Dust masks at the ready, it's going to be huge!

[DDave]

Just had a rave days reminisce to Altern 8. Dust masks at the ready, it's going to be huge!

One of the best additions imo. I think Altern 8 May have been one of the 30 odd bands I sent in for my wishlists. If the line up was peppered with curve balls like this it'd be so much better.

I'm still waiting for a house legends night at Pukkelpop with Carl Cox, Paul Oakenfold etc. Think it'd go down a treat.

[TheNewUnion]

I'm still waiting for a house legends night at Pukkelpop with Carl Cox, Paul Oakenfold etc. Think it'd go down a treat.

This, one thousand times!

[Semprini]

You sound like you know a thing or two about beer Trufflehound?!?!? There seems to be a generally accepted theory that festival beer is a lot weaker than normal, due to how much people tend to drink. Do you think the Maes at PKP is 4.8%? Certainly doesn't seem that strong from what I can remember.

 

I spent an hour or so on Youtube the other night listening to Altern 8 tracks and wholeheartedly agree, it's going to be massive!! I think the whole Radio Soulwax line up is inspired - it's got bits you'd expect (Tiga and 2 Bears) and then Altern 8 and the Jarvis Cocker thing (anyone know what they are likely to play?).

Edited August 7, 2015 by Semprini

[DDave]

This, one thousand times!

Maybe we can force the issue, like these Linkin Park fuckers have done this year.

[TheNewUnion]

Count me in Dave. Book Sasha, Oakie etc. Would be mint, proper late 90's house party.

[TheNewUnion]

The new stuff sounds cool. Food and drink options too, glad to see food as I always felt the food onsite was very poor

 

http://www.pukkelpop.be/en/line-up/food-wood/

 

http://www.pukkelpop.be/en/line-up/baraque-futur/

 

Early HIghlights

Smaakmobiel 

Smaakmobiel excels in the art of rubbing, mopping and smoking. Their small Predom caravan is a meat lover's dream. Pulled Pork Wraps and Moinkballs are prepared low 'n slow on a T-style smoker.

 

Vleeswolf

Classic cars deserve a second life. That's why Vleeswolf operates out of a shiny 1984 Mercedes Benz. On the menu: Kangaroo Roll, Jewish-Surinamese Pom and Bacon & Sausage Roll.

Edited August 10, 2015 by TheNewUnion

[Semprini]

100% agree with you there, the quality of the food lets the festival down really. There's not a lot of variety and the standard is poor. Looking forward to trying some of the new stuff, although I wonder whether this will come at a premium? Food in the arena is expensive anyway so I don't want to be paying silly money just because it's being served out of a converted VW campervan.

 

I haven't had a chance to look at the new bands and DJs in Baraque Futur but tbh I don't have that many gaps to fit anything else in. Will definitely have a wander around though as it's good to see them expanding the range of attractions and areas on offer. The vintage merchandise shop sounds good and well worth a look.

 

So this time next week I'll be packed and ready to go!

[DDave]

Early weather forecasts are looking good. Accuweather has it between 25-29 degrees over the four days.

Still undecided as whether to go tbh. On the downside, all the air fares have gone through the roof, the flight that originally cost 44 quid that my mates stag do has taken advantage of is now over 350 quid! I can eurostar it down and fly back via Amsterdam for just shy of 200 quid though.

On the positive side I've seen combi tickets for sale for as little as 130 euros. Even saw 2 for 160.

Speaking with my mate tonight so Just need to make a decision. Will probably be a last minute one I reckon.

[Semprini]

Been checking the weather reports as well and, while most websites agree that Wednesday and Thursday will be nice, there seems to be some disagreement about Friday and Saturday. Many are saying chance of rain on one or both days but it seems to be showers rather than anything prolonged. As you said Dave, temperatures look ok over the whole weekend so fingers crossed nothing changes.

 

Just seen a picture on twitter of the Club. The whole tent is currently enclosed (all the side panels are on) and there's a small white tent just in front of the entrance. This company - @Tbs2015De - seem to be putting up a lot of the tents and that's where the picture is.

[DDave]

Paranoid London added to the Wednesday.

Just the Mastodon replacement and we're done.

[Trufflehound]

Been checking the weather reports as well and, while most websites agree that Wednesday and Thursday will be nice, there seems to be some disagreement about Friday and Saturday. Many are saying chance of rain on one or both days but it seems to be showers rather than anything prolonged. As you said Dave, temperatures look ok over the whole weekend so fingers crossed nothing changes.

 

Just seen a picture on twitter of the Club. The whole tent is currently enclosed (all the side panels are on) and there's a small white tent just in front of the entrance. This company - @Tbs2015De - seem to be putting up a lot of the tents and that's where the picture is.

 

I've been checking the long-range forecasts as well, and they seem to vary enormously from one day to the next, and even several times a day. What they seldom admit is that anything more than 48 hours into the future is pure guesswork. Even the short-range forecasrt can be hit-and-miss. Last night I was told to expect overcast skies all day here. We've got unbroken sunshine with not a cloud in sight.

 

If the Club (and the other tents) is enclosed with a small entrance like that, that's going to make it a pain getting in and out for popular acts.

[Semprini]

Few pictures of the site beginning to pop up. This one is particularly interesting:

[DDave]

All looks a bit colour-less. I'd be hoping they brighten them up a bit.

[chimmer]

saw lots about this on the snapchat today......some quite interestng stuff. the big pukkelpop letters are going on the entrance to the arena it looks like