Rock Werchter 2026

[thetime]

1 minute ago, sisco said:

I’m on Festileaks , Jimmy predicted that based on them not being on the MC lineup, he’s also said he doesn’t know any of the acts playing and maybe they are doing it alongside BBK.  The pulp chat has been they could play any of their festivals there.  Just been told they’re smaller than bloody Royal Blood, GVF and Khurangbin too in Belguim… madness. 
 

Like I say, not long to find out. 

 

Has there been any talk on FKA Twigs over there? Headlined Dour this year, playing Coachella next year so is around in 2026. 

 

My fave set at a festival this year, so would be a good addition. 

[northernangel]

3 minutes ago, sisco said:

I’m on Festileaks , Jimmy predicted that based on them not being on the MC lineup, he’s also said he doesn’t know any of the acts playing and maybe they are doing it alongside BBK.  The pulp chat has been they could play any of their festivals there.  Just been told they’re smaller than bloody Royal Blood, GVF and Khurangbin too in Belguim… madness. 
 

Like I say, not long to find out. 

They are yes, being Pulp, which is why they haven't played Belgium the last two years in Europe and won't be at Werchter. Why take lower than a sub spot when others will give them it or headline around the same time.

 

VW would 100% at least be 3rd down, The Lumineers could be 4th down bit Jimmy didn’t seem too confident of that before.

[tmolvik]

So here we go again. The recycled bands like The (boring) Lumineers enter the scene, while Pulp is out. Just bracing myself for them messing up Kasabian, Hives, Offspring and Jack White as well and go pop'ish. If they never can take a "chance" on bands that are popular elsewhere in Europe and give them decent spots (like the discussed Pulp, Biffy etc), we will constantly end up with the same bands being recycled, especially in the slightly lower positions.

Also this year, I would expect a potentially even larger international crowd, given Glastonbury. Whatever they denied them, it can't be worse then having Sam Fender headline. Have they even announced the percentage of audience that are from outside Belgium? I know they say they have visitors from over 90 countries and that the bigger ones are the Netherlands, UK, France and Germany, but not in percentage. I feel I've heard around 60% at some point (probably including the Dutch), but I'm not sure if that's correct. Anyway it's fair to assume that quite a large portion of the audience are from outside Belgium, so hopefully "they're not so popular in Belgium" isn't the leading factor when they make decisions. 

[northernangel]

5 minutes ago, tmolvik said:

So here we go again. The recycled bands like The (boring) Lumineers enter the scene, while Pulp is out. Just bracing myself for them messing up Kasabian, Hives, Offspring and Jack White as well and go pop'ish. If they never can take a "chance" on bands that are popular elsewhere in Europe and give them decent spots (like the discussed Pulp, Biffy etc), we will constantly end up with the same bands being recycled, especially in the slightly lower positions.

Also this year, I would expect a potentially even larger international crowd, given Glastonbury. Whatever they denied them, it can't be worse then having Sam Fender headline. Have they even announced the percentage of audience that are from outside Belgium? I know they say they have visitors from over 90 countries and that the bigger ones are the Netherlands, UK, France and Germany, but not in percentage. I feel I've heard around 60% at some point (probably including the Dutch), but I'm not sure if that's correct. Anyway it's fair to assume that quite a large portion of the audience are from outside Belgium, so hopefully "they're not so popular in Belgium" isn't the leading factor when they make decisions. 

I think if you get Jack and The Offspring then KOL are definitely out. Might already have the only option from inmusic anyway in Gorillaz. The only way you might get two is because of KOL making up for this year some places.

Edited November 14, 2025 by northernangel

[sisco]

Down the Rabbit Hole next week which has loads of crossover with Werchter.  Should be an exciting week 

[northernangel]

One interesting point is too that I believe Werchter, NOS and Mad Cool only all share one sub act, Noah Kahan for example this year, Sum 41 last year. So not all IMO of Lorde, TWOD as they are unlikely to be anything but sub for Werchter and Wolf Alice of they are subbing Foos will be at Werchter, potentially only one of those. Im sure someone will very quickly find a loop against that. Last year Arlo Parks was very high for Nos, lower for Mad Cool but not at Werchter. Gracie also sub MC, 3rd Werchter but not at Nos. Very clear its known they are 3 people look at and need some separation. Someone on leaks has also suggests whether Lorde rescheduled date for Luxembourg now September first makes her more likely for Pukkelpop?, it is already a longer stint that's she usually does in Europe anyway. It also appears to crossover even with stacked 2022 so I'd say that dampens the chance of TWOD if Lorde is in and I'm likely to go with the gut of Jimmy despite Moby being wrong and others as well in a guess of where the acts just wouldn't agree to being wrong. Based on that the benefit goes with The Offspring Friday and KOL for Sunday. That'll mean KOL are Zagreb, Ireland, Lytham, Belgium and Spain, rather than Ireland, Belgium, Lytham, Spain. KOL under The Cure would be a great top two. I guess a slight feeling TWOD and Wolf Alice are kinda following Foos.

[tmolvik]

8 hours ago, northernangel said:

I think if you get Jack and The Offspring then KOL are definitely out. Might already have the only option from inmusic anyway in Gorillaz. The only way you might get two is because of KOL making up for this year some places.

I don't mind having KOL, but I'd take all of the others ahead of them, as they are really boring live. My most wanted this year was Pulp, that seems to slip. Offspring, Kasabian and Hives would be nice, and so would Jack. I do hope however, that they choose something that hasn't already played 3-5 times the last 10 years, so the best thing would be something completely off the radar. Like Placebo doing an anniversary tour for their Meds album (or their first for that matter), Biffy against all odds or similar.

Btw, if Oppspring actually comes, I'm guessing Dropkick will be joining them there as well. I won't mind it, but yet another band thats almost resident.

[northernangel]

7 hours ago, tmolvik said:

I don't mind having KOL, but I'd take all of the others ahead of them, as they are really boring live. My most wanted this year was Pulp, that seems to slip. Offspring, Kasabian and Hives would be nice, and so would Jack. I do hope however, that they choose something that hasn't already played 3-5 times the last 10 years, so the best thing would be something completely off the radar. Like Placebo doing an anniversary tour for their Meds album (or their first for that matter), Biffy against all odds or similar.

Btw, if Oppspring actually comes, I'm guessing Dropkick will be joining them there as well. I won't mind it, but yet another band thats almost resident.

 

If they choose what sells it won't be Biffy, similarly to Pulp and probably even worse its not worth their time to commit the travel to it. Jack is probably unlikely too if KOL are there, very unlikely to get 3 from inmusic, it's often just 1 if at all and I'd suspect KOL, Gorillaz and Jack are the headliners which is stronger than some previous years, Gorillaz already being there obviously....they are the one for me to avoid the most, boring with their two songs. Idles and Flaming Lips will sub.

 

Dropkicks Murphys probably are more in the frame but supporting The Offspring on tour doesn't make it a given. 

[BlackFoxx]

11 hours ago, northernangel said:

One interesting point is too that I believe Werchter, NOS and Mad Cool only all share one sub act, Noah Kahan for example this year, Sum 41 last year. So not all IMO of Lorde, TWOD as they are unlikely to be anything but sub for Werchter and Wolf Alice of they are subbing Foos will be at Werchter, potentially only one of those. Im sure someone will very quickly find a loop against that. Last year Arlo Parks was very high for Nos, lower for Mad Cool but not at Werchter. Gracie also sub MC, 3rd Werchter but not at Nos. Very clear its known they are 3 people look at and need some separation. Someone on leaks has also suggests whether Lorde rescheduled date for Luxembourg now September first makes her more likely for Pukkelpop?, it is already a longer stint that's she usually does in Europe anyway. It also appears to crossover even with stacked 2022 so I'd say that dampens the chance of TWOD if Lorde is in and I'm likely to go with the gut of Jimmy despite Moby being wrong and others as well in a guess of where the acts just wouldn't agree to being wrong. Based on that the benefit goes with The Offspring Friday and KOL for Sunday. That'll mean KOL are Zagreb, Ireland, Lytham, Belgium and Spain, rather than Ireland, Belgium, Lytham, Spain. KOL under The Cure would be a great top two. I guess a slight feeling TWOD and Wolf Alice are kinda following Foos.

 

Wolf Alice aren't big enough to be a sub either at NOS or RW. I'm not sure what you mean by TWOD and Wolf Alice following Foos? They're not on their tour support and Foos are only playing two festivals which TWOD and Wolf Alice also happen to be playing. 

 

KOL also haven't been announced for Lytham Festival yet, so your tour routing speculation is a bit premature. Simple Minds did Lytham back to back with RW and then straight into more UK dates last year, so it's certainly possible for either of those routes to work.

 

As a wider point, I think the reliance on "X festival sharing with Y festival" logic is really just a product of festivals booking from who is available in the pool of touring acts available at any one time. If festivals are owned by the same people, e.g. Live Nation festivals or Superstruct festivals then they might do some block booking where it's better value for them for the act to play multiple festivals. I very much doubt RW will turn a band down because they think "oh no, we've already got 1 of the same sub headliners as Mad Cool, we can't have any more". 

 

If an act is travelling a long way internationally, e.g. a US band playing in Europe, then it also makes sense to look at the window of when they're touring. Usually you can identify bands either doing the very early summer festivals (e.g. Primavera), mid summer festivals (e.g. Rock Werchter and Mad Cool) or late summer festivals (e.g. Reading and Leeds). This year, given a lot of our headliners are British (The XX, Florence, Gorillaz, The Cure, etc), I don't think that is as relevant. If all the members of The Cure are in the UK it's much easier and cheaper for them to go play Primavera, come home, play Werchter, come home, play Rock en Seine, come home. This might be one reason why this year in particular it seems some bands are available for the whole summer rather than just a narrow window of it. 

[charlierc]

7 minutes ago, BlackFoxx said:

Wolf Alice aren't big enough to be a sub either at NOS or RW. I'm not sure what you mean by TWOD and Wolf Alice following Foos? They're not on their tour support and Foos are only playing two festivals which TWOD and Wolf Alice also happen to be playing. 

 

People on the NOS Alive are assuming there'll be a sub between Foos and Wolf Alice. I'm less sure as to who. I'd like it to be Pulp, David Byrne or Kasabian, but there's every possibility it could be Moby who is with Foos at MCF.

 

I was tempted to suggest Kings of Leon as they were meant to be at NOS last year but they're at Mad Cool on the 10th, which is Foos day in Lisbon, so not that option. Though they might not have the budget to do something like that, and they seem set with the heads on the other two days.

[BlackFoxx]

6 minutes ago, charlierc said:

People on the NOS Alive are assuming there'll be a sub between Foos and Wolf Alice. I'm less sure as to who. I'd like it to be Pulp, David Byrne or Kasabian, but there's every possibility it could be Moby who is with Foos at MCF.

 

 

Yeah Wolf Alice have been announced in the smallest font on the current poster. In the NOS thread they were even talking about whether they might be the 4th band down, so opening the main stage. There will definitely be at least one more act to slot in between, lots of time yet for NOS to roll out their slow and steady announcements.

 

There will also be bands touring that might be playing RW and/or NOS but aren't on that Mad Cool lineup. Bilbao BBK is also the same weekend as NOS and hasn't announced yet, for example. Your hypothetical sub could be playing NOS and Bilbao BBK, but have been ruled out of the available pool for Mad Cool because of competition and exclusivity clauses with the latter.

Edited November 15, 2025 by BlackFoxx

[charlierc]

Just now, BlackFoxx said:

 

Yeah Wolf Alice have been announced in the smallest font on the current poster. In the NOS thread they were even talking about whether they might be the 4th band down, so opening the main stage. There will definitely be at least one more act to slot in between, lots of time yet for NOS to roll out their slow and steady announcements.

 

There will also be bands touring that might be playing RW and/or NOS but aren't on that Mad Cool lineup. Bilbao BBK is the same weekend as NOS and hasn't announced yet, for example. 

Oh yeah forgot Bilbao could also be in play. 

 

I can't help but wonder that with Mad Cool have dropped everything at once, NOS might be better off now just deploying the lot. But then this seems to be the way they do it - for 2025, they were still dripfeeding names out in January. So I guess they're likely just gonna keep on going at their own pace.

[BlackFoxx]

Just now, charlierc said:

Oh yeah forgot Bilbao could also be in play. 

 

I can't help but wonder that with Mad Cool have dropped everything at once, NOS might be better off now just deploying the lot. But then this seems to be the way they do it - for 2025, they were still dripfeeding names out in January. So I guess they're likely just gonna keep on going at their own pace.

Yeah different festivals always have different marketing strategies, I don't think it'll change. As mentioned NOS share most of the big headliners with Mad Cool anyway, so I don't think they'll be too worried. If you live in or near Lisbon and want to see Foos or Florence it's still gonna be your preferred choice isn't it. 

 

Probably also a slight disconnect between us festival addicts on a forum vs "normal people" . We are probably much more likely to survey a wider range of festivals and track all the announcements before making our choice. I imagine for some people it's as simple as going to the same one they go to each year, the one their friends are going, or just looking at a smaller subset of festivals closer to home or in their country. 

[northernangel]

26 minutes ago, charlierc said:

People on the NOS Alive are assuming there'll be a sub between Foos and Wolf Alice. I'm less sure as to who. I'd like it to be Pulp, David Byrne or Kasabian, but there's every possibility it could be Moby who is with Foos at MCF.

 

I was tempted to suggest Kings of Leon as they were meant to be at NOS last year but they're at Mad Cool on the 10th, which is Foos day in Lisbon, so not that option. Though they might not have the budget to do something like that, and they seem set with the heads on the other two days.

Moby for Werchter is very likely id say

[WFD]

1 hour ago, BlackFoxx said:

As a wider point, I think the reliance on "X festival sharing with Y festival" logic is really just a product of festivals booking from who is available in the pool of touring acts available at any one time. If festivals are owned by the same people, e.g. Live Nation festivals or Superstruct festivals then they might do some block booking where it's better value for them for the act to play multiple festivals. I very much doubt RW will turn a band down because they think "oh no, we've already got 1 of the same sub headliners as Mad Cool, we can't have any more". 

 

If an act is travelling a long way internationally, e.g. a US band playing in Europe, then it also makes sense to look at the window of when they're touring. Usually you can identify bands either doing the very early summer festivals (e.g. Primavera), mid summer festivals (e.g. Rock Werchter and Mad Cool) or late summer festivals (e.g. Reading and Leeds). This year, given a lot of our headliners are British (The XX, Florence, Gorillaz, The Cure, etc), I don't think that is as relevant. If all the members of The Cure are in the UK it's much easier and cheaper for them to go play Primavera, come home, play Werchter, come home, play Rock en Seine, come home. This might be one reason why this year in particular it seems some bands are available for the whole summer rather than just a narrow window of it. 

 

This post is far too sensible.

[charlierc]

24 minutes ago, WFD said:

 

This post is far too sensible.

I'm sure we'll be back to wild nonsense that is far from sensible before we know it.

[charlierc]

1 hour ago, BlackFoxx said:

Probably also a slight disconnect between us festival addicts on a forum vs "normal people" . We are probably much more likely to survey a wider range of festivals and track all the announcements before making our choice. I imagine for some people it's as simple as going to the same one they go to each year, the one their friends are going, or just looking at a smaller subset of festivals closer to home or in their country. 

I think it's been ever thus tbf, especially if we're people who want to go to another country for a festival and are having to pick or choose a favourite option. I remember that was the case for me in 2018 when I went to a few in the same year but ended up confirming my ideas late because I kinda got into the weeds of comparing which would be the best bang for my buck.

[northernangel]

46 minutes ago, charlierc said:

I think it's been ever thus tbf, especially if we're people who want to go to another country for a festival and are having to pick or choose a favourite option. I remember that was the case for me in 2018 when I went to a few in the same year but ended up confirming my ideas late because I kinda got into the weeds of comparing which would be the best bang for my buck.

You will compare bang for you buck but for me it's what is offered at one that outweighs others. Right now, I want to see The Cure this year for example but I can see them still while going to a more favoured festival. Its what stick out more for me that how many options I have. For example The Offspring might well play Werchter but they are at RIP anyway....as long as they dont clash with Maiden which is dont think they will as they are getting main stage slots across the board this year.

[gingerevans84]

21 hours ago, northernangel said:

One interesting point is too that I believe Werchter, NOS and Mad Cool only all share one sub act, Noah Kahan for example this year, Sum 41 last year. So not all IMO of Lorde, TWOD as they are unlikely to be anything but sub for Werchter and Wolf Alice of they are subbing Foos will be at Werchter, potentially only one of those. Im sure someone will very quickly find a loop against that. Last year Arlo Parks was very high for Nos, lower for Mad Cool but not at Werchter. Gracie also sub MC, 3rd Werchter but not at Nos. Very clear its known they are 3 people look at and need some separation. Someone on leaks has also suggests whether Lorde rescheduled date for Luxembourg now September first makes her more likely for Pukkelpop?, it is already a longer stint that's she usually does in Europe anyway. It also appears to crossover even with stacked 2022 so I'd say that dampens the chance of TWOD if Lorde is in and I'm likely to go with the gut of Jimmy despite Moby being wrong and others as well in a guess of where the acts just wouldn't agree to being wrong. Based on that the benefit goes with The Offspring Friday and KOL for Sunday. That'll mean KOL are Zagreb, Ireland, Lytham, Belgium and Spain, rather than Ireland, Belgium, Lytham, Spain. KOL under The Cure would be a great top two. I guess a slight feeling TWOD and Wolf Alice are kinda following Foos.

Lorde and others can make a pit stop from Europe for Osheaga, Lolla, Outside Lands which is very highly recommend  by the way, Fuji Rocks, Summersonic etc etc. Think theres a Splendour festival (have I dreamt that?!) as well

Edited November 15, 2025 by gingerevans84

[charlierc]

2 hours ago, gingerevans84 said:

Lorde and others can make a pit stop from Europe for Osheaga, Lolla, Outside Lands which is very highly recommend  by the way, Fuji Rocks, Summersonic etc etc. Think theres a Splendour festival (have I dreamt that?!) as well

I thought Splendour was an Australian festival around Christmas time. Unless I'm mixing it up for somewhere else. 

[charlierc]

9 hours ago, northernangel said:

You will compare bang for you buck but for me it's what is offered at one that outweighs others. Right now, I want to see The Cure this year for example but I can see them still while going to a more favoured festival. Its what stick out more for me that how many options I have. For example The Offspring might well play Werchter but they are at RIP anyway....as long as they dont clash with Maiden which is dont think they will as they are getting main stage slots across the board this year.

Sure. If you're looking for a specific act, seeing what has them plus the best other stuff is a good way to go about it. That's what I did to see Arctic Monkeys in 2018 - Mad Cool had the best bang for my buck while also having them, so I popped along to Madrid. 

 

These things will come up in time anyway. We're still waiting on several announcements first after all. 

[northernangel]

50 minutes ago, charlierc said:

Sure. If you're looking for a specific act, seeing what has them plus the best other stuff is a good way to go about it. That's what I did to see Arctic Monkeys in 2018 - Mad Cool had the best bang for my buck while also having them, so I popped along to Madrid. 

 

These things will come up in time anyway. We're still waiting on several announcements first after all. 

 

I have a few specific acts on my radar. 2018 MC Friday had loads. There are certain acts that could swing the balance to Werchter still

[sisco]

Well I guess next week will tip the balance for some whether they get that ticket or not. With Werchters package, DTRH and Hurricane/Southside all announcing it should be very fun in here.

 

Fully expecting some of the commonly announced names like The Last Dinner Party, Wolf Alice, Kasabian, A Perfect Circle and Moby but also hoping for a surprise or 2 like Little Simz or Vampire Weekend

[MK1]

1 hour ago, sisco said:

Well I guess next week will tip the balance for some whether they get that ticket or not. With Werchters package, DTRH and Hurricane/Southside all announcing it should be very fun in here.

No Pinkpop?

[sisco]

2 minutes ago, MK1 said:

No Pinkpop?

Think the expectation is the week after