Graspop Metal Meeting 2014
DESSEL

Graspop is an annual metal festival in the small town of Desse, situated in the Flemish speaking Flanders region. It has been held since 1996 and it draws over 140 000 visitors a year. lt is situated 60km from Antwerp, 99km from Brussels and 35km from Eindhoven and 10km from the Dutch border. Thus most of them audience are from Belgium and the Netherlands, but you can find metal fans from all over the world.

We bought a one day ticket as a part of the trip to Brussels and Antwerp in June 2014. Since there were no available hotels in Dessels, and we didn't want to camp, we had to go to a hotel in Lommel about 20km from Graspop. From there we had to take a train that departs in Mol, where a free shuttle bus drives you near the entrance of the festival outside Dessel. But things arenot so easy always. A guy had jumped on the train platform and we had to wait in Lommel, that had no available taxis, and no buses for 3 hours to Mol and Graspop! So we nearly missed the first band, Tiamat, but fortunately we got in time. And on our way to Antwerp and Brussels Airport the day after, a train strike begun that caused a lot of troubles for us but that's another story! The bands were incredible, especially the legends of Black Sabbath and Alice in Chains. Soundgarden, Paradise Lost and Tiamat was also awesome, Rob Zombie was not bad either. Unfortunately Megadeth cancelled their show. And there was several good bands the other days as well, that we didn't see, such as Opeth and Satyricon. The festival is really nice, since it is much smaller then for example Wacken, there are only 3 large stages that are situated. And there are no large waiting lines for toilets and food, and you can actually get tap water. It is much cheaper then Wacken too, the bands are slightly better, and you pay with tokens (that you buy in the area), so no cash or cards are needed. The biggest complaint is that there are no bus service or trains available after the festival closes, and it is really hard to get a taxi. That could be better organized by Graspop, the train company and the nearby towns!

 

Festival area. The crosses are symbols of Black Sabbath, the headliners of the 2014 edition. This doomy weather fits the music, but later on the sun started to shine.

 

Arriving in Graspop on a Monday!

 

Black Sabbath were headliners and the last band to play on the festival 2014. With Ozzy back on vocals -in better shape then ever, the tight guitars of Tony Iommi, a mix of doomy songs (like "Black Sabbath") and uptempo songs like Paranoid, it was a 10 of 10 concert!

Black Sabbath, the 70s British pioneers of hard rock, doom and early metal!

 


Black Sabbath

Black Sabbath

Black Sabbath

 


Black Sabbath

Black Sabbath

 

 
Anthrax   The weather was nice this Monday despite some days of grey weather and rain. But not too sunny.   Festival area with its relatively small distances. Here at the Soundgarden concert.

 

Tiamat, Swedish gothic metal band. They played a cover of a Swedish prog song.

 


Tiamat

Tiamat

 
Tiamat   Tiamat   Tiamat

Tiamat

 


Tiamat


Tiamat

 
Tiamat   Tiamat   Tiamat

 
Tiamat   Tiamat   Tiamat
 

Alice in Chains, the 90s Seattle band has been united several years after the death of Layne Staley. Best performance together with Black Sabbath.

 
Alice in Chains   Alice in Chains   Alice in Chains

 
Alice in Chains   Alice in Chains   Alice in Chains

 
Alice in Chains   Alice in Chains   Alice in Chains

Alice in Chains

 


Alice in Chains


Audience, Alice in Chains

 

Soundgarden, another famous 90s Seattle band that has been united.

 
Soundgarden   Soundgarden   Soundgarden

 
Soundgarden   Soundgarden   Soundgarden

 
Soundgarden   Soundgarden   Soundgarden

 

Paradise Lost, British gothic/doom metal. The inventors of gothic metal!

 


Paradise Lost


Audience of Paradise Lost

 
Paradise Lost   Paradise Lost   Paradise Lost

Paradise Lost, British gothic/doom metal. The inventors of gothic metal!

 


Paradise Lost


Paradise Lost

 

Rob Zombie, the American shock rock band, was playing in the evening.

 


Rob Zombie


Rob Zombie

Rob Zombie, the American shock rock band, was playing in the evening.

 


Rob Zombie


Rob Zombie

 

Metal Plaza at night. Here we are leaving the festival area after seeing Black Sabbath!

 
Graspop at night   Graspop at night   The closing ceremony of Graspop

 
Leaving Graspop at night   Leaving Graspop at night   Leaving Graspop at night