The Graspop Metal Meeting is not only the leading metal festival in Belgium and the Benelux, but also one of the biggest in Europe. Last year’s tenth anniversary edition has welcomed over 80.000 visitors who could choose between more than 60 bands during 3 days. This year the festival will again be held over 3 days (from June 23 till June 25) on the familiar “Boeretang” site in Dessel, Belgium.

As usual, the festival gives a broad selection of well-known bands and younger/newer ones, varying between traditional metal, black/death and doom, hard-core, punk and also some “mainstream superstars”. The bands are mainly international but this year edition has also a big share of local Belgian bands. For all practical and other info concerning the festival, please visit the official site at http://www.graspop.be/.

A 3-day combi-ticket costs 108 euro (+ reservation costs) and covers access to the festival grounds on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, three nights on the camping site and the use of parking facilities or public transport from the Mol train station to the festival grounds. Day tickets are 50 euro on Friday, 60 euro on Saturday and 50 euro on Sunday (+ reservation costs). These do not include access to the camping site, but you can buy 1-day camping tickets on the site itself.

Tickets can be bought online or at various pre-sale venues in Belgium and throughout Europe. For more info go to http://www.graspop.be/pages/tickets/tickets.php.

The current line-up is:

Friday 23 June:

Whitesnake – Lacuna Coil – Satyricon – Sevendust – Moonspell – Michael Schenker Group – Evergrey – Edguy – Trivium – Y&T – The Gathering – Leaves’ Eyes – Stream Of Passion – Gojira – Soilwork – 36 Crazyfists – Anvil – Sengir – Ancient Rites – Leng Tch’e – Callenish Circle – Panchrysia – Iconoclasm – Battalion – The Maple Room

Saturday 24 June:

Guns N’ Roses – Korn – Soulfly – Alice In Chains – Stone Sour – Opeth – My Dying Bride – Death Angel – Avenged Sevenfold – Jon Oliva’s Pain – Ill Nino – Obituary – The New York Dolls – Nile – Bullet For My Valentine – Ancient Rites – The Datsuns – Akercocke – Bloodsimple – Action In DC – Up The Irons – Ozzy Ozz – Nuetllica – Purple Strangers

Sunday 25 June:

Motφrhead – Saxon – Helloween – In Flames – Cradle Of Filth – Arch Enemy – After Forever – Exodus – Armored Saint – Agnostic Front – Devil Driver – As I Lay Dying – Dragonforce – Beyond Fear – Ignite – Enthroned – Ensiferum – In-Quest – Machine Men