RockQuake Festivals

Last week we announced another headliner for Pukkelpop 2009: Faith No More.Today we are announcing 63 new acts, “all in one breath”, for the 2009 edition, which is looking more and more promising by the day. 

Snow Patrol, 50 Cent, Cavalera Conspiracy, The Ting Tings and Deftones are also high up on the Pukkelpop bill.  The DJs and dance acts The Bloody Beetroots, Ellen Allien, Ed Rush & Optical, Simian Mobile Disco, Andy C & MC GQ, The Count & Sinden, Paul Kalkbrenner, The Whitest Boy Alive, Moderat and Busy P are entered into the “leg muscle” competition.

You will be able to dubstep to the tunes of Rusko, Hudson Mohawke, The Bug and Magnetic Man, the live project of grandmasters Skream en Benga. American indie will be represented by Grizzly Bear, Deerhunter, Crystal Antlers, Black Lips and many more. Bring Me The Horizon and Enter Shikari will play straightforward and uncomplicated music. Hank III & Assjack (very proud to have them), the third generation in the Williams family, will throw a country, psychobilliy party, something they seldom do in Europe, according to our sources.

FOREIGN ARTISTS

The music of a British pop-duo Ting Tings is, most of all, fun indie-electro music, and one finds him/herself addicted to it from the first listening. This band became famous on 2008, when “That’s Not My Name” –single and “We Started Nothing” –album both ended up in the first place of British charts, overriding names like Madonna. NME magazine named this band the most interesting rookies on the scene way before their debut album was even released. You might have spotted this group in Tavastia on Labor Day 2008.

An Icelandic group Hjaltalín snapped open the jaws of audience in Eurosonic-event in Groningen, and is now making their breakthrough in Britain. The hottest new name of Europe, also titled as the new Sigur Ros, will arrive to Seinäjoki giving us all a chance to experience the Hjaltalín-mania live! Their first album is called “Sleepdrunk Season”.

FINNISH ARTISTS

The division of local artists expands yet once again. This time the schedules are filled with Don Johnsons Big Band, known for infecting audience with their energy and speed. The band will release their new album “Records Are Forever” on May.

With their debut album ”On The Way To Wonderland” this band bulldozed their way to everyones consciousness. In Provinssirock Sunrise Avenue will prove their live condition, powered by the songs from new album “Popgasm”. After the release of their debut, this band sold platinum and made three sold out European tours. Their hit “Fairytale Gone Bad” was chosen as the theme music of Tour de France 2006 on German ZDF TV-channel, and their other hit “Choose To Be Me” ended up as the theme song of Big Brother 2008, also in Germany. The trophy cabinet of Sunrise Avenue glitters with two Emma-prizes and four NRJ Awards, and for that reason the group is regarded as one of the most successful new bands in Europe. 

As the first spring breeze makes its way into our offices, we also welcome the first names to the Pukkelpop 2009 line-up. On 20, 21 and 22 August, Pukkelpop's 24^th edition guarantees the most exciting that the music scene has to offer. Arctic Monkeys confirmed their presence after finding out how high they were on the Pukkelpop visitors' wish lists. Electronica pioneers Kraftwerk, Pharrell's hip-hop collective N*E*R*D and the pop punk band The Offspring will also be coming to Hasselt.

Furthermore, we are particularly proud of Beirut, Wilco, Phoenix and Bon Iver, bands who will definitely create a few goosebump moments. You can test the elasticity of your body to the sounds of top DJs such as Dave Clarke, Eric Prydz, Grooverider and Tocadisco or during the live sets of Martin Solveig, Vitalic and Alter Ego. Obviously, someone also has to do the rough work at the Pukkelpop festival. This year's volunteers are Opeth, Anti-Flag, Life of Agony, Mad Caddies and - extremely exclusive - the reunion of Kurt Cobain's favourite band The Jesus Lizard.

I was in my friends car, driving home. He turned on the radio and one of his favorite songs was on. He turned the radio very loud and we listened to it. It was Amy MacDonald - This is The Life. The song sounded pretty good and tolerable. But one thing annoyed me a lot. When the singer stopped singing and there was a solo, my friend turned the volume down. Once the solo ended, he turned the volume back up. I was like what the ****? One of the best part of the song is on and he turns the volume down.