Just a little longer and then Graspop, our country's biggest outdoor Metal festival, will finally get underway. From Thursday 16 to Sunday 19 June, the festivities will keep Dessel in a sympathetic grip for four days.
As an exemplary fan, you have obviously had your tickets for months, and now you really know all the lyrics of your faves by heart. But do you have everything else you need to get through the festival weekend relatively unscathed?
No worries. Whether you are a complete newbee, a first-time festival-goer or something in between: 't Amerikaantje has got your back!
Adventure Boots
Adventure Boots
Adventure Boots
TO BRING: BOTTOMS
Flower wreaths, sunglasses and bikini tops: that's the dress code of a sun-drenched Graspop. Yet a pair of sturdy bottoms is by no means a superfluous luxury, so you don't have to worry about the well-being of your fuzzy feet. Indestructible too, with a pair of genuine ABL combs you will always keep your cool, in all circumstances - yes, even when you drop. 100% Pukkelpop-proof, in other words. Rain or shine!
LEAVE HOME: WHITE TRAINERS
TO TAKE ALONG: SHORT (OR LONG) CAMOUFLAGE TROUSERS
The thermometer has reached unseen heights in recent weeks, but a little festival aficionado swears by shorts anyway. All that mosh makes you sweat, and in camouflage - even after three days of giving it your all - those mud stains are less noticeable. Lockable pockets to store your valuables are also a bonus, and if you prefer to stand on the holy meadow in long trousers anyway, the fashion police will normally not stand in your way. If the weather is bad, a reusable rain poncho can still prove useful, and a cap against the sun and flying beer never hurts either. A man forewarned...
LEAVE AT HOME: THREE-QUARTER LENGTH TROUSERS
TO BRING: TENT AND CAMPING GAS STOVE
Of course, Graspop is also moving with the times, witness Metalpark, where luxury couples can stay. However, if you are a hardcore camper to death, you can of course still go to the other campsites. Do bring a decent tent, read: a sturdy model that is quick and easy to set up and preferably of the waterproof type. By the way, party tents (maximum 3×3 metres) are also allowed on the site, useful for keeping the beer cool or cooking a pot on your camping gas fire, sheltered from the elements. Meanwhile, if you and your party like to sit comfortably, a folding chair is obviously recommended.
LEAVE AT HOME: MICROWAVE OVEN
TO TAKE ALONG: INSECT REPELLENT
The friendly locals will agree: no matter how dangerous some festival-goers look, they are usually friendly and do not bite. It is of course different with those winged, uninvited visitors who make the camping grounds unsafe as soon as night falls. Your best defence? A kit with an insect repellent spray, including a product to treat any bites. And finally, in one effort, don't forget to pack your sunscreen and Dafalgans!
LEAVE AT HOME: MOSQUITO REPELLENT
