Music festivals
Pukkelpop
near hasselt is still an independent festival organised by youth movements. they figure big names but try to have alternative groups too.
Rock Werchter
near leuven, owned by clearchannel features all big commercial bands.
Maanrock
in mechelen is one of the larger free festivals. it's inside the city.
Marktrock
in leuven has many different stages with different kinds of music all over the city. most music is popular music, though there are many small bands playing there. the main stage is the only stage not to be free. every time you enter you pay a small fee 5 euro in 2003.
Sfinks
near antwerp is a world music festival. it has a really nice atmosphere. there is a lot of side animation, like a big market.
Graspop
metal music, rythm 'n blues, dranouter folk music, cactus festival, rock ternat, rock@edegem ... there are too many to sum up
There are many music festivals organised throughout the summer. The bigger ones happen in a small village, because there is lots of space and not many neighbours to complain about the noise.Some of the famous ones are:
Openluchttheater Rivierenhof
near antwerp isn't really a festival, though it has big bands all through the summer. usually they "pick up" artists that have a few days without a gig.
Werchter Classic
near leuven boasts classic rock bands, but has been featuring artists that had their break-through only recently. it's mostly a re-use of the rock werchter facilities.
The festivals organised in towns are often free and very nice. They stay away from commercial music and have good bands playing combined with small local bands.Flanders has some nice music bands with some internation famedEUS, Das Pop, Zita Swoon, Soulwax,...