18th August 2005 Pukkelpop Festival, Kiewit, Belgium

Mainstage timetable:
12:25 – 13:00 Skitsoy
13:40 – 14:15 The Subways
14:55 – 15:35 Kaiser Chiefs
16:15 – 16:55 Social Distortion
17:45 – 18:25 The Roots
19:20 – 20:05 The Hives
20:55 – 21:55 Franz Ferdinand
22:55 – 23:55 Basement Jaxx
00:50 – 02:00 The Prodigy

Review by neko:
After last week’s travel nightmare this weekend now seems fairly easy, despite there being 4 festivals in four days (in 3 countries).

I fly to Amsterdam on Thursday morning and grab a rental car and have a nice 2h drive through Holland down to the Belgium border and into to Genk, just a few miles away from Kiewit where the Pukkelpop festival is taking place.

The bands at the festival today are unfortunately quite spread out, with Prodigy not due on until 1am, so I unfortunately miss The Subways and the Kaiser Chiefs in the afternoon, but make sure I get there in time for The Bravery at 8pm. I’ve seen them a live before a couple of times, including some festivals with Prodigy, and they’ve become some kind of favourite band of mine now. They’re playing the second stage and as usual deliver a great live performance. Little do I know at the time that just the next Monday I would see these guys play a secret show in a backroom of a bar in hoxton square – one of the best gigs I’ve ever been to.

But anyways… I don’t know this yet and enjoy watching them there and then and as Bravery are finished, Franz Ferdinand is on the main stage and I watch a little but I’m not too into it really. The festival itself is a pretty cool one. Apart from one thing: They only sell beer and soft drinks. I’m looking all over, but cannot find anything else, which is a bit disappointing (ok, there is one stall selling coffee with amaretto, but that doesn’t count!), as I left the car in Genk just to be able to have a vodka tonic or two. ah well.

I head back to the second stage as I want to have a look at the Polyphonic Spree. They’re this mad 20 piece band – fun to watch, but not really my cup of tea. After a bit of Basement Jaxx on the main stage then it’s time soon for what I’m here for mainly: The Prodigy.

I remember seeing them here at Pukkelpop four years ago and it was the best of four shows that summer they played. Tonight is a good show too, but I cannot believe how incredibly lame the audience is here. They’re either really tired by now (1am) or, and that’s my secret theory, are a bit slowed by the lack of proper drink here as well. The setlist has changed slightly, Hotride is now earlier and Warning a bit later, but apart from that still the usual. My new favourite has got to be the Wake The Fuck Up Jam by far, it’s almost worth it travelling to the shows for that track alone.

Next to me is some mum with four children, telling them to put their earplugs in. While there is nothing wrong with this, this pretty much sums up the audience. Standing there, watching. There’s a few mad kids towards middle and front, but that’s it really. It’s especially surprising as the band are actually really good tonight. The set has now been polished all summer and performance is great. The audience tonight just seem to not get it, ah well.
Holland tomorrow!

Review by ET:
I drove from Landgraaf to Hasselt in about an hour or so. PukkelPop was for a noob like me hard to find, but I managed to get there round 12.30. Got my dayticket and I went to DJ Iridium first, who is known for his Voodoo People Pendulum Remix. A really arskicking tune that was played round 1.45 pm. I was gettin’ really off at that tune. He was a good DJ with a cool MC called MC Jay. On his website  you can learn more about this pure Drum and Bass DJ with a nice download as well: Virus Mix! Then it was time to get some more beer and sleep, I had just a couple of hours in a few nights so I was really tired. I woke up before Audio Bullys should play. Should, coz a reporter told us they were stuck in traffic. Naja, don’t believe that shit. It was moved to 1.20 am when The Prodigy should play. So tough choice? Checked some other bands instead and got some zleep again while watching the Band ZZZ. The female dancers were trowing slippies into the public. Then I went to the Main Stage to see Franz Ferdinand shortly and waited for the BaseMent Jaxx. That was cool, really nice party attitude and kinda Jazzy Break Beat Action. So I did the Basement Jaxx and waited for the thing I came for……

They played a real nice intro, kinda symphonic and waiting to Wake Up. Wake Up Call started and Keith and Maxim entered the stage. Wake Up Call was like usual and then they kicked out the Jam. Then Maxim said something like this: “If that not Woke you up….this will wake you up! Wake THE FOK UP!!!” Was a really Rocky Wake Up Call version. Then They Played some No Good Samples, vocals mainly followed by Their Law. Their Law was like usual this year really Rocky and since I was sure I would not get any recording done I ran to the front. I was about 20 meters from the front and danced and observed for a while. Hotride was played once more, a rework and better then album verions or the former live versions. Same Vocals by Keith though, but it was ok. Then Maxim came back again and said: “How are you feelin’?” Low Crowd response, so the best MC in the world said: “How the Fok are u Feelin’?” The crowd was going mad and SpitFire followed with the Maxim Rap. Maxim was at steam with his older look: white mask! Back to School: why did they fokked that one up :(. Keith was really lame this time, no dancing just jumping and running around. Also the song was much shorter. Then Keith was alone again and ready to Rock Our Socks. Chance for me to push myself at front. Firestarter, kinda short mixed up with Action Rader. Then The Prodigy played Warning which was really cool. Keith really Rocked with the GuitarPlayer. Then Maxim joined again for all the Voodoo People. Wow, been 9 years since I’ve heard that one live. Really one of the best songs Live with some extras by the Guitarplayer. They left the stage and it could be a great ending, but as we all now they always get back lately for the Grand Final. We all got some Poison, and most people knew the lines so that was cool! It went Hyper and I missed the Release you’delf Horns. But Smack my Bitch Up followed soon, the crowds favorite. Someone opened my back a few times and I lost my doorkeys. Met a few guys at front who also were really into it. People pushed and fell, but the atmosphere was rather gentle. They left again and came back: “Do you want more”. Sure we all do and my favo track followed: Out Of Space (outro remix). All people were saying: “I was sending to Out Of Space.” but as ET I know it is I’ve gone Sending :P. Was really cool. But again, Keith was lame again. DAMN, some people were right. He is Lame, from dancer to rockstar. I shouted a few times to Maxim calling his name, and he looked at me for a sec. That was a weird feeling :D. The gig ended, people did not want to go home and people were still singing the Out of Space lyrics. ”

It was sweet when I look back, cool Gig, but afterwards I was disappointed about Keith a bit and the fact that I went alone to a festival to record it, but it failed. But surely many people will remember this HotRide! Hope to see them one more time again this fall or winter.