ALCATRAZ FESTIVAL : In the shoes of an inmate - 10.08.24 (Kortrijk, BE)

The sixteenth edition of the Alcatraz festival took place from 9 to 11 August 2024 in Kortrijk, Belgium, not far from the French border. I’ve been hearing about this event for years, and it’s now a must-see, but until now I’d never ventured there. So it was in all innocence that I entered the Alcatraz Festival site for the very first time on Saturday 10th August. Many thanks to the organisers for the accreditation.

The party has already started on Thursday, with a “before” party to welcome the campers, hosted by a number of DJs and cover bands. On Friday, hostilities officially kicked off with Amon Amarth, Saxon, Beast In Black, Cradle of Filth, Paradise Lost, Sylosis and Septicflesh. As for me, not really knowing what I’m getting myself into, I’m only taking part in one of the three days, just to take the temperature calmly.

I arrived almost as soon as it opened, so I could make the most of it and be on my toes as soon as the first band arrived. Greeted with a smile, I quickly collected my photo pass and set off to discover this new playground in the glorious sunshine. A little further on, I passed the prison guards greeting the first festival-goers of the day.

The site is big enough to offer four stages without stretching out for miles, so you can switch from one stage to another relatively quickly and keep the atmosphere warm and friendly. There’s also a market area with a dozen or so stallholders and a large merch stand stocked with festival merchandise and the merchandise of the bands on the bill. A few metres away, there’s a catering area with foodtrucks offering a wide choice of refreshments. It’s a bit more expensive than what you might find in town, but it’s still reasonable. From what I could see on the menus, the average price was €12-15 for a meal without drinks. For a festival-goer staying all three days, that’s a good budget to add to the pass, but it seems to be the case at most of the big festivals.

Saturday was announced sold out the evening before, which would represent around 20,000 people. Despite this, the flow of traffic was still fairly fluid, and the wait at the bar, the food stalls and even the toilets was very reasonable. A good point for the organisers, in addition to the punctuality. Of the fourteen concerts I covered, I didn’t notice a single delay or technical problem.

As I’ve never been to a festival on this scale, I can’t compare. In any case, I had a great day at Alcatraz and I got the feeling that everything was done to make festival-goers feel at home. The event seems to have forged a real identity for itself, with cult places and a team of characters providing the entertainment, particularly in the open-air theatre. In short, I recommend it 100%! The next edition will take place from 8 to 10 August 2025, so if you want to join in the adventure, don’t hesitate! The first fifteen names have already been announced, and it promises to be a heavyweight affair once again. More info here.

Let’s talk about the concerts now, because that’s why we came here in the first place. Thanks to the festival’s app, I was able to select the bands I wanted to see a few days before my arrival. With four stages, there was bound to be a lot of overlap in the running order, so we had to make choices. Especially as we were only allowed to see the first three songs in the photo pit in front of the stage (as is the case at many festivals), so it was impossible to join the photo pit at the end of a concert. The app was very useful for getting organised. You get a quick overview of the day’s schedule, and a notification is sent out a few minutes before the start of the concerts you’ve bookmarked. Menus of the foodtrucks and their prices are also available (although in my case the price I paid at the foodtruck was actually higher than what was advertised on the app), along with the composition of the meals in our language (very handy if you don’t speak Flemish).

Throughout the day, some of the bands were available for signing sessions on the Rock Tribune magazine stand. This was an opportunity for festival-goers to exchange a few words with their favourite artists, get an album signed or take a selfie. On Saturday, it was possible to meet Vengeance, Temptations For The Weak, Lord of the Lost, Ankor, Epica, The Night Flight Orchestra, Fleddy Melculy, Heideroosjes, Benediction and Fleshgod Apocalypse.

11.20am, it’s off to the Prison Stage for the first concert of the day. This is the festival’s biggest stage, and the only one that isn’t covered. It’s surrounded by turrets and brick walls, with a giant screen on either side. On Saturday, it’s the Dutch band Vengeance who wake up Alcatraz. This hard rock band from the 80s, with their infectious good humour, gather the early risers on the prison forecourt for a 40-minute set.

Around 12pm, the first choices were made. Mine was Tempations For The Weak, who opened the Swamp Stage under a huge marquee. This Antwerp band, who I’d describe as melodic thrash metal, made a big impression on me last November at Hell’s Balls Belgium, the Alcatraz‘s little brother. I found them a little more timid this time round, although the singer is as energetic as ever, but musically it’s all there. And that’s how Saturday’s first wall of death came about.

I then discovered the Helldorado stage with Ankor from Spain. It’s a slightly smaller tent than the Swamp, but still leaves plenty of room for the bands to express themselves. I had been able to see Ankor a few months earlier as support act for Beyond The Black at Le Trabendo in Paris, and I was delighted to be able to see them again here in better conditions. The Spaniards played on a stage adorned with a few flowery trees, playing effective modern metal that regularly incited you to jump. It’s one of my favourites of the day, a real treat to shoot with a guitarist who plays a lot with the audience. There’s also a special mention for the drum solo proudly played by one of the festival’s few female instrumentalists.

Back to the Prison for Finntroll‘s set. This is one of the bands I was particularly looking forward to seeing live, if only to appreciate the costumes. Despite their undisputed popularity, the Finnish band played very early in the afternoon to a receptive audience that was growing ever larger. Finntroll‘s folk metal quickly made an impact.

After a short yum break, I headed back to the Prison for The Night Flight Orchestra. Unfortunately, I arrive at the end of the three tracks authorised for photographers and have to work doubly hard to get pictures of the many musicians on stage. The Night Flight Orchestra, the Swedish U.F.O of the day, take us back a few decades. Sixties atmosphere guaranteed!

Less than a month before the festival, Carach Angren had to cancel his appearance for health reasons. So the Alcatraz brought in Fleshgod Apocalypse to replace them. I’d heard very mixed reviews of this Italian band and was waiting to form my own opinion, so it was a godsend. Overall: well, for my money, it was one of my favourite concerts of the day. The musicians’ expressive performance with the costumes, make-up and decor was a visual treat, particularly appreciated as a photographer. Sound-wise, a marquee stage may not be the best place to showcase Fleshgod Apocalypse‘s technical metal, but I savoured the moment nonetheless.

The afternoon is already well underway when I return to the Prison level for Dio Disciples, a band of musicians who have collaborated in the past with their friend and famous singer Ronnie James Dio. Anthrax‘s Joey Belladonna also appeared on part of the setlist. What a surprise! Hearing Black Sabbath classics such as “Children of the Sea”, “Heaven and Hell” and “The Mob Rules” performed live was a pure pleasure!

Just before 7pm, I headed to the Swamp for Marduk. I was completely unfamiliar with the Swedish black metal outfit and didn’t really get into them.

The day flew by and in the end I didn’t get a chance to go to La Morgue, the smallest of the Alcatraz’s four stages. My schedule for the evening is already overflowing, so it won’t be for this year. At 7.30pm, the mastodons of Testament take over the Prison Stage. Even if musically they’re not really my thing, there’s no denying that the Americans have a lot going for them!

Next up was Lord of the Lost on the Swamp. I’m a big fan of indus metal and this was a band I was particularly looking forward to at Alcatraz. A great performance from the Germans who won me over. On the other hand, the photo session proved complicated because of the lighting effects, which were difficult to manage.

I left the Swamp before the end of Lord of the Lost‘s set so I could go and shoot Epica on the Prison. This was the band I knew best at the festival, even though I’d only seen them live once before. That was at Hell’s Balls Belgium a few months earlier, but bassist Rob Van Der Loo and guitarist Mark Jansen were unfortunately not there. Tonight, at Alcatraz, is finally the chance to see the band in full. As always, the six friends seem to be really enjoying themselves on stage. The huge expanse of lawn in front of the Prison stage is crowded.

The end of Epica‘s set coincided exactly with the start of Watain‘s, which I didn’t know at all. So I headed for the Swamp without knowing what to expect. From the start of the concert, the atmosphere was heavy and I had a feeling I was in for something spectacular. Flaming tridents and satanic crosses adorn the stage, so it looks a lot like black metal. After just a few minutes, the first torch is thrown over the photo pit, caught in extremis by someone in the audience. Then the singer drenches the front row with the blood from his chalice and a second torch is thrown down. Each time, the “chosen ones” seem to take their role to heart, waving the flame with fervour. It’s a beautiful show with a ritual feel.

A radical change of atmosphere with the Prison’s headliner, Europe. Well, when I say Europe, you inevitably think of ‘The Final Countdown’. Let’s be honest, it’s the only song I knew from the band and I didn’t even get to see it live so I could go and shoot the next band. So personally, I found it a bit soft, but despite everything, it’s still superbly executed. Fifty years of career for the Swedes, that’s something to be respected!

It was past midnight when I joined the Helldorado stage for the second time today. I’m wrapping up my first Alcatraz with Hatebreed, a hardcore band I’ve been listening to from time to time for a few years now. After three decades on stage, Hatebreed still know how to set the mood.

As I leave the photo pit, I walk around the outside of the stage and hear the last chorus of “The Final Countdown” echoing in the Prison. A fitting farewell to my first experience as an inmate. Alcatraz, you know how to entertain and you’ll definitely see me again!