Raising the roof

Novarock

Rock musical festivals in Flanders, eh? There are so many of them, it’s very difficult to keep track. 99.9% of them have a name ending in “-rock”, and you’re never quite sure whether to pack your sunglasses and suntan lotion or your wellington boots and rain jacket.

But there's always that glorious exception that takes you by surprise - and in this case, doesn't fill you with dread at the thought of having to relieve yourself in an outdoor portable toilet. (That's after you've queued 20 minutes and missed the beginning of a concert you really wanted to see.)

This exception can be found in Kortrijk - a city not immediately associated with rock music - in the shape of the Novarock festival. Now in its10th edition, Novarock most certainly has a name ending in "-rock" but, more importantly, takes place in the Kortrijk Xpo complex.

That's right, indoors! The bill showcases, over two stages, the cream of emerging Flemish alternative bands from the past five years or so: The Van Jets, Drums Are For Parades, Steak Number Eight, Mintzkov, Mumbai Science... Big-league players Arid (pictured) and Admiral Freebee, both performing in the Main Hall, come across like seasoned veterans in comparison.

The Netherlands is also represented: duo Mason (responsible for Princess Superstar's worldwide hit "Perfect") and madcap Amsterdam rap outfit De Jeugd Van Tegenwoordig (literally, "the youth of today").

No music festival these days would be complete without a DJ stage, but Novarock has decided to do without the disturbances that booming heavy bass frequencies would cause and equipped the "Silent Disco Room" with set of cordless headphones. Just like on the aeroplane, you get to switch between channels, maximising your chances of hearing tunes that suit your style!

Given the pop star success that Flanders has bestowed upon stand-up comedians over the past decade, it has almost become the norm for all self-respecting festivals to feature a Comedy Stage. Once again, Novarock happily obliges, with sets by Yousef (Flanders' first ever Moroccan stand-up comedian, no less) and Steven Mahieu.

With the first band starting at 14.40 and the last one finishing at 4.00, the ticket price of €22.50 is highly attractive. The proximity of the venue to the motorway and the direct bus connection to and from the train station are only the icing on the cake for this most unusual festival. Kortrijk, rock city? You read it here first, folks.