You may have noticed last year that Alcatraz is starting to explore new horizons. Out of necessity? Well, yes and no. We’ve noticed that the overwhelming international offer is making it increasingly difficult for homegrown bands to play the bigger Belgian stages. The introduction of La Morgue (stage 3) addressed these justified complaints. Whereas last year’s test case was limited to bands that are rather similar in terms of genre, this year we’re dipping our hands a bit deeper into the goodie bag.
Our Friday programme for La Morgue takes us back several decades with a hotchpotch of Belgian and foreign acts, but with an emphasis on several remarkable reunions, such as the reboot of thrash legends Cyclone or Bruges speed metal heroes Acid. Or how about Killer and Ostrogoth, who are celebrating their 40th anniversary with the Alcatraz fans. Respect!
This year’s bill features more than thirty (!) Belgian bands!
COMBI TICKET - € 150,5
VIP COMBI TICKET - € 299,5
FOOD & DRINK COINS - € 27
But wait, there’s more! In recent years Alcatraz has witnessed a growing trend where it’s becoming impossible to keep up with the sheer number of bands on offer. We are forced to refuse more bands than we have room for, including acts that would bring added value to both the bill and our festival-goers. In combination with the excess of bands out there, this is making it increasingly difficult for Alcatraz to snare the big headliners. More and more iconic bands are calling it quits due to old age or - even worse - deaths, others are (too) expensive or understandably prefer to come to Europe earlier in the summer.
With this in mind, we have chosen to take the circumstances in stride and make the most of the opportunities that do present themselves. At the same time we refuse to dwell on missed opportunities or ignore certain subgenres. More than ever, Alcatraz caters to hard rock fans, punks, black metal enthusiasts and everything in between. To reinforce this philosophy we recently launched a new and powerful logo aimed at showcasing our partially revamped house style. Last year this new approach was well-received with a successful 2019 edition and presales for this summer are even higher.
This positive momentum gives us the courage to continue down the chosen path and we’re introducing a new stage to boot: HELLDORADO! To flesh out the concept we joined forces with our colleagues from the Dutch Paaspop festival (organisers of a.o. the Dutch winter edition of the Helldorado Festival) and our long-time scaffolding partner All-Scaff. Both have invested in the concept and the design of the new zone (and the adjoining meadow) in order to turn it into yet another eye-catcher.
TICKETS
More bands equals more money out of your pocket? Not at Alcatraz! Ticket prices have remained unchanged compared to last year. You’re still getting a multitude of bands and rest assured: atmosphere and fraternising with kindred spirits remain our biggest assets. We’ve got a few fun announcements up our sleeve and day tickets will be available as of 24 January so keep an eye on our channels in the coming weeks. Horns up!