Textbook Rock Werchter

The number of awards its won suggest it’s one of Europe’s best festivals, and this year it’s reinforced the point by setting a new attendance record.

Apart from attracting a daily crowd of 83,000, festival producer and Live Nation Belgium chief Herman Schueremans reckoned it was a “textbook edition” because it had “wonderful moments and no significant problems.” 67,000 per day had four-day festival passes and 15,750 people per day snapped up the one-day passes.

The emergency services had their quietest festival since Rock Werchter became a four-day event. Only 1,000 people needed treatment for a variety of minor injuries.

The festival is used to breaking records and this year is claiming another for being the first place in Belgium to serve mussels in 2011. The season doesn’t officially start until July 13.

The acts helping to produce a textbook Rock Werchter June 30 to July 3 included Kings Of Leon, Coldplay, Iron Maiden, Linkin Park, Arctic Monkeys,Elbow, Kaiser Chiefs, The Gaslight Anthem, and White Lies.