Graspop Metal Meeting is a Belgian heavy metal festival held in Dessel each year since 1996, excluding 2020 and 2021 due to covid restrictions. Despite the small size of the festival grounds (upholding a perimeter of only ~4 km) the festival draws a large number of spectators from around the world, many sources overestimate the total number of attendees each year. For 2024, GMM had a capacity of 45,000 weekend tickets plus an additional 10,000 day tickets over the 4 days making a total attendance of 95,000 individual visitors.
A total of 220,000 visitors in 2022 and 2023, up from 200,000 visitors over the course of the 2019 edition, and 152,000 in 2015.
History Graspop was not originally a heavy metal festival; rather, it was conceived as a local family rock festival, first organised in 1986. In 1995, the headliners were Joe Cocker and Simple Minds. However, due to the public being oversaturated with family festivals, the number of visitors had dropped to an all-time low.
Founder Peter Van Geel realized that mainstream rock music held insufficient appeal to festival visitors. Reflecting on the most memorable acts of the preceding years (Motörhead, Ramones, Paradise Lost, and so forth) and on his own musical preferences, he decided in favour of a drastic reorientation.
After discussions with Werchter festival promoter Herman Schueremans, Van Geel contacted Bob Schoenmaekers, the owner of the Biebob concert venue and metal club in nearby Vosselaar. A couple of years earlier, Schoenmaekers had set up his "Midsummer Metal Meeting" in Vosselaar and because of space limits, he was considering an open-air festival. The initial contact soon led to close collaboration. The duo decided to launch a brand-new metal festival under the name of "Graspop Metal Meeting". The date of choice was to be the last weekend of June.
The new direction proved to be a successful one. The festival has seen a continually rising number of visitors over the years, and has been able to attract the most popular international bands in the genre. Since the festival's inception in 1996, Iron Maiden has been the most frequent headliner with 10 appearances. Other bands which have prominently been featured are Hatebreed (11), Saxon (9), Sick of it All (9), Slayer (9), Cradle Of Filth (8), Epica (8), In Flames (8), Moonspell (8), My Dying Bride (8) and Within Temptation (8).
The current stages are : Main Stage 1 & 2 : The two main stages, host important bands and headlining acts. Before 2014, there was only one main stage. Marquee : A tent stage, which hosts mostly thrash metal, death metal, black metal or even stoner rock bands. Metal Dome : Hosts local performances, but is mostly known for the afterparty that closes the festival every year, hosted by house dj, Vj Carl. Jupiler Stage : First held in 2014, it is a small open air stage, mostly dedicated to metalcore, hardcore and deathcore music. "Classic rock café" : Hosts acoustic sessions and home to VJ Carl (DJ Carl's classic rock gems). Since 2016 he started featuring his gogo dancers which made their daily afterparties gain popularity.
Location
The festival is located in Kastelsedijk, in Dessel and is situated about 60 km away from Antwerp, 99 km from Brussels and 35 km from Eindhoven in the Netherlands.
Dessel is a municipality with 9103 inhabitants in the province of Antwerp in Belgium. The 27.03 km ² comprehensive community lies in the Flemish Region, also known as Flanders, this is the officially Dutch-speaking part of Belgium. The distance to the Netherlands is less than 10 km. The largest part of the economy of Dessel is determined by different regions of the nuclear power industry. Dessel is the twin town of Hesse-Lichtenau.
Tickets
Combination tickets for the Graspop Metal Meeting include camping from Thursday to Monday, parking for a vehicle (until 2022) and entry to the festival site. Day tickets are available, and before 2013 they did not include camping; camping tickets could be purchased separately. Camping tickets allowed day ticket holders to spend the night on the camping site. A camping ticket was valid on the same day as the festival ticket. From 2013 onwards, a day ticket included admission to the campsite.
In 2009 Graspop Metal Meeting introduced a VIP ticket. The VIP package consists of: parking space in the VIP car park; which is nearer the festival ground, access to the VIP lounge, and separate entrances to the campsite and the festival arena.
Ticket PricesYear Combi TicketDay TicketCamping Ticket1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2023 2024
2025
2026€50 €65 €90 €105 €108 €125 €130 €135 €145 €146 €150 €160 €165 €189 €195 €299 €309
€309 €509(VIP) €319 €525(VIP)€40 (Sat) €35 (Fri) €50 (Sat) €35 (Sat) €50 (Sat & Sun) €50 (Fri & Sat) €55 (Sun) €50 (Fri& Sun) €60 (Sat) €69 €69 (Fri & Sat) €75 (Sun) €69 €75 €76 €80 €80 €85 €89 €95 €119 €125
€129 €229(VIP) €135 €245(VIP)€15 (First year) €15 €15 €15 included in day ticket
€35/d
Accommodation Most people who stay at Graspop Metal Meeting will camp in a tent. Campsite accommodation is provided in the cost of a combi ticket but festival-goers must bring their own tents.
Caravans and trailer tents are not allowed onto the camp site. However attendees can book a pitch in addition to the main ticket which allows access to Graspop Metal Town.
Graspop Metal Town Graspop Metal Town is located at just 1 km from the festival site and is an open air hotel with its sanitary facilities, breakfast tent, bar and reception desk. Attendees can either spend the night in a Festihut or can book a pitch for their motorhome, caravan or tent.
Festihuts Introduced in 2008 the Festihut is a wooden cottage equipped with beds or bunk beds and mattresses.
Festihut details: Four people per Festihut, equipped with (bunk) beds and mattresses Dimensions: 3 m x 2.5 m (7.5 m2) Lockable door and insulated roof One window as a minimum Wooden floor at least 10 cm above the ground 1 rechargeable lantern per hut (to be charged at the reception desk) All huts have electricity (max. 300W) Guests must bring their own sheets Smoking inside the Festihut is prohibited
Festihut PricesYear 1 Person2 People4 People6 People2012 2013€525€550 €550€575 €600€600
Pitches Metal Town has space for 250 standard pitches and 50 XL pitches, for people who want to bring a caravan, mobile home, or tent.
Pitch details: 1 pitch = max. 6 persons Pitch standard: 8m x 4m / pitch XL: 12m x 4m Every pitch has electricity (max. 300W). Electricity will be available but attendees still need to bring their own extension leads. (Folding) caravan owners must return their car to the car park after leaving their caravan at the pitch. Each pitch is rented for 4 nights. Owners who leave their vehicle behind will be fined €500/vehicle. Cars are not allowed to park next to the Festihut or pitch. Guests must return their car to the car park after leaving their belongings in the Festihut or at the pitch (except for mobile homes).
Pitch PricesYear 1 Person2 People3 People4 People5 People6 PeopleStandard/XLStandard/XLStandard/XLStandard/XLStandard/XLStandard/XL2012 2013€150€175 €175/€225€200€225 €225/€275€250€275 €275/€320
Graspop Metal Meeting 1996
Sunday June 30MainstageMarqueeIron Maiden Slayer Life of Agony Channel Zero Sick of It All Fear Factory Tiamat Skin GorefestType O Negative Morbid Angel Downset. Shelter Drain STH Manhole Revoker Helloween was announced, but had to cancel and were replaced by Skin
Graspop Metal Meeting 1997
Sunday June 29MainstageMarqueeSkate StageMegadeth Alice Cooper Biohazard Saxon Napalm Death Grip Inc. Samael Entombed Pist.OnTiamat Moonspell Cradle of Filth The Gathering Dimmu BorgirMadball Lagwagon Ryker's Millencolin Deviate Handsome My Dying Bride was announced as headliner in the Marquee but they had to cancel because of the illness of their drummer. Obituary was replaced by Napalm Death.
Graspop Metal Meeting 1998 Sunday June 28MainstageMarquee IMarquee IIBlack Sabbath Dream Theater Deftones Soulfly Iced Earth Coal Chamber Obituary Spiritual BeggarsParadise Lost Moonspell Dimmu Borgir In Flames Within TemptationPrimus Madball Pro-Pain The Misfits Congress
Graspop Metal Meeting 1999 Sunday June 27Main StageMarquee IMarque IIManowar Sepultura Motörhead Stormtroopers of Death The Gathering Kreator Primal Fear Darkane Ancient RitesCradle of Filth Mercyful Fate Immortal Anathema Children of Bodom HypocrisyDanzig Slapshot Ryker's Pitchshifter Ignite Out
Graspop Metal Meeting 2000 Saturday June 24MainstageMarque IMarque IIIron Maiden Slayer Machine Head Rollins Band Saxon Testament Gamma Ray Entombed Dirty DeedsMy Dying Bride Anathema Tristania Samael Apocalyptica Cannibal Corpse God Dethroned Oceans of SadnessCro-Mags Madball Skarhead No Fun at All 59 Times the Pain Liberator Bombshell Rocks Voice of a Generation
Graspop Metal Meeting 2001 Friday June 22Marquee 1/CampfestAction in DC Nevermore Rose Tattoo Destruction Devin Townsend Ancient Rites Metalium Saturday June 23Main StageMarquee IMarquee IIJudas Priest Cradle of Filth Megadeth Motörhead Savatage Primal Fear Farmer Boys Kill II This Pist.OnMarduk Within Temptation Six Feet Under Macabre The Haunted Orphanage UnleashedSuicidal Tendencies Dropkick Murphys Sick of It All Shelter Backfire Awkward Thought
Graspop Metal Meeting 2002 Friday July 5Marquee IMarquee IISaxon Anathema Kreator Moonspell Doro Rage Manic MovementAgnostic Front After Forever Less Than Jake In Extremo Massif Skarhead Xeah Saturday July 6Main StageMarquee IMarquee IISlayer Dream Theater Machine Head Bruce Dickinson Halford Tristania Edguy Calibre EvergreyMy Dying Bride Immortal Cannibal Corpse Hypocrisy Arch Enemy DismemberBiohazard Slapshot The Vandals D.R.I. Deviate Subzero
Graspop Metal Meeting 2003 Friday July 4Marquee IMarquee IIType O Negative Sepultura Opeth Samael Mastodon Oceans of SadnessStratovarius Apocalyptica Overkill Masterplan Atreyu Aborted
Saturday July 5 Main StageMarquee IMarquee IIIron Maiden Alice Cooper Within Temptation Anthrax Murderdolls Arch Enemy Doro Pro-Pain KillerMinistry Lacuna Coil Six Feet Under Finntroll The Haunted Deströyer 666Stone Sour Sick of It All Hatebreed Prong Youth of Today Convict
Graspop Metal Meeting 2004
Friday June 25Main StageMarquee IIced Earth Anathema In Extremo Circle II Circle Action in DC Cowboys & AliensExodus Hypocrisy After Forever Suffocation Dillinger Escape Plan Epica Saturday June 26Main StageMarquee IMarquee IIAlice Cooper Slipknot Motörhead Soulfly Queensrÿche Pleymo Brides of Destruction EvergreyCradle of Filth My Dying Bride Anthrax Morbid Angel Oomph! ScarveAgnostic Front Terror Blood for Blood Discipline Backfire Do or Die Sunday June 27Main StageMarquee IMarquee IIJudas Priest Life of Agony Fear Factory Saxon Testament Destruction Seven WitchesDimmu Borgir Children of Bodom Therion Death Angel Dying Fetus Malevolent CreationHatebreed Ill Niño Ignite Chimaira Killswitch Engage Shadows Fall
Graspop Metal Meeting 2005
Friday June 24Main StageMarquee IMarquee IIMetal DomeSystem of a Down Within Temptation Papa Roach Helmet Alter Bridge The Ga*Ga*sNevermore Megadeth Metal Church Grave Digger Enslaved ImmolationKreator Dillinger Escape Plan Madball H2O Caliban The Eighties Matchbox B-Line DisasterIn-Quest Autumn Axamenta Judasville Cowboys and Aliens Chimaira Sengir Saturday June 25Main StageMarquee IMarquee IISlipknot Slayer Accept Hatebreed Kamelot Epica Soilwork SkitsoyIn Flames Sirenia Samael Amon Amarth Gorefest BehemothAnthrax Sick of It All Mastodon Rose Tattoo Pro-Pain Peter Pan Speedrock Sunday June 26Main StageMarquee IMarquee IIIron Maiden Dream Theater Dio Yngwie Malmsteen Primal Fear Axel Rudi Pell DragonForceLacuna Coil Dark Tranquillity Nuclear Assault Aborted Oceans of SadnessTerror Amen Walls of Jericho Murphy's Law Hatesphere
Graspop Metal Meeting 2006