Every now and then, you have to force yourself out of your comfort zone. In the media landscape, sticking to the exact same routine year after year breeds stagnation. With that mindset, we made the bold executive decision to skip our annual pilgrimage to Rock Am Ring this year and instead head across the border to Dessel for Graspop Metal Meeting. While the fan-driven atmosphere at the Belgian metal giant is genuinely one for the history books, we are disappointed to report that 2026 marked both our first and very last time attending the festival.
Navigating the festival press credential pipeline is always an exercise in patience. Outlets must apply months in advance, and entering uncharted territory always carries the risk of rejection. Festivals naturally scrutinise social reach, website traffic, activity, and overall relevancy. We knew the stakes, but we took the gamble anyway.
Unfortunately, the communication breakdown started before we even arrived. It was only after the fact, a mere week before the festival gates opened, that we were casually informed that online-only press is flat-out not considered for photo passes. With Rock Am Ring already in our rearview mirror, we were left entirely empty-handed photo-wise. When we respectfully reached out to the festival’s PR team, suggesting that digital outlets should be informed upfront if a photo pass is fundamentally impossible to obtain, rather than just “highly selective,” our feedback was met with a deafening, unprofessional silence.
Once on-site, the reality of the media infrastructure only amplified that sting. As a working outlet, you are expected, rightfully so, to deliver real-time coverage and post-weekend content. Yet, Graspop’s press area was tucked away blindly behind the stages with absolutely zero view of the performances and practically nowhere to actually sit down and work. To top it all off, during a weekend of scorching, punishing heat waves, running tap water was perfectly drinkable across the entire public festival grounds, except for the washrooms and bar assigned to the press area.
Ultimately, the entire experience left us feeling less like valued media partners providing promotion in exchange for access to the festival and more like a necessary evil to be managed. Graspop undoubtedly delivers an incredible party for the fans, but behind the scenes, the treatment of digital media leaves a very bitter taste in our mouths.
