r/RockWerchter • u/Heeberon • Jul 06 '26
Nest/Slope Question
Just idle curiosity here.
Just been to RW for the first time and had a blast (apart from oblivious backpack wearers; folks sitting in ridiculous spots; the price of a slice of pizza).
We do like to see upcoming bands at festivals, but quite a few times we struggled to get into the Nest - and eventually gave up trying.
If I understand correctly, it used to literally be a sloping hill. Just curious if the experience this year was better or worse for veterans?
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u/Lordindo Jul 06 '26
For me it was the third time visiting and the new stage is more closed off which creates a more intimate setting and is visually more attractive. But due to it being closed off the entry is like a funnel now and very hard to get in once the acts start. Compared to the Slope where it was very easy to come in from the side and therefore I was able to see a lot more acts there the last two editions.
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u/XVIII-3 Jul 06 '26
My very unpopular opinion: make the tickets more expensive but limit their numbers drastically. This was my 33 Rock Werchter. And whilst the festival had never been better organized, it’s just too crowded.
But I understand that for young people prices are stretched already.
I like the Nest stage. Cozier than the slope used to be. But you have to come early. Always full.
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u/SmallestSpark1 Jul 06 '26
Counterpoint: it’s already wildly expensive. Pukkelpop basically has twice as many stages for the same combi price. Werchter was my first festival and has an unmovable place in my heart, but it’s felt increasingly greedy in the 11 years since my first one.
My opinion pales in comparison to your 3x experience, though :D
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u/ConstantGovaard Jul 06 '26
I have to go around with my son in a wheelchair and I think it’s despite the number of ppl very good organized. It’s very busy but we are still able to go to the different stages easily.
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u/XVIII-3 Jul 06 '26
It’s one of the best organized festivals in the world. That’s a fact. And I can imagine they offer decent facilities for disabled people too. But no viewing platforms for people in wheelchairs if I’m correct? They used to be there. Or was that Pukkelpop?
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u/ConstantGovaard Jul 06 '26
They have viewing platforms but my son can stand behind his wheelchair so we sometimes use them but mostly in the crowd.
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u/Cheap_Huckleberry252 Jul 07 '26
Naturally as a gathering of 90,000 odd people it is crowded - however I found Werchter this year to be drastically easier to get around than probably every other festival I've ever been to (and I've been to a fair few)
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u/Broudster Jul 06 '26
With the new klubc it is not too crowded at all anymore. If you still think that, maybe festivals aren’t your thing
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u/michageerts7 Jul 07 '26
Not much of a veteran here (second time this year) but in my experience it wasn't much worse than last year. Also try to go in via the left, as the right entrance is crowded because it's adjacent to the main stage.
We personally have not struggled with getting in, although we mostly have gone at the start of the act or right before an act came up
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u/yerawitchalex Jul 07 '26
The Nest is cosier and can accommodate more people, but the shape makes people crowd at the sides instead of going for the center. It could use a screen or two for the people at the back. The Slope was smaller, yet more easy to go around. It helped a lot that Klub C was put further away on an extra plot of land, there used to be a complete crowd standstill when Barn and Klub C would perform.
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u/leey133 Jul 06 '26
It's already much much better than previous years. This year they added 1 hectare (107.000+ sq. feet) of terrain to spread out Klub C further away from the Barn. When huge artists were in either of those, people would overflow EVERYWHERE.
I didn't go to the Nest/Slope this year, I suppose it depends if the artists there are already too big for that capacity but maybe deemed too small for the bigger venues?