22.05.2025 Krokus

Graspop Metal Meeting

Dessel (Belgium)

The afternoon moved on, and it was time for the first veteran act of the day: Krokus from Switzerland, a band that can look back on no less than 50 years of history. With them, the festival took a trip back to the early days of hard rock, and for the next hour it was hard not to think of AC/DC at almost every turn.
What stood out, though, was not only the relatively high average age on stage, but also in the crowd. That may have been due to today’s lineup, with Savatage and Judas Priest still to come, two more bands of similar caliber. Beyond that, there were noticeable gaps in the audience, though this didn’t dampen the mood on stage or among the fans. Back in 2019, Krokus had already been on a farewell tour and played Graspop as part of it. But by 2023, the urge to keep touring was too strong, and they’ve been back on the road ever since. Vocalist Marc Storace was in great shape, and with the opener “Headhunter,” the musical journey through the band’s long history began. It was clear they couldn’t please everyone with such a vast catalog. I was surprised, though, that despite their endless amount of original material, they included two cover songs in the set, with Neil Young’s “Rockin’ In The Free World” standing out in particular. The towering amps and flame‑themed visuals on the LED screens behind the band reinforced the classic hard‑rock atmosphere. What the dog sculpture on stage was supposed to represent, however, remained a mystery to me. From time to time, fists shot into the air whenever guitarists Fernando von Arb, Mandy Meyer, and Mark Kohler, bassist Chris von Rohr, or drummer Flavio Mezzodi encouraged the crowd to join in. And as expected from a classic hard‑rock set, a proper drum solo was, of course, part of the package. Overall, it was a well‑rehearsed performance, but the final spark of excitement from the audience was missing a bit, and after about 60 minutes it was time to say goodbye.
The music itself was solid, but it didn’t really grab me. I have to admit, AC/DC doesn’t quite do it for me either, so maybe it’s just the style. Still, I think Krokus are more of an insider band within the genre, despite their considerable success, and probably better known among older fans. That would also explain the audience composition and the noticeable gaps in the infield, despite their fairly good slot on one of the main stages. Krokus would have deserved a bit more attention. I’ll chalk it up as a pleasant experience — and I was already looking forward to the next act on the neighboring North Stage: Heaven Shall Burn.