<\/p>\n
Hundreds of thousands of music fans endured disruption and disappointment this past weekend (June 25-28), as major festivals and outdoor gigs across Europe faced extreme heat and severe storms.<\/p>\n
On Friday (June 26) Defqon.1 \u2013 a 50,000 capacity dance music event in The Netherlands\u2019 Biddinghuizen \u2013 cancelled the event. Organisers explained a \u201ccode red warning\u201d had been issued by Dutch authorities for extreme heat.<\/p>\n
The continent-straddling heatdome weather event, that also brought record-breaking temperatures to parts of England, saw sections of the programme cancelled and fans evacuated at festivals such as Garorock (France), Paradise City (Belgium) and Scandal (Netherlands).<\/p>\n
Holger Schmidt, General Secretary at European Festivals Association (YOUROPE), said: \u201cI cannot recall a heatwave of such a widespread scale, particularly one accompanied by the highest temperatures ever recorded.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n<\/blockquote>\nMany of the thousands attending Dutch electronic dance music festival Defqon.1 were already on site when the instruction to evacuate was made late on Thursday (June 25).<\/p>\n
\u201cThe unthinkable has happened\u2026\u201d Defqon.1 organisers Q-Dance wrote in an official statement. \u201cWe are absolutely devastated by this development. Tens of thousands of dedicated Weekend Warriors are currently staying on the camping grounds, many of whom have travelled far and prepared for this weekend for months. Asking them to return home tomorrow is the worst-case scenario, especially with a fully operational festival and everything in place to welcome them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Confirming audiences will receive a refund for their ticket, the statement continued: \u201cThis is a blow felt on every level. Not only by our visitors, but also by the artists, crew, creatives and everyone else who has worked tirelessly over the past year to bring this edition to life. This is not the journey we imagined, and the reality has barely sunk in.\u201d<\/p>\n
Many fans expressed shock and disappointment but also solidarity and sympathy in videos online, with some explaining they had travelled from as far as The USA and Australia for the electronic music spectacular.<\/p>\n
Speaking to NME<\/em>, a spokesperson for Defqon.1 said: \u201cYou reach a tipping point when it comes to the safety of your visitors and employees. Code Red is definitely that. We must not take any unnecessary risks when it comes to everyone\u2019s well-being.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe understand the visitors\u2019 frustration, because we, as an organisation, feel it just as much.<\/p>\n
The 2026 edition was also unforgettable \u2013 but not in the way we had envisioned. However, we\u2019ll be back stronger than ever in 2027 \u2013 our visitors can count on that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n<\/blockquote>\nNear Brussels, Belgium, Katy Perry\u2019s 55,000 capacity Werchter Boutique headline performance was canceled<\/a> due to severe thunderstorms. She later posted online<\/a> \u201cI am sorry I can\u2019t change the weather, and even sorrier (sic) that all of us can\u2019t be together tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Fred Schneider, vocalist with dance-rock legends The B-52<\/a>\u2019s, described the band\u2019s experience at The C Trop Music Festival in Tilloloy<\/a>, France as \u201ca total disaster\u201d, with their set cancelled minutes before performance time.<\/p>\n
Posting videos of the audience leaving the stage area during a storm, Schneider said: \u201cMost of our crew was caught and had to duck under where they could for shelter. The festival was evacuated. We could not even leave because it was too dangerous to drive.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe felt terrible for the fans that have waited in the heat all day for us to perform,\u201d adding, \u201cScaffolding even fell from the stage and destroyed our equipment. Keyboards, mic stands, laptops, sound equipment. All destroyed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Other events that were also disrupted \u2013 with parts of the schedule axed or fans instructed to take shelter \u2013 included Garorock (France), Paradise City (Belgium), Concert at Sea (Netherlands), Couleur Cafe (Belgium) and Scandal (Netherlands).<\/p>\n
\n<\/blockquote>\nArtists caught up in the disruption across events included Tom Odell<\/a>, Kaytranada<\/a>, Mazor Lazer<\/a> and Anderson .Paak<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Citing the strain put on hospitals and healthcare providers during the heatwave, French authorities banned the consumption of alcohol in public places<\/a> during the annual F\u00eate de la Musique \u2013 a celebration of live music held in towns and cities across the country.<\/p>\n
YOUROPE\u2019s members include 136 festivals from more than 30 European countries.<\/p>\n
In comments sent to NME,<\/em> Holger Schmidt said: \u201cThe fact that nearly the entire continent has been affected by the same extreme conditions is, in my view, unprecedented.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLooking ahead, success will depend on being as well prepared as possible \u2013 operationally, in terms of communication, and from an infrastructure perspective. At the same time, recent events have shown that some weather extremes go beyond what can reasonably be anticipated or planned for.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n<\/blockquote>\nLive music events in England and Wales were also under pressure during searing temperatures \u2013 June temperature records were broken three days in a row, with peak heat of 37.3\u00b0C measured in Suffolk on Friday June 26.<\/p>\n
Many event organisers adapted their policies, explaining they were trying to keep audiences safe. Measures included increasing the amount of water people could bring, creating additional shaded areas and putting more medical staff on standby.<\/p>\n
Concerts that took place in high-heat conditions included stadium gigs by Harry Styles<\/a> and Take That<\/a> in London, and shows from The Cure<\/a> and Teddy Swims<\/a> in Cardiff.<\/p>\n
Had Glastonbury \u2013 the UK\u2019s most popular festival \u2013 taken place on its traditional June weekend instead of taking a fallow year<\/a>, audiences would have faced temperatures in Somerset of around 37\u00b0C on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Hot or wet conditions for music festivals or outdoor events are not unusual, but human-induced climate change means extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and more extreme.<\/p>\n
A report, issued by a collection of the world\u2019s leading climate change scientists at World Weather Attribution<\/a>, concluded that the sweltering overnight temperatures during the late June European heat event were about x100 more likely today than they were just 23 years ago during the infamous 2003 European heatwave, because of climate change.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe daytime peaks,\u201d they added, \u201cwere about x10 more likely.\u201d<\/p>\n
Europe is the fastest-warming continent on Earth, heating up at more than twice the global average.<\/p>\n
\n<\/blockquote>\nJohn Rostron is the CEO of the Association of Independent Festivals (UK), whose member events include End of the Road, Boomtown and Boardmasters. He said festivals are increasingly having to prepare for the threat of extreme weather conditions.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe ultimate challenge is that you plan and budget a festival a year before. A year ago we were ready for extreme weather, but we weren\u2019t ready for this \u2013 at this scale,\u201d he told NME.<\/em> \u201cThis is a new thing we have to learn from and plan for in the future because it\u2019s here to stay. This is the new normal. These record-breaking temperatures are going to be broken again and again.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rostron says that in 2024, 10 per cent of the cancellations of UK festivals were related to extreme weather, and urges greater action on climate change from governments and business.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt feels like we\u2019re still in this conversation where there isn\u2019t enough action, there aren\u2019t enough people taking it seriously that need to be taking it seriously.<\/p>\n
\u201cOut of a really dark week, that\u2019s my one hope, that it brings about some action and change.\u201d<\/p>\n
The post String of European music festivals and gigs left devastated by extreme weather: \u201cThe unthinkable has happened\u201d<\/a> appeared first on NME<\/a>.<\/p>\n