Brakrock in Duffel, Belgium, is the place to be August 7–8, 2026.
If you aren't busy August 7–8, 2026, and can get to Duffel, Belgium (between Antwerp and Brussels), you are in luck. One of the best punk rock festivals of the year will be at Park Ter Elst, adjacent to the historic castle ruins and directly next to Duffel train station. This year is Brakrock's 15th anniversary, and the organizers have expanded the festival with multiple stages, including a new stage inside the medieval castle ruins. This is 45 bands on 4 stages, with 4 bars, a skate ramp, a pre-show featuring A Wilhelm Scream, and a showing of the NOFX movie.
David Rodriguez of The Casualties is set to play on The Lakestage. All photos by Paul Holstein.
The first thing that draws me to a festival, even one as far from my hometown of Detroit, MI as Duffel, Belgium, is the inclusion of street punk. This one has the cream of the crop with The Casualties, The Exploited, and Total Chaos all on the bill. The Casualties already had two of my favorite albums of all time with "Written In Blood" and "Until Death Studio Sessions", but this show will be special as it will be the first time that I'm seeing them do songs from their 2026 album "Detonate". If you haven't heard it, it's one of the best records of the year so far, with the songs "Detonate," "Allies and Assassins," "Pigs On Fire," and "Wake Up, Kill, Repeat" all destined to be future classics. The Casualties are playing Saturday on The Lakestage. The Lakestage is the most tucked away from the bustle of the main stages. Located deeper inside Park Ter Elst, it's set beside an old branch of the River Nete and a small fish pond (often simply referred to as "the lake"). It’s been jokingly described as the perfect place for "sweaty mosh pits and romantic swan sightings."
Wattie Buchan of The Exploited. All photos by Paul Holstein.
Wattie from The Exploited has had health problems over the past several years, and every time I see them live, I'm afraid it could be the last. It would be hard to overstate not just how great they are as a band but also what an honor it will be to see them again in this type of setting. The Exploited are playing Saturday on the Riverstage, which is Brakrock's flagship stage and one of the things that makes the festival unique. Rather than being in an open field like many festivals, it's built along the banks of the River Nete. The combination of the river, grassy hillside, and surrounding trees should provide a unique experience. The last time I saw them was at the 2024 Riot Fest in Chicago, IL, and their set included some of the faster “Massacre” era songs like "The Massacre" and “Porno Slut," as well as the classics “Beat the Bastards," “Fuck the U.S.A.," and “Let’s Start a War.” I'm still hoping to one day hear them play my favorite song, "Maggie," so fingers crossed that this will be the time. My most memorable moment from an Exploited show was when they called for the fans to rush the stage at Punk Rock Bowling, and we completely destroyed the barriers and overran security to crowd the stage for gang vocals on "Sex & Violence." Wattie always spends time after their sets talking to fans, taking photos, and signing posters.
Jay Navarro of The Suicide Machines. All photos by Paul Holstein.
As I mentioned, I'm from Detroit, which is also the home of The Suicide Machines. Even though I have been lucky enough to see them many times locally, it's always an incredible treat to see them again out on tour. This may be the best time of all, not only because it's in Europe but also because they are doing an album play celebrating 30 years of "Destruction By Definition." Singer Jay Navarro is not only a local legend and a member of several other local bands but also one of the staples of the punk and ska scene worldwide. The Suicide Machines are playing Friday on The Woodstage, Brakrock's second main stage, and possibly the festival's most atmospheric stage. The Woodstage is located in the middle of Park Ter Elst, surrounded by mature trees with the historic Ter Elst castle ruins rising behind it, and many would say it’s punk with a medieval twist.
Austin Sparkman of Haywire. —All photos by Paul Holstein.
One of the great things about these larger festivals is that in addition to the classic bands, you also get a chance to see some of the newer bands and maybe a few that you've never seen live before. I was able to catch Haywire at a local club a few months back; they are one of the best hardcore/Oi! bands currently on tour. Their 2024 album "Conditioned for Demolition" was amazing, but most recently their split EP with The Dropkick Murphys, "New England Forever," is one of the best records of 2026 (giving The Casualties a run for their money). I'd expect to see some stage diving (including from their singer, Austin Sparkman, who is known for diving into the crowd throughout the show) and hopefully hear some of their new songs. Haywire is playing Saturday on the River stage.
In addition to The Riverstage, The Woodstage, and The Lakestage, there is also the Ruin Stage. It was recently announced that there will be a showing of NOFX's "40 Years Of Fucking Up" during the festival in two parts (the price is included with your ticket; you just have to sign up). In between the two parts of the movie, Europe's premier NOFX cover band, NØFX, will be playing. I was at the showing of the movie in Michigan, and it was great. I will most likely want to catch it again, but for sure I'll be there to see NØFX. The movie and NØFX will be playing Saturday on The Ruin stage.The Ruinstage is the newest and arguably the most unique stage at Brakrock. For the festival's 15th anniversary in 2026, the organizers moved it inside the inner courtyard of the 12th-century Ter Elst castle ruins, making it one of the most distinctive settings you'll find at any punk festival.
Scott Vogel of Terror. —All photos by Paul Holstein.
I love straight-up punk rock, street punk, Oi!, and hardcore. They are distinctly different subgenres of punk rock, and there isn't much that I love more than when all of them intersect at the same festival. In Detroit, we have the Tied Down Detroit festival every year to showcase the best of the best hardcore bands, and this year Terror was one of the headliners. Their 2026 album "Still Suffer" has cemented their place in hardcore history. Scott Vogel's stage presence is mesmerizing, and their mosh pits take it to the next level. Terror is playing Friday on The River stage. Trust me, this is a set that you do not want to miss.
Russ Rankin of Good Riddance. —All photos by Paul Holstein.
Tony Reflex of The Adolescents. —All photos by Paul Holstein.
I'm not sure what more I can say about Good Riddance other than that they are one of the best punk rock bands to ever do it. Their video for "Dry Season" is one of my most watched videos of all time, if not the most. The energy is insane, and Sean Sellars and Chuck Platt are probably my favorite drummer and bass player in any band. I have only seen them live once, at a Punk Rock Bowling club show, where they played a massive 18-song set that included favorites "Salt," "Shadows of Defeat," "Weight of the World," "Edmund Pettus Bridge," and "Dry Season" and ended with a cover of "Come Dancing" by The Kinks. Seeing them again at Brakrock will be one of the highlights of my year. Good Riddance plays Saturday on The Woodstage.
Coincidentally, after that Good Riddance show I was able to walk directly next door to catch The Adolescents (that kind of stuff only happens in Las Vegas). They opened with "L.A. Girl" and then played 20 songs that included "O.C. Confidential," "Amoeba," and my personal favorite, "Brats In Battalions." Their mosh pit was insane, and they are one of the bands that I'm looking the most forward to seeing again in Duffel. The Adolescents play Saturday on The Riverstage.
Stacey Dee of Bad Cop/Bad Cop. —All photos by Paul Holstein.
Rob Chaos of Total Chaos. —All photos by Paul Holstein.
I've highlighted just a couple of bands that I'm looking forward to and didn't even mention many of the top headliners, which include Gogol Bordello, Less Than Jake, Hot Water Music, and The Get Up Kids. I've seen and covered Agnostic Front, H2O, Pulley, The Dickies, Bad Cop/Bad Cop, and Total Chaos in the past, and you can find out more about those shows if you read through some of my prior stories. No Fun At All is the band that I have never seen live and that I'm looking the most forward to (check out their "Master Celebrations" CD, which is a "best of" that covers songs from throughout their career). That still leaves over 25 more bands that I didn't even mention (you can see the full list on the show poster), but that will likely end up being some of my favorite bands. Check back in a few weeks to see my full coverage of the festival, photos, and tips for traveling to Europe from the U.S. for punk rock festivals. I’ll leave you with a quick video recap from 2025 (by Buzz).
