The 28th edition of Kaderock attracted 6,000 visitors last weekend. The two-day festival on and around the grounds of music centre Musicon was bigger than ever this year, with more than 60 acts spread over two days. The bad weather forecast and showers didn’t stop anyone: Kaderock was ‘waterproof’.
With a packed program that varied from The Hague rock classics to experimental music, spread over multiple stages, Kaderock 2025 was more varied than ever. In addition to big names such as Gruppo Sportivo and Cesar Zuiderwijk, Rinus Gerritsen & The Clarks on Friday, and bands such as DeWolff, John Coffey and Wodan Boys on Saturday, there was plenty of room for talent and experiment. Thanks to artists such as Elmer, Jaïr Faria and VALS ALARM, many new audiences also found their way to this quintessential Hague festival in the Leyenburg district.
Twenty-five school bands and rap acts from The Hague competed on Friday for a spot on the main stage on Saturday. The eventual winners were punk band Sidera and rapper Jayce, who opened Saturday with a thundering kick-off.New was the Broeikas, a transparent tent where music, art and experiment came together. This creative breeding ground arose from a collaboration between The Hague artist collectives iii, Helicopter and the young musicians of New Space Studio. This initiative also attracted a new audience and was received enthusiastically.
Singer/guitarist Mikkie B of the Hague rock sensation Wodan Boys put it succinctly: “This was the first festival I ever played at — and not just for me, but for all of us.”
“And that is exactly what the festival is all about,” adds Musicon director Daan van der Bruggen. “Here, the entire musical ‘cycle of life’ passes by, from grandparents to grandchildren. Here, different worlds come together. You saw that on every stage: from young talents to established names, from intimate performances to wild mosh pits. Those encounters and passing on the music from generation to generation — and at the same time being open to new music — that is what it is all about. We are proud and grateful that we have been able to do this for 30 years.”
About Kaderock
Kaderock, the pop festival around the famous music centre Musicon in The Hague, has existed since 1996. The streets around the festival site are the cradle of the famous beat culture of The Hague: sacred ground. The careers of almost all famous pop and urban artists from The Hague of the past decades started here. This annual gathering of pop generations is part of the intangible heritage of the Netherlands and offers a unique opportunity to get acquainted with the past, present and future of pop city number one.
Text provided by Kaderock, translated to English by The Hague Online
Image: Henriette Guest