Category: 2022

Proud Limburgers (Maasmechelen) attached to their land, the Lions Pride were formed in 1983 just after Ostrogoth and a few years after Killer. Breaking Out, vintage from 1984, is a remarkable hard rock album that ranked well on the Melody Maker Heavy Charts. Unfortunately, this opus did not enjoy the status it deserved in Belgium. Lions Pride therefore remained a bit on the side of the road. Amusing detail: Lions Pride provided the first part of SteeLover in 1986 in this same Palais des Congrès. Memories memories…

Warning: legend incoming! Russ Ballard raises from the caste of the greatest rock composers. His setlist will only contain hits, more hits and tons of hits!!! This distinguished Englishman from the greater London suburbs joined The Roulettes in 1963 at the age of 18. The beat group is a school. But, the serious things start with Argent, a band formed with Rod Argent of the Zombies (“she’s Not There”…). This prog/rock-looking Argent invented hard FM in 1971 and Russ distinguished himself with a first hit: God Gave Rock and Roll To You. A refrain that will put Kiss back in the Charts 30 years later. In 1974, Ballard began a high-quality solo career (with “Russ Ballard” known as “the black album” in 1984 as an unsurpassable model). Our prestigious guest then writes for almost everyone: Rainbow (“Since You Been Gone”, “I Surrender”), Frida from ABBA (“I Know There’s Something Going On”) but also Roger Daltrey, Santana, America, Uriah Heep, Night Ranger, Bad English… Difficult to remain unmoved in front of such a list!

The No. 1 Walloon classic rock festivals (don’t worry, it’s the only one!) which welcomes the No. 1 French-speaking classic rock band! Logical isn’t it? In our dream version of 2020, Machiavel was intend to play on Saturdays (the magical seventies) before Sweet. After many surprises, Machaviel will finally be our headliner on Sunday in a performance that will have a taste of new and surprise.

Flashback. This sword of eurock (non-British European prog) from the seventies can be proud of its most fruitful period. “Cheerlessness” (from the eponymous 1976 album), the impeccable “Mechanical Moonbeans” with the heartbreaking “Rope Dancer” and the very successful “Urban Games” add up to evoke a rich past. The one that will still be served during this concert event. After having reinvented himself with “New Lines” and his Rome Award “Fly”, Machiavel gently stopped before being reborn in 1996. The disappearance of the sparkling singer Mario Guccio (both from Liège and Sicilian!) in 2018 could have meant the end of the great adventure. But Marc Ysaye and Roland de Greef did not hear it that way. The attraction of this final GARF 2022 concert will be their new singer, whose identity will be revealed in a few weeks.

Sorry, this entry is only available in French.

Vacation from Charleroi is an old Belgian hard band that has seen many changes but has always believed in it and been able to move mountains. Back from the devil on several occasions, Vacation seems to be in a prosperous period as evidenced by his latest album “Stay Online”. A good surprise.

Originally from Hanover, city of the German hardcore Medicis (the Schenkers!), Fargo was quickly dubbed by Scorpions. Bassist/leader Peter Knorn then decides on Victory and the management of the Scorps finds them the incredible lead singer Charlie Huhn (ex-Ted Nugent, Gary Moore…). Victory forces the paths of glory with albums as well packaged as Victory (1985-the year of his presence at the Texas Jam in front of 60,000 spectators), Don’t Get Mad Get Even (1986) or Hungry Hearts (1987). While Olympus is in sight, the band disperses before a far too long drop in speed. It is with the legatee Herman Frank (already present in 1986) and a new Swiss singer (Gianni Pontillo) that Victory will come to defend within our walls the very dense Gods Of Tomorrow, its 2021 news.

Formed in Ghent in the early 80s, Ostrogoth has built up quite a cult following over nearly four decades. What a feat ! Plus, a great story.
Initially, no one believed in this somewhat “barbaric” band. Their first EP, Full Moon’s Eyes, is cliché. Their outfit are (knowingly?) caricatural. Ostrogoth opened for Def Leppard in Poperinge (at the mythical Maeke-Blyde) in 1983. Their fans gave voice but the young English were having fun.
Always be wary of a wounded beast. Ectasy and Danger (1984) and Too Hot (1985) are walking in the same steps of the biggest heavy metal classics like Scorpions / Accept / NWOBHM.
Courageous and determined, Ostrogoth is still there with his stainless pillar: drummer Mario “Grizzly” Pauwels. It is with young swordsmen that our “Grizzly” will smash everything in a theme that sticks to his coat: the good hard old school 80’s.
Fun fact : Ostrogoth shared the stage of the Heavy Sound Festival in Bruges in 1983 with Baron Rojo.

Sorry, this entry is only available in French.

Back in 2019, first edition of our festival, Angel was a banger!
In front of the avalanche of compliments and a significant demand, we decided to schedule them once again but as a main eventer. This quintet with disturbing magnetism and innate sense of spectacle has well deserved its “cult band” status. Borned in the mid-seventies in Washington DC, Angel is more than a marketing operation orchestrated by the Casablanca label and Bill Aucoin, their manager.
Discovered by the mad Gene Simmons, Angel is quickly the “arch enemy” of Kiss but no one is fooled: it is indeed two legends of the american hard rock that the fans are entitled to. Moreover, the gifted Angels quickly make Deep Purple and Uriah Heep look old as their aerial climates and opaline melodies are made of.
If “Helluvah Band” in 1976 is made to be their vintage classic, it rather is The Tower (present on their eponymous album of 1975) which remains ad vitam aeternam as their masterpiece.
Since GARF 2019, Angel released “Risen”, finally an album that really sounds from nowadays. Angel continues his astonishing comeback with Frank Dimino and his unique accents’ voice, as well as in the company of guitarist Punky Meadows, the charismatic disturbing angel.

A 100% feminine touch was wanted. It will happen during this 2nd edition of our GARF and we believe that we made no mistake. Indeed, the London girls from Girlschool can claim to be the first female hard rock band(if we consider that the Runaways were not hard rock). Kelly Johnson, Denise Dufort, Kim McAuliffe and Enid Willams invented themselves in 1980 in the midst of NWOBHM under the maddening patronage of Motörhead and its mogul Lemmy. “Demolition” sets the tone but it is “Hit and Run” in 1981 which integrates the young ladies into the inner circle of the best hard rock bands. Rebellious schoolgirls, our Girlschool promised us an exclusive and special set with their hit singles (“Take It All Away”, “Emergency”, “Race With The Devil”, “Hit and Run”, “C’mon Let’s Go”, “Don’t Call It Love”…) perfectly melodic and well in line with the philosophy of our festival.