Photo: Press
Day three at Pukkelpop is all about forward-thinking electronic music, with three varying producers showcasing their own take on dance music - but before that there's hip-hop and heavy rock.
The idea of Migos opening the Main Stage at 2pm is insane, but the thousand or so in the crowd have had no trouble getting up early for the Atlanta hip-hop trio; many holding up signs that read 'My Bitch Is Bad and Boujee' and a particularly accurate 'Fuck Donald Trump'. After DJ Durel drops 25 minutes of autotune-heavy trap hits like Travis Scott's 'Antidote', Migos finally arrive.
Bouncing onstage as confetti cannons blast overhead, they're met with a massive crowd - though it's clear to see why they only perform for half the time they're billed for: there's more than one occasion when they seem to lose the audience (probably not helped by persistent rain), but also because the backing track is way too high. It's hard to hear them actually rapping. As the weather gets worse they encourage a united 'fuck the rain' and a moshpit up front in time for their biggest hit 'Bad and Boujee': it's the moment everyone's been waiting for.
In stark contrast musically, The Pretty Reckless fill the Marquee with head-banging. Arriving onstage to the sound of orgasms (as you do) Taylor Momsen leads her leather-clad band into an hour of gothic, almost satanic rock. Stalking the stage in a long black coat, with her curly blonde hair covering her face and riffing off the guitarist's impressive solos, Momsen is every bit the front-woman - though, once again, the vocals could do with being turned up and the guitar feedback pitched down. Their first single, 'Make Me Wanna Die', is met with a massive singalong. "All we wanna do is fucking rock man," Taylor says, before ending with the anthemic 'Take Me Down'.
On to the first electronic artist of the day, and one that I've been waiting years to see: Cashmere Cat. Performing in the Boiler Room, it's a strange setting for the Norwegian producer's water droplet-like widescreen pop. At first I think Magnus August Høiberg would be much better suited to a more intimate tent like Castello, but hearing Ariana Grande collaborations belting out of the massive speakers next to tracks by SOPHIE and Magnus' own 'Mirror Maru' is a unique and surreal feeling... It's all about restraint and deconstructing what 'club' music really means.
He might not be everyone's cup of tea but the ever elusive Marshmello really does know how to send the Dance Hall crowd wild. Remixing everything from Adele's 'Hello' to Papa Roach's 'Last Resort', it's easy to get lost in his multi-coloured brightly-lit world - the perfect escape from reality in. Ending with 'Silence', his new, more restrained single with Khalid, the confetti cannon moment is a picture perfect finale as he poses for a selfie with his thousands of fans.
All that's left is for Australian electronic producer Flume to headline, performing to possibly his biggest ever crowd. With a Main Stage audience that stretches to the back of the festival site, it's easy to tell why a smart-shirted Harley Edward Streten has got such a massive smile on his face. His gradually euphoric productions 'Never Be Like You' and the rowdier 'Smoke and Retribution' translate well - even at the back of the crowd, thanks to a clear and crisp sound-system. A million times more energy than Mumford & Sons who played before him, it's interesting to witness an electronic artist play such a massive stage - let alone headline it. But Flume really proves himself worthy, and it's a brilliantly energetic way to end Pukkelpop 2017 - not to mention the stunning firework finale. We really didn't want to come home.
