Niels de Vries

You can pick up a copy of the programme booklet on site when you collect your wristband, but it’s available to view online right now. We’ve also put together some pointers for finding your way through the practicalities of Roadburn in our annual A-Z rundown. Armed with all this information you should be able to hit the ground running and easily immerse yourself in Planet Roadburn and all it has to offer. See you next week!

 A – ACCESS

The most important part first – getting in! When you arrive in Tilburg, you can exchange your ticket for a festival wristband and also pick up a programme booklet. In the centre pages there you’ll find the Roadburn map that lays out where the venues are, plus the timetables and other useful info.

The ticket exchange is halfway between the 013 and The Junction area (where you’ll find the Terminal and Engine Room) – it will be signposted and you can’t miss it! Wristband exchange will be open at the following times and we encourage you to collect your wristband on Wednesday night if you’re already in town so don’t have to wait around on Thursday afternoon!

Wednesday – 15.00 – 21.00
Thursday 11:00 – 21.00
Friday 12:00 – 20:00
Saturday 12:00 – 19:00
Sunday 12:00 – 18:00

Please note: backpacks are not allowed into the venues – totebags and similar are okay. See L for info on lockers and luggage storage.

B – BUSES & TAXIS

There are buses going to Eindhoven and to Beekse Bergen, the bus stops for both are marked on the map.

Buses between Beekse Bergen and 013 are operated by Taxi Korthout and will depart approximately every 20 minutes between the times stated below. To purchase just one trip you will need to pay in cash, to purchase a multi-trip wristband, cards are accepted.

Beekse Bergen to 013:
12.00-18.00

013 to Beekse Bergen (bus stop at Sint Josephstraat 106):
23.30-03.00

Cost: €6,50 single trip/3 days €30/4 days €35

Night bus to Eindhoven
If you purchased a ticket for the night bus to Eindhoven these are the approximate times they will run: 

On Wednesday: 01.00 and 01.30
Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 01:00/01:30/02:30

Buses will depart when full. You can exchange your weekend bus ticket for a wristband at the Info points. 

The departure area for this night bus is located at the Interpolis building, near the Tivoli Parking – just around the corner from the 013 (marked on the map). The drop off is at the Holiday Inn only. If you don’t yet have a ticket but want to use the night bus to Eindhoven then bus tickets can be bought each day at the info point next to main entrance and the infopoint in The Junction area but please note, these are in a limited quantity.

The closest taxi point is Heuvelstraat. Be careful that you use a licensed taxi only! 

C – CASHLESS

Your bank or credit card will be accepted at bars, food vendors, and merch stalls – keeping things simple and quick (cards accepted include: Visa, Visa Electron, V Pay, Mastercard, Maestro, American Express, Union Pay, JCB, Bancontact, Ideal, Apple Pay and Google Pay). If you don’t have a bank or credit card you can use for this, you will be able to deposit cash on an 013 card that you can use instead. You can do this at the info points at the 013 and The Junction area.

D – DRINKING & EATING

As always, there’s plenty of choices for food  at the 013 and The Junction area – including plenty of vegan options. The food court opposite the 013 is entirely vegan! There are also dining options throughout the city that are part of our OFFROAD programme – meaning special offers and menus for Roadburners! For the beer drinkers amongst you, this year’s official Roadburn beer – The Secret Show – is a 5.5% blonde! There’s also a wide range of craft beers available throughout the festival bars.

E – EXHIBITIONS

Thomas Hooper will present his stunning visual art at the NS16 as a collaborative exhibition with Steve Von Till called Resonant Horizons. With Steve providing a soundtrack to Thomas’ incredible paintings, this is not one to miss. Please join us to officially open the NS16 exhibition at 1pm on Thursday, 18 April.

The entrance to the NS16 will display work from Joris Robben whose work is inspired by the fragmented world of his father who battles Alzheimer’s. Elsewhere you’ll find work by Nona Limmen and Douwe Dijkstra at the 013, as well as in The Junction area where they’ll also be joined by works from Costin Chioreanu and Bob Mollema. 

F – FIRST TIMERS & SOLO ‘BURNERS

If this is your first time at Roadburn, or if you’re coming solo then join us on Thursday afternoon at the downstairs bar in the 013 from 1.30pm where others in the same boat as you will be gathering to get their bearings! We’ll be around to answer your questions and help make you feel at home. Come say hi – don’t be shy! It would be great if you would register your interest here: https://forms.gle/zVgfa7ePxXhJTiCt5 so we know how many of you to expect!

G – (THE) GRASS COMPANY

Whether you’re from the Netherlands or abroad, Roadburn visitors who are over the age of 18 (and with valid ID) can enter Tilburg’s coffee shops and purchase cannabis products. The Grass Company is one of the bigger outlets in the city of Tilburg, and the first one you’ll come across when making your way from the station. We encourage anybody who chooses to partake, to do so responsibly, of course!

H – HOW TO KEEP TRACK OF EVERYTHING!

We strongly recommend you download the TMSQR app and then add Roadburn to your favourites from there. This app version of our schedule is customisable, meaning that you can mark your favourites and be reminded of upcoming shows you don’t want to miss. You can plan your day from the very beginning right through to the afterparties. On the off chance that we have to make any last minute changes to the schedule then the app will be updated accordingly. We can send push notifications via the app in situations like this so ensure you have this option switched on if you want to be kept up to date. We will also post important announcements to our socials.

 I – INFO POINTS

There is an info point close to the 013 and another at The Junction area. If you get lost, confused, need medical help or simply have a question that you can’t find the answer to – head to one of the info points where you will be pointed in the right direction! Don’t be shy – we’re a friendly bunch. If you feel unsafe or unwell at any time during Roadburn, please speak to any member of staff and we’ll help you.

J – JAZZ & AVANT-GARDE

We’ve got the Paradox as a Roadburn venue once again – for just Friday and Saturday. This renowned venue is intimate and will be host to some very special performances. The capacity is just 150 – so if something is on your must-see list then make sure you’re there nice and early!

K – KEEPSAKES

If you have some Roadburn treasure from a past edition that you could add to the Archiving Heaviness exhibition in the 013 basement, the volunteers there would be delighted to catalogue and exhibit it! If you’re light on artefacts but are laden with stories to tell, they’ll be collecting those too! 

This exhibition seeks to document the cultural impact of Roadburn through the memories and memorabilia of our attendees. There will be items on display and opportunities to contribute. Head down to the basement to find out more!

Until 11pm every night.

L – LOCKERS & LUGGAGE

There are multiple options for storing merch and personal items throughout the festival. Work out which suits you best, based on what it is you need to stash away.

There are lockers at the 013 venue and at The Junction area which will be perfect for coats and small bags. These cost €3 and are operated via a QR code.

The only downside to these lockers is that if you’re buying lots of vinyl or are arriving straight from the airport with your luggage – you’re going to struggle to squeeze your stuff in. Fortunately, there are designated large item lockers – check the map for the location. These XXL lockers cost €5. 

Opening times 013
WED 15:00 01:00
THU 13:00 01:00
FRI 13:00 01:00
SAT 13:00 01:00
SUN 13:00 01:00

Opening times The Junction Area
THU 12:00 00:00
FRI 12:00 01:00
SAT 12:00 01:00
SUN 12:00 00:00

The locker cost is per day. 

For suitcases, there are even bigger lockers at the train station.

M – MERCH

All the band merch and festival merch can be found at the Junction – this is a cashless area. Typically bands only sell their merch on the day they perform, so you may be visiting this area quite regularly to check for new items! Roadburn merch usually sells pretty quickly, but if we run low we will let you know via our socials.. 

There will also be a few stalls so you can stock up on vinyl and your usual Roadburn necessities! Go wild, your record collection will thank you!

N  – NEW LAYOUT

Due to some construction work there’s a few changes to bear in mind in terms of the Roadburn layout. The entrances to the Engine Room and The Terminal are no longer as they have been in previous years. Follow signage to ensure you’re heading in the right direction! 

The Junction will be home to the band and festival merchandise this year – you’ll quickly find your way around though, never fear!  Of course, if it’s your first time with us, everywhere will be new to you – but we have a handy map, friendly volunteers and info points to help you get where you want to go.

O – OFFROAD

OFFROAD returns for 2025! A number of venues throughout the city will participate in OFFROAD, offering discounts, performances, activities, special menus and more to visitors. Tilburg residents and visitors from all over will get a taste of what Roadburn is about, whilst Roadburn attendees can explore the city and add a little extra to their usual Roadburn experience if they wish. You can find out more about the OFFROAD programme on the Roadburn website or via the Timesquare app.

P – PLAYLIST

There are dozens and dozens of bands playing Roadburn. We don’t expect you to necessarily know them all, but why not check out as many as possible? There will be a test afterwards… only kidding, but if you give our official playlist a spin you may find yet more bands to add to your “must watch” schedule. 

As for the playlists you hear between bands, we spend hours putting those together so that the atmosphere is just right as you await your favourite artists.

Q – QUESTIONS

We’re always here to answer your questions but please be aware that there may be a bit of a delay in getting back to you online during the festival itself if you message us via our socials. If your question is urgent or if you feel unsafe please speak to a member of staff or security at any of the venues. If your question is not life or death feel free to message us!

A question we get quite often is about cameras and photography. Unless you are attending as a professional press and have been granted a photo pass then you won’t be able to bring a camera with a lens of over 35mm. However, any photos that you do take with your phone / non-professional camera we’d love to see, so please tag us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram so we can see what your weekend looked like or use #RB25

R – RECYCLABLE CUPS & CANS

For the last few editions of Roadburn we have served your drinks in recyclable hard cups – to help reduce single use plastics and raise some money along the way. All visitors will receive their drinks in these reusable cups and pay a €1 deposit. 

When you’ve finished your drink these are your options:

– re-use the cup
– return your cup and claim your deposit back
– leave your cup at a designated collection point and donate the €1 to charity

If you donate the €1, we will pass it along to a local charity. The Will Hawkins Collective helps people who are socially isolated due to addiction or psychological challenges by supporting them in discovering and developing their own artistic talents, as well as providing access to music and the arts in a meaningful and transformative way. 

S – SIDE PROGRAMME

This year – as we do every year – we aim to bring you a little bit extra via the side programme. This year we have ‘in conversation’ sessions with Thou, Cave In and Steve Von Till. These will be opportunities to deep dive into what makes these artists tick. You can come armed with your own questions too!

Broeder Dieleman will present his own take on a collection of folktales from Zeelandic Flanders, the area he’s from. By looking to the past, Tonnie seeks to explore what these ancient stories can tell us about ourselves, our landscape and our community.

We’ll also host a panel discussion titled Keeping It Creative where artists (Michael Berdan of Uniform, and Denisa) and industry experts will discuss the ever changing landscape of art and music and how to retain connection and authenticity in a content hungry world.

Our very own artistic director, Walter Hoeijmakers will be talking all things Roadburn on Sunday afternoon. We’ll run through what it took to put Roadburn 2025 together and then open up the floor to your questions. Come ready!

 T – THE SPARK

Roadburn starts for many of us on Wednesday night; The Spark kicks things off in style. No ticket is needed and the event is free to enter – so what better way to get your Roadburn experience off to a memorable start?

Doors – 7PM

8PM- 9PM – Temple Fang
9.30PM-10.10PM – Rattenburcht
10.40PM – 11.30PM – Thou

U – UNDERGROUND

As always, we like to shine a light on underground bands and scenes. These artists are so important to what we do at Roadburn and we hope that some of them will be the main stage bands of the years to come. So, whilst we are extremely proud of the bookings we’ve made on the bigger stages, we wholeheartedly encourage you to pay a visit to some of the smaller venues or take a gamble on an unknown name here and there. There’s so much to discover, and we’re thrilled to share this with you!

V – VOLUNTEERS & VENUE CAPACITIES

Did you know that a lot of the people working at Roadburn are volunteers? The person pouring your beer, giving you directions or scanning your ticket is very likely to be one of our wonderful team of volunteers! Give them a hi-five and show them some love – Roadburn relies on their hard work. 

A quick note about venue capacities… as we said above, Paradox is a very small venue! If you really want to be there for a specific show, please do get there early. We have worked hard to eliminate queues and a big part of that is down to scheduling and ensuring the flow of people through the festival is smooth. If you do encounter a queue, we hope it will be only a very brief stall in your day. But if missing a particular band would derail your enjoyment just make sure you’re there with time to spare.

W – WARRINGTON RUNCORN NEW TOWN DEVELOPMENT PLAN

One of our original music commissions this year comes from Warrington Runcorn New Town Development Plan – and whilst the music itself will be as much a surprise to us as it will to you, we have high hopes. Expect dark synths and electronics to take over the Next Stage. 

Elsewhere the collaborative commissioned project between Ontaard and Throwing Bricks will open up the Engine Room on Friday. Walter has had a peek at this project as it has developed and is adamant that it can’t be missed!

X – XIU XIU

We have the good fortune of another year of Xiu Xiu. Not only are we lucky to have them here in the X spot on this A-Z but we’re also spoiled by them opening the whole festival on Thursday afternoon on the Terminal stage. If you missed out last year, now’s your chance to catch up.

Y – YOUR ROADBURN

We love to see and hear about your Roadburn experience – this year and every year!. Please tag us in pictures, give us feedback on the event page or the Roadburners facebook group and tweet us about your favourite performances. We welcome feedback so let us know what’s on your mind.

Z – ZITHER

If you came here wondering what animal we were going to pluck from obscurity and thrust into the Roadburn spotlight this year, well, you’re out of luck. This year’s Z is a zither – an ancient stringed instrument that is played by Tristwch Y Fenywod. Ta-dah!

Now you can start your Roadburn 2025 planning in earnest.

This information will illuminate your path through the festival… but trust us, we didn’t put that band on at that time just to spite you, we didn’t engineer these clashes to ruin your day. Travel plans, production needs and various other practical factors – as well as the overall flow of the day – determine these running orders.

So, print them out, scribble on them, highlight them, map out your days as you see fit.

In recent years Paradox Tilburg has been the spot to experience experimental and avant-garde music in an intimate setting on the Friday and Saturday of Roadburn. For the fourth year running, we’ve teamed up with this special, world-renowned jazz club to bring you:

40 Watt Sun  (solo)
Angles 9  – Death of Kalypso
Early Life Forms
Heavy Jazz Jam – hosted by Theo Holsheimer
ILL Considered
Under the Reefs Orchestra

Stay tuned for news on art exhibitions, the side programme – and yes –  the time schedules in the coming weeks. Tickets and info can be found over at Roadburn.com

Imagine this: It’s been a couple of days since Roadburn 2025. You are now back home and as you scroll through your socials you cherish the joy and love you find in the testimonials shared by other attendees – some of who you now might call friends. Do you feel connected? Do you feel supported? What is that feeling about?

More than just re-living performances through photos and reviews, is it the shared love of heaviness that deepens the community? Is it the unique environment brewed by the Roadburn team that make it feel like “home”? Or… something completely different?

This year we want to try to better understand the connections and experiences that make Roadburn what it is. Initiated by a fellow Roadburner with knowledge and experience of participatory heritage research and community archiving.

Share your Roadburn history
As hosts of the Reinwardt Academy-project ‘Archiving Heaviness’, we invite all who relate to Roadburn –  in whatever way – to take part in building a living archive together – starting at Roadburn 2025.

Think about your first Roadburn. Think about your last Roadburn. Think about performances, relationships and experiences that stood out for you and consider why that was. Zoom out and think about what attending has meant for you and your friends. Zoom back in and find that one special moment.

Whilst much of the magic of Roadburn may exist in an intangible form, for this project we’d like to assemble a collection of tangible pieces that represent all that is so hard to put in to words about the Roadburn experience. Fabric, paper or otherwise. Have you kept mementos or trinkets that remind you of your Roadburn adventures?

For all four days of Roadburn 2025, we will have a dedicated space at the 013 to:

• Present your stories in a collective way
• Exhibit your Roadburn treasures in a participatory pop-up exhibition
• Collect more stories and objects as they emerge from the festival itself

Are you ready to share a story? Thinking about bringing an object to the pop-up exhibition? Fill in this Archiving Heaviness Intake Form. As the festival approaches, we will get back to you with an update and practical information. Rest assured each object will be handled with care, given a unique ID number, and stored securely whilst away from its owner.

Want to know more?
You might be reading all this and finding yourself wanting to know more about this project, its approach, the research behind it, or just want to satisfy your curiosity. Check out the project website page here

Project leader Jonathan Even-Zohar (Reinwardt Academy and long-term Roadburn-goer) is very happy to answer questions via jonathan.even-zohar@ahk.nl

Archiving Heaviness is a collaboration between Roadburn, the Reinwardt Academy and Podiumkunst.net

We are extremely honoured to announce a special performance by Frente Abierto at Roadburn 2025. When Roadburn’s artistic director, Walter, saw the Spanish group at Le Guess Who? in Utrecht last November and also later had the opportunity of hearing their forthcoming debut album in advance, he knew their fiery mix between heavy rock and flamenco was perfect for Roadburn.

Frente Abierto are a collective of Andalusian musicians, led by Marco Serrato (Orthodox, Altair) and featuring ambient musician David Cordero and lauded guitarist Raúl Cantizano. Accompanying them for their incandescent live shows is a varying cast of the most inspiring voices of contemporary flamenco – at Roadburn, we will have the pleasure of hosting Sebastián Cruz and Lela Soto. Together, they become living proof that even today there are still unexplored connections between musical worlds, just waiting for someone with the right talent and courage to brave those unknown territories.

Though flamenco and the metal and heavy rock that have been the backbone of Roadburn might seem to be completely separate universes, they can merge seamlessly. Marco previously performed at Roadburn back in 2007 with Orthodox; Walter comments:
“I have always kept Marco Serrato and his music on my radar. The moment I realized he was involved in Frente Abierto and it became clear that the project and Roadburn had so much in common, artistically and creatively – it was a no brainer to invite them to play the festival.”

Marco adds:

“It is a privilege to be able to return to Roadburn after 18 years, with this new project where we have been able to take some of the essential elements of Orthodox to a level that at that time we had not even been able to conceive.”

Flamenco has always been an artistic expression of the underprivileged and oppressed. Its origins lie within the Gitano subculture of the Spanish region of Andalusia, itself a place with a unique identity influenced by Moorish and Jewish communities. Its themes have historically manifested the difficulties of lives led in poverty, typically associated with the Gitanos, becoming a crucial tool of cultural dissent for many outcasts and misfits for over two centuries. Traditionally, lyrics showcase not only the common themes of love and death but also the hardships of life led as an outcast. The roots of such struggles are well documented in music across many genres but within Frente Abierto’s work they’re presented in a unique way.

At its core, Frente Abierto embodies everything we imagine when we use the phrase “redefining heaviness”. They’ve found a way to capture the emotional weight we’ve always known and loved in our established genres and embellish it with something that is distinctively theirs. We are looking forward to welcoming Frente Abierto as a decisive centrepiece of this year’s festival.