Backline Hire in Belgium

Belgium's compact geography means that suppliers based in any part of the country can realistically reach most Belgian venues on a same-day delivery basis. Dee Sound & Light in Boom sits between Antwerp and Brussels, well placed for both cities and for the festival sites in the wider Antwerp province. KICK BV in Aalst sits between Brussels and Ghent in the heart of the Flemish production corridor. TourSupport in Ghent covers the western Flemish market and brings additional capacity to a city that has a strong independent music scene and several active mid-capacity venues.

The distribution of premier suppliers across Boom, Aalst and Ghent reflects the geography of Belgian touring activity. Productions routing Brussels, Antwerp and Ghent in a single Belgian leg can work from any of these suppliers with practical logistics. For productions coming from the Netherlands, Belgian suppliers also service cross-border Benelux dates; the full Dutch picture is covered in the Netherlands backline hire guide.

Belgium's summer festival season is one of the most concentrated in Europe. Rock Werchter in late June and early July is one of the oldest and most respected rock and pop festivals on the continent, with capacity around 88,000 and a booking history that includes the most significant touring acts of the past four decades. Tomorrowland at Boom in late July is the largest electronic dance music festival in the world by reputation, drawing 400,000 attendees across two weekends, and its production scale creates enormous demand for Belgian backline stock. Pukkelpop at Hasselt in August rounds out the peak season with capacity around 60,000 across multiple stages.

These three festivals, all running within a six-week window from late June through mid-August, place Belgian backline stock under exceptional pressure. Productions with Belgian dates during this period should treat eight to twelve weeks advance booking as a minimum, and should flag unusual rider items earlier still. Outside the festival window, the Belgian market operates on shorter lead times given the compact geography and strong supplier base.

The Boom location of Dee Sound & Light is notable: Boom is the host town of Tomorrowland, giving this supplier particular relevance for productions working the festival site and the surrounding area during the Tomorrowland weekends.

Sportpaleis in Antwerp at 23,000 capacity is Belgium's primary arena and one of the largest in continental Europe. It ranks consistently among the highest-grossing venues on the European touring circuit, and major international acts routing through the Benelux will almost always include an Antwerp date. Forest National in Brussels at 8,400 covers the upper mid-market in the capital, and Ancienne Belgique, also in Brussels, is one of the most respected mid-capacity venues in Europe at around 2,000.

Ghent's Flanders Expo complex hosts arena-scale events at up to 10,000, and the city's 010 venue at around 2,000 is active on the touring circuit. Antwerp's De Roma and Trix venues serve the 1,000 to 2,500 range. Productions routing Belgium across multiple city dates will find the country's compact geography eliminates the multi-supplier logistics that larger markets require.

Belgium operates on 230V/50Hz power, identical to the UK standard, which removes voltage conversion requirements for UK acts touring with their own backline. ATA carnets are required for UK-owned equipment entering Belgium post-Brexit, covering all instruments and backline items. Locally hired Belgian backline is not subject to carnet requirements for those items.

Belgium's trilingual character means that supplier communications may be in Dutch (Flemish), French or English depending on the supplier's location and background. All three listed suppliers are based in the Dutch-speaking Flemish region, and English is widely spoken in the Belgian production industry.

For productions requiring backline technicians with Belgian or Benelux market experience, Entourage Pro's crew finder covers the European freelance pool including guitar techs and backline technicians based in Belgium. The Belgian freelance production circuit is well developed, particularly around Antwerp, Ghent and Brussels.

Related production services for Belgian touring include PA hire, lighting design and hire and touring transport for productions routing across the Benelux and into wider Europe. Production rehearsal facilities are listed separately for productions requiring pre-tour preparation space. UK and non-EU productions moving backline equipment into Belgium require an ATA Carnet for company-owned gear. The ATA Carnet guidance published by the International Chamber of Commerce covers documentation procedures relevant to productions touring across the Benelux and European markets.

How far ahead should I book for Rock Werchter, Tomorrowland or Pukkelpop?

Eight to twelve weeks minimum. Belgium's three major festivals run within a six-week window from late June through mid-August, creating the most concentrated period of backline demand in the country's calendar. Stock is under exceptional pressure across this period and unusual rider items should be flagged even earlier. Standard touring dates outside festival season can generally be confirmed with four to six weeks notice given Belgium's compact geography and strong supplier base.

Which Belgian supplier is best placed for Sportpaleis in Antwerp?

Dee Sound & Light in Boom and KICK BV in Aalst are both well positioned for Sportpaleis, sitting within 30-40km of the venue. TourSupport in Ghent is around 60km from Antwerp. All three are capable of servicing arena-scale productions. Contact each directly to discuss availability, inventory and logistics for your specific production requirements.

Can Belgian backline suppliers cover Dutch or French dates on the same touring leg?

Many Belgian suppliers have cross-border Benelux experience and can cover Dutch dates. For Netherlands-specific coverage, see the Netherlands backline hire guide. French touring is a separate market; Belgian suppliers occasionally cover northern France dates but the French market has its own supplier network for most productions.

Do I need an ATA carnet to bring equipment into Belgium from the UK?

Yes. ATA carnets are required for UK-owned equipment entering Belgium and all EU countries post-Brexit. The carnet must accurately list all instruments and backline items. Productions hiring locally from Belgian suppliers are not subject to carnet requirements for those hired items, which can simplify logistics for productions travelling light and sourcing most backline locally.

The Belgian backline hire listings on Showcase cover suppliers across Boom, Aalst, Ghent, Antwerp and beyond. Browse backline hire across Europe or visit Showcase Music Directory for PA hire, lighting, transport and production services for European touring productions.