© Félix Weiss
As Rockhal celebrates its 20th anniversary, the Belval venue reflects on two decades of hosting global superstars and nurturing local talent.
Rockhal in Belval is celebrating its 20th anniversary, marking two decades as a major concert venue that has attracted both national artists and international superstars.
The venue, which now hosts approximately 260,000 visitors annually, was conceived in the late 1990s to address the need for a dedicated rock venue in Luxembourg. Initial plans considered repurposing the historic blast furnace hall in Belval, but the project evolved into the construction of a new, large complex featuring multiple concert halls, rehearsal rooms, and studios. 2025 is set to be a record year with around 260 shows scheduled.
Olivier Toth, a lawyer and musician known for his band Low Density, became the Rockhal's director in May 2005, even before its official opening. Reflecting on the launch, Toth recalled the immense pressure surrounding the first concerts. The Prodigy inaugurated the stage on 23 September 2005, followed by the US nu-metal band KoЯn the next day.
Both shows sold out within days and the challenge extended beyond the concerts themselves to managing the traffic flow in the then-developing Belval area. While Luxembourg residents embraced the new venue immediately, Toth noted that initially attracting audiences from neighbouring Belgium, France, and Germany proved more difficult.
Over the years, the Rockhal's stages have hosted a diverse array of global stars, including Sting, David Guetta, Hans Zimmer, Pink, Amy Macdonald, Shakira, Passenger, Rammstein, Depeche Mode, and Kylie Minogue.
Toth recalls memorable incidents with artists, such as Prince allowing early arrivals to witness his soundcheck and Mariah Carey's tardy arrival, officially attributed to a timezone confusion after a shopping trip to London.
The venue has also navigated significant challenges, including the last-minute cancellation of a Backstreet Boys concert in 2008 due to a fire and the impact of the November 2015 Paris attacks. The Covid-19 pandemic marked a particularly difficult period, during which the Rockhal was repurposed as an Advanced Care Centre.
Toth notes that this downtime was used to plan future expansions, including a recently added balcony in the Club venue and a planned balcony with permanent seating for the Main Hall within the next two years. The post-pandemic reopening concert featuring Serge Tonnar drew an audience of 1,000 people.
Beyond hosting international acts, the 'Centre de Musique Amplifié' has a dual mission: Rockhal focuses on live entertainment, while Rocklab is dedicated to nurturing Luxembourgish talent.
This includes motivating young people through initiatives like the Screaming Fields Festival for school bands, now in its 15th edition. Rocklab provides comprehensive support through six rehearsal rooms, a studio, and mentorship programmes that offer performance opportunities and professional documentation for artists.
Looking ahead, Toth's mission is to continue this dual focus: expanding the Main Hall's capacity to attract major international acts while steadfastly supporting the development of national artists.
