It’s time to reveal the complete line-up for TW Classic 2023. The one-day festival taking place on Sunday 18 June has already been sold out for months. Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band headline TW Classic, while Triggerfinger, Jack Johnson and Simply Red are also coming to the Festivalpark in Werchter on 18 June.
TW Classic 2023 gets off to a hard-rocking start with Triggerfinger (16:00-16:55). This will be the first time without bassist Paul Van Bruystegem, who has left the group after 22 incredible years. On 10 June, Triggerfinger will bring the Monsieur Paul chapter of their career to a celebratory close in the Ancienne Belgique in Brussels. At TW Classic, Ruben Block and Mario Goossens will be accompanied by Geoffrey Burton on bass.
Shows by Jack Johnson (17:40-18:55) are a rare occurrence in Belgium. Nevertheless, the singer-songwriter has been a household name around the world for many years. He produces the finest surf sounds in his Mango Tree studio on Hawaii, which is entirely solar-powered. On his latest album ‘Meet The Moonlight’ (2022) he goes in search of small joys in difficult times.
Simply Red (19:50-21:05) is a thoroughbred classic. Mick Hucknall is as fiery as his red hair. As a youngster he collected rare soul records and was obsessed with jazz and reggae. His raspy voice was a perfect match for that repertoire. He’s been here to stay since the start of his career. One in five UK families has a Simply Red record in their home. In the rest of the world, Hucknall has sold 50 million records, and we can all hum along to at least ten of his songs.
The new Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band (22:00-00:30) world tour has begun. The setlists of the first concerts include the hits, fan and band favourites and a selection from the recent ‘Only the Strong Survive’. The shows are still long in form, while their joy in playing remains unbridled. Springsteen and his team are in top form. This will be The Boss’ third appearance at TW Classic, following concerts in 2013 and 2016.