The fourth edition of the Rock The Lakes festival is held from August 15 to 17 in Cudrefin (VD), on the banks of Lake Neuchâtel. On the program, more than thirty rock and metal groups, including international headliners like Mastodon or Dimmu Borgir.
Smaller than the French Hellfest, the Rock The Lakes festival can boast of huge headliners like Dimmu Borgir, Mastodon, Heilung, Danko Jones, Zeal & Ardor, or Hatebreed.
Ready to welcome its 18,000 festival -goers and festivals, the event should this year benefit from mild weather, even if extremely hot. “I am very happy because last year, we did not necessarily have luck at the weather level when we picked up our eighty liters of water. So this year, obviously, it arises much better,” says confident Daniel Botteron, festival organizer, in the show Cuckoo Malibu on August 12.
A family affair
If Rock The Lakes was able to see the light of day, it was simply thanks to Daniel Botteron: “In 2021, I decided to organize a mini festival on a giant screen, limited to 150-300 people a day. We just passed Rammstein live concerts, Queen, Mötley Cruüe, etc. I organized that in a minigolf and then every day was armored. said: ‘But since the time you wanted to organize a festival, do it!’ I started.
Now Rock The Lakes is in its fourth edition and the success of the event is growing every year. For Daniel Botteron, it is a family story, since he is supported by his two sons in the organization of the festival.
Metal for all
Open to as many people as possible, Rock The Lakes is accessible, free of charge, to children under the age of 14, provided that they are accompanied by an adult. “We have an absolutely mind -blowing number of people who write to us to ask us from what age the children can come. And we did something very simple. I think we have set a minimum age of 2 years. We just ask people to protect their ears and take responsibility,” said Daniel Botteron.
On the scene side, Rock The Lakes welcomes groups with very varied styles so that all Metal and Rock fans find their account. “This year, it’s a bit of the idea of programming, to really offer a dozen different metal styles (…) Come, it’s going to be 24 carats”. So notice to amateurs!
Interview by Frank Matter
Adaptation web: ld
Rock the Lakes, Cudrefin, from August 15 to 17, 2025.
