Pukkelpop and UCLL are teaming up again for E-rena, the stage dedicated to current technological advancements and future digital (r)evolutions. For an entire weekend, you can enjoy gaming, inspiring talks, thrilling esports, captivating podcasts, and impressive AI experiments.

Geert Bollen will guide you through the world of AI avatars and the possibilities of generative AI in his AI Academy Talk. Simon Deckers and Levi Calcagnile will co-present a talk on 'Metaphysic AI in Hollywood'. Calcagnile has gained international acclaim with Metaphysic.ai, a leading generative AI platform that creates Hollywood-quality content for the film and entertainment industry. Their deepfake featuring Tom Cruise amazed TikTok, they produced the stunning visual effects for the blockbuster Furiosa, and have collaborated with big names such as Eminem and Tom Hanks.

Hana Van Elst and Michael Bauwens will showcase how generative AI has advanced since last year and discuss its societal impact. Tim Destexhe will then delve into AI as a tool in music production. This session is a must-see for artists, musicians, producers, and technology enthusiasts.

Senne Guns and Korneel De Clercq will explore in their Koken Met Classics podcast whether music can now write itself, how Ariana Grande would sound covering a crooner and how future music will sound. Peter Mulders from the band Brutus will have an interesting conversation with Pukkelpop programmer Eppo Janssen during a live recording of the Zware Klap podcast.

Challenge your friends to a game of EA Sports FC on a big screen or test your skills against a KRC Genk EA FC Pro player. Alternatively, you might want to join the EK Limburg 2024 Sprint Challenge. One month before the European Cycling Championships, you can race virtually in the E-rena on a smart trainer to achieve the fastest time on the last 500 meters of the official championship course.

Furthermore, there's the Karaoke World Cup hosted by the 'Amai zeg wauw!' band led by Otto Jan Ham. A successful regional career has to start somewhere, so why not at the Karaoke World Cup? Showcase your best dance moves at the Just Dance Party and experience what it takes for a brilliant career in the VR rollercoaster.

On Saturday, August 17, Belgium's top gamers will take over the E-rena for Red Bull Kumite, a global tournament featuring Street Fighter 6, the legendary fighting game. Show off your skills from 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM; after that, it's the pros' turn.

E-RENA PRACTICAL
The E-rena tent is located near Food Wood and is open from 11:30 AM to 7:30 PM. The host for the event is Obi Mundorff.