Leuven (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – About a thousand people attended Paul Van Bruystegem’s (Lange Polle, 66) farewell at Het Depot, Leuven. Friends, family, and Triggerfinger colleagues honoured his music, humour, and legacy with songs and tributes.
As VRT News reported, about a thousand people came to Het Depot in Leuven to say goodbye to Paul Van Bruystegem, who was known as Lange Polle. The 66-year-old musician died after a period of illness. Van Bruystegem played guitar for bands such as The Wolf Banes and The Boxcars. He became best known as the bassist for the rock band Triggerfinger. Even so, he often joked that
“playing bass was for wimps.”
What made Paul Van Bruystegem known as Lange Polle, a Beloved musician?
Lange Polle was a well-known figure in Leuven and the surrounding region.
“An icon and a true maverick,”
his friends say.
“But above all, a beautiful man with a gingerbread heart in an impressive physique that instilled fear in some.”
Officials mentioned that the farewell ceremony for Paul Van Bruystegem was full of tears and laughter. Friends, family, and fellow musicians shared memories of Lange Polle.
“De Lange is awash with anecdotes,”
said Triggerfinger’s lead singer, Ruben Block.
“Those anecdotes showed the unique life of this Leuven native, who often dared to cross the line but was above all a source of humour.”
Block said.
“Tripping along with you was the best. We’ve seen each other in the best and worst of times. But you were the best thing that could ever happen to us. We were invincible together, until we fell flat on our faces again. But that’s part of it.”
Songs that had special meaning for Van Bruystegem, including the fitting “As the Bottle Runs Dry,” were played to honour his life and talent. The ceremony ended with a heartfelt standing ovation from the audience.
Paul Van Bruystegem, known as Lange Polle, was a prominent figure in the Belgian music scene. Born on June 13, 1959, in Leuven, he began his musical journey at a young age. At 14, he left home to pursue his passion for music, performing in cafés and collaborating with various bands. He played guitar for groups like The Wolf Banes and The Boxcars, but he gained wider recognition as the bassist for the rock band Triggerfinger, joining them in 2003.
Despite his role as a bassist, he often humorously claimed that “playing bass was for wimps.” In June 2023, after more than 2 decades with Triggerfinger, Van Bruystegem stepped down due to health reasons and to focus on
Comments
16 responses to “1,000 People Attended Lange Polle’s Farewell at Leuven’s Het Depot”
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A thousand folks turning up for a farewell? Guess that’s what happens when you play bass and still manage to be the life of the party. 🎸🇧🇪 A proper send-off, or just an excuse for a good old Belgian beer? 🍻
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Only a mere thousand showed up? Seems like the entire city of Leuven has been slacking on their social obligations! 🎸🤣 No worries, Lange Polle would probably have joked that they were all just too weak to carry a bass guitar.
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1,000 people for a farewell? Guess everyone wanted to make sure they were counted in the ‘Who’s Who’ of Leuven. Must’ve been the best gig in town—who knew being a bassist could be so popular! 🎸😏
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So, a thousand people turned up to bid adieu to a bloke who said bass playing was for wimps—what a turnout! I suppose they all just wanted to ensure he had a proper send-off without any bass strings attached. 😂
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1,000 folks turned up to say adieu to Lange Polle? I suppose when you play bass like a “wimp,” it draws a crowd—who knew being a legend meant packing ’em in like sardines in a tin! 🎸😂
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You’d think they were bidding farewell to a rock god, not just a bloke with a bass and a knack for cracking jokes. Who knew a “wimp” could draw a crowd bigger than the last football match? 🎸😂
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Seems like Het Depot was the hottest ticket in Leuven for a farewell, who knew 1,000 people could fit into a pub for a “wimp’s instrument” send-off? 🍻 Guess it’s true what they say, when a rock star goes, the whole town shows up—who needs a funeral home when you have a rock gig? 😏
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A thousand people for a farewell? I guess it’s true what they say, dying really does get you a bigger crowd than a Tuesday gig at the local pub! 😂🎸
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A thousand folks showed up to wave goodbye to Lange Polle—guess it takes a small army to honour a man who thought bass was for wimps! 😂 Talk about making a proper send-off, even if half of them just came for the free drinks! 🍻
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A thousand people for a farewell? Who knew Leuven was the new Hollywood! 🎸 I guess playing bass really does make you a rock star, or at least a legend in a town that takes its music as seriously as its beer. 🍻
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A thousand people, eh? Guess the “bassists are wimps” joke didn’t land as flat as his final bow—who knew they were all such softies? 🎸😂
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A thousand people for a farewell? Must’ve been a quiet Tuesday in Leuven! Or did everyone just fancy a good cry with their pint? 🍺😏
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Seems like they threw a proper shindig for Lange Polle—1,000 people? Must’ve been the best excuse to avoid work since the last holiday! 🎸🥳
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So, a thousand folks turned up to bid adieu to Lange Polle—guess he really knew how to throw a farewell party, eh? 🎉 Or maybe they were just there for the free snacks and a good cry! 🤷♂️
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Crikey, a thousand folks for a bass player’s send-off? Must’ve really been the life of the party—who knew “playing bass was for wimps” would somehow turn into a rockstar’s farewell gig? 🎸🤣
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Only in Leuven would a thousand people show up to bid adieu to a bloke known for saying bassists are wimps! 🎸 But hey, who needs a six-pack when you’ve got a gingerbread heart, right? 😂
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