< SWITCH ME >
Andreas is 34 and lives in Copenhagen. I knew he had to be festival guest of the day when I heard that this year is an anniversary for him, and quite an impressive one as well. This year is Andreas' 20th year in a row at Roskilde!
Andreas is here for the atmosphere. He wonders if he would go only for the music, but thinks that he wouldn't - although, as you an imagine, is it hard to separate music and atmodphere after twenty years at the festival. "Even when the music program is weak, I still go, and I still have a good time," he says. When asked to describe Roskilde Festival in three words, he says "time warp" (you can literally forget what time it is when all you do is go to concerts, drink beer, and eat burgers), "all-embracing" and "intense". His best Roskilde memory made me green with envy: "Back in 1996, I was right in front of Orange Stage when Rage Against the Machine played. It was right when they were most succesful, and they are notorious for their live performances. Right after the concert, I stayed in front of Orange Stage, and Aerosmith went on. That was a crazy day, music-wise." However, Andreas thinks it is hard to determine one favorite Roskilde memory - because really, it is always the same, at least the atmosphere - and thank God for that!
The music at Roskilde Festival: as diverse as the festival guests
Written by Juliane Schmeltzer DybkjærNow that the festival area is open and the first concerts have been played, you really get to see what Roskilde is all about. Because of course, even though all the different and exciting initiatives that I have written about earlier blogs are important, Roskilde Festival always have been and always will be a music festival. As one guy put it: "Of course, it is fun to party during the warm-up days, but I don't believe that a festival could attract 75,000 paying guests if there were not music, and really good music too."
In today's Wired in we present the Ghent-based band John Ghost! They play in an ensemble of ten musicians, all of whom study music at the famous Ghent Conservatory in Belgium. Jo De Geest writes their music (hence the name John Ghost) - but the band arrange and refine the music during their many rehearsals. The John Ghost musicians are influenced by jazz and progressive rock, taking their music to the next level by including atmospheric sounds and fascinating improvisation. Check out the interview with band member Wim Segers and if you're in Belgium try to catch them at one of their upcoming shows in Ghent!
E&M: You have a bunch of shows coming up and you're also playing the prestigious Ghent Jazz festival. What has working with this band been like since you founded it last year?
JG: In the beginning it wasn't always easy to rehearse with six musicians. Everyone had their own opinion about making music. There are also a lot of ideas behind John Ghost. After a while though, we all grew into the same direction. That's also when we were all starting to want to get across the same message. And when we started to have fun playing it. People could hear that I guess, because we got the first gigs then too.
Some things are worth waiting for
Written by Juliane Schmeltzer DybkjærGranted. There is quite a bit of waiting when you are at a festival like Roskilde, waiting with thousands of other festival guests. First, you wait in line to put up your tent. Then, you wait in line to buy a beer. In the morning, you wait in line to go to the toilet. Perhaps the most important wait of the festival is the wait for the actual festival area itself to open. Thursday at 5, the gates open from the camping area to the festival area - and the festival has officially begun.
This is certainly a wait that people take very seriously. I talked to some guys who had defied the rain and waited in line for two hours for the festival area to open. "It's just fun to be one of the first," Thomas said, "and when you've been in the camping area for five full days, you become impatient and really want the music to start," he adds.
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I've definitely had enough of emerging indie bands who all sound the same and sometimes I'm reluctant to check out a band that someone desribes that way. Boy Mandeville though is a band with a sound that really sets them apart and that you just can't get around. They're one of the hottest new indie rock bands from London these days and the calypso percussion and other tropical sound elements make them a band that writes really catchy and fresh songs. They deserve to be known across Europe! In this weeks wired in interview guitarist Mike Coxhead and bassist Brian Cantwell talk about making music videos, living in a house with an interesting past, and choosing to live in London.
E&M: You have a lot of cool videos on your website. What's the most important thing for you when you make a music video?
B.C: To try and have as few close-ups as possible. And to trust the friend who is doing the video.
J.C: Well first, a-thank-you… To be honest we love creative people and working with people who are as passionate about video art and photography as we are about music is the important thing. The latest video for our new single 'Gorilla' was made by a good friend of ours, James Drew, the ideas are his and his team's and all credit to them!
Roskilde Festival guest of the day #3
Written by Juliane Schmeltzer DybkjærPablo is 25 and comes from Pola de Siero in Spain. It is his first time at Roskilde Festival, and he is thrilled - and overwhelmed. I ask him to describe the festival in three words, and he promptly tells me "Crazy, dirty, and drunk," - what a first impression!
Still, he is happy to be here and be with his girlfriend Marie, who is Danish and has been to Roskilde quite a few times. His happiest Roskilde memory is simply meeting the happy people of the festival and spending time with different people here - the main reason he came to Roskilde Festival was for the atmosphere and the people.
When I ask him what Europe means to him, he has to think a bit, but then answers: "First, I think of the factual things - that Europe is a continent and of the EU. But I also think that there are great advantages to being European - you have free mobility and can travel where you want. I really like that, and that is very European to me."
Juliane Schmeltzer Dybkjær is an accredited reporter for E&M at Roskilde Festival 2011.
It may seem like everyone is happy at Roskilde Festival, and that no-one is treated badly. Happily, this is true for by far the largest part of the festival guests. But unfortunately, one particular group of people is treated far worse than any other group on the festival: people who come here to collect bottles and cans and cash the refund. Quite a few of them are Roma, but needless to say, this does not apply to every one of them. Even so, the Roma are especially exposed to discrimination and even hate crimes.
Thankfully, this is not a problem that the festival management is oblivious to. You see, Roskilde Festival is not your average festival in terms of profit. The festival is run by a fund and all profits go to initiatives for the common good. This year, Roskilde Festival focuses on poverty in Denmark with its campaign STANDPUNKT ("statement").
Roskilde festival guest of the day #2
Written by Juliane Schmeltzer DybkjærCamilla is 21 and lives in Copenhagen. It is her fourth year coming to Roskilde. She is here mostly for the atmosphere, although of course she enjoys the music as well.
When I ask her what three words remind her of Roskilde, she takes a long time to answer. She finally decides "It has to be happiness, lovability, and addictiveness."
Her happiest memory from Roskilde happened last year: "Three of my friends and I had just gone to a reggae concert late at night, and after the concert we sat outside and enjoyed the summer night. Suddenly, the artist who had just performed came up to us and joined out little get-together. He was really nice in person and it was great to meet him off-stage."
Finally, I ask Camilla what Europe means to her: "Obviously, it is my home and a wonderful continent, but I do not feel like I have more of a connection to other Europeans than I do with people from the rest of the world."
Juliane Schmeltzer Dybkjær is an accredited reporter for E&M at Roskilde Festival 2011.
IN -1773 DAYS
