Festival time

Outside my window it's pouring down, and I'm leaving for my first wet Roskilde Festival in years. We are going almost every year, and haven't been to a rainy one, since late 90ies! The rainy festivals are always legendary in their own, odd way. You kind of compete over having had the worst Roskilde rain experiences, and being old enough to say, that my first festivals were in a single layer tent, with a sort of loose bottom tarp, I think I can compete in that parlor game. I also went in 1997, which was just insanely wet. The area was so deeply muddy that year, that you literally had to manually drag your boots out, every step. See? I'm already rambling...! But I love the festival, even though it's a bit of a trial as well.

I wrote a bit about the orange feeling last year. Last year was yet another really great (and sunny!) festival, with lots of great musical surprises - the main reason I go. I go to fall in love with bands or artists I haven't been aware of, or listened much to previously, and always go home, feeling I have made new friends, sort of. 

2015 was a real ladies year for me!

One of the biggest thrills was a fantastic show with Florence and the Machine, just crazy great. She took the crowd completely by storm, as I have later found out she usually does. She's one of those artists that hasn't really sunk in with me on the radio - but wow, seeing her and the band live, really did it for me.  

This one was unpredictable. I hadn't heard of Goat (even though they actually played on RF another year, but that gig I missed), but it sounded interesting. Mysterious, masked afro/psychedelic/trance band from Northern Sweden? What's not to like about that? It was mindblowing. Probably one of the best experiences last year. Here are the two female anonymous singers leading the woodoo session!

Now, First Aid Kit, also from Sweden, I knew quite well, but it was my first live experience with them, and I hope for more of those! Total musical mastery, breathtakingly beautiful singing and such charming manners. Wow.

The last lady I will mention, would probably not appreciate being called a lady at all. Nor is she the actual main offender in the band - but she does get quite a bit of the attention! It's Yolandi Visser - aka ¥O-LANDI VI$$ER, from the super tacky, loud, vulgar and quite irresistible rave collective Die Antwoord, from South Africa. I band I can safely say I would have never heard live, had I not been to Roskilde. Quite an unforgettable experience! Check out some of their stuff on YouTube and get intriqued, as I did!

To everyone out there going to this or other festivals: have a great one, happy and peaceful, I hope - and full of surprises!

Photo credits:

Florence and the Machine: Kasper Månsson / Soundvenue

Goat: Kimberly Ross

First Aid Kit: Samy Khabthani

Die Antwoord: Lasse Lagoni