So another festival under the belt. I'm still hungover and enjoying civilization, I'm not really a camper type. Good news was of course the total lack of rain except during the final concert which you sort of have to accept for good measure.
First order of Roskilde this year was soul diva Duffy. Placed on the rather large Arena stage she struggled despite a wonderful singing voice. She was a bit out of her league, but on the other hand I did enjoy her flirtatious attempts. Soul-hype was switched with rock-hybrid-hype in the form of MGMT. They're not bad, but their lo-fi version of the Killers isn't really my cup of tea, at least live. After feroucious drinking in our camp it was of to cut yourself in the wrist kings Radiohead. Seriously great sound, lots of grade A material, but so lacking in variation and tempo. I took a quick peek at Lady Saw, which was hailed as some sort of sex goddess, but in fact it was pretty standard quality jamaican dance hall. My thursday ended in a small storm of red wine and the best company in the world.
Friday started of with indie-darlings Band of Horses which was insanely boring, thank God they played 'There is a Ghost' first. After that I went to the Orange stage for Gnarls Barkley which was OK I guess. After that of to one the best concerts i.e. Santogold. An ultra short banging set, all singles all bass - the way every festival gig should be. I liked it despite a lot of complaints of a club type set. After that following a quick rush, I got to see some of Scotlands finest in the form of Mogwai.
Grinderman on Orange was effing great. Nick is a God in man form. As a friend noted he has a presence like Jim Morrison and might I add a voice a zillions more evil. It was great, and great respect must go to Warren Ellis the closest you'll get to an insane mass murdere playing Roskilde.A quick run back to Arena gave me a peek at Goldfrapp which were sadly focussing on their new laid back hippie type album. After sleepy electro it was highlight of Roskilde concert time: "We did this last time Roskilde, we'll do it again. Go low!" - fucking great seeing 70.000 sitting down at the same time, just to explode in to dance. Skinner was the delivery boy, everything was on time and near perfect. Thank God skinner keeps on doing his thing.The Ting Tings were pretty nice. Killer singles and 50% killer looks. Didn't do much during the day, but come early evening I went to the Judas Priest show... Holford moved like a 60 year old man, not that good, but effective. After what could be a show in Las Vegas of to what definetly was a show from Las Vegas, Mr. Solomon Burke. If you walk into a concert and the first thing you hears is You'll never walk alone, then you know you're in the right place.
Night fell on Roskilde after that and thus it was time for Distortion Disco hall of fame captain Neil Young. He was basically the reason I learned guitar a zillion years ago. Young was on fire! Best concert. The day ended with pop heroes Alphabeat on the Odeon scene. A nice party of the people - Fascination rocked. Oh and I dropped by Magnetic Man. Biggest. Bass. Ever.
Sunday was a lazy day for me, so a quick glimpse of At The Gates, party time with Hot Chip and the mighty Jayhova to close it of. Jay-Z received a lot of criticism, but to be fair it was actually 1½ hour of pure fun.
The overall verdict? I'll give it 4 out 5. All concerts were basically good, but the program lacked anything new, but the weather, people, food and everything else was nice.
From our guy (Sorry girls, The dudmeister is not single) on the ground we have received these first exclusive pictures of Roskilde before the actual festival:
The Arena stage getting it's supporting beams erected
This time coming straight of Sarcelle, Paris - when something happens in Sarcelle, nothing happens, it just another beat dropped dead... Straight out of Sarcelle crazy band of brothers called DSL...... ..... ok the NWA joke taken a bit too far. DSL are as you've guessed another French bomb hitting Roskilde. DSL - David, Stephane, Lionel - are brothers, rapping doing the whole Ed Banger thing - and if you still find that just remotely interesting, which I do, then you should definetly check them out at Roskilde - expect a short banging show.
Musically nothing divides Denmark like Alphabeat. The true pop affectionados love them for their impecable take on pop in the late 00's and the rockists hate them for their unpretentious take on a highschool band. I like them so I guess that makes me fit into the first group somewhere.
They are a definete must see at this years Roskilde. I highly encourage you to lay down your rockist arms and enjoy the nice side of life. This is in pop terms as good as it gets (Sorry, You'll always be number one Kylie, but these guys (and girl) are really good).
I'm not sure anyone who reads my blog on just a semi regular basis has doubts about my great Hot Chip affection. I find them brilliant and by far one of the most relavant acts of the last 10 years. Playful and creative are the first words in my mind, but in there should also be fantastic live. A group of nerds banging away at keyboards, guitars and what not is an amazing concept. Had the pleasure of seeing them some 3 years ago in Berlin and I am really looking forward to reliving that experience. (Actually I saw Justus Köncke at that concert as well, which was a big deal I guess, but still).
Funky (in a good way), nodding their heads to prince, these are some of their less played songs:
Seriously, the gloves are of now! I could go over and over like a monkey with a minature cymbal about these guys. This is an absolut must at Roskilde - Go, or Hot Chip will break your legs, they will put you down.
Finally, Internetz I haz it! Whoopee, seriously! Anygays I'll jump right into the Roskilde preview post. I'm really looking forward to Santogold, though I see I didn't mention that in my last post. Go figure...
Santi White has delivered one of the best albums of the year. It's a ska / reggae / new wave thing which is hard to put into one box. At certain points it sounds like Blondie, at other times it's M.I.A. The album (including its B-sides and remixes) features appearances or production work from Chuck Treece, Cliffored "Moonie" Pusey of Steel Pulse, Diplo, Freq Nasty, M.I.A, Naeem Juwan of Spank Rock, Radioclit, Sinden, Switch, Trouble Andrew, and XXXchange. That basically translates into one hell of a patch work.
It's hard for me to point out a single favorite track, but 'Shove it' is head-bouncing-tastic and 'Lights out' which sounds like it's lifted from an obscure 80's album by some one-hit-wonder who did a hit single for some film about teenage drama is killer.
It's that time of year. It's close to Roskilde Festival time, which means it's time for a preview post! Yeah - big whoop! After last years sad exhibition of rain and mud, I'm hoping we can get some decent weather above all. The program this year isn't overwhelming, but it's ok. Check it out here. A quick run through of my highlights:
Alphabeat
Battles
Solomon Burke
Cadence Weapon
DSL
Duffy
Efterklang
Goldfrapp
Gossip
Grinderman
Hot Chip (My pick for best concert along with Jay-Z)
Jay-Z
Lykke-Li
Magnetic Man feat. Skream & Benga
M.I.A.
Radiohead
The Raveonettes
Shackleton
The Streets
Neil Young
So basically we're looking at a rather re-used done before program, but it's ok. I get to see Nick Cave, Young and the big J in one week, so I'm not really complaining. A few techno artists would have been nice though - not one German techno guy is a mistake. As Mads noted: "Seriously, they would play for a pair of Levis and the ticket!". It gets even worse if you look at the rather amazing Distortion program.
First thing is first - This was the rainest Roskilde Festival ever. This meant mud in quantites unimaginable and a couple of rather large ponds of water in now dead tent 'Mont Palace' (Peace be upon your soul old friend, you served us well and will forever be missed). Besides this horrible casualty I caught some sort of wicked disease which has, and still is, threating to kill me - This meant an early end to my festival late saturday night. Thus my review is not going to mention sunday in any way.
First concert was on the Arena stage with barok indie kings Arcade Fire. Ironically, considering this is a four day festival, this was the concert I was looking forward to the most. The concert was everything one could expect I guess. The 'Fire delivered their music with perfect timing, beautiful expression and great skill, but the crowd was simply too drenched in mud to enjoy the delicate sounds, I guess. After a rather slow start it did start to dawn on the throngs that they were witnessing a special band, and in the final stages the crowd responce was getting to where it should have started. Wake Up was great, the stabing guitar intro was desperately trying to compete with the apocalypsian rain outside. Despite the crowd my best concert of the year.
Following this demonstration in church organs and mass-instrumentalism it was on to James Murphy and LCD Soundsystem. Murphy is a weird character, it looked like he spend the better part of the concert rearranging moniters, and musing on whether he should have brought a different synth. LCD Soundsystem are a mixed blessing in my oppinion. They make great dancy post-punk fussed electronica, but Murphy's vocals are really a bit out of place when he isn't giving it his fullest. New classic Daft Punk is playing at my house was dance floor dynamite, All of my friends with it's big indie chorus was better than ever before, and Tribulations still rocks. This leaves the question, why end your ass stomping set with a ballad instead of one the many powerful disco missiles in your arsenal?
Following this I'd planned to go see The Killers, but I only managed to see the last 20 minuttes. Seriously, I was impressed that Brendan Flowers didn't drown on the stage - It was raingning that much. The Killers aren't going to chance the world, but they will hopefully keep on speewing their delightful Born in the USA pastichés at their current pace.
Friday started of with nothing less than a bang! I've have never been a big fan of The Sounds, I've always found their punk-lite version of 1979 a bit lacking, but I must admit I've been corrected on that. Any band who has the audacity to start a set with what is probably is your biggest single is a winner in my book. Living in America tore into the crowd like a great white in a public pool. The outcome was certain victory! Furthermore, Maja Ivarsson looked absolutely great - I hereby give my undevided love to blond girls in leather jackets!
From one powerful frontwoman to another. New Young Pony Club are probably the most group on this years festival lineup, but coming from the small explosion of the Sounds, The Club weren't that impressive. Gotta say I enjoyed their songs, but they would have been better of in a club sweating discobeats galore instead of fighting to grab the attention of wet hype hunters like myself.
After that it was on to N.Y. legends the Beastie Boys. My attendance was more a question of actually seeing them while they still are alive, but to my geat enjoyment it was like seeing old friends you didn't know you missed. Playing Sabrossa caught me completely off guard, I was transported to my bedroom, age 15 drinking beers and being absolutely frusted with girls. It was great! The B.Boys looked like they were enjoying themselves, which in a sense is natural with a back catalogue of their caliber.
After being sufficently taken back into teenage wonderland my drunken brain for some reason decided that Trentemøller was better than going see Dizzee Rascal - It wasn't. What I saw of the live performance of the actually quite good The Last Resort wasn't that impressive. It's not that the music wasn't good, it's just that it seemed as if the Trent stretched each number just a few inches beyond the breaking point, making it a rather tedious spectacle.
The lesson of friday ended up being that female leads rule. I went to see CSS. Same show as I saw earlier this year, but it still rocked. You just can't help but have sympathy for Love Foxxx - A full rimestone suit doesn't hurt either. A small soap bubble stunt early in the concert sent the crowd through the roof. I still love Alala and Let's make Love.
After the electronical let down of Trentemøller I went with a somewhat controlled enthusiasm to the Get Physical night held in the new excellent club arena. Luckily drinks, good friends and M.A.N.D.Y. cured any fears of a letdown. Despite early technical difficulties M.A.N.D.Y. primmed the crowd for Booka Shade's drum/Safri Duo show. I was amazed at the level of crowd responce to some of their songs, and I'm pretty sure the roof would've been blown of, if it hadn't been tied in place, when they played Body Language. My night ended in a hammock listening The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Greatest starlet in a band ever. I have never heard so much abuse yelled in such a short time. The music pretty decent rock'n'roll, but the adlib grand!
Saturday was as mentioned my last day. My health went from 100 to 0 in less than two hours on that day. Started of by seeing The National which had apparantly gotten quite alot of blog hype. Their Leonard Cohenish take on Interpol was just what the doctor ordered when you're tired and sick. This was probably my sort-of-discovery of the year. After that it was pouring outside the tent, so I decided to stay and watch blue grass semi legends Hayseed Dixie - Americana versions of AC/DC - Yes please! Amuzing, albeit not funny in the long run I willing to bet. It was a welcome joke though - Up until then the festival had been a rather serious affair music wise - this wasn't.
Late night entry The Flaming Lips was always going to be a gamble. I've never seen them live before, but I've heard the legends. Sadly, their insane show of confetti, aliens and a giant santa claus, sort of blew away in the wind, quite literaly actually. Wayne Coyne was in a jubilant mood, sentimental and proud, oh how lovely. I normally enjoy their music quite alot, but on a rainy windy Saturday afternoon light psycadelic bubble gum pop found it's literal Waterloo (Ok, the Waterloo reference is too easy).
Went to see British country hag Holly Golightly (catapulted into popular mainstream on that White Stripes song). The warm embrace of country and sitting down was probably one of my highlights of the festival. I'd wish she'd played Walk a Mile, but I enjoyed it anyways. Unpretentious and charming is a good combination - She sports the whiskey drunk country skank look to perfection, I was impressed. I heard from various reliable sources that Clipse and Soulsavers Feat. Mark Lanegan playing at the same time was quite good as well - Would've liked to have gone to both concerts.
Final concerts was ladies man Erlend Oye and his jam band The Whitest Boy Alive - highly enjoyable. The dancy disco indie would be perfect a small intellectual gathering of nerds discussing the merits of Linux while trying to plot world domination. After some food and the sad acceptance of the fact that I was sick as hell I went to see Bondo Da Role - Lasers, Bass and Brazilian galore! If I'd been just a bit more healthy this would probably have been the bomb.
Reports of Sunday tells of decent concerts from Beirut, Arctic Monkeys and Muse. I'm especially sad that I missed Beirut, but my generel health was not worth gambling I thought.
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