Alt For Meget
Sådan ser en ny-pumpet/pimpet rollator ud #rf14 pic.twitter.com/gkpN2runhc
— Alt For Meget (@altformeget) April 6, 2014
Roskilde Festival defines my culture, and when I, unexpectedly got the chance to go this year, I was a happy camper. My ticket only had one string attached: “YOU HAVE TO GO SEE SPIDS NØGENHAT”! Those terms were acceptable to me.
I decided to act as some sort of journalist during the festival, and I was very active on social media mostly deep undercover representing the 1980’ies Copenhagen punkzine “Alt For Meget“.
I shared some details on how I covered Roskilde Festival from the cell phone.
This post is focusing on the highlights, bt I have curated a “Storify” that includes most of my social media posts, and you can view that as a slideshow below. It probably requires “subtitles” and a lot of it only made sense “live”.
Get A Tent
The soul of Roskilde is in the camps, but I also find it a bit stressful, so I chose the luxury option for camping, “Get A Tent”. The concept is that your tent has already been pitched, so you’re ready to move in as soon as you have checked in.
After the festival you can choose to keep the tent, leave it behind or pack it up and drop it at “Camp Aid”, and the tents are sent to refugee camps.
Camps
Despite being boring you still have full access to the camping area, and I enjoyed checking out the most interesting ones. A lot of camps have their own massive sound systems, most of them blasting euro-techno-stompers, but my favourite camp was Camp TOSM (Tors Orange Soccer Mon) that had an insanely loud box that every morning blasted “morning Slayer” much to the dismay of the immediate neighbours.
Camp TOSM were very friendly, invited me in and shared music recommendations.
The #bestcamp we visited at #rf14 was #TOSM and their morning-Slayer from the insane "orange train wreck" \m/ pic.twitter.com/P7LYJVP9O7
— Kim Bach (@kim_bach) July 11, 2014
Dream City
As always you stumble upon things if you follow your senses, I found Camp TOSM because of their loud music, but I was actually om my way to “Dream City”. I had no idea what Dream City was, but it sounded interesting. It turned out the Dream City is an experiment by the Roskilde Festival to have participants build unique camps and experiences.
There are four dogmas:
To be a part of Dream City you only need to follow the city’s dogmas:
- Acquire a ticket to Roskilde Festival 2014 or become a volunteer.
- Consider your project/camp as a gift to Dream City – something that can be shared with the rest of the ‘Dreamers’ and festival goers.
- Think sustainable and socially responsible.
- What you bring you must take with you again when you leave the city.
Dream City had a number of cool camps, I didn’t visit all of them, but I really liked the Dome, which acted as a signature.
It was also nice to see a makerlab/fablab where you for instance could get help building your own loudspeakers.
The Postoffice, #postkilde, was really nice, and they played hosts to a powerful morning workout session at 10 am, you might have seen it broadcast live at DR3 on the last day of the festival. Just what I needed.
Ungdommens Røde Kors (Danish Red Cross Youth Organisation) wanted you to make a flag, and I did that. When I explained what the flag represented they said that it was the most political statement they had heard so far 🙂
Dream City has the feel of the Burning Man festival, we’re not quite there yet, but if that is the direction Roskilde Festival is taking, I’m all for it.
ArtZone
THis year Roskilde Festival had an ArtZone located centrally in the festival area. It featured a number of installations for instance “The Forest” where you entered a room with strands of cloth suspended from the ceiling, you didn’t notice the other people in the room until they literally bumped into you.
There was also a game called Johann Sebastian Joust that seemed to be using hacked Sony Play conrtolleres.
It featured what looked like “hacked” Sony Play controllers (the game was controlled by standard computers, not a PlayStation).
The controllers were suspended from the ceiling and you have to grab two of your chosen colour.
The game sped up, and if you missed grabbing two controllers of your colour, you were eliminated.
The game was quite simple, fun and challenging.
Up to four players.
Food #rffood
Roskilde Festival really shines in the food department these days. We’ve come a long way from burgers, coke and fries. You can, of course, still get that, but in that case you’re missing out.
I remember just 6 years ago that you had to be lucky to find a small stall that sold sushi.
Not anymore. The flagship was the food court where they sold reasonably priced meals prepared by real chefs. My favorite was the Japanese street kitchen Yatai. They served an unlisted vegan stew that I lived on.
Music
Finally I also caught some music, this was, after all a music festival :-), I might do a longer post on the music alone, but I’ll mention some highlights.
Best music (part of the show was delivered purely acoustic)
Best jam (Top-notch old skool hip-hop and the fantastic DJ Babu)
Most fun (circle pit)
Philip H. Anselmo And The Illegals
Best rock’n’roll
Helhorse vs. The Psyke Project
Best party
Good company
Honourable mention
Full list of gigs I caught
- Electric Wizard
- Future Of The Left
- EPROM
- The Rolling Stones
- Kaka, Wafande and Pharfar
- The Necks
- Philip H. Anselmo And The Illegals
- Dilated Peoples
- Seeed
- Cunenyt Sepetçi and Orchestra Dolapdere
- Psyched Up Janis
- Helhorse vs. The Psyke Project
- Tokimonsta
- Spids Nøgenhat
- Major Lazer
- Resident DJ: Copyflex
- Toumanu Sidiki Diabate
- Klumben og Raske Penge
- Perota Chingo
- Forest Swords
- Jack White
