In these lives we write ourselves, some amount of madness is bound to take place – the Roskilde Festival is of the planned and organized kind, but no less bone pinching. It is a temporary parallel universe each participant is sucked into and spat out of anywhere between 2-10 days later. For many the festival acts as an annual catalyst, to an everyday full of expectations and pressure with nowhere to blow off steam. One would think that putting thousands and thousands people together out on a dirty field filled with music, alcohol, drugs and reptilian leveled brains, would be a recipe for disaster, but it is the most caring and loving experience year after year.
My first Roskilde Festival was in 1996, together with 90.000 others I experienced David Bowie, Björk, Nick Cave, Patti Smith and Rage Against the Machine. I was a 16 year old grunge girl, kissing in my tent at night with an Australian cray fisher. I refused to look in mirrors or wash my hair for five days, instead carefully remembered to eat my plate and cutlerey, as it was made out of cornstarch to reduce waste. Those four days changed my life, Bowie was a vampire on stage, I’d seen people make love out in the open, the sun set on tower high dust clouds, peed everywhere I felt like, been drunk, stoned and ecstatic. All I could think of was next year. And so it went for 16 years in a row. 2012/13 I lived in Berlin/USA, so 2014 was a huge comeback and this time yours truly was assigned the international press team for This is Jane Wayne.
This year Roskilde Festival broke the all time audience record, with a total of up to 130.000 guests (including volunteers), and is expected to be able donate 2,5 mio euros (!) to charity and cultural projects. Yes Roskilde has always been a non-profit organization, which makes it even more cool.
2014’s music line-up was dominated by big, safe broad-audience-appeal names, not exactly bend-over-backwards original. Personally I had hoped to see more from the fast evolving (American) psychedelic rock scene, such as Black Angels, The Entrance Band, Wooden Shjips, as well as low-tech punk names like The Garden. Instead big commercial acts like Rolling Stones, Stevie Wonder, Outkast and Drake (who cancelled, but was replaced by ever cool Jack White) headlined the festival, which presumably is what people wants and has led to the big, and very positive, financial surplus.
So what was the most memorable music experience at this years Roskilde? Well admittedly, sometimes the bigger the better – Major Lazer made app 60.000 people take off their clothes in front of the legendary Orange stage at 1-2 am in the morning and litterally full-on rave together. And then oldies, but goodies – Rolling Stones also pulled off a power manifestation of a show.
Biggest dissapointment? That would be Connan Mockasin and his entourage, that arrived straight from France and seemed very out-toured, in comparison with the two other, unforgettable shows I’ve seen with them.
Most miserable personal fail? Not realizing that Liars were playing. And extremely unfortunate, the memory card in my big Canon camera jammed or got moist, deciding not to work and I didn’t bring a back-up. That ment all photos were shot with my iPhone, far from ideal – but oh well it’s got an edge to it.
Each day was as sunny as the day before, and sitting here in rainy Berlin now, thinking back on the food, the toilet stench, all the pretty people and their phenomenal way of looking out for eachother, it’s nearly a little unreal what took place only a week ago on that grass-field.
Only other thing to say is: you have to experience it for yourself! Take a look at the photo-diary below, where I take your hand through four days of music and people – once done I am sure I will see you next year! Tak Roskilde Festival for staying wild, and letting us run wild, leaving our minds expanded with never fading impressions.
Arriving at Roskilde and seeing all the little tents, is always a massive adrenalin
buid-up. The next days anything can and will happen!
The International Press team did a remarable job, everything was very well organized – we even had tents pitched upon our arrival, with an air mattress, down duvet and small bag with info, poster and a Roskilde flask! What more could one ask for!?
Finally ready to dissolve in the crazyness – here me to the right and my date for the day and dear friend Nadja at EARL SWEATSHIRT, that some how managed to scream everyone out of the tent…
Warmin up for Rolling Stones with friends: Emilie Guldbrandsen (left), stylist at Unique Models, and Carla Camilla (middle) founder and director of Artrebels and Nadja.
Style sighting was something I had looked very much forward to, but realized that most girls were running a sporty version of the old Kate Moss festival look; sneakers, cut-off shorts, tank-top, mens-shirt and a fanny-pack…
ROLLING STONES a shaky shot from an unforgettable, nostalgic dance party, that left my legs trembling. A walk down memory lane, that made thousands of people sing all the classics like ‚Can’t get no satisfaction‘ – goosebumbs that’ll give you!
My Friday date – Danish jewelry designer Vibe Harsløf looking sharp and stunning.
The very palatable vodka Our/Berlin (my personal favorite) , had somehow found it’s way to the festival.
CONNAN MOCKASIN in silk pajamas and siberian hat, serenading his audience with languid songs of caramel and dolphin love.
Connan making people take off their clothes (a trend this year) and dance together.
Really liked the look this guy had, would totally wear it myself‘
DAMON ALBARN delivered a tremendous show with Gorillaz AND De La Soul as guest performers.
Style is what you make it – these beautiful girls took festival looks to a whole new level!
Love the gladiator sandals.
The Norwegians has a bit more preppy take on things – no less inpressive at a dust-filled festival
MOGWAI was a post-punk wall of guitar, a beautiful, continous hazy drone to float away on.
BLACK PUS aka Brian Chippendale is a psychedelic-noize drumming force pf nature – a unique experience one needs to be in the right mood for.
Excellent bird hat!
Ran into this amazing wild babe on the way to my tent.
ROB ZOMBIE is a category of his own. The higly charismatic, pop-metal hell raiser, flexed his true American showmanship and left us all a bit jaw-dropped.
ICONA POP. The Swedish pop-due par exellence was the perfect place to start a day with childhood friends Anne Marie and Ida, filling Saturday with endless laughs, cold beer and unrestrained dancing.
Reaching closer to festivals end, so are the human ressources. Here a guy foreseeing the German fussball victory (?)
Can’t get enough of this guy! So sweet and what an out-fit!
Americans had found their way to the festival too – slightly overwelmed by the hedonistic approach, but equally ’stoked‘.
MAJOR LAZER. Lost for words. To put it short: an out of body-climactic rave experience!! I haven’t danced that hard or intense and never together with 60.000 others, taking off their clothes and smiling euphorically – was just mind blowing.
Goodnight Roskilde, slumber well till I see you next year, for more loving, surreal otherworldlyness.
