On first impression, the line-up at Roskilde 2016 was ridiculously strong. But the more we stared into the programme the more ridiculous it got. How were we to fit all these into our schedule? There were just too many good bands. We genuinely couldn't believe our luck.
But Roskilde is about so much more than its bands. It's about passion. Passion for music, passion to volunteer, passion to look after the environment and one another, and passion to succeed at being one of the best festival experiences in the world. And so here are some of the things we encountered that made us conclude this impression, and remember Roskilde to be one of the most incredible European festivals.
Neil Young likes a good cherry
Neil Young didn't say a word in between songs for his whole set. He was so focused on soloing, singing flawlessly, and playing harmonica that talking would have been an unnecessary disturbance.
His lack of communication between songs wasn't a sign of a grumpy Neil Young, though. In fact, he was on very good form, smiling regularly across to his axe-wielding partner in crime, Lukas Nelson (Willie Nelson's son), and performing with so much pride that you could tell he was loving every minute. But three hour sets do require some refreshment, and Neil Young took to cherries rather than beer and it was this moment that provided the closest thing we got to stage banter.
There was quite an extended period of time during the set he broke from playing to hand out a bowl of cherries around to the band members, who all had a good munch. Neil Young was particularly enjoying his portion, and the crowd began to look around at each other with amusement. But he didn't seem self-conscious at all; a smile even crept out from under his hat. It was a charming moment.
The Pavilion Stage does really great late night shows
The Pavilion was one of the smaller tents in size but huge in atmosphere and band quality. It did the clever thing of saving some of their best acts for the late night slot, which was a consistently pleasing way to cap off each day. The first band of the weekend to play this late night slot was Chilean band Föllakzoid - who are like Neu! for the 21st Century, and craft hypnotic hi-tempo rhythms and have plenty of songs that go beyond 10 minutes making them perfect to dance to late at night.
The following night, Seattle-based nihilistic sci-fi punk trio So Pitted, who are signed to Sub Pop, only pulled a crowd of approximately 100 people but everyone was getting involved in the pit and feeding off their intense energy.
On Friday night, Car Seat Headrest were so good that they get our unofficial gong of Best New Band of Roskilde 2016. Led by 23-year-old Will Toledo, who made 12 albums on BandCamp before getting signed, the Pavement-esque four-piece have built some impressive songs that are projected with so much vigour thanks to lead guitarist and backing singer Ethan Ives’ energy complimenting Toledo’s.
Their bassist largely just stood there in a nonchalant cool way whilst the self-confident drummer had a microphone and regularly upped the energy of the show encouraging the audience to dance. The way their songs build with the loud quiet dynamic, the sharp lyrics that ranges from playful to sexually frank to sorrowful, often within the same song, are just some of the aspects that make them one of the most impressive indie bands to have come out of America since Christopher Owens’ Girls.
Sleaford Mods, meanwhile, were up against LCD Soundsystem, making for one of the worst band clashes of the weekend - but nevertheless drew a sizeable crowd. Led by socialist ranter Jason Williamson, and producer Andrew Fearn, they have more to say about society than any other new band this decade, and they do it with wit, energy and finesse.
The Danish Underground is in very good shape
Copenhagen appears to have one of the most switched on indie scenes in Europe at the moment. Two of its leading trailblazers Mayhem (boho rehearsal space and venue) and Escho (the label famed for signing Liss and Ice Age) curated a stage scenically located on top of a hill. It was near to Hammock City (a collection of about 30 hammocks for people to kick back in whenever they feel like without hassle of being moved on), which was a huge plus.
Bands here weren't on the official programme. Instead they were scribbled onto a black board in chalk, meaning it was very low key and crowds rarely reached more than a 100 people, making it a very close representation of what attending these gigs in Copehangen would be like. It was also the only stage we saw where acts weren't addressing the crowd in English, it felt very local and intimate, fuelling our desire to get to know the scene better. Heightening the sense of affinity that Escho and Mayhem hold with the underground, all the musicians involved we met seemed to share a love for their art and ceased to have huge sense of ego or be chasing fame.
Of the acts we saw, Gooms were stand outs. Everyone apart from the drummer sat in a circle on the floor as the played analog synths, effect-laden guitars, to create experimental dance music with shades of sun-soaked psychedelia. Family Underground, who can proudly claim Sonic Youth as fans, were another stand out. Their drumless rock appears to have lent from No Wave culture as they take a non-muso approach to the electric guitar and soaring psychedelic analog effects processors to create an arresting, lively wall of sound.
In addition, Angen Enhend, a collaboration between Pinkunoizu's Andreas Pallisgaard and Michael Mørkholt, were an impressive force. Utilising old analog sequencers that make them look like they're at the cockpit of a plane, the duo crafted kraut/psych inspired electronica that was like taking a step back in time to when electronic music was at its most primitive and fascinating to watch. Perhaps the best known band to take to the stage of the weekend were Marching Church who are led by the charismatic frontman of Ice Age, Elias Bender Rønnenfelt.
The world music programme is in very safe hands
Peter Hvalkof, a booker who's worked for Roskilde since the 90s who also runs the venue Global Copenhagen, controls the world music side of things. "I have the best job. I get to go all around the world, whilst the others go to LA, New York, and London", he tells Gigwise, who are being introduced to him back stage. It's hard to disagree when looking at the range of countries represented here. Bands from Colombia, Lapland, Thailand, Turkey, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Brazil, Tobago, Niger, Madagascar, Mali, Morocco, Colombia, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, and Syria all played.
The best of the bunch we saw included Khun Narin's Electric Phin Band. They fuse elements of Krautrock and psych with traditional Thai melodies and rhythms. Dressed in orange high-viz jackets, and sporting a range of Thai instruments they play relaxed slow tempo stuff that builds gradually to a hypnotic high-tempo that transforms the crowd from intrigued to dancing like loonies. In true festival spirit, after the Wednesday afternoon appearance, the band spent the rest of their festival playing spontaneous gigs around the festival campsite.
Another highlight of Hvalkof's choosing, was the performance by Damon Albarn and The Orchestra of Syrian Musicians. They were triumphant on the Orange Stage, and it was the perfect way to get the festival rolling. Damon Albarn, who first worked with the orchestra at the Damascus Opera House in 2008, gave a crowd pleasing cover of Blur’s song ‘Out Of Time’. But he then mostly gave the stage away to an array of classical, experimental and pop musicians from all over the world. Of the myriad guest performers, Syrian singer Faia Younan sang traditional melodies with power and graceful charisma. Meanwhile, Mauritanian singer Noura Mint Seymali was jaw-droppingly strong, and frequent Albarn collaborator Bassekou Kouyaté showed why he is known as one of the best ngoni players in the world. Moreover, Syrian female rapper Malikah was on fire, and added a strong dash of hip hop. Lastly, Julia Holter, played her best single, ‘Feel You’ and then later had Albarn accompany her on a cut. The chemistry on stage at this point reached a peak – hopefully this will blossom into further collaboration.
Four days of major acts are better than three
Since Roskilde has been going for so many years (Est. 1971) they've been able to learn what works and what doesn't. For instance, hearing that people were disgruntled about having to leave early on the last night for work the next day, they moved the end day of the festival from Sunday to Saturday. This ensures no disintegration in energy on the final night, as you sometimes get at festivals. The organisers have also learned that four days of major acts are better than three. After all, time goes so quickly when you're having fun and sometimes the big festivals can feel over before you know it.
If you include the days that don’t have big bands the actual length of the festival is eight days. This is a time where campers can get to know each other, participate in political talks - such as the one held with Edward Snowden - as well as watching lesser known bands. This lengthy period of time people can stay is another reason Roskilde doesn’t have the churn them in churn them out coldness that a lot of festivals have and why the camps are so elaborate and fascainting to explore. More on this below.
The Danes don't do anything by halves
As having New Order and LCD Soundsystem on the bill back to back, having a line-up so beefy that Biffy Clyro has to go on at 4pm, having headliners start as late as 1am indicates - this festival doesn't do half measures.
Another aspect that give Roskilde credence, is the impressive campsite. The level of effort put in is a healthy change from the usual gazebo, tent, and Halfords bought chair you'll see most places. Within seconds of entering the camping area, we were greeted by soundsystems large enough to power a club, hand-built five a side football pitches, and huge shanty houses built with the same intuitive spirit of those who craft homes in favellas in Rio. These structures and entertainment systems help add to the atmosphere of the event, showcasing the spirit of community, and show that those who barely interact with the main events going on, are having just as much fun at camp with their friends.
PJ Harvey and James Blake received the most rapturous applause
Both have recently headlined Field Day, so their ability to win over large audiences is well reported. But as Roskilde's line up is so strong they don't even get a slot on the main stage here. Both made good cause to upgraded in future years, though.
Toward the end of each of their shows, when they were introducing the band, they both couldn't get a word in because the gargantuan applause emanating from the crowd was so sustained. They each couldn't hold back their emotion and looked touched by this unparalled greeting. At James Blake's set some of the crowd were nearly in tears because they were so moved by him. It was also one of the only gigs where people just stood by the stage for a while after it finished, even though they could see he wasn't going to do an encore just to catch their breath and process how unbelievably good he and his band were.
Colin Stetson and Sarah Neufeld were spectacular
Former Arcade Fire violinist Sarah Neufeld and Colin Stetson were among the most experimental acts on the bill. Stetson a big name - a Pitchfork-approved multi-reedist - had a full tent to begin with. Except the completely unorthodox, glitch-y ensemble isn't for the feint-hearted and a lot of people didn't get it and gradually left. But those who stuck with it were rewarded, as the vibrations from the bass sax could be felt throughout your body and were more sensational than any other low end frequencies we've ever encountered. It was almost like one of those vibrating massage chairs. But more importantly, the combination of brass and violin worked together magically, and it wasn't all impenetrable as someone could possibly conclude on first impression - there were some classically melodic moments that really resonated with everyone in the room.
The chemistry between Stetson and Neufeld on stage came to a climax on the final piece. They were genuinely moved by each others playing and began moving toward one another, slowly leaning on one another. It was like a scene from a silent movie where two people fall in love through. Astounding moment.
Roskilde is built on a foundation of love, not greed
A staggering 32,000 volunteers run Roskilde. They build its stages, book the bands, organise the impressive food court, look after the crowd, run the stalls - and so on. The sense of being involved in a festival that operates with a more Utopian vision than you can find in normal day to day life has inspired volunteers to keep going for decades. The average age of volunteers is 36 whilst the average ticket buyer is 24 - it just goes to show how sustained their love for the event is. By volunteering, people aren't only getting a sociable experience, their work ensures that profits from the event go to charities that support humanitarian and cultural work. Since the beginning of the 70s, the Roskilde Festival Charity Society has donated more than 270 million DKK (£30 million) to charity. It's an admirable model that sets the bar for ethical practice at festivals.
People may randomly give you free beer
Heightening the festival's atmosphere are the few spontaneous individuals who go around giving people beer. "Everyone should do things like this," said the one individual who passed a cold lager into Gigwise's hand on the way to Tame Impala. It's this giving without expecting anything in return directly that fuels the good energy among strangers. It's something largely lost in contempoary Western society where things are more eye for an eye and individualist concern, rather than a collectivist one. So it's refreshingly cool to see people operating out of this norm.The rising Danish indie pop band The Entrepeneurs also took on this mentality and gave out their rider to the front of the crowd who then began passing it around.
New Order make being British slightly less embarrassing
Huck Magazine recently ran a piece by someone who went aorund a Polish festival seeing what young people there thought of the Brexit. "To be honest I think you are stupid" made the headline and in many ways sums up the situation we're in. We also found it was one of the first things people wanted to talk to us about at the festival and the look of confusion and concern on peoples faces when we told them where we were from was never comforting.
However, there was one moment where being British felt victorious. Knowing that we're from the same island as New Order is something to be proud of. Their sound is simply a marvel to behold and the set embraced the full length of their career. Their post punk beginnings were represented as they played 'Ceremony', which was the last Joy Division song to be composed, and when they cracked out 'Love Will Tear Us Apart', potentially the most perfect yet devastating pop song ever.
Meanwhile, they played their best electronic moments, including 'Your Silent Face', and 'Blue Monday' alongside their brilliant new cuts, 'Singularity', and 'Tutti Frutti'. They might have been touring since the 70s, but there's no sense of fatigue on stage at a New Order gig and their nature defying youthful energy unites people from all genre persuasions, making them the ultimate festival band.
Food at Roskilde is world-beating
Not bringing a camping stove paid off. Sure, many festivals have upped their game in recent years when it comes to food but Roskilde still stands out as original. The all you can eat cooked breakfast is something you'll struggle to find elsewhere. As are the Muskox (Greenlandian buffalo), and horse burgers sold by a stall called Horse - Of Course. We weren't so sure about eating man's loyal friend, though.
Also, where have you been to a festival where you use a fully equipped kitchen without building your own? Roskilde has the Food Jam, which happens in the camping area. It allows festival goers to use a fully equipped kitchen with the help of a trained assistant and cook whatever they want. There's also several cooking islands around the camp you can use camping stoves, disposable grills, the communal grill or the communal campfire spot. These are a great way to meet people, it helps foster communal spirit rather and is more environmentally friendly than everyone using their individual stoves. The catering stalls also play a role in minimising environmental impact of the event. This year was the first year all ingredients were 75 percent organic, and the leftovers go to charity. It's grip on social enterprise is only getting stronger and next year they're planning to ensure that 50 percent of profits from all stalls go to charity. Where else will be able to claim this level of altruism?
It's not that impacted by mud
When we were on the plane looking through the weather forecast which said rain every day and looking down at our not so waterproof boots, we took a deep breath and tried not to think about it. And it did rain every day - a bit. But the way the festival is set up means that a bit of rain doesn't ruin anything.
There are plenty of concrete walkways and even if you're walking through the grass for hours, the soil seems to handle a bit of rain and not turn to a complete sludge. But if you wish to avoid precipitation altogether there's plenty of options too. There's a beautifully decorated indoor music venue called Gloria, and next to it there's a room which has plenty of sofas, nice rugs, and lamps to chill out in. There's also a food court with a roof on where people can dine and nearly all of the stages are under a canopy. So essentially the weather forecast just doesn't matter when it comes to Roskilde. Go regardless, it's one of the best festivals we've ever been to by some margin.
