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A Strawl In The Rockin' Park
Date: Sun 26 Jun 2005 , 12:00 PM — 10:45 PM
Duration: 10 hrs 45 mins
We went to Rockin' Park, in the Goffertpark in Nijmegen. A (for now) one-time, 35000 strong festival in honour of the city's 2000-year existence.
We had left with ample time on the clock, however, due to a small delay of about an hour, we arrived in the park only halfway through the Racoon concert.
I am happy for those guys they're able to play at such a big gig again, after they were sacked completely unexpected by their record company. They've got a new contract, a new album and a new-found enthusiasm which was ever so present. In short: a very good opening.
It was hot. Verrrrry hot and a strong sun (I currently look like I've had my head in boiling water for 15 minutes)
Reason enough to got to the Eagles Of Death Metal's performance in the tent. Judging from the name I was expecting some good old-fashioned head-banging, but got some good hardrock, including a number of songs which in retrospect I know and like, just not the band's name. And although the members of the band had a cliché attitude and behaved and clothed rather stereotypical, it was a phat show with a ruling female drummer going completely wild.
In between we decided to take a walk in the heat over the market, drank in the heat (dûh) and yelled in the heat at some friggin' guy from a local radio station that was being increasingly annoying on the main stage, but who's not worth further mentioning here.
About an hour later it was time for the next great band, the Queens Of The Stone Age. I was seriously hot, just like them, but they were good at doing their best and the crowd loved it.
Right after that we crossed over (after having drunk again of course) to Jamie Cullum. He was right making the remark that it was fantastic but also amazing that somebody like him would be programmed after the Queens Of The Stone Age, which made his performance look rather dull. He gave away a very good show however, with a number of his hits, but also a lot of new stuff from his upcoming album. The energy jumped off the stage when he was dancing all over the stage and all over the poor piano.
After that something to eat and yet again something to drink. Lazily laying on the grass, listening to Keane, which nobody of us cared enough about to walk towards the stage, but who were giving away a good show anyway.
It was hot... Or did I mention that before?
After that the fun was over, it was time for some serious entertainment. In the meantime the adjacent stage was being completely rebuilt, stacking up gold-coloured amplifiers, mixers and whatever, towers of watts totalling 20 pieces. New lights and a huge LK-logo were hung up. At about half past seven a bombastic introtune set in, while the crowds were pooring onto the field. After the intro, parading not much unlike a peacock under the loud cheering crowd, Lenny Kravitz appeared on stage. The man is full of himself, loves having a crowd and is simply drunk on the energy you can get from such a crowd. Most songs were the real classics with just a very few exceptions, with the crowds constantly being spurred to join in. Not that those were bad things. It was still an extremely satisfying performance, and the ambiance was really great. And again a ruling female drummer going wild.
Last ones up were R.E.M. and Nine Inch Nails. My girlfriend insisted on going to R.E.M. halfway through, so we each went our way there. No way in hell that I was going to miss the remainder of the NIN performance! The by then already packed tent was filled with the first notes of a black, gloomy intro when we arrived, except there was nobody on stage?
This remained like that for at least another 10 minutes, while the crowds settled down and became more and more thoughtfull due to the sounds, except a few sudden revivals when some roady tried to sneak himself unseen onto the stage.
But after that, the men did arrive.
Bathing in white light, only revealing their shadows while suddenly blowing a speeding bullet train of sound into your face. ROCK ON!
For more than an hour and a half we were thrown between damning heavy metals, accompanied by the drum 'n' bass beats of the drummer, and the slower, locked up emotion-packed songs.
It was one huge adventure of light and loaded sounds that unfolded before us. But the crowds did manage to suprise even Trent Reznor at one point during StarFuckers Inc.. The man obviously has other worries than his audience, they can take care of themselves and have a good time. But during that song he did pause at one time, an opportunity we took untill a rather suprised en enthousiastic "hell yeah!" came out of his throat and the beat went on.
After that a last fifteen minutes of R.E.M. in the distance, of which I haven't heard much. NIN grabs you, takes a hold of you, swings you around and won't let go. And even when you're let loose again, you'll need quite some time to recuperate. However, my girlfriend told me that R.E.M. ruled as well.
All things considered this was very hot fantastic day. Only two problems remain: I'm piggypink fried and I've caught a the festival-bug again. In other words: See you at Lowlands 2005 wíth suncream ànd a 2 second tent.
