Around every corner, you could find something new, different areas, art installations, and a wide variety of food vendors that even had their own section focusing on vegan and sustainable cuisine. This contributes to the festival’s goal to become climate-neutral by 2030. In 2025, already 1/4th of the power used came from renewable sources, and a percentage of ticket sales went to the Fuck Cancer foundation.

It’s not only about music, though. There were DJ sets, workshops, political talks, and stand-up comedy to fill your day, all in beautifully decorated areas. The two main stages, KB and Tesco, stood in the centre of it all, while the smaller ones were nestled to the side in tents and bunkers.

The first day was packed with performances that spanned across alternative, hardcore, metal, and punk, with Avenged Sevenfold, Awolnation, Holy Wars, Kittie, and Kneecap standing out as some of the most intense and memorable acts of the day.

The Art Stage kicked things off with Holy Wars, the Los Angeles-based band whose blend of metal, punk, and alternative rock immediately drew attention. Their set was nothing short of electrifying, with frontwoman Kat Leon leading the charge with fierce energy and powerful vocals. Tracks like Unlucky and Wild Thing showcased the band’s ability to seamlessly blend heavy riffs with anthemic, emotionally-charged lyrics.

Leon’s stage presence was magnetic, as she moved with intensity across the stage, rallying the crowd to embrace the raw, unapologetic energy of the set. Fans surged forward, some moshing and others nodding along to the heavy grooves. Holy Wars’ performance was a perfect introduction to the festival’s rock and metal-heavy vibe, leaving the crowd pumped and eager for what was to come.

Next up Kittie, the iconic all-female metal band, took over with a set that was as fierce as it was unforgettable. Known for their pioneering role in the heavy metal scene, Kittie’s brutal mix of groove metal and deathcore was a powerhouse performance. Songs like “Brackish” and “Spit” had the crowd headbanging in unison, while Morgan Lander’s commanding vocals and shredding guitar work kept the energy at a fever pitch. The crowd was a sea of fists in the air, moshing wildly to every breakdown and roaring chorus. Kittie’s set wasn’t just a performance, it was a declaration of their enduring influence in the metal world. The band delivered an intense reminder of why they remain a heavy metal legacy, and the energy in the crowd was palpable as they played with unmatched aggression and precision.

As the day progressed, Rock for People became the site of one of the most energetic and politically charged sets of the festival: Kneecap, the Irish rap-punk trio. Known for their unique blend of punk, hip-hop, and Irish culture, Kneecap delivered a performance that was as wild as it was impactful. Their mix of infectious beats, razor-sharp political commentary, and rowdy live energy had the crowd hyped from the first beat. Songs like “Cúpla Focail” and “Let’s Talk About the Trouble” had the entire audience jumping and chanting along in unison. The band’s ability to blend humour, irreverence, and deep social commentary kept the crowd engaged while also making them think critically about the world around them.

They weren’t the only Irish artist of the day, Dublin-based post-punk band Fontaines DC, known for their intense, literary-inspired lyrics and gritty sound, also took the stage. Tracks like “I Love You” and “A Hero’s Death” were crowd favourites, with frontman Grian Chatten’s commanding vocals drawing fans into their raw and poetic world.

Following Fontaines D.C., Awolnation brought their blend of alt-rock and electro vibes, igniting the crowd with infectious tracks like “Sail” and “Run”. Their energetic performance was a perfect contrast to the more aggressive acts earlier in the day, with Aaron Bruno leading the band through an electric set that had the crowd dancing and singing along. The mix of rock and electronic elements created an anthemic atmosphere that had the entire audience bouncing to the beat.

Next, Dayseeker took over with their emotive post-hardcore sound. Known for their ability to blend melodic elements with aggressive breakdowns, the band delivered a cathartic set filled with highs and lows. Tracks like “Crooked Soul” and “Sleepless” showcased their signature ability to evoke intense emotions while keeping the crowd engaged with their powerful stage presence.

Later in the day, Sigrid injected a burst of pop energy into the rock-heavy lineup. The Norwegian pop star’s anthems, including “Strangers” and “Don’t Feel Like Crying,” created an uplifting contrast to the heavier sounds of the day, and her bubbly stage presence made her set an instant crowd favourite. The audience sang along to every word, with Sigrid effortlessly blending pop melodies and infectious energy to create a feel-good vibe that lifted the spirits of everyone in attendance.

When Static Dress took the stage on day two, they immediately established themselves as one of the most energetic acts of the day. Their mix of post-hardcore and emo-punk left a deep impression on the crowd, with a powerful blend of catchy hooks, raw emotion, and unrelenting chaos. Static Dress proved themselves as one of the day’s most exciting up-and-coming acts.

Dead Poet Society, the alternative rockers from Boston, took the Shoe Stage next, adding a bit of grit and edge to the festival’s heavy lineup. Lead vocalist Jack Underkofler’s voice was an immediate standout, resonating with raw emotion and power. Their performance was charged with a palpable sense of urgency, and the crowd was fully engaged, swaying, clapping, and cheering to every chord.

Next up, The Ghost Inside brought their signature blend of melodic hardcore and post-hardcore. This legendary band’s set was one of the most anticipated of the day, and they didn’t disappoint. From the first note, Jonathan Vigil’s commanding vocals and the band’s thunderous, yet melodic riffs had the crowd in a state of unrelenting energy. The crowd’s energy only amplified as the band gave a nod to their recovery after their near-fatal bus accident years ago, making the performance not just a concert, but a symbolic return to the stage. The Ghost Inside’s set was a reminder of why they are such revered figures in the post-hardcore scene, delivering both a sonic and emotional gutpunch.

The day’s intensity ramped up when Lorna Shore took the stage. Known for their brutal and technical deathcore sound, the band’s performance was an absolute force of nature. Opening with their hit “To the Hellfire,” the crowd was immediately whipped into a frenzy by the pulverising blast beats and guttural vocals of Will Ramos. Lorna Shore’s set was a masterclass in deathcore, and they showed no mercy.

When Slipknot stepped out on the Rock for People stage, the atmosphere was electric with anticipation. As soon as the band’s iconic masks appeared on stage, the crowd erupted into a frenzy, and the band wasted no time launching into their brutal set. Kicking things off with high-octane tracks like “Psychosocial” and “Duality” the crowd, packed tightly, was an unrelenting sea of headbanging, moshing, and singing along to every word.

The legendary In Flames took the festival by storm, bringing their brand of melodic death metal to the eager crowd. Anders Fridén’s vocals were as commanding as ever, seamlessly moving between harsh growls and clean choruses that had the crowd moshing and singing along. In Flames didn’t just play, they took control of the crowd, blending technical precision with atmospheric melodies that made every song feel like an anthem.

Imminence, the Swedish post-hardcore band, delivered one of the most emotionally intense performances of the day. From the first note, their powerful mix of melodic hardcore and orchestral elements grabbed the audience’s attention. Eddie Berg’s impassioned vocals and commanding stage presence set the tone for a performance that was both an emotional journey and a sonic explosion.

Later in the day, Paleface Swiss injected a burst of heavy energy into the festival’s final hours. The Swiss quartet got the audience jumping, clapping, and shouting along.

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Given the festival location camping is included in the general admission ticket, the biggest area is called the Animal Park and usually lives up to its name. The sustainability work done in recent years paid off and it all looked a lot cleaner than it did ten years ago. The discount supermarket Lidl sponsored a huge temporary supermarket placed between the camping and stage area making it possible for campers to get affordable produce without having to bring it with them and leaving leftovers behind. A carnival-style fair was set up at the front offering rides for those who did not find the music exciting enough. The food selections felt pretty diverse with quite a few vegan/vegetarian options and local vendors comparatively priced.

The first band of the weekend, Against the Current, greeted a huge crowd early in the day. The band’s frontwoman Chrissy was the first woman at the festival to be followed by two others which felt like a direct response to the criticism for having too few female acts in the past years.

The Interrupters followed, Utopia, and The Last Internationale (TLI) had the honour to open the second stage. If this Portuguese quartet hasn‘t been on your radar before they definitely should. TLI play catchy indie rock with a lot of energy and expertly work the crowd.

If you didn‘t know that one of Hollywood’s most famous actors Keanu Reeves has a band, you do now – Reeves is the bassist of Dogstar. Sadly, the celebrity bassist seemed to be the most interesting thing they had to offer, both performance and sounds were rather disappointing. The bass was way louder than the rest of the instruments, no one was moving in the crowd and every song sounded pretty much like the one before.

The complete opposite happened in the arena, Pinkshift was a big surprise with a strong stage presence and a very unique sound somewhere between punk and rock with Indian-influenced metal elements. The Norwegian metal band Kvelertak followed right after and the crowd was very excited. Different than most other Scandinavian bands that tend to be more in the death or black metal realm, Kvelertak mixes classic metal with punk and rock elements, making their music much more accessible to the masses.

Up next was Pendulum, one of the most iconic electronic acts of our time. After some technical difficulties, they took off and did not disappoint. The band would have performed better with an evening slot though, their music doesn’t hit the same during daylight. More punk on the Orbit Stage with LS Dunes, the singer went into the crowd during the second song and just stayed there for a large portion of the show. The fans loved it, and for one of the faster songs, there was a circle around him. During the slower tracks, the circle just got bigger and everybody watched him in what felt like a very intimate setting.

Later that day, metalcore giants Underoath went all in with a very energetic show and a playlist that covered their whole discography. To end the day, Green Day played the main stage with a 3-hour set. It felt like your favourite dish, it’s always great and you know you’re gonna leave happy, but it’s also always the same and their show hasn’t changed much in the past 10 years.

The second day was packed with acts for metalcore lovers, and it started with one of the founders of the genre, Atreyu. They made full use of the pier built overnight to make the stage bigger for tonight’s headliner, every member came to the front and woke up even the ones still tired from day one.  Of Mice & Men topped up this opening vibe with an insane setlist. Sadly, however, most people were not able to see the band due to the elevation and the band members staying static at the back.

Female-fronted bands once again dominated the Orbit stage, starting off heavy with Heriot which seemed to gain a lot of new fans with their performance which was full of deep guitar riffs and screams. For all the babymetal fans, Hanabie was the choice for today and it was the first band that forced the organizers to limit access to the arena. It was full to the brim and the Japanese metal ensemble impressed all with a perfect balance between quirky J-Pop and full-on metal, all while dressed up very Kawaii and jumping around much more than their bigger counterpart.

For all the guitar nerds or the anime-loving TikTok girlies that had Tim Henson on their FYP recently, Polyphia was definitely a very unique act. Instrumental guitar riffs and a presentation of the musician’s skills which looked like every technical guitarist’s dream were a welcome change. Most who didn’t know the band seemed rather confused by the lack of vocals, but sometimes that’s not even necessary.

The metalcore inferno continued back in the arena with Counterparts, another band that never disappoints with their mix of screamo and hardcore metal. Two of the biggest names in the scene followed with While She Sleeps, maybe one of the best performances of the day as they played all of their well-known songs plus some of the recently released tracks from Self Hell. They seemed to enjoy the festival themselves, as they were spotted walking around during the day.

French super starters Landmvrks followed up with high energy, even years after their debut album release they still thrive off it but the second one is coming later this year. Rap mixed with fast hardcore elements, heavy breakdowns, and technical riffs gives them their very unique style that forces fans to run from one stage to the other mid-set to see Machine Head. The band played a solid show with a lot of pyro, nothing new, nothing out of the ordinary but also nothing to criticize.

Italian ESC winners Måneskin came back after a two-year break, and this time filled the main stage. Despite rumors of a possible breakup, there was no sign of it during their show. The fans went crazy worshipping the band and some got invited on stage, bowing down on their knees which seemed like a rather grotesque move. More people than expected ended up going to Hatebreed back in the arena again, who surprised with an energy-loaded and co2-infused mix between hardcore punk and metal. The highlight of the day though was as expected, Parkway Drive. Unfairly placed on the smaller of the two main stages, access had to be restricted once again. A lot of pyro and crowd interaction reminded us why they deserve their status as one of the biggest modern metal bands of our time.

The last day was a little bit cooler, which ended up being just the perfect temperature. The first concert of the day was Fit for a King from Texas, their slot was a little bit ungrateful, but soundwise it was flawless. Their bassist showed off his spinning skills which last year brought him some fame on social media after a video of the band’s show at Download went viral showing him throwing his bass around in multiple perfect spins.

A positive surprise was indie rock band James and the Cold Gun, every part of their performance, music, and style reminded you of the 1970s and 1990s. Transcore icons Enter Shikari, one of the best live bands you can currently see, started their set with the album opener “System/Meltdown” off their 2012 album A Flash Flood of Colour which they haven’t played live in years. Political, provocative, and genre-breaking this band is as important as ever.

Wargasm continued the electronic punk spell with their super energetic show around front woman Milky Way, a highlight for everyone who wanted to dance and celebrate the last few hours of Rock im Park. But the best performance of the festival was yet to come, and it was no one other than Scene Queen who invented her own genre she named ‘Bimbocore’. A feminist and a queer with a heavy metal breakdown sound she screamed “fuck the patriarchy” reaffirming her stance on the matter. Everything was pink, and when groups of men started to leave it was clear she reached her goal of sorting out her audience.

Alternative rock legends Queens of the Stone Age played the mainstage at sunset and not one person stood still for this set. Elsewhere in the park Welsh pop punk revivers Neck Deep one last time made everyone go crazy in the arena before Beartooth ended the day with a confetti rain and a colourful set that showed their transformation from depressed emo metalcore to a lyrically much lighter pop rock album based on frontman Caleb Shomos’ personal mental health journey.

This may have been one of the best editions of Rock im Park in recent years, and next year is already promised to raise the bar with 4 stages and headliner Slipknot already announced. The first price level is already sold out, so it’s a good idea to be fast!

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Founded in 1997 as a twin festival to the world-famous Rock am Ring, Rock im Park doesn’t stand in its shadow but has established its very own reputation and vibe that fans travel to from all of Southern Europe. The festival takes place in a location that holds a lot of historical importance, nothing quite compares to dancing on an old Zeppelin field. In the last few years over 70,000 music enthusiasts attended the festival and traditionally it’s the opener for the European festival season, warming up the crowd with a bang.

Punk legends Green Day will headline on Friday, accompanied by Billy Talent, Japanese sensation Baby Metal, and many more. Saturday is a strong one for the metal heads, with Parkway Drive, Machie Head, and Fear Factory just to name a few. But Indie fans won’t be disappointed either with Italian Eurovision winner Maneskin making a comeback to the historical ground after their captivating performance two years ago, followed by German bands Kraftklub and Wanda.

All the classics take the stage to close off the weekend, on Sunday Avenged Sevenfold, Queens of the Stone Age and die Ärzte offer a program for everyone.

Tickets are still available here, for international attendees there are multiple airports like Nürnberg or Munich in the area and general camping is included in your ticket. If you prefer to be cleaner and calmer, there also is a Green Camping option.

Learn more and purchase tickets at rock-im-park.com.

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During her Zurich show, Arxx were a worthy opener with their queer indie vibe that definitely satisfied the crowd, even though some explanation was needed when singer Hanni threw some British slang into the audience and instead of laughs got greeted with confused silence. The constant banter just made them even more relatable. A band worth keeping on the radar.

Cari herself opened with a big stage set up, performing the first two songs from up on the screen while her fantastic live band played on the actual stage. When she came out fans began immediately singing along to “Serial Heartbreaker“.

The first half of the show was a very well-coordinated, professional performance with the expected dancing with her guitarist. The second half of the set was a wonderful demonstration of how an artist can engage with their fans intimately even in a large venue. Fletcher stepped down into the pit, read all of the signs that fans made for her, and always made sure to read them loud while explaining what was happening, so no matter where you were standing you never missed a thing.

One fan brought a spinning wheel with different tasks, on the second round Fletcher’s arrow landed on the already well-known “human mic stand” and while she didn’t get her up for the next song, the girl was brought on stage for the very last song of the set, “Becky’s So Hot,” to be Caris’ mic stand and dance with her. But before all that, another girl’s sign said that she wrote a song about the singer and got the chance to sing it into Fletcher’s mic, much to everyone’s surprise she absolutely nailed it. After that, the concert went on as usual, with her laying on top of the screen for a few songs, and the audience going feral about every move.

Fletcher surely knows how to play an audience and how to make a room filled with thousands of people feel like an intimate private concert while nailing her vocals throughout the whole set. This felt like just the start of something that one day could fill a stadium, and she is on her way to the US for the summer and fall of 2024.

The post Fletcher bonds with her fans during the live show in Zurich appeared first on Quip Magazine.

One of them is the Surfana Festival, which as the name already suggests focus lies on surfing and everything related to it, including, of course, a ton of music. Every year, a collective under the same name takes over a campsite 30 minutes from Amsterdam on the beautiful Bloemendaal aan Zee beach and transforms it into a magical oasis that makes you feel like you’re in sunny Australia instead of the often gloomy Netherlands.

The location is easy to reach by car and public transport and allows camping on site for both, camper vans and tents with all the luxury of modern campsites on hand. Attendees also have access to a supermarket, a restaurant (with WiFi and plug-ins), showers, and toilets at your doorstep all weekend.

There is a lot going on, in addition to music and surfing, with what event organizers call ´clinics` which are workshops you can register for a small fee and try out new sports like catamaran sailing, yoga and tantra session, art workshops, and a lot more! These activities are scattered all over the area, with some at the campsite and others directly on the festival site but it’s easy to navigate with many maps placed to help you find your way. 

The timetables for both music and workshops are on display as well, these are sadly a bit messy and hard to read but that in my experience seems to be a common issue when it comes to Dutch festivals. A few carefully chosen food trucks are available, with all of them offering at least one vegan option. There is even a hot tub for those who find the ocean a bit too rough.

Images above: Omar Dahl

When it comes to music, Surfana is annually able to gather not only a colourful mix of upcoming Dutch indie/rock and electro artists but the biggest names in the indie surf music scenes from Australia and South Africa. Friday started with Omar Dahl, a live electronic band from Belgium who played on the smaller Anne’s Stage set inside a tent. It continually rained on and off so people came and went depending on the weather. Right after, Australian singer-songwriter Jack Botts took over the bigger stage and it fit perfectly with the sunset painting a golden glow over the beautiful festival grounds. Dutch garage rock band Cloudsurfers paved the way in the tent for Soulquake, a big ensemble of soul musicians who played until they were asked to stop by the festival organizers, the crowd loved it dancing the night away, trying to convince them to keep going.

Images below: Jack Botts

Images below: Soulquake

On Saturday, the day started with a breakfast concert by Jack Botts, which was one of the absolute highlights: for 15 Euros you got breakfast in the tent while listening to an intimate acoustic set – it doesn’t get much better than this!

Dutch singer Max Poolman played the main stage in the bright mid-day sun which led to a smaller crowd since many were already at the beach riding the waves. Nonetheless, it was a nice set to start the day for real with many more artists to come. In the evening, for example, Dutch rock sensation POM took over the main stage and moved every single person still standing with their powerful female lead.

Images below: Max Poolman

On the closing day the sun came out, the wind was low and everyone was in a good mood, ready to wrap up the event on a high note. Australian band Sons of the East were the Sunday highlight with everyone dancing and enjoying the last hours of the festival, calling it an early night.

Images below: Max Poolman

Surfana is a great festival for anyone who wants to get that surfer chill feeling inside of Europe, with a very laid-back vibe, focus on sustainability that actually holds up, good food, and artists performing in large to intimate environments. This one is for the books.

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The grounds, first of all, are huge and countless stages with an enormous capacity, all inside tents, offer music of every genre imaginable. Castello and Broiler Room mainly hosted DJs and electronic music, Marquee all the calm pop acts, the Club stage was home for many indie and punk artists while the Backyard stage had some of rock and metal’s finest acts on a relatively small space.

All the big action, however, happened on the main stage, which was never too crowded to get to. Everything is sparkling clean at all times, the payment system is organized with coupons you have to buy at designated stalls which basically only has one purpose – to make people forget how much money they actually spent. A cute beer shack, record store, multiple cafes, secret venues, a stage where you can play with your own band, a carnival area, and a place in the forest that acts as a calm oasis if everything is a bit too loud (perfect for all the neurodivergent folks!) all add up to a festival experience that couldn’t be further away from other messy European events we have seen this year.

As with most festivals, a big sustainability campaign was set in place, and like most, it didn’t hold up its promises at the very basics here either. Drinks are still served in single-use cups and the reward system is so complicated it resulted in people walking around with a tower of cups for half of the day. The food offerings were repeated in every area, except the pretty cool hidden lounge between the Castello and Marquee tents that hosted multiple independent food trucks. The vegan options were pretty sparse once again, no surprise here.

The music lineup was absolutely packed with gems and offered a lot of something for everyone! 

On Friday, Belgium metalcore newcomers Moments opened the Backyard stage with a bang. Moshpits, circle pits, wall of death – you name it and the crowd was still full of energy going absolutely crazy. Due to several lineup changes, they got announced rather last minute but delivered a solid set that definitely gave them a few new fans.

The complete opposite was happening on the Club stage right after with the Australian Indie Surf giants Hollow Coves playing their biggest hits alongside new singles, creating a beautiful vibe that invited everyone to close their eyes and just enjoy.

It didn’t stay calm for long though, as one of the biggest sensations of this year, UK’s Wargasm, took over the Backyard stage. Regardless of if their music fits someone’s personal taste, they are an absolute must-see with an energy that is unmatched by any other rising talent. The duo played their latest EP release alongside the songs that made the popular to begin with, creating a perfect environment for the singer Milkie Way to crowd surf as one of the many interactive ways the band engaged with their audience.

Nothing but Thieves, who played the main stage, didn’t quite get the audience they deserved, which seemed to be a phenomenon on the main stage during day concerts all weekend. Nonetheless, they were absolutely worth popping by and seeing many fans sing along.

Carolesdaughter was one of a few fast risen social media musicians this weekend, sadly her very short songs all of which were broken up by a minute break created a patchy interrupted set. Carolesdaughter seemed shocked and excited to be on this stage, commenting how she couldn’t believe she was famous enough to be there. 

The Backyard stage continued to be strong, with metalcore giants While She Sleeps burning it all down within seconds. A perfect timed slot, the tent was packed to the brim and due to its unique set up it felt more like an intimate concert than one of many festival gigs, something not many festivals are able to achieve.

Before the legends, Slipknot got the people out of the tents with their killer show after a short but strong rain shower, Ghostemane benefited from the rain with everyone running into the tent in time for the set. A continuous strobe light sadly was a bit distracting and exhausting, but it was a great performance nonetheless.

The weather was a bit cloudy on Saturday, but because all stages except the main one were placed in tents that didn’t bother anyone. Belgium DJ SEA started the day with her set in the Boiler Room which filled up very fast and in the end even left some people waiting outside. 

Irish punk band The Murder Capital, set up in the Club, performed another one of their great shows. The band offered a lot of audience interaction and theatrical improvisations like smoking a cigarette on stage or sitting down for several minutes just watching the crowd which certainly made the performance more entertaining.

Norwegians superstar Aurora is always guaranteed to touch everyone who joins one of her shows, and this was no exception. Her unique persona, powerful voice, and songs that combine politics, connection, and emotions are just a few of the ingredients that make her one of the most fascinating young artists of this generation.

Palaye Royale, Clutch, and Frank Carter all played the Backyard stage on Saturday, a row of nonstop moshpits and dancing ended with Frank setting an example of what it means to create a safe environment for the crowd – he made sure that every single female crowd surfer arrived safely and even called for a women-only moshpit!

Tame Impala‘s show was sadly a bit underwhelming, especially with the heated-up energy, the crowd seemed to need a bit more than slow stoner rock and their psychedelic stage show didn’t work here as well as it did in other venues.

The sun came out a little more on the last day, but shoe gaze hero’s Slow Crush brought the crowd straight back into a dark comfy night with their magical performance that was dominated by beautiful light combinations.

Girli, performing in the Backyard, surprised everyone by performing without a band or any live musicians, just her and her background singer. Nevertheless, she was able to get the crowd going fast and this unconventional setup was forgotten fast.

On the main stage, British pop rock band Sea Girls probably would have been better placed on a smaller stage, they barely filled up and seemed a bit lost in the space they had. But this four-piece band still offered a nice performance despite having minimal hits, definitely a band to watch.

Nova Twins once again brought girl power back and one last time heated up the backyard to its full potential. Strong messages, detailed outfits, and guitar riffs that impress every hardcore metal head are just a few reasons why they are promising on every level.

YouTube star Chloe Moriondo came up right after, if the show can be described in any one word then it would be ‘adorable’. Fun, light-hearted songs, and her excitement were infectious, even though her lacking stage experience showed at times through long distracting breaks.

Many were waiting for one of the two last bands, one of which was Bring me the Horizon. The crowd was still pretty sparse and except for the first few rows, many only seemed to know the newer songs. This lack of energy made me feel as if the lead singer Oli Sykes didn’t really want to be there and was exhausted after a long summer tour. While the show itself was great as usual, it felt scripted and absent of any of his usual expressive outfits, replaced by a black hoodie.

After a long break, the Arctic Monkeys closed out Pukkelpop. Learning from their past mistakes and mostly playing their old hits that defined the youth of a whole generation. A solid show, with no surprises but a nice way to end a well-organized festival.

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First, Sziget isn’t just a music festival, it’s a celebration of art in all its forms, with acts from all genres distributed between the main stage and a tent stage, a newcomer stage close by, and two electronic music venues along countless little stages for performances of all kinds. It’s hard to describe what it really is in just a few words, especially with the recent changes – but it has been known as this magical island of freedom that breathes art around every corner and where the focus has never been on money making … typically.

Image above: Role Model

This year sadly brought some drastic changes to the event. Due to the pandemic and two canceled editions, the organizers faced no support from the government and huge budget cuts as a result. While this is understandable, the cuts were sadly handled in the most unfortunate way and killed the vibe that made this place so extraordinary. In the past, most of the island was free to camp wherever you want. The majority of the campgrounds were under the trees close to the beach with country-related paid campsites and VIP camping including a swimming pool, this now got reversed. Only a tiny part of an undesired part of the island remained free while the paid part got extended enormously and changed location to the area that used to be free. With names like `chill` or `relaxed` people expected peace there but quickly learned their campsites were directly situated next to the party venues that were going on until 5 and 6 AM.

The VIP camp, now called ‘Superstar,’ faced similar issues with its unfortunate loud location and swimming pool people paid for but couldn’t use due to a construction issue the organizers only got notice of 4 weeks prior to the festival. All the decorations have disappeared, even the beach which used to be a hippie heaven turned into a commercialized space that felt more like Tulum than Goa.

Image above: Rufus del Sol

Due to a drought that was affecting all of Europe and resulted in 3 months of nearly no rain in Hungary the ground was so incredibly dry that after day 2 the dust was so bad that even with a mask it was more torture than fun to be around the Main Stage. Water shortage didn’t help, even two weeks after the event many festival goers still complained about respiration issues, on the ground everyone was coughing, many tried to get throat spray and eventually lost their voice.

Another very sour taste, figuratively speaking, were the food prices. While inflation is understandable the fact that food prices doubled since 2019 and the same products cost double of what they did in the city just a 20 min train ride away simply couldn’t be ignored. The selection was also a lot smaller with a minimal amount of healthy options available, the supermarket at the festival was very small for the number of people taking part and before midnight there was always a 30 min queue to get in.

Images below: Nova Twins

On the positive side, the drink prices remained very reasonable and the different high-quality artist installations were still present, a big kudos to all the artists working on them!

On the first day, it was still very busy with people moving in, which resulted in crazy long wait lines. Role Model played the tent and the crowd was very excited, fresh, and ready to rock to this energetic show. Later on Rufus du Sol took the MainStage, it took a bit to get everyone going and as usual with DJ acts there wasn’t much crowd interaction but the night was still young. Nova Twins attracted everyone looking for mosh pits and action, they absolutely burnt the place down and nobody left not convinced that they are an act to keep in mind. The highlight for many was headliner Dua Lipa, and she didn’t disappoint. To end the night, Canadians Cleopatrick played the Europe stage with a solid set that attracted a similar crowd as Nova Twins just a few hours prior. Many people continued to the tribute stage, where rock cover bands played until late and a rock disco was on until 5 AM. In previous years this started right after the main act, but sadly this year it was way later and lost quite a few people due to the delay.

Images below: Cleopatrick

Day two was hot, and people were still up relatively early ready to check out all the different areas the island had to offer. The Gaming Hub was a popular area during the day, offering board games and consoles to bring people together, it has been organized by the same family for the past years and they make sure they offer a wide, ever-changing variety.

The World Stage had artists from all over the globe playing traditional music and right next to it was the Tent Without Borders – a safe space for European refugees and this year the focus was on Ukraine. The tent was home to a special exhibition presented by a French museum and everyone working in the space were refugees themselves.

Later in the afternoon, the programming started on the Europe stage with dutch newcomers The Vices who filled the area in seconds (no surprise with hundreds of Dutch visitors) the band is definitely worth keeping an eye on. While the headliner Kings of Leon sadly was a bit disappointing with no drive and a pretty boring set, Bastille were able to make up for it and offered a great show playing all their hits which matched the festival vibe perfectly.

Image above: The Vices; Images below: Bastille

The next day everything started to get dusty, but that didn’t stop people from coming, yet. Loads of day tickets were sold, which led to a very full venue, even though the island is gigantic and people usually spread really well, this year the space reached its maximum capacity.

Like many acts this year, Viagra Boys canceled their show but The Murder Capital stepped in and offered a banging punk set that treated the crowd to rock vibes that were a bit sparse this year. Belgium superstar Stromae attracted a huge crowd that absolutely went wild while he performed a beautiful show with loads of theatrical elements and a detailed theme.

Image above: Stromae; Image below: The Murder Capital

The main reason, however, for so many guests here today for just the one day was of course Justin Bieber, and loads of young girls already fainted in the heat before the show even started. He played all his hits, and the fans were happy, even though he didn’t seem to enjoy it that much and there wasn’t a ton of crowd engagement.

There was another highlight though and that took place every evening at PM in the Magic Mirror – a venue dedicated to the LGBTQIA+ community. During the day they offered talks on a range of topics, screened movies, and hosted creative performances, the evening programming led to huge queues outside the tent, and rightfully so! Put together by an Australian group a very thoughtful but still frisky burlesque, acrobatic and dance show was performed in the most tasteful way possible. This one stage very possibly would have been worth the price of the ticket.

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Continue your Sziget adventure in the next post: Sziget Festival part two: In the dust we live and dance

The post Sziget Festival part one: The vibe and the energetic start appeared first on Quip Magazine.

Right next to the circus area was the vintage fun fair where every year you can try many different games and enjoy a display of other historic attractions. The musical lineup started with the female-led Black Honey who played in the tent offering people an escape from the scorching sun.

Image above: Black Honey; image below: Kensington

Shortly after Holland’s sensation, Kensington made everyone move over to the main stage, a very fitting performance for the vibe of the festival with confetti and many Dutch fans in the crowd. Headliner Lewis Capaldi continued with an already warmed-up crowd with his fun show and touching lyrics. On one of the small side stages, Vampire Diaries star Michael Malarkey performed an intimate acoustic set with maybe 20 people in the audience. The vibe would have been perfect and he deserved a way bigger crowd, but the neighboring electronic music venue was sadly way too loud and disturbed both the musician and the audience.

The dry heat continued as the dust was rising off the scorched ground. The desperate attempt to moisturize the ground didn’t really work and so the dust issues reached their peak on Day 5 making it hard to breathe and difficult to enjoy the festival. But the show must go on. The dance and theatre field had ongoing entertainment with a mix of performances from different countries and improvisations by various dancers creating a space for everyone to sit back and take a break.

Image above: Baits; image below: Palaye Royale followed by Sigrid

A newcomer Austrian band Baits won one of the early slots in a radio competition and absolutely deserved the spotlight. Canadian-American rockers Palaye Royale were able to gather all the emo kids in the tent and allowed everyone to bring their last bit of energy into countless mosh pits. The band had a strong crowd connection and gorgeous outfits – always a welcome bonus. Norwegian pop sensation Sigrid was the fresh wind everyone needed and her happy, simple and down-to-earth performance was a nice change from all the high-production shows.

The lineup continued with more pop by the English singer Anne-Marie who, accompanied by two huge blue teddy bears, let everyone feel the pain of their past heartbreaks. The last highlight on this day were Australia’s Tame Impala, their psychedelic show intro fit the whole vibe perfectly and understandably the smell of weed was floating all around the main stage.

Image above: Anne-Marie; image below: Tame Impala

Sadly many new names and talents to watch played extremely late between 1 and 3 AM which because of the dust issue resulted in people missing the sets they wanted to see, after hours of daytime dancing these late dusty hours were unbearable.

On the last day, the Vietnamese National Puppetry Theatre returned with a must-see performance. This particular puppet theatre is well known for its attention to detail and unique approach to the craft, foreign to many Western visitors.

The tent lineup was a win as well and the Danish punk rocker Ice Age did a great job firing up the crowd for the Irland’s Inhalers who continued a bit slower but that was to be expected. Even though it was a very alternative day in this venue, Princess Nokia changed this up a bit with a rather confusing show – the first two songs she didn’t even come out on stage for, and then Nokia was simply playing with a water gun until she finally took the mic to say she has asthma and has to take it slow in the dust which ended in most songs being on playback.

Image above: Inhalers; image below: Princess Nokia

The last headliner of the day were the Arctic Monkeys and they seemed to learn their lesson from the 2018 set when they had the exact same slot and people began to leave the show early because the band was playing mostly just new tracks. This setlist focused on all the old hits and everyone born in the 90s went crazy. It was obvious though that many members of the younger crowd didn’t know them since their last great album came out nearly 10 years ago when many of them were maybe around 10 years old. Like all of their recent shows, this set felt rather uninspired, not even like a promo for their upcoming album but a way to pay the bills.

To finish the week off, Fontaines DC delivered a great show with a beautiful background and a set that got more energetic with each song, wrapping up with huge balloons released over the crowd – a memorable high note for a rather rough festival week (image below).

Needless to say, Sziget 2022 was rough, but they swim on a legendary legacy that we all hope to see in full colour next year. Cheers for now.

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Missed part one of the coverage? See it here: Sziget Festival part one: The vibe and the energetic start

The post Sziget Festival part two: In the dust we live and dance appeared first on Quip Magazine.

Thursday started off with a cancellation, Sam Fender had tonsillitis and couldn’t perform plus it was raining like crazy all day. The area was opened a few hours before the first act went on so people were able to build up their tents where the ground was still relatively dry.

The next day started grey but nearly dry to everyone’s relief. The ground turned into a mud field, but because the mud party happens every year the festival got nicknamed `Schlammgallen` which loosely translated means muddy Gallen. The food variety was quite big with acceptable vegan/veggie variety options but there was definitely still room for improvement and for the first time there was a supermarket, sponsored by ALDI, on the grounds that allowed campers to shop for food without breaking the bank – we are in Switzerland after all. 

Many people had to get VIP tickets because regular admission was so quickly sold out. As a result, the VIP area became more crowded than the rest of the park. The view on the stage was great, and the food quality was excellent but the prices here were insanely high.

The main reason for us all to gather in the mud, however, was of course music and so here are some of my highlights from the weekend.

Viagra Boys: Great start with a nice punk set; the lead singer smoked a joint on stage and drank beer throughout making it a rather entertaining set to watch. The crowd seemed to enjoy this as a good wake-up with a very relaxed feeling in the air despite the tent stage still being half under water which people didn’t mind at all [images below].

Kontra K: This German rapper gathered a surprisingly big crowd [2 images above]. His performance was set against a beautiful background with horse statues and a stair-like stage illuminated by the finally arrived sun.

Joy Crookes: Advertised as the “next Amy Winehouse,” Joy appeared calm and beautiful, a kind of performance everyone could just listen and enjoy. The audience seemed to love her, many danced and sang along, very peaceful and definitely one for the feels [image below].

Annenmaykantereit: German sensation with much of the clout turned over the past few years with some viral tracks (also in combo with Giant Rooks due to a Tom`s Diner cover earlier this year). Everyone was here to witness this set and it was a great show with a mix of fast and slow songs, and some new tracks mixed in between the classics. All additional live instruments were played by women and there was a huge pride flag on the piano which was really great to see [2 images above].

Giant Rooks: A five-piece band of very happy musicians. Their performance was enthusiastic and engaging; the lead singer ran close to the crowd a few times causing a bit of a riot. The pit was pretty full and everyone was singing along even though it was burning hot at this point [images below].

Tones and I: Had a very creative stage design with an actual house built on it with a sign declaring it a “mad house.” In a typical manner Tones and I played new tracks and a few old songs to please the fans [image above].  

Juju: This German female rapper was a much-appreciated surprise with her engaging performance. Juju talked about feminism, released balloons into the audience, and consistently engaged with her huge fanbase; the tent was full to the brim!

Muse: Much anticipated headliner of the event. The band had a great stage design with a burning sign and changed out into several different outfits and backgrounds. They even brought their own stage and walked down the `catwalk` a few times; great show showcasing all of the band’s classic songs that nearly everyone could sing along to [images above].

The last day was unusually hot and usually ends in the afternoon so only a few acts:

Years & Years: Solo project of British singer Olly Alexander who came on stage with a telephone cabin. Olly offered up a real pop star performance with loads of action, dancers, special effects, choreography, and other entertaining theatrics. Sadly many people had already gone for the day or were hiding in the shade escaping the heat.

Milky Chance: The crowd was similar but it was a very fitting Sunday afternoon show. Folks were sitting in their chairs under umbrellas, taking in this feel-good comfort music, observing the band’s foggy performance [images above].

Openair St.Gallen was a great way to return to summer festivals and the crowd came here committed to enjoying every minute of every day, rain boots and jackets in hand everyone had an amazing time.

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