I went to Roskilde in Denmark, to a festival characterised by its uber-clean toilets (I held a poo all day because I had no toilet paper on me, only to find they actually provide it in the portaloos - ridiculous for a festival), liberal urinary habits (both girls and boys piss absolutely everywhere) and, of course, excellent music. I saw Clap Your Hands Say Yeah!, The Strokes, Martha Wainwright, Arctic Monkeys, Sigur Ros, Bellowhead, Tool, Death Cab For Cutie, Editors, George Clinton and Opeth, to name but a few. The clientele was as crazy and ostentatious as any festival (except Glastonbury, of course) and fashion item of the day in Scandinavia seems to be drainpipe trousers. Amidst Martyn's ridiculously small tent, comedy was provided by Bjorn, an upstanding citizen of "She Left You", which really exists!
The Scandinavian audience is a strange phenomenon. A couple of rows from the front of Tool (quite heavy), I would expect to be moving in waves of people, metres from side to side. I'd also expect a bit of moshing, and I even took my glasses off as I expected to lose them. But No! All them Vikings ever do is clap their hands and point vigorously, and not really dance at all. I felt out of place dancing, and for most of it was stood rigid to the spot. I put my glasses back on after a couple of songs.
Altho, after Andrew and I had shared 10 cans of beans, Eric was probably pleased to see the back of us, it has to be said it has been great to see his Canadian chops again (Martyn and I met him in Australia 5 years ago). I look forward to seeing him again in 5 years' time.
