torsdag 10 Jul 2008, 15:52
Fri 4 Jul – Heineken Open'er Festival 2008
HOF 2008 top-thirteen artists in tasza's humble opinion:
1. Fischerspooner
I don't think if I can find proper words to describe this concert, but at least i will try my best:) First of all, it was not a gig in a traditional meaning of this word. During it I couldn't get rid of an impression that I was in a weird theatre. The female dancers looked as if they picked their clothes from the wardrobe randomly (there were smart golden dresses along with… socks and old-fashioned hairstyles). So did Casey Spooner with his leather shorts, red gloves, blue knee-lenght socks, hats and an umbrella:) Anyways, you can see it here:
http://i38.tinypic.com/2j4omj6.jpg
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xB0amlaSEYA
They were playing songs from Odyssey and the upcoming album mainly. However, there was also a time for Emerge. Luckily, (differently from the Main Stage) artists playing on the Tent Stage had a possibility to sing an encore. Fischerspooner played also Never Win and one new song, being absolutely stunned by the hot atmosphere created by the Polish audience. They didn't play Just Let Go and We Need A War that I was counting on so much, but the setlist was not bad at all! To sum up, I believe that it wouldn't make any sense to be on this concert and not stand in the first row. I missed Jack White's gig, because I wouldn't leave my place right before the barrier, but I don't regret it:)
And imagine, that not longer than a year ago I was calling Fischerspooner a techno band that is not worth consideration;)) I just love those commodore-like sounds!'
2. Massive Attack
I don't care about all those grumbling people who say that the concert was disappointing. Well, I'd also be more pleased if they played Karmacoma, Special Cases and A Prayer For England, but hey! they played Teardrop, Risingson, Inertia Creeps, Unfinished Sympathy, Safe From Harm, Mezzanine and a lot of new songs! What else can you expect from the 1-hour gig on a festival!? Here is the whole setlist:
All I Want
Marooned
Risingson
Teardrop
16 Setter
Mezzanine
Harpsichord
Red Light
Inertia Creeps
Safe From Harm (my current no 1)
Marakesh
Angel
Unfinished Sympathy
Dobro
The watchwards shown int the background were shocking, provoking the audience to think about the situation we live in. It was absolutely striking. Something you can't forget about easily.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bMrFvMUWSk
Niewinni nie mają się czego bać.
Innocent doesn't have to be afraid
The whole Inertia Creeps (found on YT, the above-mentioned watchward at 3:30):
http://pl.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6Pe4rsya_E
Although the gig started at 11.00 pm. I didn't feel cold at all. It was even too warm:) The concert probably gathered the biggest number of people from the ones that took place on the Main Stage. Btw, I've never felt that thirsty in my whole life like during this gig:) The worst thing is that the queues for (no-alco!) drinks were ridiculously long – according to tv news there were 60 000 people on the airport on Sunday (!).
http://i34.tinypic.com/2148r3t.jpg
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3,4,5 ('cause I really can't decide which one of them was better) alphabetically:
The Chemical Brothers
I don't listen to such music usually. NIN, Fischerspooner, Boards Of Canada and Flykkiller are the only electronica bands that I listen to. However, before the HOF I wanted to get myself into The Chemical Brothers a bit. And I thought that they're ok, but they MUST be really awesome live. And I'm not disappointed:) Their performance was amazing. They played my favourite Galvanize and Do It Again^^ But one of the best things in watching them live were (along with the music;pp) the light effects. Dancing silhouettes, bodeful clowns and fast-changing shapes did their job. So did the laser pointers. You can see it here:
http://i34.tinypic.com/op8qxc.jpg
click the pic for higher resolution
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQNpKZ5BK4I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g837cTKHsdY
Chem Bros made everyone wanna dance – even those not interested in this kind of music:) Unfortunately, I didn't see the whole show:( We headed our lodging after a few songs to avoid crowds on the railway station (note: tasza, never ever sleep anywhere else than on the camping site during festivals – no hurry, more fun, more gigs, more music).
Goldfrapp
It seems to me that I'm getting older:| I've always had a trauma connected with female vocalists;) The first one (excluding those who sing like males, actually;pp) that appealed to me was Tori Amos. So when I got to know that Alison Goldfrapp is one of this year's artists I didn't expect her to impress me. Surprisingly, when I listened to her Seventh Tree I thought that she is really good! On Sunday it turned out that Goldfrapp live is even better! Her gig was absolutely amazing. It was not possible to stand still and just listen to this music. Even all those stiff-necked people were dancing! However, we had to save energy for MA and CB:)
http://i33.tinypic.com/2enanpk.jpg
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Sex Pistols
Rock & Roll!!! :D
When I was heading the tent before 00.00 on Saturday/Sunday I was very sceptical. Well, I know almost all of their songs but their music doesn't mean much for me. I can't see anything deep in it, I don't care if they are true punk rock musicians or not and it doesn't bother me whether McLaren or they themselves were the authors of the great rock'n'roll swindle. Actually I was thinking that Sex Pistols are not alive anymore ;)) As for the concert itself, it was just great! There were even some people who converted to punk rock after it;)) Thought I would be smashed by the crowd of stone-aged moshing punk rockers, but (in the area where I was standing) everyone was just jumping and singing “no future” or “no fun” ;)) Yeah, they played only for money, but who cares? Yeah, they probably were tricking the audience when pretending that they're still puppets. Whatever. I was having fun. I had a great time. It'll sound so naïve, but I just have to say this – they rocked! ;))
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http://i37.tinypic.com/2z8ux6f.jpg
6. Maria Peszek
Her songs from Miasto Mania and the new EP had really appealed to me, but I wouldn't expect her to be such a freak on stage! ;)) Just look at her outfit:
http://i35.tinypic.com/27wvhvt.jpg
Unfortunately, I didn't see the whole gig. It started at 8.00 pm. and Erykah Badu was expected to play at 7.00 pm. Suddenly it turned out, that there was going to be an “exchange” - Badu at 01.00 am. and Cool Kids Of Death at 7.00 pm. I really wanted to see CKOD as well, so not respectively to the fact that they sucked I stayed at their gig to the last song (oftopically, the only good thing about their gig was that they played Leżeć from the new album). So I had only seen a few Peszek's songs. All of them were great. Greetings for her for performing a song from an evening toon:D I had an unforgetable opportunity of singing Moje Miasto along with the crowd;)) Hope to be on her gig again!
7. Loco Star
I dunno why, but my first thought was that a band with such a name will not be any good. I was “disappointed” in a pleasant way:) I love this type of electronic music (kinda reminded me of Flykkiller). But electronic sounds are not the best and only good thing about Loco Star. It's the idea of mixing them with trumpet, saxophone and xylophone that makes the band unique. And the vocalist had so cool clothes to look at:D
http://i34.tinypic.com/24o3oeb.jpg
http://i34.tinypic.com/f3facl.jpg
http://i37.tinypic.com/2qxuoif.jpg
8. Polpo Motel
Imagine what will happen when you let the sound of toy (!) keyboards through various computer effects and mix it with a voice of a soprano. Got it? Then I strictly recommend you listening to two songs of the duo that are available on last.fm;) This concert is undoubtedly engraved in my memory:) Oh, btw, the keyboards lay on… ironing boards (that are said to be former Maria Peszek's possession XD
http://i37.tinypic.com/2wd7y3m.jpg
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9.Bajzel
He is the purest definition of an expression “one man band” (or even “an orchestra man” - copying the Polish expression) and the word… “bajzel” which means “a mess-up”. I can't think of any kind of music that he isn't capable of playing and doesn't interlace his songs with. The only thing he uses is his guitar with a lot of effects. I really can't believe that all the sounds you can hear on his gigs are produced in the real time! Btw, he played a version of Smells Like Teen Spirit which had more electronica than Nirvana in;)) If it hadn't been for the lyrics I wouldn't recognise it neither.
http://i37.tinypic.com/2wf4u3s.jpg
10. Öszibarack
The band's name means “a peach” in… Hungarian. And the music seems to be as unique as the name. I think that this gig could be higher in my top, but I was still on Goldfrapp when it started, so I can only say that I liked it very much and have to go back to this music later;)) I don't know why I hadn't heard of this Wrocław's band earlier:| Anyways, I'm getting to know that the world of female-fronted bands has something good to offer:) Once again.
http://i34.tinypic.com/v4qalg.jpg
11. Setting The Woods On Fire
It was a really good post-rock concert. The best thing about it is that it was on the smallest stage and didn't have a big audience so that we could lay on a lawn and drift off while listening to those wonderful sounds:)
http://i35.tinypic.com/fkqzw7.jpg
12. Rotofobia
They sounded really interesting for me, although I'm still not sure whether the vocalist was an emo or not;)) He looks emoish. Or girlish. I've heard only a few songs, which I'd call a noise rock. It must have been appreciated by tasza;pp I can tag the band as “listen to them later”.
http://i35.tinypic.com/2e2ez9j.jpg
13. Fujiya & Miyagi
The music was really interesting, but every single song was the same;] Or maybe it was hard for me to appreciate this electronic music one hour after Fischerspooner's gig;p Or the previous gig sucked the whole vital powet from me, so I couldn't enjoy anything;] Btw, they deserve a giant high five for an animation with… pac-man :D
http://i34.tinypic.com/oqdnd5.jpg
I don't really know on which place should I put Interpol. It was not a kind of concert that would convince me to a band. I don't really know how to explain it XD This concert was too melancholic. It's not that I don't like that kind of music! But if a band is not a kind of those that make me wanna dance, I need to know every song very well to enjoy the concert entirely:) And I can say that during this gig my “heart swung” only once;)) and mainly I was just swaying 'cause I was sleepy;] However, I'll listen to them again, sometime. Same with Editors. Sadly, CKOD were the biggest disappointment of this festival:( And I couldn't see The Raconteurs, because I was awaiting Fischerspooner (very important if you want to be in the first line). Shame, 'cause I really appreciate Jack White.
http://i37.tinypic.com/8wfgja.jpg
A teraz coś po polsku.
-pozdrowienia dla pani z ochrony, która bardzo dokładnie przeszukała mi opakowanie z gumą do żucia, a kilogramem trotylu w torbie w ogóle się nie przejęła :D (dobra, głupi żart)
-pozdrowienia dla pana żula z Gdańska, który był miły pokazać nam drogę do sklepu spożywczego z jedzeniem
-pozdrowienia dla panów kierowców z Gdańska, którzy zatrzymywali się przed każdym przejściem dla pieszych (!) :|
-pozdrowienia dla dziadka-parkourowca ^^ z podziękowaniami za udostępnienie części swojej zony na nocleg XD
-pozdrowienia dla dziewczyny z dworca w Gdyni, która w niedzielę o 3 rano zaraziła mnie anginą XD
-pozdrowienia dla ludków z Chem Bros i Massive Attack, którzy cały czas byli przekonani, że grają w Gdańsku^^
-pozdrowienia dla organizatorów za gratisową wejściówkę do Ice-Trucka
-pozdrowienia dla pana Tomasza Jachimka, którego spotkałam w kolejce po kiełbaski XD i którego wstydziłam się zapytać na jaki koncert najbardziej oczekuje;))
-pozdrowienia dla lumiel_9, która pożyczyła mi klapki pod prysznic, przemyciła moją półprofesjonalną minoltę (3.2 mpi, żeby nie było!):D a przede wszystkim wytrzymała z nami 4 dni xD poza tym oddała pierwszy koment pod moim journalem^^
-nie-pozdrowienia dla pana, który po koncercie Rotofobii wpakował mi się do toi-toia :|