Mai, Oh My!

This Programme belongs to Me

 The restricted media camp was quite full when I got there. I set up my tent however in record time (or at least what I think would be record time for a first timer). I was suppose to meet with these 2 American people (Colleen & Mark from Texas) I met at the train station but they wouldn’t let me out through to the regular camp sites before actual start time at 5 p.m. I spent some solo time walking around, sitting around and in general, mucking around….. up until I had to do a phone cross over with Navsta @ Traxx FM – Travel N’ Music….the station’s new tagline is what my life is all about right now. 

My Tent - aka a freaking oven during the day

Thursday’s line-up had about 18 performers performing on 6 different stages. I only managed to catch 3 acts:- Clutch, the Gossip and last but definitely not least, Radiohead. I did try to see MGMT but word of advice for vertically challenged Asians while going to western based music festivals – be prepared to see nothing. Unless of course you’re a professional stilt walker, or can fly. Thank goodness for big screens at the larger stages.

Click on thumbnails below to see some pictures from Day 1 of the Roskilde Festival 08 

Unfortunately the Odeon stage (where Clutch, MGMT and the Gossip played last night) did NOT have a screen. Getting to the stage early is your best bet… and when I took my own advice – I was upfront during the Gossip and got some pretty good shots of Beth Ditto prancing around in a silk mumu, flashing her wonderfully thick – cellulite legs every so often. 20 minutes into their set I had to dash off to the Orange stage where Radiohead was about to start.

   

Writing about Radiohead deserves its own paragraph (and probably because it’s not grammatically correct or something like that.) Anyway, they took stage right at 10 p.m. – initiated by the Greenwood brothers licks and chops (?) and of course Thom Yorke’s lingering croon. They played a great deal off their In Rainbows album and towards the middle-end of their set, through in some older tracks like Karma Police, Paranoid Android, My Iron Lung and a few others I can’t quite think of now. I was waiting for them to play JUST though as I had heard they played it during their other festival appearances this summer. Nearly 1.5 hours and Just was just missing. In all though, a magnificent performance with little chit chat in between songs…. Just perhaps Thom Yorke dedicating their next song to everyone at the festival who had done bad drugs…..

Picture of the Big Screen next to the stage during Radiohead

Only non-screen view I could see of anyone from the band

  

 In all, I trekked back to my campsite in the cold with a smile on my face – a combination of relief after using the toilet and finally seeing Radiohead – 15 years after I missed a club gig of theirs in Mexico…. I learned my lesson and made sure I was not intoxicated this time around…

Today there will be performances by Kate Nash, Gnarls Barkley, Band of Horses, Santogold, Mogwai, Cocorosie, Grinderman, Goldfrapp, the Streets…just to name a few….where do I begin?

I don’t want to write a whole lot because I’m working on a full post later – but I just wanted to let you all know that it’s been real great here at the Roskilde Festival. Fabulous weather, interesting people, colourful scenery and of course MUSIC MUSIC MUSIC! In short, today I saw a little bit of Clutch, a little bit of the Gossip and last but definetely not least, RADIOHEAD….I also lost my phone during their set. I guess you win some and you lose some. Losing the phone definetely sucks though.

Lots of great photos and a full update coming soon!

11:51 a.m. – At the Stansted Airport in London waiting to board my flight to Denmark. I’ve either been eating Kebabs or sandwiches at PRET since I’ve been here. Despite my first impression of food in England being tasteless or whatever, I’ve been quite happy with my selection of culinary survival this time around. I am still waiting to try the Fish & Chips here – served in newspaper dripping with fishy goodness. Maybe when I come back en route back to Malaysia.

Yesterday I met with my sister’s dear friend Hash here. In the many years they’ve been friends and the many times I’ve gone to see her in New York, never once did I meet Hash. So finally we met up and had a drink at the Cittie of York – a bar with AIR CONDITIONING. I learned having airconditioning whether in your house or working establishment is a luxury in London. It was exceptionally hot yesterday but still quite acceptable and pleasant. The bar is located in “Holborn” and I assumed it was walking distance from the Holborn tube station. I walked ridiculously far to get there, and this wasn’t including the wrong turn I took before. When I finally did get there – turns out there’s another tube station only a block away.

Hash was there with another friend of his who was spending his last night in London before flying back to the US. He left a couple minutes after I got there but not after recommending I try the Samuel Smith lager – good choice too cause I found it very tasty and smooth!

After the Cittie of York pit stop we made our way to Aldgate where we walked to Brick Lane aka Bangla City!

We hit up a few places before settling at Vibe. They were having some street style hip hop launching or other so we went and sat outside and talked.

The night ended with more kebabs and a 10 pound taxi ride back to the Clink.

I would totally go back to that Brick Lane area. It’s also where Rough Trade is located and according to Hash, that area is the “real London” – a place bordering Zone 1 and 2. No visible tourists and a whole big melting pot of everything… Wonderful!

8:09 pm in Denmark now. Metro from the Kastrup Copenhagen airport broke down for nearly 45 minutes but it’s all good now and I’m at Aziza’s awesome pad a stones throw away from the Forum eating heavenly dip and chips and these flodeboler pastry things and they are just so …heavenly. Denmark, is just so…heavenly. If only I could speak Danish I would so live here.

Eating the floderboller thingies

Aziza with the waiter dude at Sushi & Sticks (OMG so good)

And last but not least – Denmark’s national bird  - The Swan

The sun sets at 10 p.m. during the summer time in Denmark. Beautiful innit? 

12:51 a.m. – I’m off to the Roskilde Music Festival tomorrow. The amount of luggage I am bringing (equipped with tent, sleeping bag and foam mattress) is not heavenly however.

More updates from the festival site! Radiohead will be performing tomorrow at 10 p.m. Ahh, it’s nearly been 15 years since I missed seeing them in Mexico. Long story but kids, don’t drink underage and act stupid. Cheers!

Estimated time: 11:25 a.m. – My theme for London so far has been “in search for FREE wireless internet”…. I didn’t bring a lap top so I could use a desktop at some cafe or something. SIGH. I know for a fact I don’t know where to look – so much so I’ve even asked Ben to look for me online.

I know I said I wouldn’t go shopping but I’ve already made a couple purchases. My RM29 sunglasses from KL broke (I’ve only had them a week!) so I bought a pair at M&S here for 5 quid. I also bought a light weather proof sling pouch for 8 quid and a pair of shoes to wear at my sister’s wedding. I could do the geeky thing and take photos of my purchases but I’ll spare you (and me!)

The weather here has been wonderful so far! The sun is out and it’s cool sweater weather. Feels like spring! The English find it quite warm but as the English say, “Bollocks!” This is perfect walking weather. unfortunately I spend half the time looking for free wifi and I also have no inkling to where I am going or where I want to go. I’ve been here before and I did all the tourist like things then. This is basically my transit point for Denmark, Ireland and France.

This just in, London crackhead just stopped by to ask for a light. Dropped some change in an empt starbucks cup next to me. Then asks me for some money for him to buy food (or crack?)… oh bless his cracked heart.

Estimated time now 12:40 p.m. – Finally got internet access. I am at Nero’s Cafe in Covent Garden. Am paying for the internet though through BT Openzone. Unnecessary splurging but my feet are tired and I’m hungry. Ben did sms me a couple “Free wifi hotspots” in the area – all of which I was unsuccessfuly in finding. Note to first time visitors to the UK who plan to bring laptops with them. Make sure you have a list of places that offer free wifi of be prepared to pay through your nose.

Since there are no photos of me on this blog yet – here is one of me looking how I do best – Lost. (I love this laptop – it’s got a built in webcam!)