European Festivals

Just waking up after STRAFWERK festival in the Netherlands. The name is dutch for punishment at school btw. Festival has been going for seven years now and just had to move to a new location in Amsterdam. It's a one day festival. Last years line up was really strong with Solomun, Maceo Plex and Kolsch but they actually managed to do another huge line up this year.

Started of at the main stage to witness a little bit of Hot Since 82, but I don't really see what's so special about him. Fine to warm up with. Wandered around a bit, had some food, visited some other stages, saw a bit of Magit Cacoon and Recondite live.
Then back to main stage for Kolsch. Love the guy, he gives the crowd energy and seems to be having so much fun during his set. Really energetic. Tried to go to Adriatique but the stage was set up really invoncenient so there was a huge line to even reach that part of the festival ground. Just saw Adriatique a month ago in a really small venue with a great vibe and crowd so decided to stay with Kolsch. After Kolsch...the guys I had on my wishlist for a long time: Martinez Brothers. And they delivered! Superb set and I went nuts when they played the In the Closet edit from their Space Jamz album :) Now after Martinez Brothers the plan was to go to Tale of Us, but again...massive queues and we were having too much fun with the people around us at that moment. Pan-Pot played a nice closing set so we danced for two more hours at the main stage.

If you find yourself in Amsterdam in august next year, look at the Strafwerk line up by then. They are top notch for two years in a row now and the festival ground and facilities are good (besides the small passage to the stage Tale of Us and Adriatique were playing, that needs improving).

So inconvenient stage set up and Qs to see artists.... does sound like a punishment lol
 
Always wanted to go Nature One. Used to download some immense techno sets from it. Enjoy fella!

I can only say.... DO IT ;) Nature One is something else. 4 days non stop. Camping and festival. Been there 5 times. You can do everything on the camping. People build there own dj booths and dont stop from Thursday untill Sunday 00:00. Dont expect to sleep lol. You can bring youre own food. Pay 17 euro i think to enter Camping doesnt matter if you walk or come with a fan or camper. The Germans like it hard so many terror Hard techno all day and all night. Its a 30 min walk from the camping to the festival in the woods. On saturday there a 100K people. Its on an old USA navy base. I want to go back next year but almost all my friends are scared of doing it again.

Nature One is by far my best festival ever. The feeling you get there is so unique. Its all love. Maybe 2020 last time to say goodbye.

Good impression video of 2011 <3


Coxy killing us all 2009 in Century Circus. 1 of the four massive main stages.

For next year I'm looking at:

Time warp (Germany)
Sonar (gutted I missed this year, but been before and superb)
Hideout (maybe)
Electric elephant / garden
Melt! (amazing experience this year at it)
Dimensions (Croatia)
Berlin music week


Mates going to Amsterdam dance event, so will hear how that goes .
Tomorrow land & mystery lands also look good.

Nature one is also supposed to be a great event in Germany

Forget tomorrowland. Overhyped and overpriced festival. You pay 3 times more than Nature One on tickets, drinks, food etc. Nature One is the only festival i know were you can take a dj booth, swimmingpool, own food, own drinks, BBQ, you can build a f***ing tower of palets and put a swimmingpool on top. Its compleet freedom. Take a week off after this if you make it untill the end. And dont forget to go to the campingparty on Thursday. There is one that is organised by Nature One itself in the middle of the fields. Absolute madness.

We went to Dance Valley. Mystery land. Tomorrowland. Lowlands. Pinkpop. All High school parties compare to Nature One.

O and go with public transport. The police in Germany test allot of drivers. Its in the woods and there are only a few roads that lead to the camping. Dutch cars get stripped and the penalties are high on using and driving. Dogs. Tents. And a shitload of police. On the camping you can buy all you need, dont worry. Just dont drive back if you had any drugs during that 4 days. Take a bus or a train. If you think aaa f*** it. Watch this ;)
 
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yes, beat hotel (mco), love international (cro), kala (albania), houghton (uk) are the ones I would go to if I had the cash :(
 
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