I don’t know, sometimes I take the weather forcasts not serious enough. When they said, it was going to rain on Sunday, I thought “yeah yeah, going to be half as bad”. But when I was sitting in the tram shortly before arriving at Gurtenbahn statio and it started pouring, this was rather like “Shit! Why didn’t I put on my wellies?”.
My tip: Put on wellies at openair festivals, even with only a little rain! Maybe I’ll learn it one day. But also on this Sunday I didn’t have to queue. So I got into the dry quickly. Many even went into the other direction, were obviously escaping from the rain. The first concert I wanted to see was in the tent anyway. Yes, why being completly soaked already by lunch time, if you can avoid it? It would change soon enough. During soundcheck we were sitting in a trio in the tent – damn it was like in autumn up here. Cold, wett, greay. And this in July. But latest at concert start, we forgot the disgusting weather for a moment and it became rather warm.
Kensington
The description of the festival app sounded like I could like Kensington. The show started with “All For Nothing” [Video hier] and latest with “Streets” [Video hier] I realized, that the indie rockband from the Netherlands weren’t completly unknown to me. I was standing there and preferably hugged the worlds already after the first song. Do you know this feeling? The feeling of happiness just to be there and having discovered a new band, that you like from the very first second? Drummer Niels sat there topless. Who can keep the eye from him then? 😉 Their songs sound great, the band got energy, knows how to heat up the audience and to encourage them to go along. Suddendly many people sat on each others shoulders, cos the band asked for. The audience was pretty much euphoric, this was definitively infectus. Oh, who doesn’t know them yet, should IMMEDIATELY change it! 😀
Jake Bugg
Yes, Jake Bugg I’ve seen at a 20min show case for the first time – back then I even had the possibility to go to a Meet & Greet, what I remember well. This was a very interesting and funny meeting. I am not not the mega fan of his music. I didn’t think his song were bad. I think their ok. But it was very nice to listen to him. The atmosphere was somehow totally relaxed. It was very funny to watch him again. How he keeps observing the audience. I’d think twice about standing front row there 😉 have you ever noticed this?
Rival Kings
Soon it draw me down to Waldbühne. I watched the soundcheck of Rival Kings . I love listening and watching soundchecks. This is just interesting and lets the waiting time for the actual concert pass. I esp. couldn’t wait for them, cos what can I say: Actually I only went to Gurten on that day cause of Rival Kings! It was great! Energetic as always, suddendly somehow very talkactive and with new songs. I haven’t been to many concert so far. My friend said at the last concert in Bern, that she found it disturbing, how little the band was talking, esp. the leadsinger. And after this statment I probably especially noticed it. It never did disturb myself, but with other bands before. But probably the music didn’t convince me enough then… or I don’t know? Rival Kings are great! I totally love, love esp. their lyrics. “Citizens” [Video here] or”Walls” [Video here], are only two to mention.
Sportfreunde Stiller
Okay, I’d say Sportfreunde Stiller aren’t exactly the best band existing. They all aren’t the greatest singers. But all three are likable, somehow cute and it was fun to see them live. There was always something to laugh about. The songs are pretty simple to sing along, the one or other one was already known, even you haven’t followed them before. “Applaus, Applaus” [Video here] of course was the song everyone was waiting for. So it suited well on a Sunday afternoon. I wouldn’t really run after them, but in case they’d play on a festival again I visit anyway, I’d go and see them again.
Baum
Baum was playing on Waldbühne. I went to get some food inbetween and sat down in front of the stage with a mexican meal. My absolut favourite festival food with a nice, reaxing concert. What would you want more. I didn’t know the Basle singer/songwriter before. Rather calm songs. I needed to listen to him more closely again. Did listen to him only with half an ear and only got half of the concert.
Placebo
So I finally was standing in 2nd row of Placebo. It was totally easy to get there from the side, after I first went to get a coffee to warm up (and this is called summer). I was very curious on them. I admit, I esp. wanted to hear “Too Many Friends” live. Actually I like Placebo immediately pretty well. Shortly after the concert had started, it started rainging though. Hardly worth to mention at this point, but this changed quickly. I had put on my rain cover, but it only helped partly. I didn’t wear wellies as mentioned and in the first moment I though “Shit! Please not!” Many did escape, opened umbrellas (sorry, umbrellas are a no-go :P). But splasing around in the rain and listening to Placebo I thought was great ^^ 1-2 times I shortly heard some thunder, but really see mbad. But there was a lot going on on stage. The technicians ran around like crazy, of course tring to cover and protect everything from the rain. It sure was pouring to the middle of the rain. I was wondering, how long it will take until they were going to cancel. Wasn’t exactly safe. Wind was pulling pretty strong on the stage covers. Security people seemed to get a bit nervous. And about half an hour show, the band was completley soaked, it was “sorry, we got to stop”. The security guys noded and applauded approvingly. Well, a shrug of the shoulders by me and off I went to Lo & Leduc at Waldbühne.
Lo & Leduc
They had a pretty big party going on already! All the Lo & Leduc hardcore fans, how I call them now, were obviously standing in front of the stage from the first minute and celebrated with the band during soundcheck. I was wondering if the concert would take place at all with these circumstances. There were streams going down the hill past the stage. Everything was totally muddy. I went standing as close to the stage as possible. Wasn’t too great with the view on stage from there, because the area sloped. But you were better protected from the wind and you could cope there pretty well.
Lo & Leduc. Kind of a little phenomenon. From one to the other day suddendly everyone was talking abou them. It seemed like that anyway. And there they released their debut album and immediately sold out Bierhübeli two times. My friend is endlessly raving about them. So I of course was curious. And the little storm shouldn’t stop me know. But I also was unsure, if I’d like Lo & Leduc, even though I liked the songs on the radio. So, the “soundcheck-party” was on. Incredible atompshere even with the rain, even with the wind and even before the concert started at all. Some started playing slide and were sliding down the hill through the mud [here my Instagram-Video]. It was a highlight and hilariously funny.
In the meantime Placebo obviously continued. But that was over for me. I really wanted to see Lo & Leduc. And what can I say? Incredible! Even with the mud and cold. There wasn’t anything but people seen on that hill. Everyone celebrated the band totally, sang along, almost went crazy. There were special guests (Manilio and Schmidi Schmidhauser) and it was a great show. They have great lyrics, are a super likable band. A fabulous final for Gurtenfestival! Here a Handy-Video as a small proof.
So Bastian Baker and Pegasus on the day before as well as Rival Kings on this Sunday were of course my faves. I can see them 20’000 more times, they never get old. But as my Gurtenfestival highlight I’d mention Kensington, closely followed by Lo & Leduc. Newly discovered and listened to for the first time. Totally exciting 🙂 And what was your Gurtenfestival highlight?
I am curious on next year!
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