Woodstock attracts young Europeans, like a huge magnet. This year, it got me as well! With my knowledge and expectations -having been at other festivals- I knew better this time… at least, that’s what I thought. I camped a little further away to get away from loud tent neighbors. But that didn’t quite go as planned. Because following my lead, some other festival visitors came who seemingly didn’t want to let me have my hermit existence and celebrated loudly. Guys, for real: There was a polish Underground-Dupstep-Tent right next to me… with a disco ball and a light machine.
But festivals aren’t organized for sleeping. The people which accompany you and the cool people you will meet there are definitely worth going to a place like this where anarchy rules. Next to the Hare Krishnas and catholic priests, all trying to save my soul from hell, I saw tons of Free Huggers, guys with horse masks plus boys and girls bathing in paint..Oh and – best thing ever – someone in a knights armor; a real one!
But even the average festival visitor had something to offer that you might call Body Art: Tattoos, no matter how cliché or awful they were. I’ve never seen that many horrible tattoos at one place.
While I didn’t know most bands but still enjoyed many of them, there was this one concert I was excited about: Manu Chao! Really, he was the reason why I took that overcrowded train from Lichtenberg where there were absolutely no democratic rules at all to come to Kostrzyn. Him and his band were worth all the starlit nights, in which I was attacked by 10000 mosquitos.
And then it was time – Saturday – 00:00 o’clock straight on the mainstage. There he was. And even though he’s become kind of old, he’s still got it! The audience – about the number of inhabitants of a medium sized city- danced right from the start. Everyone including me took off their shirts and partied together to the Spanish ska.
There were flags hoisted everywhere swinging to the beat of the music and many stage divers managed to surf through the sea of people – more or less. It was phenomenal. All our favorite songs, from “Me Gustas” to “Welcome to Tijuana” and “King of the Bongo” were played.
In between there were announcements about peace and against the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, matching to the festivals motto “Peace and Freedom“, which took place from 31.07. to 02.08. There was one flag that stood out in the sea of flags. A Polish one, saying pokój (peace).
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