As mildly traumatic as it is waking up in 5 layers of clothes in a state of humid confusion surrounded by a tent and the nonsensical conversations of your neighbours outside, there’s something reassuring about the situation: you know you could only be at a music festival, you somehow managed to get some sleep and that the sun is now up and it’s time you were too.

My Saturday at Oppikoppi went a little like this…

  

Any day’s gotta be a good one if it starts with a marching regiment of pipers and drummers – these guys were great, appearing somewhere out of the depths of Mordor and stopping near the entrance to the festival area where they performed a bunch of traditional (“the band will now play The Flower of Scotland“) and not-so-traditional (“the band will now play the Game of Thrones theme”) songs to the delight of the general bystanders.

Afterwards I took a short walk around the outskirts of Mordor – unfortunately I didn’t have time to explore further (and if I had I might’ve seen the legendary naked run)…even the little bit I saw was enough to grant its hardcore inhabitants massive respect in my book – I couldn’t survive out there for 4 days and frankly don’t know how they do it year after year…they make em tough up north, that’s for sure.

  

  

  

  

  

Surviving a day at a festival seems to go the same wherever you are – if it’s hot you basically find shelter (preferably near to a stage, or a bar) and chill till the heat abates. This was my general strategy, though I still did a lot of walking – there was just so much to see and do everywhere you went, it was amazing and actually verged on overwhelming.

Saturday day-time activities I witnessed/engaged in included a morning yoga session, a free recycled-costume-making workshop, an eat-this-burger-in-the-time-limit-and-it’s-free challenge (spoiler: both participants lost, there can be no winners with burgers that size), lengthy conversations with strangers while waiting in the endless line at the smoothie stand, a hoodie-for-pizza trade (very pleased about that one) and an exclusive sunset party with Taxi Violence up on the Windhoek deck as well as performances by Southern Wild, Al Bairre, The Circle View (US) and Livingston (UK).

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

Felix Laband over on the Red Bull Stage and Black Cat Bones on the main stage ushered in the sunset before Tweak’s big reunion show truly kicked off the night filled with great sets from Original Swimming Party, AKA, Tatran (Israel), Nonku Phiri, Desmond & The Tutus, Sannie Fox and Nomadic Orchestra to name a few. The night belonged to main stage headliners PHFAT though – their set was super slick and the combo of choreographed extras (in their usual creepy guise) and effects (the large screen drop was perfectly timed and the visuals were great) really were of an international standard, even though things almost threatened to overwhelm Smooth Mike when he donated his shoes and shirt to the crowd before stumbling into the video dolly as he  made his semi-naked exit (before returning a few minutes later in a suit).

I didn’t stay for the whole set but heard the rest of it from the tent – Lights out proved to be a pretty good a lullaby.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

 

  

  

 

  

  

  

  

  

 

– – –

Shot for Texx and the City – see the fb gallery here and read the festival review here

PHOTOS FROM DAY 1 over here

PHFAT  |  Desmond & The Tutus  |  AKA  |  Black Cat Bones  |  Al Bairre  |    Tweak  |  The Circle View (US)  |  Nomadic Orchestra  | Tatran (Israel)  |   Southern Wild  |  Sannie Fox  |  Livingston (UK)  |  Nonku Phiri  | Original Swimming Party  |  Taxi Violence   |  Kid X  |  Sibot  |  Okmalumkoolkat  |  Tuin  |  Konrad Kuechenmeister