Festival Season - The Old & The New

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Festival season

When I was younger, read: before I had kids, I was definitely looking forward to festival season kick-off every year during my party years. Not that we didn't go to great parties in the fall or winter, but because we did, there were quite a few nice parties during this period, to be honest. But it was not the same as going to an outdoor festival where you'd have holiday vibes all day thanks to the sweet weather and people looking like they're on a holiday partying hard. I think festival season in Holland kicks off when the short holiday breaks start somewhere in April, but correct me if I'm wrong because I'm talking about quite some years ago now.

A summer filled with great music festivals

As soon as the dates of certain festivals were announced, we would decide which ones were on our list for that summer and then we'd also know when we'd need to buy which tickets. Thankfully, this was usually a gradual thing, not an all-at-once purchase because these tickets would go on sale at different dates. During my years of partying all summer long, I have seen ticket prices increase a lot, and I know for a fact that some have insane prices now. I think with these prices, I'd not party as hard as I used to simply because the ticket is just part of the cost. You need to get to the location (often it was a long drive) so a train ticket or gasoline plus parking was in order, with some luck it was possible to share costs with a few others. And then there were the drinks and food during the festival. Although I always drank water (especially during these hot days in the burning sun) which was the cheapest option of all, drinks aren't cheap and you'd usually not be allowed to keep the lid on the bottles or get these annoying plastic cups with water. As soon as someone bumps into you, which happens a lot, it's bye bye drink.

The excitement towards the festival

I used to really enjoy watching last year's after-movies and listening to DJ sets from the previous edition to warm up for the upcoming event. Whenever it was a repeated visit, the goosebumps would be there when listening to the special sets as well as the light effects shown in the after-movies. I can still recall this feeling quite well. The excitement during the months towards the actual festival was half the fun, to be honest. When the day of the festival arrived, I was very impatient like a toddler waiting to go to an amusement park, haha.

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Qlimax 2007 - Source

So many memories

When I watch the after-movies or live sets of one of these festivals that I visited many years ago, I can still remember some specific moments when the beat kicked in and goosebumps appeared. Not only that but also the feeling of unity, people being there for the music, strangers smiling at each other and nodding at each other when you are one with the music.

There are also bad memories, lol. Like being burned like crazy just the first hour of the festival not wanting to carry sunscreen, or not being allowed to carry it inside because the rules could be quite strict, I remember.

I've been too tired to stay to the end many times, having to wait it out until the last dj left as the people I came with had to see the final set. I've been sick halfway through these festivals, I've been hunting for lenses on the beach within the first 30 minutes after arrival (not mine, lol), I saw the good the bad, and the ugly at these festivals but the overall feeling I have looking back on my party days is that I made fun, and I lived.

These years helped me find myself and learn how to let go of everything going on in real life, totally being drifted away by the music. I learned to dance to harder styles of music that I never thought I'd learn to appreciate until it was introduced to me properly. Some tracks still give me goosebumps every single time I hear them, often bringing back memories of the good old days. I learned to shake off the shy part of myself and danced as if nobody was watching me.

When looking for images to use, I bumped into this article on "How to prepare for the upcoming festival season", and reading it brought up so many good memories, it's all true, I guess most festival seekers or previous party go-ers know the feeling!

I wish I could go back in time just once!

Today, I'd not feel this free anymore, I have seen the bad in people, and my natural response to new people is to expect them to suck. Nowadays I'm open to giving new people a chance, this wasn't the case for years, but I wish I could be that person again, who liked people by default. Always saw the good in them instead of noticing the bad. Back then, I didn't master the skill of reading someone's eyes, I only looked for hungry eyes, I admit that I was a huge flirt, lol.

I was always in a relationship though, but I sure loved the attention I got at these festivals. I felt so happy and free no matter who accompanied me to the party. I had some bad company too you see, but that could not take away the thing I came for most: dance until I couldn't stand on my feet anymore.

If only we could go back in time to feel the exact same way we did back then, I wonder which festival I'd pick to go back to. There are so many good ones. Maybe I'd pick one that I wasn't part of for some reason to make another bunch of memories for later.

Why did this come to mind?

One of the clients my boyfriend was speaking to started about a festival here in Spain, in our province even. And when that happens, we start to dream a bit, could we go there? How would we do it with our daughter as this is not just a few hours of babysitting but needs some longer assistance etc. We explored the option a bit to see if this could be a possibility because there were a few good DJs coming to that festival.

And then you go back to reality, you see that the drive is quite far, do we trust someone that well to keep an eye on our daughter while we party quite a bit from home? Something could happen and then we aren't home in 30 minutes. This is when I think it's not an option until she's some years older and I have a good network to count on. We're not there yet. So for now, looking at festivals and after-movies is more about dreaming back about the past, and hoping to have one more in the future.

A little picky in terms of music

If we end up going to a festival, it will have to be one with the music styles we both appreciate though because my boyfriend also appreciates music MUCH faster and louder, which would give me migraine attacks immediately nowadays. I never liked the overall hardcore scene, I didn't fit in but I did love some other harder styles, too bad they are usually heard on the hardcore festivals only. One example that made me listen to some other styles than hardstyle was this one:"

Ophidian is an artist if you ask me. This track mixed into so many dj sets giving me goosebumps again hearing it. If you hear this one live, you can't not appreciate the form of art he created.

I once had my ex-boyfriend talk me into going to a New Year's party like that, I had no idea what I got myself into until I arrived there. I felt so out of place whenever I was waiting in line for the toilets, I was the only girl in the group too so that didn't help either, lol. Funnily enough, this was with just a few people and my current boyfriend was the driver, and this party was right up his sleeve. I spent most of the night hoping for the time to be over and swearing I'd never visit a place with that sound limit ever again. I should have taken earplugs with me, I was ignorant though, and probably damaged my hearing that night, it was that bad!

Exploring events

Currently, I'm checking out the events of the area that are already announced by date and with artists to see if there are any options to visit even if it's not any dance music but more mainstream. We could use half a day/night out to enjoy some quality time with good music. Let's see if it happens though, so far no luck within a reasonable distance.

Anyway, I enjoyed diving back in time and dreaming about possible future events. I'm curious did you enjoy the festival season too? Maybe in the past, or current? What's your favorite music style when you go to a festival?

Thanks for stopping by!

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5 comments
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How nice are those time travels through musical memories, I love to do them and to remember... because it is living.

I loved it @thisismylife
Thank you very much!✨

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It is so nice and often I force myself to have a trip down memory lane by listening to certain music. Too many memories that should not be forgotten!

Thank you for stopping by, it's much appreciated!

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From serial festival enjoyer to after movies. Darn, that is a big change.
But with (little) child and all I imagine it is indeed much harder to find some great outing that is worthwhile. Espacially when not 100% sure about babysitters and all.

Great you exploring options when they arise. My advice if I may: Even a few hours is already super nice. For years I went out to festivals, clubs etc for just a few hours. To have a drink, and taste the atmosphere, while hearing good music over an excellent speaker system. This was after years, perhaps a decade full of parties, festivals, clubs, indoor festivals and whatnot. Now, after about 3 decades, I still go to some of these festivals, and clubs. Not often anymore, plus I select mostly those 3 to 5-day festivals that feel like being on vacation. No kid on my side, so I don't have to deal with that, making all this much easier. Sometimes I do wonder when I stop going to these events. Perhaps I need a few decades still. Rollator and all, here I come {LOL} My favourite music on such events? For proper goosebumps, specific styles are under the Techno category. I would say, the more artsy styles. This can be from melodic to super deep. The latter is my preference. Though the melodic side of things is best to have a break for the mind. But I also like other styles to have a break from all the deep stuff, including but not limited to 80s disco, some styles in the house genre, chillout (but not the mainstream chillout though), and even breakbeat, drum and bass and those types. Though hardly anything that is loved by mainstream these days triggers me. Hence, even in NL where we have tons of festivals, it is quite hard to find those ones that really make me happy. That said usually am already happy when I enter the terrain, regardless of what is inside the gates. A big contradiction in terminus. Ah well, when tagging along with great peeps, any place can feel good ;)

I do hope you succeed to find a way to get some festival vibes any time soon. Even if it is for a few hours ;)

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The serial festival enjoyer was quite some years ago. At some point, we were facing very hard issues and lost everything we had so our life has been quite basic for about 7 years due to financial troubles. No way we could afford tickets for these festivals anyway during these years.

I did have two great experiences when we lived in Budapest, I was bold enough to ask for free tickets if I'd write a review about the Andrea Bocelli concert (not a festival, but definitely an amazing experience from my bucket list) and received 2 tickets for free on the second row (not cheap tickets).

The other one was a Brian Adams concert on a square for free, it was super busy but I found out 3 hours before the concert and managed to find a few friends to go with me. This was also one of the artists I always wanted to see perform live one day. And again, for free!

When we moved to Budapest, the only thing on my bucket list was going to Sziget but the first year we were still trying to keep our head above water and then the pandemic hit the world so it was canceled. And last year we moved back to Spain in May so too bad, I never went to Sziget. Will try to make this up by finding something here this summer though!

I honestly think that right now, a few hours will be sufficient for me, lol. I don't think I could be there from start to end anymore and would just pick to go during the best DJ hours nowadays.

The great thing is, last Friday I asked the girl who tutors our daughter if she's open to babysitting her during the summer instead of helping her with school stuff so she can keep earning a bit and we have some moments together finally after 7 years and she agreed.

Things seem to be finally changing for the better in terms of being able to go out and find a decent festival, we'll start by going out in the evening a few times though, to see how it goes before I even consider staying away until deep in the night, I guess.

Thanks for your long comment, I loved reading your festival experiences!

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