I totally need to write this shit down before I’ll forget forever, and I don’t want that to happen… even though I’m tired as all hell and I’d rather sleep. But I won’t! I’ll at least try and make a start.

Thursday
…was a good, warm day. Olli and I did some last minute housekeeping and cleaning before Brenda arrived at 3-ish and we waited together for the others while sitting in the garden. The others (Marco, Tijs, Kat and Derek) arrived around 5.30-ish, perfectly on time to leave with the whole group. We were with two cars and Olli had procured walkie-talkies, which made for some very clear communication (in which I acted as TomTom) and some very lame witty comments on the state of things. We didn’t get caught in many trafficjams (a bit of slowness around Rotterdam, but to call it a jam might be going too far), had a bite to eat at the McDonalds at the border to Belgium, and finally arrived at a genuine trafficjam in Dessel. Yeah, the same one as last year. It was a total deja vu there. We got a good parking spot though, got ourselves bracelets, and then went to find a spot at the camping. Ack, that was a hassle! We’d finally found a spot and then when we were already halfway during setting up camp we were told by the stewards we couldn’t stand there, so we had to move again.
Please note that it was getting dark at this point, and sweat was gushing off our bodies in the oppressive heat – even at that point.
But eventually we had our camp standing, we had beer, and all was well with the world. (Even though we heard the news about Michael Jackson, which was weird)

Friday
…started out bright and early. Brenda, Derek and I were up early so we went to see where we could shower. Turned out we needed coins, which we didn’t know where to get. The place that was supposed to sell them didn’t open until 9am and of course WE were there at 8.20am, so that sucked. Eventually we got into the shower by bribing the stewards, and we cheerfully showered and then got in line to the supermarket to get some breakfast. By the time we were at the tentcamp again it was approaching ten, the sun was beating down on us, and we had breakfast in the blistering sun. We decided to check out the festival terrain early, and since the place opened at noon we were among the first few people on the terrain. Looking back at pictures, it was still so lush and fresh!
Because we were so early, we could get settled in the only patch of shade on the terrain, near a tree. Which is exactly where we plunked ourselves down, and where we watched Buckcherry (which wasn’t all that exciting). Firewind was in one of the Marquees and while it was not a bad show, the tent itself felt like a firewind too, so we left quickly. Having seen Dragonforce once before already (and Samael couldn’t really do it for us), we halfway during the show decided that fuckit, it was way too hot… we were going back to the campsite. This meant that we’d miss out on the Gathering… but in the end I wasn’t THAT psyched to see them with their new singer. We hung out at the campsite and boozed it up, and also found out that Killswitch Engage had cancelled, which was a major bummer.
Initially we had wanted to go back for Blind Guardian (Tijs and Derek) and Static X (the others), but we were way too chilled out boozing it up at the campsite, and didn’t go. The only thing we did get up for eventually was Dream Theater, and DAMN am I glad we did! The sound in the Marquee was crystal clear, they played tightly and enticingly, and the wankfests they have a tendency to go on didn’t bore. It was a brilliant show, and it definitely ignited that old love that I used to have for them in… what, 2001 or something? After the show we were all psyched – we had our first good gig at the end of the day, now the festival had REALLY started! So we celebrated by drinking more beer… unsurprisingly.

Saturday
It’s funny how fast things are blurring together already. Saturday we could sleep in a little because the day started very overcast. We were up at 10-ish, I think? I had my shower, and Olli and I went for a hearty breakfast at the 24 hour tent, where they had these huge baguettes and milk. We were a bit later at the festivalsite this time, but managed to find a spot in the shade anyway. From there we watched Black Stone Cherry, which was enjoyable, No Use For A Name (very fun! punky and stuff) and Mastodon from more in front, which were good. By this time the sun was still merrily beating down upon us, and there was beer involved as well, so I might have been slightly inebriated. As were the others. We made lots of silly and fun pictures.
After that, we went to check out Parkway Drive, who had the whole Marquee going like it was no tomorrow, despite the heat. It impressed them as well. “Carrion” was a huge hit – of course. I had a lot of fun at the gig and walked out drenched in sweat, even though the sounddepartment was sorely lacking. They sounded like ass, even though they must have been playing well.
Hatebreed didn’t really interest us that much. I really like two of their songs, but the rest of their music is mostly grinding, and isn’t that melodic or interesting. And after Parkway Drive I was ready to be wiped up anyway, so after a couple more beers we returned to the camping for some well-deserved chilling out and gearing up for Slipknot. Some of the people had an even more well deserved shower, others (like me) just lazed about, chatted, and were relieved to see the sun lose some of its intensity. I have to say though that by this time we were pretty boozed up.

And then it was time for Slipknot. Hooray! Bren and I managed to get pretty much in the front areas, where we rocked out muchly. Corey wasn’t as good voice-wise as I’d heard him before, but their show was great. They played Eyeless pretty quickly, which made my concert – and a lot of other great songs that really got the crowd going. But oh, the end of the concert… their encore consisted of the intensity of Surfacing (which made my concert even more, that song just gets you going) and then, of course, Spit It Out. Should have known, they always do this. And remember the ‘jump the fuck up’ sequence from the Heineken Music Hall gig? There is this moment where Corey asks everyone to sit down, and when he says ‘jump the fuck up’ (it’s part of the song) then everybody will jump. And while that was cool in the HMH, here at Graspop EVERYBODY sat down. EVERYBODY as far as I could see around me, to the back, way to the back. I get goosebumps again just thinking about it. It was so awesome. And then the word came, and everybody jumped and cheered and danced, completely let loose. It was magical, seriously. Audience mood GOD SMACKING.
Brenda and I staggered back to the group, hand in hand, delirious and with shiney eyes. Turned out that Derek and Ol went to the front as well, and they enjoyed it as well… the rest had hung back and weren’t as impressed, but maybe it’s just something you have to understand, Slipknot. I know that Olli, Bren and I understand. And so does Graspop.
Afterwards, I felt wrung out and either hungoverish or slightly sunstroked/dehydrated, so I went to bed immediately. I slept like a baby.

Sunday
started off overcast/misty once again, which made it easy to sleep in till 9.30. I still went for a shower, sticky after the night/day before. It remained somewhat overcast until noon, which was fine with us. We just took it easy at the campsite until we went to the festival terrain at noon-ish. And from there on there was this flurry of concerts I saw. August Burns Red (of which I should really download some stuff, they sounded good. No wonder my Last.fm keeps insisting I would like them), then Scar Symmetry (I’d downloaded some stuff of them earlier, because I knew they are from the same record label as Soilwork and In Flames, so should be good – and they’re pretty interesting… two vocalists!) and then what I’d been waiting so anxiously to cross off my list of Bands I Really Should See One Day: Trivium. And damn, did they rock! They started out somewhat slow and it was hard to stay interested because of the oppressive heat, but halfway down their set they found their stride and began playing more of the Ascendancy album, and from there on it took off. They ended with my personal favourites A Gunshot To The Head Of Trepidation (which is a live favourite), Rain (during which the bassist actually was standing in the middle of a moshpit, PLAYING the song) and my alltime fave, Pull Harder On The Strings Of Your Martyr. By this time, I should say, my undies were completely drenched. With sweat, you dirty minded people! Although that cocky bassist guy was pretty hot Anyway, Trivium was all I hoped they would be and more, and my day was made.
We only had an hour to recover, because then it was time for All That Remains. Which was fun, but hot and sweaty, and the sound quality sucked. The band was more than ready to go home, this was their last gig of their tour – and that was noticeable. I was impressed with Jeanne’s backup vocals next to her basswork though – she gives that chick from Arch Enemy a run for her money. And oh, the singalong at This Calling was glorious. The whole metaldome chorused along, it was very pretty.
We had a quick discussion with the group afterwards whether we wanted to see Disturbed, but most of the group had seen them live already and we were all so wrung out that we went back to the campsite. I had a shower there (second one of the day) and a badly needed change of clothes, Olli had a nap in the shade next to the tent, and we all drank gallons of water and had a few smokes. Disturbed sound really good from the distance; they played all of their hits. After naps and chillage were done and the sun was lowering itself on the horizon, we went back to the festival terrain and sat in the grass watching Nightwish with mild interest (at least, my interest was mild, haha) and having dinner and beer. I like their new singer, her voice is a lot lighter than Tarja’s and easier on the ears.  Then it was time for Children of Bodom, but Olli and I really weren’t in the mood. We wanted some ‘us’ time with the two of us and ended up drinking beer and watching Sick Of It All, which was a shitload of fun. Yay for hardcore punk! It fit our mood much better.
Eventually it was time for the closer of the festival, Marilyn Manson but… it wasn’t interesting at all. After three songs we were bored and we went to the 24 hours tent for beers and chats and quite frankly, we had the best evening of the whole festival. Joking, boozing, taking pictures. We were all pretty tired but I think we all shared the sentiment that if we’d go back to the camping and go to sleep, the festival would be over. And nobody wanted that. Then at some point Brenda reported after a toilet break that they were playing really good music in the Metaldome – they were playing Sabaton, Pantzer Batallion – and we sprinted over there (I kicked over someone’s tray of beer in my hurry *coughs*) but we arrived too late. Thankfully, there was still lots of good music to be had, and we ended up dancing the night away until 4 freaking am. We had a brilliant time. <3
The last song we stuck around for was Slipknot’s Duality, after which we dragged ourselves back to the camping, to bed. And then at 8.30 we got up, broke our tents down, and went home (which went surprisingly smoothly btw!).

And that concluded Graspop. I’m positively blackened with tan now, tired as fuck, happy and recharged for a new life to begin and already wanting to go back if I look at the pictures on my Picasa gallery.

Can I??

Filed under: Festival, Journal, Love, Pix