It is the season for festivals, and there is something for everyone. Some of them take place in the city, like puppets for children, jazz for someone not me and Peestortion for the young suburbia, to name a few. Others are wisely placed in designated venues. Of the multitude of offers, one is the only, for me: Copenhell. The rock and metal festival on Refshaleøen, the venue in the wild by the old B&W shipyard.
In chronological order, these are a few of my favorite things:
Getting there. Oh. Biking is recommended, with an easy ride ten
minutes from the city centre. From a certain point, the
streets were lined with signs, fences and helpful staff on every corner, guiding
you safely to hell (and back, even, they were posted there all night).
Easy access and plenty of parking. To the untrained eye, this may look like clutter, but it is in fact in heavenly order: all bikes are standing upright, and in groups pointing in the same direction.
For the bike deprived, there is a special bus: route 666. If you didn’t love this festival already..
Entrance greeting: A field guide of hand signs.
The giant 2000 m2 and 60 meter tall Fenris wolf mural, by Victor Ash, a Copenhagen-based French artist.
The hills, nature’s perfect seating arrangement. From here you have a prime view of the main stage. Trees keeping you safe, as always.
The Royal beer purse (thankfully a Carlsberg-free event). Saving time waiting in line. If only you could save up the trips to the bathroom the same way...
And then there is the crowd. In many ways a festival compares to a small society, with unwritten rules and standards that sets the tone. Copenhell to me,
is a perfect example of a healthy society. There is no aggressiveness.
Zero! No pushing, no yelling at anyone, no grabbing, no making anyone
uncomfortable, no matter how or where you differ. It is somehow
universally understood that we all share the love of the music in
common, and everything else is just left at the door.
Another thing that really touched me, was how they had made room for
people with special needs. Lining the side of the stages were
guarded and elevated platforms built for wheelchairs. The grounds tested by wheelchair users before opening, and special paths paved, for access. This is my kind of society: before all rooted in
human decency.
I caught an uncluttered moment of the setup. Wolf obviously approves.
A young metal fan on his father's shoulders. We come in all sizes and shapes.
Alice Cooper’s giant Frankenstein. A magic moment, can I please have it back?
A declaration of love.
And then the shitty sky had to burst. Of course it did. And no one told me that the rain poncho’s were sold at the wardrobe. Why did no one tell me? I had to pull out the backup camera. The one where it doesn’t matter as much, if it drowns..
Die hard fans lining up for the next gig.
Thank you, Copenhagen.
If this is hell, I'll see you there. Next year.
♥
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