Sniffing The Grass: A Lowlands 2010 Warmup

Just a few more days and it's time to close the summer in style: Lowlands is about to kick off. Many stages, many bands, many beers, theater and lack of sleep. And lots of choices to make. There may not be a lot of big headliners but this means there are many bands to check out and discover. Just the way I like it!

Friday



Triggerfinger will open the festival on the Alpha stage which means we will go full force right away. Oh yeah! After that time to relax and chill with Jaga Jazzist and sad songs from Frightened Rabbit. The first major cross road of the festival has arrived. Maybe Broken Bells, although their album holds just as many weak as strong songs. Or Ok Go that have great videos but what can they do on stage? Or check out the promising Band of Horses? Or maybe a bit of all?

After their great performance at Rock Werchter I sure will check out Balthazar and after that hopefully be in time to catch a bit of Ginger Ninja. No jónsi for me although everyone is raving about his music. It just gets on my nerves. I probably will join all the teenagers at The Kooks.

Uhoh! More tough choices to make. Party with The Specials 80s style? Or check out the hot new band Tame Impala? Or chill and dance with Groove Armada? And maybe close off with some Flying Lotus? Although it's not really my cup of tea he's still related to Coltrane!

Sure a busy start of the festival!

Saturday
Dutch singer/songwriter Tim Knol's career rocketed this year and although I don't like that genre too much I'd like to check it out. But he's starting at 11.45am so I may not be awake yet. Maybe other Dutch newcomers Daily Bread can wake me up with their catchy garage rock. I'm sure And So I Watch You From Afar will since they rocked us earlier this year. Time to party with Dutch rapper Typhoon as he joins one of my big favourites New Cool Collective to tear apart the Alpha stage. Hopefully The Soft Pack will do the same with the nearby Charlie stage.

I'm sure Admiral Freebee will give a killer performance again after that. Maybe see a bit of Marina and the Diamonds because people talk about her in a good way. I missed them on Rock Werchter but this time nothing won't keep me from seeing The Gaslight Anthem. No time for a quick snack because a friend insisted I should go crazy with The Bloody Beetroots before it's time to dance with LCD Soundsystem probably for the last time.



There will be a lot less dancing with Beach House but hopefully they are able to surprise me and send me off partying for the rest of the night with happy thoughts.

Sunday
Oops! Another early Dutch singer/songwriter Blaudzun kicks off today. Not sure if he will see me but Go Back To The Zoo sure will to wake me up partying! Time to choose again with guaranteed quality band Moss or African sensation Staff Benda Billi or the good vibes of Surfer Blood? Or even My Favorite Scar, not because of their music since that's not really interesting but just to see an old class mate on stage. He probably won't recognize me anyway from when we were 14.

Time to rest? No way! Yeasayer are playing the Grolsch stage and surprised me on Rock Werchter. At the same time Alain Johannes will rock the Charlie and maybe Josh who is playing later on will show up as well? The National probably made the album of the year and I really don't want to miss them. So sad since The Drums are playing at the same time and deserve a nice crowd as well. Maybe a bit of both. I don't think I like Die Antwoord but everyone keeps saying this will be the gig everyone will talk about.

Time to eat I guess although Delphic and The XX are playing but they aren't exactly must-sees for me. I'd rather show up on time to dance with Hot Chip before rocking with Placebo. Or maybe check out Two Door Cinema Club as well? I definitely want to see a bit of Sleepy Sun and to be honest a bit of Fool's Gold as well. And I will sure close the festival in style with heavy rockers Queens of the Stone Age.



I don't know if I have a bit of energy left in me to party any longer after that. But with this killing schedule sleeping and eating needs to be overrated anyway. Reviews are coming when I make it through this weekend alive.

As usual Tbeest has a great rough guide as well with links to music and video's. It's in Dutch but anyone should check it out: part 1, part 2, part 3.