The Coke Live Festival
On the 22nd and 23rd of August took place the Coke Live Festival in Cracow. I missed it last year. I intended not to miss it this year.
But it started badly. I noticed on the previous Monday morning that they were serious traffic-jams in Katowice in the direction of Krakow. I won't say as usual. It was worse! So on this Friday, I chose another route to go back to Cracow by the northern way of Katowice. Bad decision! The 130 first kilometers were very easy. On smaller roads indeed, but without any big traffic. But my chance was lost by arriving to Katowice area! This town is certainly the worst nightmare in Poland in term of traffic... Finally: 200 km (30 less than usual), done in 4 and a half hours (2 hours longer than usual). Do not calculate my speed. It is not really glorious. But let's come back to our main topic...
So the Coke festival began in time, but I was late. So I missed "Hurt", Polish group on the main stage. But I was there for "Kaiser Chiefs" at 9 pm. Concert was fine, with good atmosphere. So, not bad... The only thing was that I did not know them too much.
The "big" appointment was scheduled at 11pm with "Timbaland". Well, I do not know him too much also. But as everybody was talking about him, I thought he was known. Indeed, it is true, that I recognized a few songs that are played in clubs. But frankly, this concert was so ridiculous!
A large black guy was moving on stage, screaming "ouha", "ouha" into the microphone, with a few "I love u Poland"! Furthermore, songs were played on the sound system, with anyway a guitarist on stage... For illusion? Young girls were heard but could not be found on stage. Well, it is clear that since he made songs with Justin Timberlake or Madonna, he is obliged to play a soundtrack. But the gestures and shouts, or even groans on stage were frankly pathetic!
After 10 minutes of agony, we moved towards the Burn stage where a nice DJ from Warsaw, "Madame Tinto", was mixing in front of an audience which could be counted on one hand fingers... Not for a long time because many people seemed to be disappointed with the performance of the "star of the evening" and the flow of spectators from the main stage to other scenes of the festival was impressive. I would even feel sorry for Timbaland... He apologized for his voice, saying he was sick. Yes, perhaps... Anyway, in my opinion, it was really a disaster...
The second evening started on the main stage with Marika, a Polish singer, whom music sounds a little reggae. Quite nice, by I was late once again.
The atmosphere of the festival was better than on the day before. The park of aviation museum was shielded on this day.
I was expecting something as worse as the Timbaland's "performance". Well, good surprise: he sang really and was more understandable then in his clips. Then he was accompanied by musicians and dancers as well. In short, even if it's not my favorite type of music, I enjoyed it.
Then came Missy Elliott... What about her performance... She was also sick... Is it enough to say this ? Pity, because it could be really better. There was rhythm, dancers, a lot of movement. But if she was able to sing at least one song till the end, it would have been better... Was she playing as a Hejnalicka?
Then the argument "I'll throw to the audience one of my shoes, but do not fight to have it" which was given several times, was quite boring. It was even a lack of respect for the people, who came to see her... In other words, it was better to go for a beer.
The festival continued but unfortunately, under the rain!
Despite of the heavy rain falls, the public was numerous and boiling hot for The Prodigy! No disappointment this time! For an hour and something, many of the classical of the band were played. Good atmosphere in the audience: it moved a lot, but fairly anyway. Even if I could also argue that a soundtrack was also played in back sound of few songs, Prodigy remains according to me the best performance of these two days.