You know, going to a festival alone sucks. I wasn't planning to, but my prospect companions all decided they'd rather be elsewhere this weekend. So there I was in green shirt, as usual, and exhausted and way later than I had planned, also as usual. But this time the exhaustion was worse. I blame the heat of the past few nights. I arrived at the festival terrain at a little past four. There would be a meetup at one at the merch stand, but when I got there I didn't notice anything of the sort. Probably everyone is already at the tent, where BM would perform, or looking around the Goffert park. I see a BM shirt pass by here and there, but nowhere a group of them sitting together which I could join. I walk around a bit, its still two hours until the show, so I need to find something to do or be this bored out of my skull for the rest of the afternoon. I contemplate sitting down somewhere between the mayhem and festival buzz and read a book. Partly because I want to kill time, partly to convince myself I didn't bring a bible sized book like War And Peace all this way just to weigh down my bag. On the main stage some Swedish band is playing. They sound alright, but not enough to compel me to join the crowd. Finally I decide to just go to the tent.
As soon as I arrive another band enters the stage. The name on the banner behind them reads "Abbath". I can't say I really care that much for their music, but I'm nothing if not easy to please when it comes to live performances. I manage to get into it quite a bit, but I'm still glad when the show is over. As some of the audience leaves, I walk forward. Finally I'll get to talk with some fellow fans here. I wind up in a conversation with a guy who tells me he went all the way to Ozzfest especially to see BM there. When I respond by saying this is my fourth time seeing them, he looks shocked and in disbelief. He then starts bragging about all the other concerts he's been to, one of which he apparently paid 1200 euro for. When I don't act impressed enough, he starts questioning my choices in music. "That was Amon Amarth who just played, don't you know that?" he says while facepalming. I kindly remind him he's never heard of The Flaming Lips either. "I think I'm glad I haven't" he responds. Ah yes, this must be that fabled open mindedness among metal fans I've heard so much about. He brings up my three previous concert visits again, "You know two of them are underage right? You can't do them!" I explain I have no such desire. "Well that Suzuka Nakamoto, I'd totally do her." "Really, I mean, have you heard some of their interviews?" I counter, desperately trying to steer the conversation in a different direction. "It doesn't matter, I'd still do her." Right. Jezus fucking Christ, is it time yet?!
While this real life comedy sketch is unfolding I look back, over the heads of the crowd. It's quite full already, and I expect it to fill up even more after Megadeth finishes their set. I was afraid there would hardly be any fans, seeing as they are still pretty damn obscure in the Netherlands, or so I thought. It's a sign of how insulated the metal community is from the rest of society. Not only haven't most people outside of it heard of any of the bands playing here, but I had no idea how much attention BM had garnered within it. The stage in front of us is quite primitive and we can see some of the backstage area from where we stand. When I, and many other as well, notice the trio casually walking by with their backs towards us our hopes are raised. Not long after we see the kami band taking their starting positions and soon enough the show is underway.
One hope is soon crushed, namely being able to stand near the front row without being myself crushed for a change. Nope. Although this is a festival rather than a solo, I soon feel the familiar sensation caused by the elbows of some Japanese bloke in my back, fighting his way to the front of the crowd. I manage to restrain myself from grabbing him by his shirt and shouting a well deserved "Doe normaal man!" in his face. He wouldn't have understood it anyway. Eventually I capitulate and move further back where I'm safe. However, my trusty sandals may be a perfect match for the weather today, they're little good for a metal gig, as I find out when someone violently steps on my foot, ripping a hole in my sock and almost doing the same with my toenail. Although it's a bloody affair, thankfully the pain quickly subsides. At least, until the exact same thing happens again.
Now you might think, reading all that, I had a terribly festival going experience, and for the most part you'd be right. But the thing is: this is BABYMETAL. I don't know how they do it, I really don't, but when the girls are on stage and the music's playing it's just impossible to stay unhappy for long. When their voices, which sound much more squeaky through the sound equipment than they do on recordings, go ooooh-ing full of joy I can't help but be affected. This is the fourth time I see them up close and by now that magical aura of the mysterious, exotic and intriguing surrounding them is gone. Their appearance and movements have become simply to familiar to me, although it may also have something to do with me not having to travel to a foreign land this time. In it's place has come a new appreciation of their talent, professionalism and on-stage charisma. All that is on full display this evening. Unlike at the Wembley arena the girls genuinely look like they're having fun here, with none of the reservedness displayed at that concert. From the moment they turn around during the DEATH opening, they look engaged with the audience. I guess this smaller crowd isn't as intimidating as the over ten thousand at Wembley. It also helps that they seem to hold this particular crowd in the palm of their hands. It's nuts!
To give an example: there are now much more interactions with the audience than there used to be. Gimme Chocolate is played, but the sing along part is skipped. Instead we are asked to sing along to Karate. At one point we are also asked to shout, then to jump, and so on. If you compare the response BM gets to that of the band that just left the stage, it's night and day. I'm surrounded by enthusiasm everywhere. This is especially encouraging when IDZ starts playing and, like in the olden days, the wall of death is executed too early. That tells me a lot of these people are new fans, or just people who came to see them out of curiosity and will leave this simmeringly hot tent as fans. I may be getting light in the head from exhaustion, but that thought brings a smile on my face nonetheless.
I don't think I've ever been sadder seeing them leave the stage for the final time. Of course it's a festival gig, so the set was short and the setlist was safe. The girls this time around show no sign of emotional disturbance whatsoever. Why should they: they absolutely nailed it! While this certainly wasn't the most enjoyable BM gig to me, it might just be the best performance I've ever seen them give with my own eyes. A quick see yuu sends them on their way. No attempt at speaking Dutch unfortunately, but you can't have everything. I feel tired and sad again as soon as I leave the tent, no after concert high this time. In the grass nearby sits someone who looks like /u/bouketenvoorde, but I'm not in the mood to go ask. In fact, I'm not in the mood for anything. I just want to go home now.
I have learned a few very important things today. First that I'm still not tired of BM concerts, which is good since I'm seeing them again this Tuesday. Second that that the metal concert experience might just not be for me. I have no trouble listening to some of it, after all my vinyl collection now includes Master Of Puppets and New Bermuda, something which would've been unthinkable before discovering BM. Most of the performances on display at the festival failed to seduce me though. Megadeth is playing in my home town in a few days, and while I considered going this experience convinced me I shouldn't. You see, I came there for one show and one show only, and that show involved tutus.
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