While in Budapest, I met up with two colleagues of mine at the Sziget music festival. The festival is a FULL WEEK of music, variety shows, good food, and loads of different activities.I arrived at the festival site at around 11 am and, as I wandered down one of the many paths (the concert is held on a wooded island that is a park the rest of the year) I heard the call of a trumpet. As a child following the Pied Piper I picked up my pace and pranced towards the pure sound, only to discover...
Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club® in the midst of their sound check. Since the music programs didn't start until 3pm, and most of the campers were still sleeping off the antics of the previous day, only about 50 people were hanging out to hear the sound check at the world music stage. Not only was it the friendliest, fastest sound check I've ever witnessed, but just as the full band prepared to run a partial song, and the bandleader signaled for them to start, something unusual happened. The brass section was playing a different song from the band leader...he tried to stop them, waving his arms wildly, until he realized they were playing Happy Birthday! It was the band leader's birthday and the small crowd that had assembled all sang happy birthday, in a few different languages! After that, even though the sound check was done, the band played two full songs for those of us hanging around. It was an AMAZING start to the day!
Knowing that once I met up with my friends we had a packed schedule of bands to see, I decided to grab an early lunch. I've never seen so many healthy options at a festival before! There were fruit stands where you could buy pints of berries for about $1 USD, several vegetarian options,
and loads of traditional Hungarian food.I opted for the traditional Hungarian. Passing up the opportunity to try "Rooster Testicle Stew," and for a much more reasonable price than you would ever find in the states, I got delicious roasted, spiced vegetables and an spicey hungarian sausage that was too big for my plate! It was all freshly made in large skillet.
After lunch, I met up with my friends and we saw the first main-stage act of the day - MISS PLATINUM. I can only describe her as "Balkan Hip-Hop in a Dirndl." She is a Romanian refugee living in Berlin and has a great repertoire of upbeat songs - many involving FOOD! My favorite song, the one she started off with, called "Give Me the Food" made me so happy I could not stop smiling about it all day. Her back up brass section (including a Tuba!) is called ... something really clever that I can't remember. Anyway, FANTASTIC show.
We spent the rest of the day winding through the various tents and attractions. There was Civil Sziget - with local and international cause organizations and literature; there was Accessible Sziget where they had activities that challenged you to do everyday activities with a "handicap" such as navigating a ramp maze on a wheel chair, or paint without being able to use your hands; there was the Magic Mirror where we saw a great variety show at the end of the night...there was so much to do and see that I know, by spending only one day there, I missed alot.
Finally, twice we hung out at the blues tent to see Tom White - a Hungarian Rockabilly artist! His show was great - especially when he covered Michael Jackson's "Black or White" in Rockabilly Style - which shouldn't have worked but did with the audience going absolutely bonkers!
So what's the talley? I saw German Punk, Romanian Hip-Hop, Hungarian Rockabilly, Cuban Jazz, British Pop (Ting-Tings) . . . the most amazing, diverse concert I've ever been to! Absolutely incredible! I think I may have to go back next year...
