Saturday, April 17th 2010
10:00: I’m facing the challenge of finding replacement bands for Candlemass, Shrinebuilder and suddenly Black Math Horseman as well. Apparently, they arrived in London, but their original flight from LA was canceled. Luckily I can offer The Machine a slot at Roadburn).
Many ‘burners will be interested to learn that originally we did ask Brant Bjork to open the Main Stage (there was a lot of speculation about this on Friday). We learned on Saturday morning that he and his band mates would not make it in time. Due to commercial chauffeur safety laws, their driver was prohibited to get behind the wheel again until 15:00. The last thing we wanted on top of everything else was a road accident.
10.30 – 11:00: The lovely Comus folks walk into the loading dock and I ask them if they would be interested in doing a second show. After all, their performance at Roadburn on Friday, April 16th was one of the highlights of the festival, and there was a real buzz surrounding the band.
The band is interested, and immediately everyone starts discussing the possibilities. Unfortunately, ferries have been booked and one of the members needs to get the train to Berlin. As the band begins looking into other possibilities to stay, eventually I tell them not to reschedule their journey back home, just to be on the safe side.
11:15: I’m trying to get Goatsnake or Thorr’s Hammer to do an extra set, as well as trying to get hold of Electric Wizard through Will Palmer from Rise Above Records.
12:00: Deadline for the announcements. Nothing’s been scheduled except Mother Unit! I’m officially freaking out!
12:10: All hell breaks loose: Dixie Witch, House of Broken Promises, Sourvein and Paul Webb of Outlaw Order can’t make it to Tilburg. All of their flights have been canceled. In one fell swoop practically the entire line up for the Afterburner’s Green Room is canceled!
12:15: Electric Wizard can’t make it on such a short notice. Well, it was worth a shot -the same goes for Goatsnake and Thorr’s Hammer. I’m getting really desperate and running around like a headless chicken. Joep, my fellow promoter at the 013, talks some sense into me, and I head to the production office to start making more phone calls. On my way I bump into Victor Griffin from Death Row.
I ask if he’d like to do a second, extended set, and he agrees! Death Row will be opening the Main Stage, replacing Candlemass. Next I run into Magnus Pelander, who has some questions about the rehearsal room. I ask him what he thinks about having Witchcraft play the Main Stage instead of Shrinebuilder. Magnus agrees with a smile!
Then, as if acting purely on instinct I call Matte from Sound of Liberation: he steps in and gets Karma to Burn to replace Yakuza, and Jex Thoth to open the Afterburner (or did I ask him already on Friday? I really can’t remember).
Eyehategod - Roadburn 2010 by Achrome Moments Photography
I also get in touch with Tony Boden, Eyehategod’s tour agent, and he helps arrange to have Eyehategod headline the Afterburner. The band is in good spirits and would have been at the Afterburner anyway to play as Outlaw Order. They had such a blast on Thursday that they are more than willing to help out. In the end, Eyehategod plays a 2 ½ set at the Afterburner, and it proves to be one of highlights of Roadburn 2010.
I see the Church of Misery guys walk into the artists’ lounge, and they are really happy with my invitation to play the Afterburner. So is Orange Sunshine.
Hang on, what just happened here??? I managed to secure the Afterburner with an almost entire new line up: Jex Thoth, Orange Sunshine, Church of Misery, Graveyard and Eyehategod.
Not only that, I’ve sorted Witchcraft, Death Row, Karma to Burn and Mother Unit for Saturday. Yesss!
13:30: We are working against the clock to spread the word about all of these last minute changes. We start handing out flyers at the door and at the Midi Theatre -the amazing 013 staff is working like mad to get the news out to everyone. It doesn’t occur to me that there are perhaps some painful clashes, like Witchcraft and Horisont.
14:00: I’m losing it! The rest of the day is a blur. I manage to catch a little bit of Sons of Otis, Nachtmystium, Mother Unit, Garcia Plays Kyuss, Jex Thoth, and Enslaved/Shining. Unfortunately, I can’t begin to process what I’m seeing or hearing let alone thinking or feeling. As the mighty Entombed put it, “I’m a wreck!!!”
I’d like to personally thank each and every one of you: bands, staff (Jurgen and all at the 013 venue), promoters, press, friends and ‘burners alike for sticking with us. Your compliments, assistance, quick handshakes and reassuring pats on the shoulder were what got me through all of this. It has certainly been a remarkable edition of the festival and something that I will remember for the rest of my life. Well, that parts that I can remember, that is. Please excuse any timeline inaccuracies or omissions, I tried to recall all of the events as they actually unfolded. And thanks again. See you next year!
Tags: Roadburn, roadburn 2010, Roadburn Festival, Roadburn Festival 2010
This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 21st, 2010 at 3:12 pm and is filed under 2010, Festival News . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
http://www.roadburn.com/2010/04/roadburn... #rb10
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Roadburn versus the Volcano Or how I tried to beat Eyjafjallajökull and almost lost my mind PT.III: Saturday, Apri… http://www.roadburn.com/2010/04/roadburn...
RT @roadburnfest: Roadburn versus the Volcano Or how I tried to beat Eyjafjallajökull and almost lost my mind PT.III: Saturday, Apri… …
RT @roadburnfest: Roadburn versus the Volcano Or how I tried to beat Eyjafjallajökull and almost lost my mind PT.III: Saturday, Apri… …
@roadburnfest Walter Vs. The Volcano: Walter Won! #rb10 Amazing festival and hour-by-hour heroic efforts to keep on track! Thank you!
[...] reading: Roadburn-versus-the-volcano-or-how-i-tried-to-beat-eyjafjallajokull-and-almost-lost-my-mind-pt-III Share and [...]
All hail Walter & co. Conquerors of vulcanos
[...] reading: Roadburn-versus-the-volcano-or-how-i-tried-to-beat-eyjafjallajokull-and-almost-lost-my-mind-pt-III Share and [...]
Thank YOU for your excellent work despite all the problems. It turned out to be a great festival after all! The next Roadburn will be a breeze after this.
Roadburn was just as good as if nobody had cancelled and Walter did an amazing job of holding it together with four days of brilliant music!
Walter you have fought against the volcano and you win!
RB 2010 has been AWESOME!!!
I knew you could do it, you did a hell of a job Walter! And I might have been way on the other side of the ocean I was secretly supporting you all the way!!!
Hope to be able to be there for next year!
BIG HUG from both me and Chris
Walter and Jurgen, nothing but the BIGGEST RESPECT for you guys and your team!
(And, with a management skill like this performed, you should all go into politics and save this country!!!
Me and my friends already talked about what a nightmare this must have been for you guys, this gives us the picture. But still, you did an amazing job, even though Jesu and Shrinebuilder cancelled I had a fantastic festival with lots of great performances. You did the best you could, and it was pretty damn good. Keep up the good work, hopefully next year you will be able to enjoy the festival properly again.
Too bad Thorr’s Hammer and Goatsnake didn’t want to play a second set, that would have been friggin’ awesome.
Roadburn was fantastic, you’re a hero walter!
Thanks so much for all the effort!!! You and the rest of the Roadburn team have done an amazing job in incredible hard circumstances. BIG respect!
Really lots of respect, you guys managed to organize a superb festival even when volcanos erupt and headliners can’t come. This was my first Roadburn but it was also my best festival experience ever!
You know what? I didn’t noticed how fucked up tyhings were until I read this! Poor guy! Well, anyway, your welcome for the quick handshake we had
You’re my hero as in terms of organising events! They don’t teach that at the SCW study hahaha. Hail to you mate! Next time we’re really gonna have a drink together 
Cheers,
Pieter
Excellent work under hard circumstances. I’ve been to too many festivals where the cancellation of just one or two acts meant you had no clue anymore about which band would play when. On Roadburn Friday felt slightly messy, but on Saturday the new schedule that was handed out at the entrance was 100% right.
And as I wrote in the KindaMuzik review: it turned out that there is something to say for the format that accidentally developed where less bands play more sets too.
Hey Walter,
Thanks a lot for again an excellent festival. Roadburn is as much about the vibe as the bands. I experienced a lot of energy and excitement because of all the changes in the line up.
respect+++++ Walter,
I knew it was bad, but this was really bad.
Darcy suggested we could all get volcano tattoos to commemorate this momentous occasion.
Who’s in?
thank you walter, you are really really a great guy…
richard
Just for you, Walter:
http://www.greektube.org/index.php?Itemid=2&id=69886&option=com_content&task=view
I hope you & Esther make it to Greece for a nice relaxing holiday.
And if not Greece then maybe one of our lovely Waddeneilanden? Lekker dichtbij, geen vliegveld gedoe!
Cheers,
Leslie
First of all, thanks for this nice event and you did a wonderful job!
I have seen and both missed so many bands…
The atmosphere was sublime and everything was pretty good!
But since I said the above, I want to say the following as well (this is not to bash anyone!)
Why we pay so much for a ticket and than have to wait at the midi theater to get inside, this feels kind of ridiculous.
Personally, as I stated before, I think this festival is getting a little too big. Please leave the midi theater out next year and go back with the 013 and v39, that was perfect!
So this way we don’t have to miss as many bands as I did this year.
Oh and please leave all those metal bands (Nachtmystium, Sarke, etc.) at home and concentrate more on the Dutch scene, many fucking great stoner bands around here!
All by all a very nice festival, though I have to say I have my doubts about next year… Hope it does not get bigger again!
Fuck the vulcano!
This was my first Roadburn and i want to tell
you Walter and all the Roadburn guys
that you were amazing. This edition was epic
and even some of the band didn’t play my festival was incredible. i want to come back
next year and my only worry is to find the ticket!!
much respect from Italy
p.s. To Lepu MIDI was amazing and without it
and the bands who played this edition should have suffered of more and more problems (i remain out only for ASTRA) but if you went a little bit earlier you always finded a place inside. i like to walk from 013 to midi and i hope that next year it will be back with us.
To Mattia:
I know what you mean, but when you are checking one band in the 013 and then have to speed up just to get on time and have a place inside the midi, there’s something wrong…
You should be able to walk into any of those places (013, midi, v39) any time you want to.
Hey Walter (en alle andere medewerkers van Roadburn)!
ik kan je niet genoeg bedanken voor een te gekke Roadburn editie!
ondanks alle troubles heb ik weer de tijd van m’n leven gehad!dit festival is het belangrijkste evenement voor mij in het hele jaar!dat begint met in afwachting van de line up bekendmaking,en het kaartje kopen,en dan nog n half jaar ongeveer zenuwachtig worden tot Roadburn!
ik vind het kei jammer dat je zelf weinig hebt kunnen genieten van je Roadburn,vanwege alle stress,wat n nachtmerrie voor jou.
Ik had nooit gedacht ooit nog ‘ns Thorr’s hammer te zien,of Yob!mijn droom kwam uit!
en Eye hate god op de afterburner was in een woord : GEWELDIG!
en nog zoveel andere te gekke bands!en de sfeer is zo fijn,t beste festival ever.
duizend maal dank!
Lins
I can agree with you in general but
regarding this edition for me the matter was that this Volcano mostly hit the Main Stage
because without Candlemass Shrinebuilder Jesu…. (and the time schedule changed) many burners prefer to dislocate in the other rooms and MIDI was the most attended (i don’t know why but for example even during Triptykon the main stage was not completely full).
the same of you it’s happen to me for Green room where i could not enter for three times (i still don’t know who were playing) but i think that with the normal conditions everything should go in a different way and everybody can go inside the room who prefer without “sold out”
I know what you mean, but since the main stage got hit by the vulcano (sounds doomy ey), the other stages were affected by this as well. I said this before, don’t wanna bash anybody (I had a great time again, and did/didn’t see many bands.) But the shitty part is just that you have to wait to enter the midi, since this dude was standing in the entrance with a hand meter (or how you call them)… And in that way you didn’t even get a sound of the band playing, while you will hear a sound when this happend in the 013.
This year and previous years I never had any problem entering the green room, the batcave or the main stage (only one time when church of misery played in the batcave 2 years ago, and they choose to let earthless play the main stage, because of the packed batcave with C.O.M.)
But cheers to RB 2010 and let’s see what 2011 holds for us, hopefully more doom, stoner and psychadelic stuff and less black metal (Nachtmystium, Sarke, Enslaved, etc.) and kind a likes!
Yes!
Walter and Roadburn are fully responsible for bringing Sons Of OTIS back to Europe after 10 years, so if anyone over there enjoyed it, please send your praises to him and also to Koos and everyone else who made it happen.
Our two sets at the MIDI THEATRE were absolutely the most fun I’ve ever had playing the drums. Sons of OTIS would like to thank everyone who came out and everyone involved in the production of this show…
And to anyone hating on the MIDI, well, acoustically and visually it was the best venue at the fest. I sincerely hope that next year’s fest includes the MIDI. And if you can’t get in ’cause you spent too much time watching main stage stuff or whatever, don’t blame the theatre or promoters. Promote your own fest if you think you can do better.
Peace.
-Ryan/OTIS.
Thanks for the support Ryan. We loved having you on the fest! J + W
Fantastic job, Walter.
I know I suggested to you to find a location in a city with more accommodations before, but you were right: with a dedicated crew like 013′s, you can make anything happen.
yobster: Last year my friends and i stayed in Eindhoven. It was only a short 20min ride on a train, drinking a few beers and talking shit..
..it’s a breeze.
Walter: kudos to you for organising a monumental event despite the magma erupting!
Walter & everybody else involved.
Many thanks! Despite all the shit you had to go through, you once again confirmed that Roadburn is one of the best festivals around. The organisation as well as atmosphere are unique (even though it has become such a massive event). And to all the bands involved: thumbs up for playing their asses off.
See you next year!
Guy / Goddeau Magazine
@ Ryan: I did really enjoy your 1st show! And the Midi has some good shit for sure (sound, food, etc.) but it’s just to easy to miss a band (or only catch a few minutes of the last song) when those security fella’s stand to clock at the entracne and you have to wait 15 more minutes.
That’s just easy about the 013, you can check every band for sure.
But nonetheless, a great show and a great festival!
Fantastic festival and indeed Walter & co did a great job despite the cancellations. Actually I saw more bands this year’s edition than ever before. Glad with the second chance to see
Eye Hate God, Death Row, Jex Thoth e.g. !!!
One of the most diverse Roadburn line-ups ever in 2010.
From stoner to jazz, singer/songwriter to doom, black metal to folk and drone to heavy metal. Did I miss something? Damn where else you can watch so many great bands? Looking forward to 2011
It sure made some compelling reading. Hope you are well.
You did it ok man, no-one could have done it better…it’s a pitty I couldn’t make it to some bands still but what I saw was fucking great and you will have a goo deal of us from the basque country in 2011!!!!
Doom on
Walter & Jurgen, if I was gay I would have totally fallen in love with you. I’m almost sorry to say that I’m not gay, but nevertheless I still love you guys!
Hope to see you next year without a nervous breakdown, but banging your head on more crazy doom, stoner, sludge and psychedelic black/death/folk/jazzmetal. Comus and Shining were not only the highlights of Roadburn nor just highlights of this millennium, but highlights in my life.