More than four hundred artists will perform in Schijndel during Paaspop this weekend. And those artists all have their own wishes and requirements. Gijs and Ilya must ensure that the stars are not short of anything. The most crazy requests come by: from puppies to bizarre photos. On Friday everything hit: a white Mercedes was ready, but it was not in the right color and so the organization had to arrange a black one.
Gijs de Louw and Ilya van Rossum proudly show the artist village. They want to tell everything about the riders, the demands of the artists, but without the name of the stars.
Base
For the fifteenth year, Gijs guides the artists on Paaspop. “In the past they mainly wanted drugs, we no longer do that. Now the WiFi is the most important thing. No WiFi is a bigger problem than no drink.”
Fifty changing rooms can be found there at the Schijndel festival. Eighteen of them are for the A-stars. “In principle, they get everything on the Rider.” Then come the B artists, they get the basic plus an extra item. The C artists have to do it with only the base.
Artists get this standard
Soft drinks, beer, wine, fruit, chips, towels and Easter eggs. And of course a chair, table and mirror.
Most artists want this
Ginger, lemons, proteines, alcohol -free beer and a bank.
The list above shows one thing: artists go for health. “Ten years ago it was drugs and alcohol, now it is fruit and healthy bars. Everything to keep going.”
Misconduct
The craziest demands this year: a photo of former police spokesman and television personality Ellie Lust in the dressing room and a squeeze pig. But on Friday Gijs didn’t know what he heard. “For an artist, a white Mercedes was ready to be brought to Paaspop. But the color was not good, it had to be black.” Immediately arranging a new one was impossible and so the artist had to board.
“But for the way back we have arranged a black Mercedes,” says Gijs. His right hand Ilya has had crazier requests. From hair clips to puppies in the dressing room. “We try to do everything they ask, nothing is strange.”
Drugs and women
But real puppies go a step too far. “American artists often ask that because they are used to in America. Then they get a puppy from the shelter, take a picture with it and put it on social media. This way the animal shelter gets attention.” But they are not waiting for that in the Netherlands. “I then put a cuddle dog in the dressing room.”
“I don’t do drugs and no women,” Ilya says laughing. What she doesn’t just say ‘yes’ is a USB speaker and telephone charger. “I don’t do that. It is bizarre if they want to have a new charger at every show. Otherwise that is for artists from abroad who do not have the same chargers as here.”
And anyone who thinks that a photo of Ellie Lust is weird, the question for a photo is more common. “For example, some artists want a photographed photo of themselves with a certain fame.”
Chef
Blue M & Ms is a myth that Ilya punctures. “I have been doing this work for 25 years and the question for a specific color M & Ms has only happened once. That was because that artist was sensitive to certain dyes.”
And in addition to the dressing room full of goodies, there is also a special restaurant with a chef for the artists. “It makes about a thousand meals a day. The biggest challenge is to meet all dietary requirements,” says Gijs.
In the meantime, Ilya is busy opening the dressing room for Kensington. What would she put on her own Rider? “Dr. Pepper. At every festival an artist asks for a few cans, I only have to buy them per 24. The rest is for me,” she laughs.