The anticipation is palpable when the gates open at Tempelhof Sounds in Berlin on Friday afternoon: the first festival guests flock to the site, which has been lovingly furnished to explore the food stands, merch and stage areas. It doesn’t take long before Bilbao start their performance and ring in the weekend with catchy pop melodies.
With ice cream and fruity cocktails, a cold beer and snacks, guests stroll leisurely between subsequent acts such as My Ugly Clementine, Trixie Whitley and Balthazar. Some of them relax in camp chairs, others shelter from the afternoon sun under the umbrellas provided. From there you can sit and eat relaxed without having to withdraw from the festival hustle and bustle or miss an act. For Sleaford Mods, however, a particularly large number of people are drawn to the stage, because only a few want to miss the furiously poetic set in the East Midlands dialect of the post-punk electronics.
The Libertines: As free as ever
The last adjective one would once have associated with the Libertines – professional! – is the first thing that comes to mind after their performance early Friday evening. They start the show at exactly half past six. A thankless slot, of course, especially for a rock band that likes the night and the spotlight better than the sun and daylight. So after the up-tempo opening (“What a Waster” and “Up the Bracket” in quick succession) they adapt to the more leisurely vibe of the crowd and play mid-tempo tunes like “What Katie Did” or the beautiful “You’re My Waterloo”. “. Pete Doherty sings as confidently as he has in years, his lead parts clear and sincere; he enriches his harmonies with pretty gimmicks. An imaginative, beautiful performance to match the strong album he released this spring.
In the second half then the big, even bigger songs: “Can’t Stand Me Now”, “Horror Show” and – as a final one-two punch – “Time for Heroes” and “Don’t Look Back Into the Sun”. . The sun hasn’t set yet, it’s actually too early for these songs, but they still work, they’re unsinkable, and now the audience is also showing energy, dancing in mosh pits. Then it’s over, the band bows arm in arm and leaves the stage at half past seven sharp.
It immediately sounds folky on the left: Mighty Oaks tune into their set and after almost an hour show their gratitude for the many visitors who cavort in front of their stage to sing along. On the right, on the other hand, gloomy sounds darken the mild summer evening: Molchat Doma open their performance with a touch of Gothic ethos, which also appeals to the Berliners, who have come to the festival in colorful party gear.
Festival memories are made at Florence + The Machine
As the sun slowly disappears behind the airport building, it’s time for Florence + The Machine. A master of epic performances, Florence Welch strides onto the stage in a flowing lace gown, making flower-crowned fans in the front row whimper. Barefoot, Welch dances and sprints across the stage for the next hour and a half. “I am no mother, I am no bride, I am king” – there is no doubt about that tonight.
For “Dog Days Are Over” she introduces the audience with many “first-timers” to a ritual that has already become a tradition at her shows: please put your smartphone in your pocket, tell the people standing by how much you love them and this moment, especially after everything that has happened in the last few months, just enjoy it to the full. The spectators, who have now almost all gathered in front of and around the main stage, don’t need to be said twice and danced until the encores “Shake It Out” and “Rabbit Heart” brought an all-round successful Friday to an end.
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