1001 thoughts, things you think at a hardstyle festival

Lauren Bekker - 1 August 2019

A good hardstyle festival works better for us than a year of yoga, meditation or quite a few visits to the psychologist. It's a wonderful feeling to be able to clear your head to the beat of the music. But even at a festival, there can be a lot of things floating through your head. Thoughts about the weather, the toilets, the different stages, your friends or difficult questions like "What time is it?" and "What do you want to drink?", can distract you from dancing all day on hard beats. Recognizable?

1. The struggle of the perfect hairstyle

You’ve been busy early in the morning to perfect your hair while you already know that this will not last long. But still, it’s fun.

2. What should I bring with this unpredictable weather?!

You start checking the weather forecasts a week in advance. It’s not making sense, so you decide to take half your wardrobe with you so that you won't get cold in the evening. Afterwards it appears that you could have just left that pile of pants, sweaters, cardigans and t-shirts at home.

3. You just arrived and half of your friends need to pee right about now

When you finally arrived after the long drive, you still have to complete half of the to-do list. Half of your group of friends need to pee first and the other half will go to the lockers. Then you spend half an hour trying to find your friends again, not made any dance moves yet.

4. Wet sweaty backs

The festival can now really start, you and your friends are on their way to a perfect place to make this day a success. You walk into the hustle and bustle with your clean clothes and your haircut where some time has been spent and yes, you are half knocked down by a guest who is already sweaty, thanks!

5. Ready to rumble

Finally everyone is at the right place with a beer in their hand. Let's get this party started!

6. From left to right

But then ... you hear the MC shout through the mic: "Grab your friends and I want to see everyone go from left to right!". Hoooo, there we go. Yet we secretly like this.

7. After this track we are really going to that other stage

When you and your friends agree to go to another stage but bomb tracks are still being played. "OKAY, we're really going after this track."

8. The WhatsApp communication

This is familiar to all of you. You've just started exploring the site and you are planning to find your friends so you send them a message: “Where are you?” A friend writes back: “At the mainstage in the left center near the first bar and then about 7 meters to the right". You have a bit of courage, but with full confidence you start the crusade, how happy you are to find them after hours of searching.

9. The euphoric realization

You’re standing right beside your best friend, the music thunders through the speakers, the sun is shining, and you realize how nice it is to be here today. What a wonderful day, never going home again!

10. The attack of the fierce ‘hakker’

When you just got yourself a fresh drink, you have to go back into the crowd to find your friends and you walk past someone who is dancing as if his life depends on it and will knock over your drink. Thanks dude, where did you learn that?

11. The one friend who is always chatting with someone for 4 hours

That friend who is always talking at a festival and you have to remind him to enjoy the festival. Less talking, more dancing!

12. Being disturbed when the DJ plays your favourite track

And then finally, your favourite track comes on and during the drop that vague familiar someone comes to say hello: "Hiiiiii, how are you ?! Long time no see!!".

13. That friend who always wants to go to all the rides

When you are dancing, having a great time, but that one friend keeps pulling on your arm: "Would you please join us in the Ferris wheel ?!". That when after the party you see photos of him or her in the spider thing and you think to yourself: "Huh, was this ride there too ?!".

14. When you have a conversation with a nice boy/girl and he or she starts “Hee hooo'ing”

"Hee hoo, oh no!"

15. Everyone back together, the end show begins

And then the end show starts, wow! How well they’d put it together again, what a wonderful way to end this fantastic day!

16. The intense commotion when it ends

Kind of like an anthill, everyone goes back to the lockers in a large flow and you squeeze yourself through it, hoping that someday you'll find the exit again. Help?!

17. Off to the after party!

During the festival you have already discussed whether we will all sit down at somebody’s to discuss this wonderful day, because we are not going home yet!