Week 27

It’s funny to call this page ‘Weeks’ when really, I’m only ever living on the weekends. This time though, my weekend came early but is going away early too. Isn’t that a malaise with every week?

This weeks begins the start of my birthday month, my favourite month of the year. Back in India I loved July for two things – the monsoon rain and my birthday. I wouldn’t have thought that I’d have the same here but Denmark delivered with some beautiful thunderstorms, an absolutely delicious rain and breathtaking (literally) wind this week that continues to hold me in its embrace even as I type this.

July also marks the midpoint of the year, its a time that I use to be reflective, checking on myself and how things have been since the year began with all of its empty promises, or rather, my empty promises, but as with every year, while not much is gained, what is, is substantial.

Week 27 has been great not because of the things mundane that I usually love, but because of the things extraordinary that I’ve dreamt into reality. On Thursday I went to Roskilde festival to watch the Gorillaz and it was a beautiful day/night. It was wet, windy, cold, everything that I love at a festival.

Some highlights:

Carrying lipbalm with sunscreen, 2 types of sunscreen, after-sun lotion and a cap around on one of the rainiest days I’ve seen during my time here.

Red Cross to the rescue with 100kr rain jackets after almost being fleeced at the other ‘vintage’ cash grab stalls.

Discovering a beautiful band called Uld, who’s music felt like the name. It reminded me of Anna Ferrer, music that is very rooted into the earth even if I couldn’t understand the language, its the kind of music that I admire to the point of being religious.

Got scammed by a burrito stall – said barbeque protein, didnt taste the barbeque, the protein was soy, the burrito was so dry I felt like I needed a second stomach to digest the amount of fibre loaded into it. Made up for it with a burger after, the ‘burger’ had loose mince instead of a patty. This was after Agnes told me to ‘watch out for the amazing food at Roskilde’.

Heard Tarrak, a Greenlandic rapper, good energy especially with the other rappers he brought in, but killed the vibe with long pauses between songs just as we got amped up.

Watched BB Trickz and her school assigned project friends vibing in the back, swapped out into a tiny dress midway through her set and spent the rest of the time holding that dress in place, try and fail multiple times to get her friend Emma play the guitar while the festival tech messed up her sound so Emma had to go off each time and almost looked like she was going to cry, but when Kazi partied, it was a PARTY!

Chilled outside a pavilion and got entranced by the act inside – included what sounded like sea shanties, chants and bells, ending into an incredible crescendo. I didnt get to buy the artists’ merch or figure out who they were which was sad.

Waited an hour to get into the pit for the Gorillaz and it was worth every second, ended up on the rail front and centre. Got to hold onto Damon Albarn while he sang and see De La up close. Got some incredible photographs to match the memory.

Got back on the train and bus home watched Portugal vs Croatia on 3 peoples phones. Crashed on the couch and saw Goncalo Ramos score that incredible euqalising header on Jota’s death anniversary. Lived through whatever that ending was at 120 minutes of play time with Croatia’s offside goal being ruled out, an incredible ending to an incredible night.

Its days like these that make me realise how incredible my life has been. 20 years ago, we got satellite TV in my home and VH1 became a part of my morning ritual before we headed of to school. 20 years ago, Feel Good Inc came on and it was a song that made me feel like I had heard it before somewhere, maybe in another life. Ever since then, song after song, I have grown up with the Gorillaz and Damon Albarn being a staple from early cellphones and frankenstein PCs to Spotify and a gaming rig. If you would have told that child at 13 years old that one day I would be here, seeing this live, living this experience he wouldn’t have believed you. That kid chose to dream, and now I get to live it.