Man Up! It's a Festival!!

You could have complained about the distance getting there. Then again, is the one hour drive from your parents FAR enough?

You could have moaned about the cold. Seriously? If you’re Capetonian, four season’s (with added Parmesan cheese please) is practically a norm!

You could have groaned about the endless walking over treacherous terrain. What were you expecting? A beach holiday in Thailand?

This is a festival…..MAN UP!

If anything, Synergy Live taught me to “grow a pair”. From basic camping with little to none at all lighting,  bathroom facilities that’ll have you “knuip” your way to a bladder infection, or the full force of intoxicated narcotic laced festies. You have to remember one thing. You’re there for the music.

Oh, and there’s carnival rides….SCORE!

I’m one of the few that actually love both the electronic scene equally as much as the rock.  And always feel pangs of guilt if I’m jamming too long at either.  It’s like sharing the love between your children…or favourite chocolate flavour. Synergy showed me a perfect method of embracing my two loves though.  Mainstage during the day is far more festive and relaxed. With acts like Al Blair, the cuties of Beatenberg, festival regulars Taxi Violence, the quirky Mr Cat and the Jackel, and SA’s newest hottest band Shortstraw, you could easily find a perfect spot on the grass and rock away. Jack Parow’s set is always a crowd drawer. And nearly cried when having to depart after hearing Francois Van Cokes husky voice shouting through the crowd.  But as the sun set, the party moves electronically.

Maybe because you can appreciate the efforts of the laser lights…ala Grimehouse…or the beats flow more freely than Jagermeister shots through the ground to the sound of Niskerone’s drum and bass set.  Nothing beats that moment of silence before a PHFat set! But the international acts at the Redbull stage was probably why most attended. Feed Me and Foreign Beggars gave our money’s worth.  But we love our SA dj’s too!  Do Work Records showered us with a 3 hour, non stop, orgy of Leechi, RVWR and the legend himself, Das Kapital!  Because sitting is just not an option! Passing out, however, will be accepted.

I did manage to tear myself away from the hypnotic beats of the electronic stage, and the sweating bodies, mostly the sweaty bodies had something to do with it. To see the Mainstage’s international of Everything Everything.  Sadly a small crowd attending, which was sad, because the more people, the more body heat. Pretty glad I stayed for them. Not too familiar with this band, I left smiling ear to ear. Professional is the only word used to describe this act.  Flawless in key, and great with the (minuscule) crowd. I wish everyone had seen them too!

Let’s not forget Mainstay Beach Bar. If a faux beach on a dam (this still confuses me) is your thing, go for it…but deep house is always this tiny stage’s attraction. Plaigarythm is one of my favourite, and glad I got to dance so close I could stare him into an awkward “security get her out of here” moment. But with a surprise twist at the end of the 3 day festival, Mainstay turned into a stomp fest!  Because trance is EXACTLY how you should shake off a weekend hangover!

Oh, there was comedy and those not-yet-discovered band stages too. Not as big in attendance, but well situated in the PATH to the camp sites.

Well played Synergy….well played.

SYNERGY LIVE 2013: The Crotch Camera Edition

After video: Here is a look at what went down, if for some reason you missed out…