Life moves in circles. And if the only thing that is constant in life is change itself, there is a delightful sense of irony in finding myself writing these words today. Sure, a lot has happened in the last five years: The jobs I have worked, the places I have lived, the projects I have completed, or the goals I have reached… Yet here I am, broke all the same, with no clear idea of where my life is headed, let alone where I shall be in a month from now.
Just the same as I was, five years ago, right before I attended the infamous, most talked about Roskilde Festival for the very first time!
Words: Freddy White
Photography: David Grant
But that is a fact: Things change, and a lot has changed over the course of these last five years. Sometimes, some of these changes are harder to accept than others. Although I first heard the news several months ago, it sure took me a while to actually come to grasp with this new reality, and I am sure every Roskilde regular struggled just the same: In 2018, Street City is no more, and if the Festival has recently announced its full line-up of artists and headliners, there sure as hell aren’t any rollerblading shows on the schedule this time.
My time in Roskilde involved quite a few hangovers, many nights in tents and fucking intense nights. Friendships were formed, some amazing blade shows performed. I saw a couple of mediocre gigs, and attended too many great shows to name: Five years sufficed to create memories for a lifetime. Attending the Festival also involved creating one website, writing two and a half books, and producing two dozen articles and Live Updates for Be-Mag. More importantly perhaps, this holy campsite saw the birth of the Cayenne Project, from inception to ignition.
Many valuable lessons, I have learned along the way. Passion, dedication and hard work are all values deeply embedded into the Festival’s DNA, and there is inspiration to be found there, too. If Roskilde has taught me one thing though, it is that change is to be embraced. In nearly 50 years of existence, the Festival itself has come a long way, gone through many setbacks, overcome many challenges, and undergone many facelifts. Up and down, over and out… If I may quote this song once made famous both by Sinatra’s Voice and Joe’s Blading: That’s just life.
Adapting to new situations instead of staying stuck, fixated on old plans is probably key to living a happier life indeed. So in order to truly honor the Festival’s spirit, let’s move on and carry that Orange Feeling in other areas, in other places. With the return of sunny days, a glorious summer is right around the corner already, and there are many reasons to be excited about this one! It might be different, things might have changed, yet soon enough I will be on my way up to Denmark again, visiting some RAD friends and having a blast at this year’s Copenhagen Blade Days.
Things come full circle indeed, and so has my life. Still broke, still without a definite plan in life, yet as passionate as ever, all the more ready for yet another summer adventure full of surprises. I am no exception, either, and soon enough we shall meet somewhere along the road: Sharing campsites with like-minded people, shredding the sesh with fellow bladers from every corner of the globe, making our own festival everywhere we go. All thankful for the great times and memories Roskilde has brought us, and all ready for the next five years too!
Visit David’s personal website here: www.dgrant.dk
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