Gurtenfestival 2013
From headliners Volbeat and The Smashing Pumpkins to new discoveries Goose and Bastille to personal favorites Hurts and Triggerfinger, this year’s Gurtenfestival had it all. Jen and Anna spent a happy four days getting rained on and boiling in the heat, taking pictures and talking to bands, letting out an undignified fangirl squeak when spotting Hurts singer Theo Hutchcraft backstage (Anna) and bouncing up and down as if on springs when excited (Jen).
Musically, 77 Bombay Street lifted us up, Triggerfinger got down and dirty with gritty blues-rock riffs and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club exuded laid-back Californian vibes. Volbeat activated our best headbanging skills and Kosheen lavished us with hypnotic basslines. Bastille delighted the audience in the glaring sun, The Black Seeds brought New Zealand reggae to the masses and Reptile Youth were wonderfully insane. The Drops weaved beautiful melodies and We Invented Paris mixed tuneful tracks with bold sonic experiments. Hurts triumphed with songs old and new, as bombastic and grandiose as ever, the only truly irony-free synth-pop band of this millenium, and all the better for it. Goose blew the roof off the tent with incendiary electro-rave beats and Cachét calmed things down, folk-pop style. me.man.machine boasted towering musicianship, Imagine Dragons banged their indie-rock drums and Emeli Sandé showed off her considerable vocal chops.
Interviews
Jen chatted to six bands about - among many other things - the Eurovision Song Contest, the wonders of touring China, swimming in the Rhine, living above a French fries factory, and appearing on television in a live battle with a rapper.
Have a listen to the interviews again here:
Photo Gallery
Anna ran from stage to stage to snap pictures of as many bands as possible - and here are the results.