Impossible to share everything I have experienced and seen in those three days – it’s a whirlwind of impressions, music, people, sun, too many to count them or list them here.

There were so many different bands there – I think that’s what will stay with me the most. I got to hear music I’d never have been exposed to otherwise, since Sibylle and I managed to hear almost everyone who performed.

All acts:
Smartship Friday, Patrice*, Asian Dub Foundation*, Die Fantastischen Vier*, Open Season, The Skatalites*, Orishas*, Lovebugs*, Tricky, Saybia, Hell Is For Heroes*, Skin*, Starsailor*, Massive Attack*, Greis & Friends, Saïan Supa Crew*, Adrian Weyermann*, Moloko*, Farin Urlaub Racing Team*, Röyksopp*, Shirley Grimes*, Anouk*, Jimmy Cliff*, Alanis Morissette*, Stress & Band*, Danko Jones*, Absolute Beginner*, Earth, Wind & Fire, Elvis Spectacular*
(*heard)

For most acts we simply sat somewhere in the grass (whenever possible in the shade, because all three days the weather was amazing – and way too hot), relaxed and listened, but for some we went into the crowd and partied.

Those we saw in the crowd (pictures thanks to studiSurf.ch:

Lovebugs – the most famous band from Basel

Skin’s was by far our favorite performance – she totally blew us away! I loved how she wasn’t afraid at all of getting in touch with her fans, and she kept the right balance between joking with us (and flirting outrageously with us girls *g*) and making great music. Have decided to become a fan and get her album! 🙂

I’d been looking forward to Moloko’s performance – but after Skin we were just so exhausted that we left the crowd for a shady spot soon after they started their set.

I wasn’t so sure about Massive Attack at first (“TripHop – what the heck is TripHop?”), but it was a great latenight performance. If only my back hadn’t hurt so bad – but I did make it to the end!

Anouk was someone I’d been looking forward to hearing, because I had a feeling that I’d like it – and I sure did! Sibylle and I both rocked to her sound and I’ll definitely get her CD from the library to hear more.

Alanis’ performance was the last one of the festival and one of the highpoints. She doesn’t interact with the fans much, but her music is so great she doesn’t have to! I think every woman needs to own “Jagged Little Pill” for angry times – and listening to the crowd (including myself, of course) screaming and singing along, I think every woman does… 🙂

Not so great was the sheer mass of people – 45 000 meant that it was simply too crowded, specially when you were looking for a shady spot, and I was very disappointed when The Cardigans couldn’t come due to a car accident in Germany. But by far the worst was that the campsite was booked out, so that our tent was on the side of a hill, surrounded by teenies that were loud, obnoxious and generally made for two horrible nights.

After the first night we were glad to leave the festival grounds and go into Bern for some grocery shopping (we lived off bread and fruits, basically) and wonderful quiet time at the river Aare. But really, it was an amazing experience, and I can easily imagine going again – although then I might look into alternative sleeping arrangements… 🙂