Photo Credit: Christian Hjorth, courtesy of Roskilde Festival
Friday was a big day at Roskilde. The big story was, of course, Jennie’s headlining slot on the Orange Stage, the first K-pop star to hold that honour. It was also a day when the crowds became noticably larger than the previous two days, likely at least in part because of hardcore Jennie fans making the pilgrimage, but also due to the fact that this was the weekend and so, naturally a lot more people had the time to come out and take in their dose of Orange Feeling.
It wasn’t all about Jennie though, with plenty of great performances throughout the day from the gorgeous harmonies of Melbourne’s Folk Bitch Trio to the beautifully intricate John Fahey-sequel guitar pieces of Gwenifer Raymond (who described herself in understated fashion as “historically OK at playing guitar” but less good at chit chat) to the sole Canadian act I caught at Roskilde this year – Cat Clyde. But the most memorable acts I saw on Friday were Getdown Services, the legendary David Byrne, and pop star Addison Rae, who put on one of the weirdest perfomances I saw all day. Maybe all week.
I know what you’re thinking. She’s a massive mainstream pop singer, what’s so weird about that? In comparison, Getdown Services are two shirtless blokes with moustaches singing songs about radiators and vikings while shouting absurd instructions at the audience. That’s weird, but it’s a very purposeful weird. It’s a weird I understand. A clever, silly weirdness that falls somewhere between Sleaford Mods, Ween, and Tenacious D.
Meanwhile, Addison Rae’s set, while impressive in scope and design (the new, updated Orange Stage introduced this year was set up at least in part to accommodate the increasingly massive productions involved in major pop tours, a pool from which Roskilde is more frequently drawing its headliners), just left me a bit puzzled.
Don’t get me wrong, she does put on a show. There’s a certain artfulness to it I suppose but it all felt very artificial too. Rae’s onstage persona and her exaggerated and rehearsed stage banter at at times almost like a parody of a big pop show – something about it felt a little off to me, a little too one-dimensional. Not to mention the fact that it seems like most of the time, she wasn’t doing any actual singing, just lip synching. And what was up with the blindfold, and the dudes dressed up like sexy mimes? Contrast that with Jennie’s set and, aside from the fact that I found the Blackpink singer’s music more appealing, her banter and stage presence felt more human and a little less staged. As Rae sang, “I’m so confused” during her song “Times Like These,” I couldn’t help but think, “Same, girl. Same.” Chalk this one up to “not for me.”
Of course once David Byrne started his set, just over at the Arena stage and right after Addison Rae’s show on the mainstage, I realized that I was loving it for many of the same reasons that I didn’t quite take to Rae’s set – It was staged, full of choreography and matching costumes – on the surface, Addison Rae’s and David Byrne’s had a lot in common, but to my eyes and ears, Byrne’s was much more artful. I guess it helps that I can relate more to the eccentric old guy singing songs I’ve known since childhood like “This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)” and “Once in a Lifetime” than I can to Addison Rae singing “Headphones On” but I suppose the kids who were grooving to Addison on the mainstage might feel the same way.
I guess what I’m saying is art is subjective and people like what they like. But from my point of view, Byrne’s performance had a tad more substance to it … ok, maybe a megaton more
