About the author
It’s that time of the year again: 5 Days Off is right around the corner. In my opinion this awesome electronic music festival doesn’t need an introduction anymore. For those of you who can’t afford a passe-partout big dilemma’s are in store. What nights to attend?! That’s where I come in. I’ll guide you through the options and help you make that hard decision. I do want to emphasize on the fact that this guide is based on my personal taste completely and therefore isn’t objective at all.
Day 1 – SBTRKT VS. WHOMADEWHO
SBTRKT, The Field, Koreless, Falty DL, Dorian Concept, Presk, Redhino @ Melkweg
Escort, Nick Waterhouse, WhoMadeWho @ Paradiso
I saw both Hot Chip and LCD Soundsystem in concert once. It would only makes sense that I also really like WhoMadeWho with its lead singer’s falsetto voice. I also love busting some disco moves now and then, and Escort is the living proof that disco isn’t dead. BUT! The Paradiso line up just doesn’t compare to the greatness of SBTRKT. Producer Aaron Jerome created a completely new genre by mixing dubstep, 2-step and chicago house. A golden combination, evidently. This genre together with the amazing voice of singer Sampha makes me an intense addict. Last October SBTRKT rocked the house in Trouw, and now the Melkweg has its turn. If SBTRKT isn’t enough to convince you, Dorian Concept with his electronic jazz/fuck/hip-hop sound is a nice bonus!
SBTRKT ESSENTIAL MIX by sbtrkt
Day 2 – JEFF MILLS VS. THE GASLAMP KILLER
Sleigh Bells, Charli XCX, DJ Sandeman, Jeff Mills, ROD, Aron Friedman, William Kouam Djoko @ Melkweg
The Gaslamp Killer, Hudson Mohawke, Kutmah, Krampfhaft, Jameszoo, Lunice @ Paradiso
This is a close call. The Gaslamp killer is almost as energetic as his afro. So energetic that he had to cancel his set that I bought a ticket for a while ago because he had a burn out. Together with some Dutch heroes such as Jameszoo en Krampfhaft he will fill the night with catchy hip hop, dubstep and electro. I can totally understand that people will drool over this line up. However, the Melkweg sounds a tiny bit better in my ears. Jeff Mills is a techno legend and will celebrate the 20 year anniversary of his label Axis. His sets are energetic and long, and sometimes he mixes over 70 records in one hour. ROD, the alter ego of Benny Rodrigues, represents Benny’s tech-side instead of his better known more mainstream sound. Together with Aron Friedman this mix between dreamy deep house and hard techno this is a night not to miss!
Aron Friedman @ Trouw Op Zondag | 27-3-2011 by Aron Friedman
Day 3 – OSTGUT TON VS. GOMES
Monolake, OstGut Ton: Ben Klock, Steffi, Ryan Elliott, Tama Sumo, Tobias @ Melkweg
Circus, Doctor P, Cookie Monsta, Brown & Gammon, Roksonix, Gomes @ Paradiso
This night isn’t even a dilemma at all. Mosh, the dubstep night of DJ Gomes, will host a crazy dubstep party in Paradiso. If you like a lot of hard WOBAWOBWOBS this is your night. I don’t particularly like this hard dubstep though, and with what the Melkweg has to offer this night, the decision was made within a second. An OstGut Ton night, the label of famous club Berghain, will come to our town. This means real Berlin techno! I believe this night will be legendary. The music speaks for itself and if this doesn’t convince you, I don’t know what will.
Monolake – Alaska by ericstein
tobias. live at berghain 9.7.11 by Tobias Freund
Day 4 – NOISA VS. MADEON
Noisia invites: Black Sun Empire, Phace, Hybris, Alix Perez, Posij, Zero T @ Melkweg
Madeon, Huoratron, Henzel & Disco Nova, Chagall & Bronstibock, Le Le, Vic Crezée, Russ Chimes @ Paradiso
The 17 year old Madeon has earned himself a spot in the electronic music world after remixing a Deadmau5 track. His poppy house style is lovely, Henzel & Disco Nova are great for your dose of hard electro, and Le Le is creatively funny. However, I’m a fan of diversity. We’ve had techno and dub2stepchicagohouse already. All that is still missing in this week is some drum & bass! And if we’re talking drum&bass, what’s better then a ‘Noisa invites’ night? All names is this line-up will make you get up on your feet and go crazy, even if you don’t want to! Need I say more?
Day 5 – DMZ VS. GUI BORATTO
Digital Mystikz (Coki & Mala), Loefah, James Blake (DJ set), Joker, Kode 9, El-B, Oneman, Benny Ill, J Transition, Ben UFO, Artwork, MC Sgt Pokes, Mc Crazy D + special guest @ Melkweg
Gui Boratto, Applescal, Nuno Dos Santos, DJ contest winner @ Paradiso
For me, this night is the biggest dilemma of all! When the DMZ night wasn’t announced yet I bought a Gui Boratto ticket. This evening is now sold out (so I guess unless you already have ticket this night is out of the question anyway), however I don’t know whether I made the right choice. Dubstep isn’t really my thing, however DMZ is more mellow and I honestly love anti-war dub. And let’s not forget, I have a very important question I still have to ask James Blake, the man of the daring, minimalistic, slow, hypnotizing music with carefully placed silences and a bass that makes your whole body vibrate. Nevertheless, Gui Boratto is one of my personal all-time techno heroes and blew my socks off at Melt! Festival last summer, so I’m sure it will be one hell of a night wherever I end up.
gui boratto – iii (album preview) by experimedia. Uploaded with Scup
My advice? At 5 Days Off you can’t really make the wrong choice if you at least visit two nights. But be quick with buying your tickets before they sell out! Be aware, if you party 5 days in a row you’ll probably have a hangover that is just as long, but I guarantee it’ll be worth it. Don’t forget to check out the 5 Days On program as well. It’s pretty nice to look at some art at day time. In fact, I think it might be the best medicine against your hangover!
5 days off
When: March 7th – 11th, 2012
Where: Melkweg and Paradiso
Tickets: Passe-partout €88,- Single tickets around €20,- Festival membership €4,-
Website: 5daysoff.nl
Sharing is caring!
Tweet
