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The fact that the festival cannot take place this year is an ‘unimaginably big blow’ for Lowlands director Eric van Eerdenburg, he tells RTL Nieuws. It would have been his 22nd edition this year.
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“Initially we thought that the corona crisis would last about three months and that Lowlands could continue. We thought we would have a Lowlands liberation party in August, after several months of measures.”
‘Enorme stomp’
But when all events in June and July were also canceled and more and more artists and bands canceled their performances because the borders were closed, he started to see that it would not be anything more this year. “And yet it was a huge punch in my stomach when the Prime Minister said that all events could not take place until September 1.”
The consequences were dire: one third of the staff was forced to leave. The director felt resigned for a while, the last few weeks he has been especially sad.
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“The people I work with are all very emotional. We are now all together in the Melkweg in Amsterdam for Lowlands free: united, but there is no audience. That makes it sad anyway. I think that when we finish Monday morning, the discharge is great. Then everyone goes on holiday and we have to wait for the decision for next year. “
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Lowlands free:united
Lowlands, NPO 3FM and VPRO 3voor12 are organizing an online version of Lowlands on 21, 22 and 23 August as an alternative to the canceled festival. An extensive program of performances, lectures and other events that can be followed at home is presented via five streams. Some of this will be streamed live from the Melkweg. Part of the program consists of previously recorded material.
There will be live performances by Colin Benders, ISH Dance Collective and Adonis and there are yoga, dance and cooking workshops. Extra special is the concert by Eefje de Visser that she gives on the empty Lowlands terrain.
Past performances include iconic Lowlands concerts by Foo Fighters (2003), Queens of the Stone Age (2005), Editors (2007), Iggy Pop (2006), Mumford & Sons (2010), Nine Inch Nails (2013) ), Sam Smith (2014) and Stromae (2014). The presentation is in the hands of Justin Verkijk, Eva Koreman, Eva Cleven and Sagrid Carter.
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Whether Lowlands can continue in 2021? “I don’t know. We have been beaten down, but are trying to make the best of it. The lack of light at the end of the tunnel makes it difficult. That applies to the entire cultural sector. Until March that was a healthy one. sector with 300,000 employees and a turnover of billions. But now it is about to collapse. “
Nevertheless, the setting up of Lowlands 2021 has already started, says Van Eerdenburg. “We are already incurring costs. Whether it can continue, we will probably only hear around April.” Waiting until then and then planning is not an option, he says. “That is too late, then there will be no Lowlands 2021 anyway.”
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What makes the festival so unique, according to him, is that it is a ‘special gathering of like-minded people’. “People don’t just buy a ticket for the program, the atmosphere is also explosive. You can talk to everyone and make contact. Everyone is related.”
That is exactly what makes organizing a festival so much fun, he says. “It is really difficult sometimes, with artists and enormous amounts of money. But when you walk across the festival site on Saturday night and see everyone enjoying it, it feels like a huge reward. That’s what you do it for and what makes it addictive.”
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Ambiance
Lowlands fan Roosmarijn Manintveld (37) also thinks that it is the atmosphere that makes the festival so special. She first went in 1998 and would attend the festival for the 23rd time in a row this year. “It is anyway very unfortunate that a lot of things cannot go ahead now. But the fact that Lowlands is canceled is a bigger thing for me.”
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According to her, Lowlands is different from festivals such as Pinkpop. “There are many different tents and it is nice to discover new music. The atmosphere is good, a lot is done with decor and decoration. Pinkpop is the line-up, at Lowlands it is a combination of different things. “
Festivalbandjes
She currently has eleven Lowlands bands from previous editions on her wrist. This year’s wristband – which has been available for pick up from certain America Today stores for several days – is also around.
“I can imagine that people would find it strange to wear a band from a festival that didn’t take place, but it’s a tradition that one is added every year. I’ll wear them until they fall off.”
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She is pleased that the organizers have planned something online this weekend. “On Saturday I agreed with a small group of people with whom I would go to Lowlands. And this weekend I will also look back at some old gigs that I attended.”
Acid
Jeffrey Ros (33) is also disappointed that Lowlands is canceled this year. He would go for the eighteenth time in a row this year. “I went for the first time in 2003. I received my first ticket from my parents and my brother, and since then it has actually been a tradition that I go to Lowlands with my brother.”
He especially likes to discover new music during the weekend. “I especially like alternative music such as metal, but I can also appreciate other genres. Lowlands is very diverse and you can really go exploring.”
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When he heard that the party had been canceled this year, he thought it was ‘a bit sour’. “We are in an app group with about twenty people. Everyone was very disappointed.”
Accept and continue
He ignores the online version of the festival. “I love to accept and carry on. Looking back at old performances melodramatically behind the computer is not necessary for me. I do the real work, or I just don’t do it.”
He did, however, pick up this year’s festival wristband. Just like Roosmarijn, he still wears the straps from previous editions on his wrist. “I would like to keep the collection complete.” He doesn’t care that some people think it’s dirty. “It’s a nice icebreaker. You quickly get into a conversation about it.”
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