Comics Journal

Where’s Waldo at the Donauinselfest?

My last weekend in Vienna and its the Donauinselfest.

The Donauinselfest is reportedly Europes biggest open air event hosting on average 3 million people a year, and its free.  There are around 20 stages across a 3-4 mile stretch of the island.  And it is packed with people coast to coast.  There are something like 1500 volunteer security guards and police officers to keep everything in order.  Its quite a sight to see.

I’m not a big fan of smashing myself into a sweaty crowd to see mediocre euro pop acts, but some of them can be fun, and there are a few good acts.  Today we saw Irelands Snow Patrol, which was alright i guess, but after that we ventured across the island to go see The Notwist.  The Notwist are a strange band from southern Germany, yet sing in English, and have apparently been around for quite a while, the first time i heard them I didn’t really care for it, but their live performance has changed my mind.  Now I’m listening to their album Neon Golden, and am realizing what I had been missing out on.

In the early 90’s apparently they were a metal band, yet have made a successfull trasition into dark, electronica influenced indie music.  Quite an evolution there, but it works, the Notwist are a genre all to themself.  Oh yea, and their “programmer” “plays”/lays down trippy weird ass beats using a fucking wii-mote, so thats pretty rad.

Last saturday in Vienna, well I guess its already Sunday, bummer.