A Saturday at the Grand "Dockville Festival"

..I really like the "Non-Established since 1910" ;-)))) (...that one may be a bit hard to get for non-Germans...)

outside on the dike, the beer is cheaper, and across the street is the campground for far-travelled-hardcore- festival-freaks!

cranes and industrial views dominate the scenery at Dockville and contrast nicely with the blue sky

Saturday, its the main day of the "Dockville Festival" Its expensive, but what the heck! I am going!

Ina, our "Bachelor Student" from the lab will go as well and we can meet up, I have her cellphone number ("Handy" in German: in case you guys do not know, yes, in Germany we have our own english words! And we made them up all ourselves!

I am leaving home after shopping around 1 pm. The iPhone is my guide: "Alte Schleuse" is the destination, its in the middle of the harbour (say, in the middle of nowhere!), I have to cross the river, which takes me through the "old Elb-tunnel"

A tunnel built in 1910, also an important historic landmark. I have been here before, but only for "exploratory" reasons and not recently. I take my bicycle down the elevator. since its a festival I am not the only one. On the other side I am surprised by the complete absence of any signs to guide the way. iPhone be thank I cannot get lost. The harbor is the second biggest Container-landing-site in Europe (after Rotterdam) and thats also what this area looks like. Impressive cranes and cargo containers piled into four-story-high towers; I have to think: somewhere here should be my furniture! I hope someone knows. The whole south-of-the-river part of town is largely "terra incognita" to people in Hamburg. Everybody knows its there and that it provides a good part of the city's wealth, but actually GO THERE? NAH! No surprise subculture expands there (not sure if this is still "sub"culture though, probably not.)

Indeed, as I could have guessed from the map, its far to "Dockville" after crossing numerous bridges made for trucks and cars but not for bicycles, passing strange dwellings made largely from brick. There are actually PEOPLE living here!! between piles of containers and canals where freighter ships pass by. The center of this Out-of-Hamburg quarter is the suburb of Wilhelmsburg, recently featured as the home of small-time-criminals in the "Madboy" movie I wrote about before in one of the earlier entries. Some say, Wilhemsburg is the "next big thing" in Hamburg, but its too far, so I personally bet on St. Georg (just mentioned on the side...)

When I arrive its 5 to 2pm (=55 minutes ride, uff). The Festival is, as festivals are: several stages on a big level field, in this case set between industry -style buildings and cranes with gates outside, to keep the non-paying spectators away. I pay my 40 Euros (Fuck!) and get a wristband. After locking my bike (story to come) I am heading in. I manage to get a timetable. Don't know any band except for "Turbonegro" from Scandinavia, but they played yesterday; OK, I have seen "Element of Crime" before (more about them later) I can hear some promising sound from the "Tent-stage" The band playing there is German, and actually, I like them very much. The name is:

"Malakoff Kowalski".

You can even find them on iTunes (!), in case this little video doesn't impress you. I'm not a good bootlegger, I guess. My camera microphone was overwhelmed too. :-(

After a while the sun and the beer do their job and I feel kind of heavy. I put myself to rest in the shade outside. Ina (the bachelor student) sends an SMS they will be coming but only later. No problem. After a while I wander around to explore. there is an "experimental" building "The Horn". Its supposed to be shaped like a horn (the musical instrument) and has all kind of little drum-and percussion tools inside for people to make noise with. People have fun and create some-not always- "funky" rhythm).

Later Nina arrives and she has the summer student with her. the girls want to head to the Tequila-Bar first. Its hot and I am tired already. Tequila would not be my first choice. But I am invited and cannot say no, obviously. The biggest act tonight is "MGMT" They play on the main stage at 11pm, and its their only show in Germany. I do not know them. (I had listened a bit on iTunes yesterday, not bad, but nothing really new and interesting) Ina explains "they sound a bit like "XgkhgfX XhgjhgX" (forgot, sorry , but I didn't know them either.) the only band I know tonight are "Element of Crime" Nina likes them but will listen only to the first few songs because "my mother likes them" Ah well. I in fact do own a CD from them. It was a gift(Fact!). Actually I haven't listened to the CD often. Anyway, since I know them, I decide to watch them and then head back. The singer is a kind-of-celebrity from his book "Herr Lehmann" which describes life of a thirty-something in Berlin before the fall of the wall. OK , thats my generation, nothing for Ina. Later on, during some talking of the girls, I overhear that Ina is BORN in 1986(!!!!!) Shit!!!! Shitshit!!!

I am starting to search my memories, which doesn't make it better: 1986? 1986? Hey,

that was probably roundabout the year I actually listened to this very band (Element of Crime) at an open air festival in Berlin at the "Waldbuehne" (NOT kidding, I can call witnesses!!) (there was also Iggy Pop and Siouxsie and the Banshees.) Now that I think of it all the memories all come back, it was a pretty wild, fun and rather unhealthy (as they used to be) long weekend in West Berlin) And YES, the Wall was still standing!!!! OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!! I am a freak! I am Methusalem!

So now here I am at the "Dockville Festival" with some Kids in their early days of nightlife, who like to booze up with tequila to get into the night-out-mood. I find myself contemplating about age and in mind I start fraternizing with every grey-haired guy I am seeing (which are, as I realize, frighteningly few.... ).

Well, there are crossroads in life: Looking back there used to be these old "Rocker Guys" (mostly men in fact!) who had this "seasoned heroic look" (Kind of "Keith -Richardsy"characters (to be polite, one could also say: fucked up old drunks): wrinkly, grey unshaved faces, weathered by too many years of Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll, cowboy boots, heavy silver rings, leather bands and the likes) Being a teenager they seemed kind of impressive to me. Something like: "The Respected Elders"

Now I am asking myself: Is this the path I'm on????? or should I rather stay in the age group I belong in, and spend the nights in mellow Cocktail Lounges and Jazzbars or meet for dinner with the few friends who still do not have kids????

Do I become a Weirdo? Am I out of place?

Anyway. Despite of having had about 4 beers in the course of the afternoon/evening, I decide not to try and bum a cigarette, (my typical urge after having more that 2-3 beers and being in the messy mode) as I feel I don't want to ask those kids for such an expensive gift that I for sure can better afford myself than they can from the little money they have.... better anyway, maybe I finally stop smoking completely again now.....

Well, back to the story. When Element of Crime start to play, I try to get a beer , the bar guy skips me three times (!) for cute girls with cute boobs and a low hanging top. I remember the summer student's friend mentioned something like "Its easy to get drinks fast, just pull down your top a bit and look into the barkeepers eyes.

HELL!!!

I still remember the ONE TIME I tried such a strategy (just the looking-in-the-eye part of course) on a bar woman..... I DID NOT GET ANYTHING TO DRINK AT ALL!!! In fact I had to ask a friend to get me that beer. Yes, its true!! This is NOT a fictional story, though its many years back and probably covered by the "young-and-stupid-waiver". It also goes in the category *most embarrassing memories*. Of course, I haven't tried it since. Although...., Maybe now, as the "seasoned rocker guy"....? No, rather not!!!

STILL: ITS NOT FAIR!!!

After being skipped three times I get pissed off and , since "Element of Crime" do not sound too wild and exciting either (in fact rater lame) I send a short SMS to Ina , who is lost in the crowd. "I think I don't like "Element of Crime" that much either, I'm heading home now, see you!"

So, thirsty as I am I am heading out. Just to find the entrance area FLOODED with bicycles. DAMN, how could I forget, I am in GERMANY!!

those of you who have witnessed my post-surgery problems in FINDING things, have a feel for what THIS means for me.... it takes me goddamn 45 minutes (!!) to find my bike (it has a light/neon green lock! Thanks to the foresight of Susanne from the institute!!!)

The way home (its a warm midsummer night) almost makes me regret my decision to leave.

But only almost. Hamburg is Beautiful, no?

talking about crossroads........maybe I should call up Ina's mother and see, if she wants to go for a beer?

;-)