Bruno Mars brought EPICness to the Orange! The Acid smiley flag is a welcome lucky touch! X-T2 + XF50mm F2
RF18 – Roskilde Festival 18 – was dusty, sandy, sensationally supreme! Last year was Muddy and Magnificient but this year the heatwave meant we had Roskilde Festival in a desert. I will definitely take dust over mud any day, a lot more fun to be hot and dusty than wet and cold when I am trying to make decent pictures. Just like last year, I had the pleasure and honour to make pictures for Roskilde Festival itself and it really is one of the yearly highlights. It is a spectacular amount of fun and awesomeness. Thank you so much for this opportunity Roskilde Festival, especially Anders Hjortkær, and big shoutouts to all my fellow photographers, especially the rest of the Roskilde team.
RF18 was 4 very long but 4 very awesome days. It really was some of the most amazing times I have had as a music photographer. Musically, for the 2018 version of Roskilde, I must admit that I missed one or two big spectacles of electronic concerts such as Moderat, The XX, Den Sorte Skole, Justice, Trentemøller in 2017. But 2018 still provided some truly epic Orange Stage shows such as Eminem and Bruno Mars, and also provided the very peak of my music photography career. That happened when this very lucky potato got to be a guest of The Minds of 99 and document their entire concert on the mighty Orange Stage. My favourite Danish band and on that magical stage, in front of 70,000+ people. This experience still spins on repeat in my brain, I still get goosebumps. I am only including a few pictures from this concert here, as this experience will soon get it’s own massive blog post.
I spent a lot of time this year attempting to make kick-ass pictures of the iconic Orange stage on it’s 40th anniversary, and photographing the wonderful crowd. I really fell in love with the Roskilde crowd this year. From the photo-pits you are right in front of the most dedicated fans and capturing this love and devotion of music is really magical. From the mad youngsters exploding in mosh-pit of energy at Apollo to the fans of all ages singing along to C.V. Jørgensen. Magic. That undying love of music and one’s favourite artists is really what it is all about.
For all you Fujifilm gear fans, this is the gear I brought, and soon this part I post will be followed by a … tadahh…. Part II blog post with all the behind the scenes, photography, coffee maker disasters and Fujifilm gear stuff!
Ok, what about some pictures? I delivered more than 300 pictures, so this is just a small sample of my personal favourites from the Sandy Supremes of Roskilde Festival 2018. Do read the captions for details.
I shot this as we waited backstage Orange Stage, so impatient, so eager to get started and photograph the frist concert! X-T2 + XF16mm
Saveus delivered a brilliant opening concert on the Orange Stage, well done Martin. X-T2 + XF16mm
The best Orange Stage image I have ever made – 100,000 people enjoying Eminem. X-H1 + XF50mm F2
Crowd kicking up a dust storm at (I think) 6lack playing at Apollo Stage. X-T2 + Zeiss 12mm
Eminem set a new record with 100,000 people in front of the Orange Stage enjoying an excellent concert. X-T2 + XF35mm F1.4
Awesome Danish rock band Nelson Can. What Can they do? Well, Nelson Can Kick Ass I tell ya. X-T2 + Zeiss 12mm
Nelson Can packed the Avalon stage with some devoted fans . X-T2 + Zeiss 12mm
Niels Brandt from The Minds of 99 and one incredible concert. X-T2 + XF50mm F2
The view from here is breathtaking! The Minds of 99. X-H1 + Zeiss 12mm
The Minds of 99 thanking the crowd and I thank them for letting me be part of this. X-H1 + XF16mm F1.4
St Vincent was amazing. She went from calm and cool like this….X-H1 + XF50mm F2
To mad explosions like this. X-H1 + XF50mm F2
Hands in the air at the gorgeous Avalon stage. X-H1 + Zeiss 12mm
Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails started off loud, angry and energetic and never let up. X-H1 + XF50mm F2
Finally, on the last night, during Mike Skinner, all the lights and I mean all of them were in use at the Apollo stage. X-T2 + XF16mm F14
Stormzy. Not a lot of concerts have this insane level of energy. X-H1 + Zeiss 12mm
Stormzy in da house, everybody go bonkers!!!! X-H1 + Zeiss 12mm
Simon Kvamm of Nephew bathed in the spotlight. X-H1 + XF16mm F1.4
Nephew returned to the Orange stage with a great show. Also, Simon Kvamm is a giant! X-H1 + XF16mm F1.4
It surprised everyone when Troels starting doing Hamlet! VETO, one of my favourite acts, I really do wish they had played at night in a dark tent. X-H1 + Zeiss 12mm
Vince Staples bringing his minimal hip hop meets techno to Roskilde. I really liked his show. X-H1 + Zeiss 12mm
Vince Staples. X-T2 + XF35mm F14
Nikolaj from When Saints Go Machine noticed me in the pit and fortunately I had enough coffee in my blood to react fast. Got ya Nikolaj! X-H1 + Zeiss 12mm
How magic is this! Very devoted CV Jørgensen fans. X-H1 + XF50mm F2
The man, the legend. CV Jørgensen. X-T2 + 35mm F1.4
Close Encounters at the Apollo Stage! We come in Peace! X-T2 + XF16mm
Honestly, I know nothing about Black Metal artist Myrkur. I just ended up here as I was trying to shoot one of my fave acts Four Tet at the Apollo stage, but that concert was pitch black with not one light. So, Myrkur, was close by and I ended up there, and I am glad I did. X-T2 + XF35mm F14
Apollo crowd, you guys rock! X-T2 + XF16mm F14
Alien and Cow. Nuff said. Legend! X-T2 + XF16mm F14
MHD. I only knew one of their songs, but he is wicked, go check them out, awesome stuff. X-H1 + Zeiss 12mm
Anderson .Paak having a blast! X-H1 + XF50mm F2
Anderson .Paak was flying. Truly amazing. X-T2 + XF16mm F14
Anderson .Paak was in top form. X-T2 + XF16mm F14
A dusty cell phone lit moment in the Arena stage during the incredible Anderson .Paak show. X-T2 + XF16mm F14
Orange Feeling. One love. X-H1 + XF50mm F2
§
THE END of Part I
Get ready for Part II, bicycles, pictures, Fujifilm gear, curry chicken and a coffee emergency.
EDIT: Read Part II, click HERE
Yours truly, posing in front of the Orange Stage and faced with the choice of Photo or Podium! Picture by Helle Arensbak.
6 Comments on “Roskilde Festival 2018 – Part 1 – Sandy and Supreme”
Very awesome images Flemming. As usual . Glad you (all) had such a brilliant festival and the weather was kind.
Thank you so much David! Yes it was a real nice festival to be dry all day and all night!
I’ve been looking forward to this post 🙂 Wonderful photographs Flemming! I really like the colour photo of the Avalon stage.
Thank you Brett, that means a lot! Really happy you like them. The Avalon stage is gorgeous.
Fabulous post. Really like your BW Nelson Can shots. The 100.000 people in front of Eminem is the best Roskilde shot ever. For their next poster !
Thank you so so much Jesper!!!! “…the best Roskilde shot ever”….WOW !!!! Thank you 🙂 I am not sure the pictures is that good, but I will take your word for it 🙂