De Zwarte Cross: brabandy with strict rules

He is silent on the Zwarte Cross. Although there are 220,000 visitors, the festival site seems to be off Friday night at 8 pm. Reason: the so-called living commemoration. After fifty seconds of silence – "a massive erosaluut to life" – a collective discharge of ten hysterical hysterics follows.

It is typically such an action that accompanies Achterhoek's three-day bravery that this year's theme is "Life for Death Had." The burning sun changed Lichtenvoorde into a dry meadow. In addition to the usual diet (eating decibels, providing liver), it also means: dusting and looking in the shade.

Anyone who suffers from stress of choice has nothing to look for in Zwarte Cross. Swirling between the twenty steps, a rolling motocross racer can fly over your head, or you'll suddenly be surprised by a steamboat decked out with a stunt locomotive full of skylights

The Biggest Festival From the Netherlands. That's why there is on the fire engine that serves as the main stage of harmless (and well-behaved) guests like Kaiser Chiefs, Di-rect and Jett Rebel. Who wants to walk so quietly up to the first rows, the field is so huge. Only in Volbeat is it run down. It is unfortunate that Danish kitsch rockers lose interest in their songs with the least amount of charisma

Photo Eric Brinkhorst / ANP

But it is also Black Cross. Here is celebrated the great mass of the ordinary Dutchman. At the entrance of the festival, about eight football pitches betray the bicycle's storage the blood tie with the region. The nomads of the fashionable festival are in the minority: nowhere is the quinoa salad with vegan avocado available, everywhere Broodjes Unox is for sale. You stumble on the families and the sons of the farmers on wooden shoes. Some have a self-sawed tray with ten circles in it. Durable and practical: you do not waste a cardboard tray and you can carry four extra beers.

Atmospheric Management

You might just think that anything is possible in the wild East. But sometimes Lichtenvoorde looks more like Tehran than Gomorra. Security guards hoisted in blue vests, called euphemist "atmosphere management", have their hands full to enforce the clothing laws. Naked bellies are forbidden in small steps, even if the thermometer touches nearly thirty degrees. In the Roadhouse, where rock fans are grilled under a wavy roof, everyone without a shirt receives a security guard behind him. The barn may have been called "Barn to be wild", smokers are expelled. You look at the balcony with a beer? Not allowed! Bring your cocktail to the bathroom? Maybe not! Again typical of the Black Cross: to counter the criticism of this condescension in advance, there is also the text between the countless wisdoms that spread throughout the area: "A little bit … and this chart is no longer allowed. "

also the series of photographs: De Zwarte Cross: music, motocross and masses of beer

Normal. Do it. So, and you can hear that too. This is why the Megatent (with local heroes like Bökkers, The Heinoos and De Motorband) and Undercovertent (Blondie, AC / DC, The Cure) are constantly expanding. Is it bad? No! Because taking advantage of the law of large numbers, there is much to experiment in the coves of the Zwarte Cross. Watch the dark trio of black metal Galg in metalcafe De Baterbar shout their black souls in their sweaty bodies, in front of twenty-two spectators. Or roar with Tusky, the friendly restart of John Coffey, who, with his tube "Going Out," is revolving around the first weekend pit.

Photo Eric Brinkhorst / ANP

Novelty of the year: the hip-hop hangar De Noaberhood, where the rappers of Zwart Licht scream first "BOEREN! & # 39; To get the rigid mass and then convince them. And what a wonderfully intimate performance Tim Knol gives the porch Bayou, a lounge where it smells of bourbon and barbecue. "I'm really looking forward to having a cold beer," Knol says, abruptly interrupting the intro of his biggest hit "Sam". "Should also be done, right?"

Magic Moment: During the psychedelic journey of Death Alley, the public raises a fan in a wheelchair. The singer Douwe Truijens climbs everywhere to give him a high five.

Calvinistic Nick Cave

Absolute highlight: the veneration of Thunder Claw Boys Claw. Saturday night, the Amsterdam rockers will remove the Roadhouse. Singer Peter Te Bos turns out to be a Calvinist version of Nick Cave that does not need to dye his gray hair to stay rock and roll. "It's crazy here," he says, snuggling up on his black cowboy boots. And while guitarist John Cameron lets his guitar sing like a snake charmer, the 67-year-old singer goes out into the audience like this. When he's back on stage after a round of crowdsurfing, he goes down again to continue his way outside this pogoënd. "We would like to thank the board of directors of the Zwarte Cross that we can finally stay here after 34 years of harassing", he exults afterwards. "Until next year!"