MOG

The website of Les Ardentes says it provides the 'cream of DJs.' If the heat on the dance floor at 3 am is any indication, it ain't lying. Les Ardentes is an electronic music festival held in Liege, Belgium- near the Dutch border. Unlike Glastonbury or Roskilde, most of you probably haven't heard of Liege- just as most people in Liege haven't heard of Les Ardentes. This doesn't mean Les Ardentes isn't a little gem. It hones in quality live acts electronic and otherwise (Dave Clark, The Crookers, The Kills, The Cool Kids, Calvin Harris, Bloody Beetroots, Devotchka, Cyprus Hill, Dionysos, The Mars Volta). It's cute, quaint and filled with teenagers- a bit like a high school prom with some of the best acts in town....

If there's one thing Les Ardentes is not it is glamourous. While the organizers try to give it a bit of color (see above), it lacks the 'disneyland' atmosphere of other festivals. There aren't rockstar models girlfriends roaming around, amusement rides, VIP massage booths, or free candy bars given away. It's also rather small (40,000 +) so most attendees are local techno diehards who come ready to get soaked and mud-covered, hear sounds that make their heads jingle, smoke a lot of weed, and drink till the point of passing out with sweet reveries (even if it's on the sidewalk).

Why does everyone look high and zoned out? In Belgium festivals, weed is omnipresent; It's not legal....they just run by a "don't ask, don't tell, pretend not to smell" policy.

The teenage crowd was generally friendly and upbeat- even when soaked in mud and sitting amongst garbage. In the rain. Ahhh youth.

Cry baby.

The Kills = Yawn. Their drugged out set is seductive on the surface- but rather light in substance and true rock flair underneath-...(And I was a fan of their music....before I saw them live). Like watching a person trip - you can't help look on but it doesn't make you feel good about yourself or the state of the world...Though some find it cute that they are a DIY duo, live you notice how reliant they are on backing tracks; some songs the lead guitar bits are ON the backing track (I mean really...) Meanwhile, Ms Mosshart really hammers in the nonsense heroin chic spit-on-stage faux-punk routine so much so you wonder if they've tuned out her guitar just so she can strut ( at times she's strumming but you suspiciously can't hear it)...Meanwhile, talented Mr. Hince these days looks like he's been hit on the head with a phonebook and is really really pissed about it. Since Hince is the musical pillar of the act- (while Alison is the sweet, photogenic facade), it's a bit DIY-gone-aray these days. Makes me wonder what the Music Mags & Blogs were smoking or sucking when they pick those "next big thing" hype acts. (*This is from seeing them twice- once at Montreux, once in Belgium. In other words, either that's one long hard miserable trip they are on...)

Best mid-day Belgian snack? Waffles give way to Speculoos icecream. Speculoos is a traditional Belgian biscuit which was initially only eaten for Saint Nicolas/ (Christmas). Now tho, you can find speculoos all year round. In Belgium, it's the best flavor out there.

Dizzee Rascal revved the audience up on the outdoor stage with his complex E. London-twanged lyrics & grime beats. A natural performer, it's hard to believe he's such a wee baby.

Indoors The Mars Volta played a terrifyingly loud, furious 2:15 hr long set

Their brand of prog rock is not for the faint of heart. But the appeal? It's sexy and deviant- like animal sex. You can't really understand a word Cedric is singing but the whole act is full of eye-candy- jumping, screeching, throwing, riffing. Anger translates to passion which translates to energy which spews onto the floor.

That said, Cedric Bixler-Zavala should be put on a leash. Opiods or no opiods. It was about this shot when I thought I may get accidently lassoed or whipped by Cedric's mic chord. Twas my last shot of these guys

The Streets- i.e. Mike Skinner on Lft- a white rapper -had a mass audience appeal.

Calling out to his people.

The folks of Devotchka - who are lovely lovely chaps - volunteered to test out the modern design of Belgian urinals. (Devotchka Lead Singer Nick Ursata is on the right; stage manager Justin is on the left.) hehe gotta love it.

Speaking of santitation, a suspicious condom was found right behind backstage. Fingers pointing at The Mars Volta?

Speaking of Devotchka - one cool part of Devotchka is they not only have play a teremin, bouzouki, sousaphone, and accordion- they also have aerial dancers on their set. Above demonstrates the crazy flexibility of Alexandra Walker- flexing on the bus. Alexandra is also Nick's fiance. Lucky guy :)

The dance party really began when Calvin Harris came on stage. I'd keep an eye on this guy. He's got talent, presence, and amazing ability to wind and weave beats with the emotions of the crowd. Young and vibrant this one.

By this time, I needed a little pixie meditation backstage ..........hehe

Pulses rise as the arena filled up at nightfall.

No rain or mud would stop the kids from dancing tho. Here's The Qemists bringing it.

And how the dance party began....

Crookers mixing with Bloody Beetroots. Ain't life grand.

Crowd goes wild.

Bloody beetroots.

masked men making it look easy.

Circa 4 am I thought this was the coolest picture ever....

Circa 5 am. Spotlight on guy vomiting on the left side of bench. Priceless.

Circa 5:30 am. Before we knew it- dawn was rising. These girls evidently had survived the night on caffienated soda.

Circa 6 am. Paved paradise and put up a parking lot....but paradise shone through...

The Bottom line: If you are in the vicinity- Les Ardentes is definitely conquering with a brutish spirit. It's PG-13 but rages on till late without many rules. Where else can you dance to Prins Thomas meets Bloody Beetroots meets The Presets meets The Crookers - all in one night?