Paaspop

Paaspop is the yearly weekend music festival in Schijndel, and this year I had the pleasure of being there. I'm told this is the first time in five years that the weather has been decent.

It had recently rained, however, and as we walked to the grounds I did not envy the many campers whose tents were pitched in the middle of the muddy field.

The first thing we did was exchange our money for tokens, which is the accepted currency at the festival. Instead of cash, you use your tokens to buy food and drink.

The toilet was a one-time fee of €1. They stamped your hand, and you were allowed to return to the restroom as many times as you needed to. The facilities were actually pretty good -- I wasn't grossed out at all, even as the night wore on.

The festival featured many Dutch bands, such as the incredible Anouk. There were also some American bands, so I had a moment of feeling very at home -- Less Than Jake and The Reverend Horton Heat were both bands I had heard of but had yet to hear. I'm not sure I would put them in my car, but they were great live.

There were five main tents:

Main stage -- here is where the Dutch bands played, each for an hour, every other hour.

Masters of Rock -- this tent featured mostly American bands. Each played for an hour when the main stage was empty.

Extrema -- this was a dance tent. Boring by comparison, but a nice place to meet people and kill some time in between acts.

Restolounge -- here is where you went to eat and rest your feet. All sorts of food is available -- pizza, hamburgers, the beloved french fries, ice cream, even fresh strawberries and orange juice. Various activities went on onstage here, such as Live Idols, a take on the ever-popular American Idol.

Theatre -- a place for stand-up comedy. I didn't manage to visit this tent.

Some things you might want to remember:

1. Wear good shoes. No open toes. You will be stepped on, you will walk through mud, you will stand for 12 hours straight, and you will have beer spilled on you. You're going to want some good foot protection.

2. Bring water.

3. Dress in layers. It can be cold outside at night, and it's quite a walk from the grounds back into town. However, it's really hot in the tents. You're going to want a sweatshirt or something that's easy to remove and probably tie around your waist.

4. Plenty of money. Tokens go fast because they don't really feel like money, but food is pretty expensive. Budget accordingly.

5. To the Dutch, everyone is a friend, whether you've met them or not. Enjoy this. Talk to your neighbors. You'll have a blast.