🥮 21 - 24 July 2023 Summer Contrast
Summer Contrast.
What a Fiesta 🤩
I’'ll get into details in a minute, for now let me just tell you this:
It was one of my favourite experiences ever.
Now, onto the magic.
Here are my favourite moments, memories & amazing things from the festival.
🥮 Amazing Things
🥮 Freedom
The holy grail of living - boundless, all-allowed opportunity to do whatever you want, how you want it, whenever you fancy - is why I love festivals.
No rules apply.
Everything you routinely do, whichever persona you play day-to-day, it doesn’t matter.
Here, you are free to be YOU.
The quirkiest, craziest, most natural, one that doesn’t get to shine elsewhere.
I felt it at Garbicz last year, and now on Summer Contrast - the party, the music, the people are just means to achieve what it’s really all about:
BREAKING FREE (from your past limited self)
& AWAKENING (the new, loving, party-popping soul of who you really are).
That’s the true mãhica, the essence of festivals.
🥮 Disco Disneyland / New Studio 54
People often talk about the hippie revolution and the disco era as the golden years of hedonism & freedom.
I’m too young to remember these years, but what we’re living thru right now feels just as wild.
Anything goes.
Want to dress up as a caveman, snort <consored> in the middle of the dancefloor, then get a massage, and top it off with pizza eaten in a psychedelic-decorated forest?
No big deal.
Go to a breathwork workshop, listen to shamanic trance, and devour divine coffee?
Sure.
Pick up a girl, dance all night, and consume the relationship in a massive wolf sculpture?
I’ve seen it done too.
Nobody gives a damn about what you do.
In fact, you’re constantly being reminded, elevated to embody the crazy.
Joy, joy, joy.
🥮 Being Together with Nati
It was our first festival in 4 years.
Bunny at home, with Grand-Nannies, the freaks out.
Rolling.
Everything we’ve shared over these couple of days, the love that filled our air - I couldn’t be more grateful for it.
Now, with the big farewell party under our belts, we’re ready to begin the new chapter.
🥮 Music
This was the best music I’ve ever heard.
Period.
Garbicz, Ibiza, Awakenings, none of my lengthy party career brought the goodies in such abundance & intensity.
I could write a book just about how amazing they played.
Absolute forefront, bleeding edge of contemporary dance music.
W-O-W
(List of favourites below)
🥮 Dancing - through the body into the present / No-mind
Forget the dancer, the center of the ego.
Become the dance.
That is the meditation.
Dance so deeply that you completely forget that you are dancing
and begin to feel that you are the dance.
- Osho
I danced 84+ km from Friday to Monday morning.
My calves got so tired I couldn’t walk much but still found the energy to boogie.
It’s a magical sensation, becoming one with the body thru movement & music.
A state I don’t get to experience very often, sometimes in yoga, sometimes in meditation.
Here?
Almost all the time.
Getting lost in the groove, reconnecting with the body instinct, moving freely in all directions, completely unrestrained.
I’m living for this, honey!
🥮 Sharing & Belonging
Sharing this experience with my wife, friends & all the new faces is what made this time truly special.
It’s so easy to share love & make friends when you’re all in high spirits, worry-less, and tied by the common (party) experience.
Shoutout to everyone who made this time so special.
🥮 Juicy Bar
I thought last year’s Juicy Bar experience at Garbicz was as good as it gets.
Summer Contrast delivered a 3x bigger punch.
I’m speechless.
Everything that happened on that sacred floor - WOW.
It was colourful, magnetic, home-y, bouncy, tasty, warm, cute, jumpy, kind, vibrant, glam.
Juicy.
🥮 Soundsystem
I’m blown away.
Audio at Paradiso was the best I’ve ever heard.
It felt like being in a 3D sound orgasmatron.
Bloody hell.
🥮 Berlin Touch
People of Berlin bring festivals to another level.
Their easygoingness, courage to go wild, neverending smiles, invitations to share a boogie, and welcoming, uplifting, all-loving aura are so delightful I’m again considering moving west.
I adore being among THIS crowd.
A-D-O-R-E.
🥮 24/7 Party
There was not a single minute in the day without a stage open.
If your stamina allowed - you could be dancing all day all night for 5? days straight.
Many took advantage of that.
All-nighters, weekenders, marathons - it’s only up to you how much you indulge.
Possibilities are limitless.
🥮 The In-Between Cosiness & Sheningans
It’s not only about the party.
Some of my favourite moments happened away from the dancefloor, exploring:
Communal fireplaces
I love sitting next to the fire, surrounded by fellow party people. Especially in not-perfect weather, these prehistoric meeting points are a life-saver. Double when you’re coming up on <censored>
Camping
We had a lovely time at our camp spot. Doing make-up, eating NicNacs (best snack ever), smoking <censored>, post-party sex. A bucket full of memories.
Pizza
We didn’t eat much, but the pizza was amazing.
Randoms, oddities & surprises
Polana Concert
Djembe
Burning the Contrast
Mainstage on Sunday (Commander Love / Carbon Based Lifeforms)
🥮 Little-to-no Hangover
I’m surprised by how well I feel and felt despite fierce part-taking.
Thank you body!
🌄 Top Moments
🌄 Love to Barry White
The great release.
Liberation.
Love piercing every inch of my body, gratitude overflowing the system.
These are the moments to live for.
🌄 Heartbreaker /// Afterparty by Madmotormiquel b2b Kotoe
I was already on my way back to the tent, ready to say goodbye.
Fortunately, I turned back.
Let’s finish real high.
One last dance.
-
And then it happened.
Juicy.
Madmotormiquel.
Afterparty.
This genial tune, which split my heart wide open.
Aura moment I’ll remember forever.
🌄 Juicy Bar Friday Night Fever
In terms of dancing intensity & fun, nothing beat Friday Night at JuicyBar / Tribes Stage.
Fresh out of the gate, eager to freak out, perfect music from Ezgi & Gazbee (best pure house sets I’ve heard in a long time, perhaps ever?), the Berlin crowd in wild outfits & with even wilder dance moves - debauchery at its very finest.
🌄 Xuja Dropping Para Mamá (KOKI remix)
Maddest tune of the festival.
Earworm (stuck on repeat for the next week).
-
This set changed how I hear music.
I was teleported to a new sonic dimension, where tenderness, stomping beats, and leftfield explorations collide, creating the best music I’ve ever heard.
Xuja?
Masterclass.
🌄 Rolling High by the Fire
We both peaked on Saturday night, by the fireplace.
Divine music in the background, perfect saturation of the molecules, heat from the bonfire.
Ecstasy.
🌄 Crying (again) on My Way Home
Back on the road.
Heartbreaker on car audio.
I’m melting.
Tears pour out of my eyes.
I’m happy, I’m cleansing, I’m tired yet so ecstatic.
I’m all feelings at once.
A miracle.
🌄 Post Comeback Hug-o
Monster bear hug.
The best hello I could imagine.
He was so happy to see us back.
He held me so tight, so tender.
Happiness encapsulated.
⚜️Memories
(in chronological order)
⚜️ Prep Week
⚜️ Roadtrip
⚜️ The Queen & The Crown
⚜️ The Enchanted Forest / Entering Festival
⚜️ Camping Beauties
⚜️ Guy J @ Main Stage
⚜️ Ezgi & Gazbee - Welcome to Juicy Bar
⚜️ Xuja’s Sonic Masterclass
⚜️ Suprisingly Fresh Restart
⚜️ Saturday Afternoon Vibes
⚜️ Climax
⚜️ Meine Katze
⚜️ Juicy Strikes Back
⚜️ Paradiso 5am Club
⚜️ Sunday with Gregi & Sandy
⚜️ Carrying the Torch
⚜️ Heartful Disco Afterparty
⚜️ BT Go Home
🍭Small Joys
🍭 talking to Grzesiek on Sunday
🍭 dj friends
🍭 Nati - victoria’s secret bunny & everybody congratulating on her crown
🍭 glamping → sheets + matress = ultra comfort
🍭 chill zones - sofas (with Nati) + couch/ armchair (Sunday)
🍭“I missed you” - Tuesday morning confession from Hugo
🍭 everything going smootly with Hugi’s staying without us
🍭 not showering in 3 days xD
🍭 that I managed to set down the tent by myself
🍭 nobody giving a damn about me napping on sunday
🍭 not thinking much, esp. about work!
🍭complete disconnect from being a dad + family member
🍭 a-m-a-z-i-n-g (best ever?) flat white + vegan nitro coffee can
🍭 coconuts at Juicy
🍭 wingmanning the wolf sex
🍭 baloon high
🎶 Summer Contrast
10 festival-defining tunes
1. Para mama - Kiki Navarro, Caridad De La Luz aka LA Bruja (KOKI Remix)
/// Xuja
2. Heartbreaker - Crazy P
/// Madmotormiquel b2b Kotoe
3. Fortune Teller - Chambord, Roze
/// Mira b2b Chris Schwartzwalder
4. Oxum - Yukicito (Kiko Navarro Afroterraneo Remix)
/// Madmotormiquel b2b Kotoe
5. Who’s That Girl - Eve (Deep Ändi Edit)
/// Gazbee
6. Les Gout - Rampa, chuala, Keinemusik
// Xuja
7. Meine Katze - Felix E, Solveig Eger
/// Mira b2b Chris Schwartzwalder
8. I LOVE YOUR GIRLFRIEND - Omar S, Alistir Fawnwoda
/// Dale Rohan
9. Happy Feat - Sammy Deuce
/// Luna City Express
10. Meet Her At The Loveparade - Da Hool (Nalin & Kane remix)
/// Ricardo Ferreira
Honorary mention:
Can’t get enough of your love, Babe - Barry White (bootleg?)
/// Madmotormiquel b2b Kotoe
🔊 Summer Contrast - 10 most memorable sets
1. Xuja - World Music Sonic Masterclass
(Friday / Saturday night 4-6 am at Juicy)
2. Madmotormiquel b2b Kotoe - Heartful Disco Afterparty
(Sunday /Monday night 4-6 am at Juicy)
3. Gazbee - Juicy Friday Night part2
(Fri/Sat 2-4 am at Juicy)
4. Ezgi - Juicy Friday Night part1
(Fri/Sat 0-2 am at Juicy)
4. David Dorad - Highest Energy Mix
(Sat/Sun 5-6 am at Paradiso)
5. Guy J - Setting The Stage
(Fri / Sat 10 pm - 1 am at Main Stage)
6. Dale Rohan - The Average Guy Who Bangs
(Sat / Sun 0-2 am at Juicy)
7. Ricardo Ferreira - Bravado
(Sat / Sun 2-4 am at Juicy)
8. LunaCityExpress - Paradiso Pre-Closing
(Sunday 16-18 at Paradiso)
9. JMCEE - Into The Night
(Saturday 18-20 at Juicy)
10. ??? - Deep House Surprise at Ritual Stage
(Sunday / Monday night 3? am)
🈺 Info
Dates you were there : 21 - 24 July 2023
Where you stayed : tent @ festival camping
Best bar : Juicy Bar
Best place to eat : Pizza
Money spent : 2500 PLN for the 2 of us
Biggest regret : not going crazier on Sunday
Top tip : end on a high
Observations and/or conclusion: One of the memories of a lifetime