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In the infamous words of Bingo (the epitome of punk rock mascots that tours with Taxi Violence), being in the queue was the best part. By the time you get inside you’re wrecked! So I did, wait in the line that is. Daisies stands for a lot more than just a weekend long party, it also tries to educate people on saving the environment, and partying responsibly. Alain Ferrier (event organizer for Complete Events) has been very busy. The last few months have been rigorous, as a monumental effort went into planning an event of this scale. “ I knew we would be expecting more people this time round, but nothing that we can’t handle. Besides the basic stuff like food, drink and sound equipment, the festival has also upgraded its eco-friendly amenities such as introducing Bio fuel generators. This year we not relying on Eskom at all we’re having fun and not trying to destroy the environment. Rocking The Daisies is a fresh event, only in its third year of promoting South African music. It attracts a strange mix of festival lovers. Spreading them out in muddy fields, watching as their cars sink into the earth. I, on the other hand, was ready for anything. I had money, food, beer, wine and a variety of other necessities that all seem to come in handy when dealing with a music festival.

Friday Day One
The first night at a music fest is always very special. Everyone is still moderately fresh and sober while the opening acts rip roar on stage like there’s no tomorrow. The Dirty Skirts, fresh from touring in the UK, played an incredible set making sure the crowd were well oiled for a long night of menacing mayhem. Loud cheering, and a lot of fun, had drowned out the bitter cold. Just across from the main stage the dance tent was packed to capacity, making sure that everyone inside was reaching for the lasers. There were all the tell tale signs that this festival may turn out to be one worth remembering.

Saturday Day Two
I woke up on Saturday morning to the sound of people laughing, my tent was warm, I was filthy and my head was still pounding to the sound of the sub-woofers I had made friends with the night before. Dom de Jesus, who was camped not far away, reared to life. Nungarin, the band in which Dom is the drummer, was the first act of the day. Dylan Culhane (editor for One Small Seed), was quoted as saying; ‘Nungarin’s music is the perfect way to start off the day, and I couldn’t agree more. They performed a good set, soothing our aching heads with their chilled out beats. The crowd grew larger as the day progressed, and by midday there was rarely a person not enjoying the crisp, refreshing taste of a Windhoek draft, one of the main sponsors for the event. I too was enjoying my second wind, making sure I was on the same level as everyone else. Keeping it vibrant, as they say. I was looking forward to 340ml, one of my favourite local bands. 340ml got the evening off to a great start, setting the crowd up for a night of funk, dance and rock and roll! The crowd, however, was waiting anxiously for Goldfish, SA’s favourite dance/funk ensemble. By the time Eagle Eye Cherry had been and gone, there were already cheers starting for the group that recently played a part in the Ibiza club scene. Bed on Bricks had raised the tempo, causing a rather violent explosion of energy that I thought was impossible at this point in the festivities only to be taken up another notch by Taxi Violence. Everything had gone pear-shaped, but still the place didn’t look half as messy as some of the festivals I had been to. Goldfish exploded on stage, rounding off a perfect day in the countryside.

Sunday Day Three
After brushing my teeth and downing a beer, I decided to walk around, soaking up the remains of the festivities. The mood was calm and relaxed, as the final acts of the weekend graced the stage. By now the familiar faces I had seen all weekend, were all worn out, and ready to return home. I felt satisfied to retreat back into civilization, preparing myself for the trek home that would bring closure to my first ever Rocking the Daisies.

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