Rock festivals have been an integral part of Danish popular culture fro decades. Every year, Danes and foreigners alike flock to the many outdoor festivals to sea and hear both world-famous and less well-known bands.

They go to enjoy the music and soak up the atmosphere, but the social side of the festival is also a huge attraction.

As a tribute to Danish rock music, Post Danmark is issuing two stamps drawn by the musician and visual artist Kasper istrup. One of them features the iconic guitar plays as the frontman of Kashmir. The colourful fields in the background graphically evoke the music that flows out of the instrument. The second stamp portrays the atmosphere at a gig, with the enthusiastic shouts of the audience represented by the brightly coloured background.

Roskilde Festival
With more than 100.000 visitors, the Roskilde Festival is by far the bigges in Northern Europe. This year is the 43rd edition of the festival, which is staged at the Roskilde Show Grounds in lat June/ early July every year. All sorts of styles and genres are represented, but rock music dominates.

The annual publication of the festival programme is an event in itself. Unlike many other festivals, Roskilde doesn’t advertise the full programme all at once, but drip-feeds the public with a name here, a name there. About 200 bands from Denmark and abroad perform at the festival – some from the underground scene, others well-established international stars.

Every year, the aim is to provide the audience with an exraordinary experience. Some 30,000 highy dedicated volunteers set up the site, provide the unique festival service, guarantee its quality and help generate the amazing atmosphere. All profits from the festival go to charitable or cultural purpose in Denmark and abroad. Faithful Roskilde aficionados will recognise the guitar on the stamp. Kasper Eistrup and Kashmir have appeared at the festival several times.

Guests from all over Northern Europe
The Roskilde Festival is just one of the many Danish rock festivals. Throughout the summer, the landscape is peppered with events, from Haderslev to Frederikshavn, from Esbjerg via Funen to Roskilde. And it isn’t just Danish rock fans who frequent them. Music lovers from all over the Nordic Region and Northern Europe make the pilgrimage year after year.

Danish Rock Museum
The Danish Rock Museum wil throw open its doors in 2015. Featuring a unique collection of memorabilia, it tells the tale of Danish popular music from the birth of rock ‘n’ roll in the 1950’s to the present, focusing on youth culture and its imapct on society.

The idea is that the museum will house large, interactive exhibitions, recording studios, production rooms, a stage, library and archive as well as teaching and research facilities. The museum, which will be in Roskilde, is currently collecting appropriate items that willl help shed light on the history of Danish Rock.

Source: WOPA

published July 26th, 2013