Distortion Fest

Day Two at the Distortion Festival, Copenhagen, Denmark

Photos by Tobias Holzer » Viva Radio's Matt Werth walks us through day 2 of the noise-fest in Copenhagen with Carl Craig, M.A.N.D.Y. and Messer Chups.

Text by Matt Werth
Posted on June 09, 2009

Carl Craig photos by Liesel Burisch, all other photos by Tobias Holzer

[Day One]

Thursday, June 4th
Distortion Festival

Copenhagen’s 2009 Distortion Festival continued Thursday afternoon as soon as it ended Wednesday morning: With parties in the NÃ¸rrebro neighborhood streets. Situated just over the Dronning Louises Bridge on the Northwestern side of the water entrapped center city, NÃ¸rrebro is an affordable neighborhood catering to students from the half dozen universities in Copenhagen.

A quick, brisk (unseasonably cold) walk across the bridge put us in the thick of the second day festivities. Follow the techno echos and you’re bound to find a party, it’s a ubiquitous theme throughout the entire festival. Thursday night’s Club Clash at the Korgsadehallen may have been the apex of this theme with performances from Detroit techno progenitor Carl Craig and Get Physical’s Danish trophy manwives M.A.N.D.Y. Carl Craig stoically raged through a two-and-a-half hour set of classics and new classics keeping the euphoria palpable for the 4000 people assembled at this YMCA turned party zone.

Carl Craig

Carl Craig

In adjacent room of the rave cave (literally, Korgsadehallen is built into a hillside) during M.A.N.D.Y’s set, much different classic soundwaves were being carved by the Messer Chups. Messer Chups are a veteran rock band from St. Petersburg Russia that has collaborated with theremin legend Lydia Kavina and released material through Mike Patton’s Ipecac Records. All snarls, double snare beats, and surf tones, the band kept the crowd scooting on their toes. Kinda creepy, kinda rad. Day three ahead.

Messer Chups