Muse and Chris Cornell dominate Cokefest 08

The reason for the delay in this (hopefully) much anticipated post is due to, quite simply, my inability to put into words what this year's Cokefest was like.

It started as any festival starts with the smaller local bands trying to get the crowd amped, while we (the crowd) try to conserve as much energy as possible for this marathon of international music that was to come!

30 Seconds got things going too with Jared Leto proving a crowd favourite with his very lose mouth and overdose of makeup. The actor rose literally as he climbed the scaffolding on one occasion and sang to the masses from about 20 metres up. He had a favourite word which if he used it 30 times, it was conservative. Someone get that man a Thesaurus!

Kaiser Chiefs were fun and lively and got everyone bobbing with the oh so familiar Ruby and I Predict a Riot among others. Front man Ricky Wilson tried to compete with Jared as he scaled about a third of the scaffolding making his attempt look pitiful. I think he was pretty drunk. English man and South African sun, it is the way they are! But they were enjoyed.

Good Charlotte don’t count for me, I left to get food while they played. Not my scene. We were back however, for their last song, Lifestyles of the Rich and the Famous. It was a fun sing along, but I was glad when it was over.

In an attempt to get real close to the stage for Muse, one had to stand through over an hour of the band before just before them. Luckily, that wasn’t hard, as it was Chris Cornell (the lead singer from Audioslave and Sound Garden). My gosh! So good. They came on stage, and I had no real expectations. I was just there to push forward. But their first song, Teach me how to Live (old Audioslave song) was so mindblowing. He was loved. And why wouldn’t he be? He has a voice that makes most singers sound like adolescent boys. I was so impressed, especially, because I was a little bleak at the fact that I was going to Cokefest for one band, Muse. But wow, I will see Chris Cornell again any day!

Then, it was time for what all my mates and I had been waiting for, for years. Muse. They did not disappoint. I have watched a few live dvds of Muse performing at various places, but nothing compares remotely with seeing them up close and jumping like no one is watching. They were so amazing, its pretty much all we (my friends and I) have spoken about since Monday. I managed to get within a metre of the front. It was pretty special. Dust was flying from the jocks moshing themselves into a tiz. I think it is safe to say that everyone in the golden circle felt, on Tuesday morning, like they smoked a carton of cigarettes the night before. Throats throbbed, but that was Tuesday. It got so dusty and crazy, that afterwards my one friend thought I was wearing makeup.

I got an interview with MTV. Pretty sweet.

Korn were good I guess, not my scene, but I can appreciate that they are the best at what they do. Unfortunately for them, their momentum kept being broken by sound issues. But those who travelled to see Korn, didn’t mind; so long as their heroes came on again and finished strong.

All in all, Cokefest was a huge success! The organisers could have ordered the lineup of bands a little differently though. They should never have put Kaiser Chiefs just after 30 Seconds to Mars. And, as far as I am concerned Good Charlotte should have opened for the South African bands (thats just because I don't like them). Hopefully they (the organisers) will try better themselves next year and we will see some very special acts like Kings of Leon, The Strokes, The Killers, The Kooks and other exciting bands. And maybe finish the festival with an electro type band so everyone can get their groove on. A band like Hot Chip would have been perfect! It is definitely worth looking at getting some decent South African acts who create some sort of incentive to be at the festival early.

For some more pics click here and here.