An Exclusive Behind the Scenes Photo Diary of Denmark's Answer to Glastonbury

At the end of last month, armed with a backpack full of cameras and glittery clothes (in equal amounts), we set off from London and travelled to Copenhagen to experience what some people call the “Glastonbury of Denmark”. That’s right, the Polyester Team were lucky enough to be invited along to document the 50th Roskilde Festival 2022!
The festival itself is held over eight days and has a focus on art and activism as well as music. While activist perspectives can often feel like an add on to events in our current climate where corporations co-opt activism, at Roskilde it was firmly baked into the fabric of the festival. On the practical side of things, the food stalls listed the carbon used in each meal, reusable cups were used throughout the festival and festival goers were encouraged to use shuttle trains to arrive at the site.

It was also amazing to see this kind of self aware commitment to activism and equality extended to the festival lineup that, unlike others, wasn’t dominated by men. With Megan Thee Stallion, Dua Lipa, Kacey Musgraves, Haim and St Vincent headlining the festival and other polyester favourites like Little Simz, H.E.R., Arlo Parks, Phoebe Bridgers, Shygirl, Snail Mail, Sky Ferreira, Yola included in the line-up.

We also got to see some amazing talks and workshops from activists during the festival. We saw Adélaïde Charlier, Elizabeth Wathuti and Nina Gualinga discuss the climate crisis, attended the Log Ladies’ construction workshop that aims to create a space where women, transgender people and non-binary people are given the opportunity to learn skills from a traditionally male-dominated profession and we watched a screening of Tabita Rezaire’s beautiful ‘decolonial self-care tutorial’ Peaceful Warrior.

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While it wasn’t a march or an issue specific protest there was something nourishing about being the presence of so many amazing female and non-binary musicians in the days that followed the overturning Roe v Wade by the supreme court. Nearly every artist touched on the news by reciting speeches or dedicating songs to the Supreme court. But it wasn’t just these overt protests that were reassuring to witness, it was something deeper. The presence of these female and non-binary musicians made me think of the lyrics from Choreomania:

“You said that rock and roll is dead but is that just because it has not been resurrected in your image?”

And I realised that seeing H.E.R, the Haim sisters or Adrianne Lenker shredding their guitars felt so comforting in the face of the Roe v Wade decision because they were co-opting the traditionally male sex symbol of ‘the Rockstar’ and demonstrating their own power and autonomy. They were demanding attention and respect for their skill and what their bodies are capable of in a time when it feels like every institution is trying to erode our autonomy.

As well as the verbal testaments to the rights and power of women, the festival was also littered with yonic imagery. Carolina Falkholt’s painted a beautiful and furious vulva mural describing a sexual assault on one of the largest walls of the site and an enormous inflatable placenta placed at the entrance of the festival from the campsite – or maybe it was a ‘cervix’ as I heard one man refer to it as!

Despite this cervical confusion we had such a beautiful few days (and very light nights) under the danish sun, so dive into the photo diary and experience our view of Roskilde Festival!