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Published: April 29th 2011
Luminosity Before the Energy
I am always too shy to photograph peopleUtrecht 02/04, Luminosity before the Energy and Trance Energy 03/04
Preliminary note: Luminosity Before the Energy is held before the main event, Trance Energy (this year called Energy, I wasn’t there). More information about that will be in the first blog of this series. I will not give further information because I don’t know about anyone’s music tastes and care little about those tastes. I’m complete egoist about music and parties, I always go alone and immerse myself into the light and the rhythm.
My initial mistake was that I thought 03/04 to denote TWO days of Trance Energy and somehow one day was left without a booked hotel, which, as I would learn soon, would have some heavily disastrous consequences. The second figure denoted the month, actually.
On April 2 I had rather a long walk in Amsterdam centre. The detailed story will appear in another entry; the period described in this piece starts at about 5-6 o’clock PM.
While walking, I visited the Amsterdam railway station and bought a ticket to Utrecht. I decided to go an hour and a half before the party – I left at about 18.30. When I first saw the
Luminosity Before the Energy
Lovely. Central Studios, Utrecht. train I was pleasantly surprised – it was a two-storey train, I have never seen such in my own country. During the whole 30 minutes of journey I was looking through the window at the passing houses, fields, etc.
When I came to Utrecht, the first intention was to leave my things, except for the camera, in the baggage locker. I asked the information desk to give me a map of the city and also enquired about the options of storing luggage and got all the information necessary. Then I went in search of the bus stop, but missed the bus signs and got lost after leaving the shopping mall. Outside, I looked in all directions but knew not where to go.
I had the small map and in vain tried to determine my geographical position. So finally I got completely lost and decided to ask someone for help. There came a man and he showed me the way to the bus station. I went from one bus to another asking the drivers whether they went to the Central Studios.
I came to the Central Studios some 40 minutes before the opening time, so I waited and
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at first, there were few people, but finally the crowd gathered. there were two rooms some people already gathered; a young man talked to me while waiting asking some casual questions and making some remarks about the coming party, and I think I heard Bulgarian speech. It was drizzling.
I got inside the Central Studios and the music was playing already but there were very few people at this early time. I was dancing a little and taking pictures. The venue had two different rooms, and I walked from one to the other during the whole night – it was so convenient and thus I could hear all the djs . If the names are familiar to you, here they area: Orjan Nilsen, Blizzard, Ashley Wallbridge, Manuel Le Saux etc.
I got tired in the middle of the night and had some rest watching people. Some of them asked me to take their photos, which I did, warning them beforehand that I was no professional photographer.
In the food store, there were plastic tokens which one buys and exchanges for snacks and drinks. The atmosphere was amazing and comfortable. The party was a definite success.
In the morning, at some 6 o’clock, we all took the free bus to Utrecht Centraal,
where I got my things and used an interactive information terminal to find a hostel – I found Strowis Hostel. I needed this hostel because I had nowhere to sleep during that day. I took a bus (only two or three stops); the hostel had a sign in the window – ‘fully booked’ and that was only the beginning! I always tried to speak Nederlands to bus drivers and switched to English when failed.
The search for a hostel with the heavy backpack lasted for about 5-6 hours, if not longer.
After Strowis, I came back to the station, noticing how the city looks, and then thought may be the Bunnik hostel has a vacant room. So naïve, I took the Connexxion bus to Bunnik, spent almost an hour in search for this hostel, enjoying the finest morning and the look of the countryside. Somehow the hostel was off the main road, and I got perplexed with the house numbers and went too far away from the area of hostel location. The place was awesome; I did not regret that so much time was wasted, because if I found the hostel at once, I would not have had
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i was also there, never take my pictures at a rave the taste of Bunnik. I asked several people to help me, and finally someone explained me the way, I returned back and the hostel said no rooms vacant today. How miserable I must have felt then! But, head up, I went back to Utrecht and spent several hours more in search of Hostel. Success seemed to avoid me. On the whole, I felt and looked and acted like a zombie, just going my way in a dreamy and unconscious state thinking and caring about nothing – only Sleep.
I returned to Utrecht Centraal using Google in my cellular phone to find hostels, and even managed to send an e-mail to one of them.
Then, having a map, I tried to find several addresses with no success because my mind did not work. I was walking on Weerdsingel O.Z. like a zombie trying to find number 90-something. I felt very tired angry and frustrated, sleepy, damn it. Damn it, sleepy. All the addresses (two or three of them) were fully booked and I hate this phrase.
A kind man at one of the hostels said they might have a room the next day... fuck me, that meant I
would have no sleep before the Trance Energy and would be too sleepy during the party. I decided to go back to Amsterdam to find hostel or hotel, no use, fully booked or 150 euros per night or we take tourists for three nights minimum. Everything fully booked. I guess they never tell the real truth to a tourist who wants only a single night; with an ocean of hope I first went to Trianon Hotel where I stayed the first days. No luck. I just needed a three hours’ sleep or so.
Then I returned to Utrecht to the kind man to charge my batteries and remove the photos from cards to computer. I offered him some money for the kindness, and he refused it. If he reads this, man, please, take my warmest thanks. There were some Spanish guys talking so quickly I listened to them in utter astonishment.
Having done away with the photos, I went to the station and tried to sleep. In vain. My soul and body were too excited for sleep. In any case, I just sat there having rest. Before the party, I drank some coffee; perhaps, it would keep me
Girls
They thought I was a photographer, but I said I wasn't, however, the picture was taken. awake.
Jaarbeurs Utrecht produced an unforgettable impression on me. It is so ‘global’. In size, I mean. As I entered the venue, I had the magic feeling of Trance Energy! I was astonished to see so many pink-and-white lockers.
One of the major problems was to charge my batteries. I searched for power receptacle and, having found it, asked the officials for permission to use it. No objection was filed on their behalf. I observed the people, and I must say they were all so different, of all ages, sizes, nations, and appearance. I also could not help noticing that there were much more people of the middle ages than I met at parties in Russia.
The light and sound and the djs were all good. There were four different areas, and the biggest and the most breathtaking was the main stage. And, what was most striking, there were huge crowds of people, I’ve never had any comparable experience.
In the middle of the night my organism said ‘stop abusing me’ and went to sleep, sitting on the concrete floor by the wall. I was not alone there – many young people were also having rest.
Then, I heard Armin van Buuren, who played some 15 minutes – he was broadcast via satellite, he was not actually present.
There was also the hard dance stage where you would be smashed by the beats and basses. That style is definitely not for the faint-hearted. I got my share of pleasure there.
What I love most about the Trance Energy is the concluding tracks played by Sean Tyas and Simon Patterson. It was the only party where I stayed till the very end. People were happy. I was happy too. The floor was not happy, because litter was thrown on it in tons.
After the Energy, being SO tired, I came to Bunnik hostel, only to learn that it was hugely improbable that I would get the room before check-in… Some 5 hours of waiting. I kindly asked the reception girl whether I might have rest somewhere, and she showed me the bar. There I sat and slept. An employee of the bar soon wondered if I was going to sleep there forever to which I replied, I am just waiting for check in. Several minutes later I left and waited outside – I
did not want to cause anyone inconvenience by my presence.
Finally it was check-in time and I got my ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOM! SLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
The experiences of Bunnik and Utrecht and the parties are excellent, to be remembered forever. I still have lots of goose bumps when I look through those photos. Still, if I have the patience to write down all the other parts of the European trip, it will make a complete picture.
Dance for joy and will you please stop grumbling and arguing about which style is best.
I dislike this blog entry. I do not like to write the past memories but I have to do it, because the trips to Warszawa, Paris and Amsterdam have not been yet described. But I will have them.
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