The Streets at Lowlands 2024

Biddinghuizen, The Netherlands, August 17th 2024

When we were in Amsterdam, Strange days indeed told Wayne how sad it was that The Streets were not at Lowlands this year. Wayne said “actually, we are”. Wayne told me to contact him. he would request tickets for me and Ozzy. after our chat with Tim, when he was leaving he said that they were coming to Lowlands as well. He asked me to send him a message.

On august 1st we bought the parking ticket.

Thanks so much Wayne and Tim & Jo. Jo helped us with the guest list. I’m excited!! We wanted to do Pukkelpop as well yesterday, but we both had to work. We wouldn’t make it on time. Today is a Saturday

I wanted to watch Roos’ horse riding lesson. It’s her first time since our holiday and in the new group, but the Streets are on very early, so we have to leave earlier then expected. I can’t see her lesson unfortunately. Mark will have to film as much as possible.

Ozzy arrived yesterday and stayed in “his bedroom”. We leave as early as possible. It’s one and a half hour drive to the parking of Walibi. Walibi is next to Lowlands.

At 6 I’m awake, why so early? I can’t sleep anymore. I woke up to a message from Eric, if I could help his friend Laura to a ticket. I’m so sorry, but I can’t just help everyone who wants a ticket, and not this last minute. She could use ticketswap. I help close friends, not friends of friends.

Anyway when the alarm goes off, I get dressed, freshen up and I’m ready. Have to wait a little for Ozzy. Then it’s time to say goodbye to Roos and Mark. And we’re off.

We got to the parking pretty quickly. Last time in 2019 we were parked miles away, this time we’re pretty close to the entrance. It’s still quite a walk to the reception. Cos there are no signs where it is, we walk the wrong way a few times.

First we want to know which way we have to go, we get send back a little. Ok we go back. Then we get to the entrance of a camping. We get send back again. We have to walk around the fence to the box office. But we’re on the guestlist. We have to go to the reception, we have to walk back again. Again around a fence to along the Pendle busses. To the roundabout. There we see signs for the reception.

We arrive before 10. With our press/guest access, we have our own entrance. That means we can skip the bridge of death.

Most areas are still closed when we arrive. It opens at 10. Only 10 minutes to go. Then I guess we go to the toilet, as we have nothing better to do. When we finished, we still have to wait a few minutes, but then a small part opens, but not everything yet.

One more hour until the area of the Heineken opens. We get a crepe. And walk around the site a bit. I chill in the hammock for a few minutes. We have a smoothie. I could use a vitamine boost.

At 11 another part of the festival opens. We walk towards the Heineken tent where The Streets (and later today Overmono) are playing. We go to the barn. This is the relax area for press and guests. It’s still quiet. It’s pretty early still.

We go to a sunscreen/KWF stand to get sunscreen on.

We walk towards lake Lowlands. There are shops here. Nothing interesting, but it’s a nice walk. Although I feel my feet. They hurt. I feel blisters coming. I go to the fist aid to get plasters. When we get there, the doctor has noting to do, he really takes his time for me. He cleans my feet, and puts plasters on them. It helps, my feet don’t hurt anymore.

We walk through the Heineken tent to the barn. There is a band playing. They are a bit weird. But it’s very funny. And the music isn’t too bad either. We go to the toilet in the barn. The Streets will be playing in about an hour, we go back to the tent.

This weird band just finished. Then it’s time to wait for The Streets. We see Oliver. We say hello. Oliver told us that Masterpeace will join as well.

Strange days indeed says hello, but he need food still. It was quiet for a long time, but slowly it’s getting very busy.

At 1:40 it’s time for The Streets. Why this early? It’s The Streets’ first ever lunchtime gig. Mike keeps reminding us lol. OMG WHAT AN AMAZING GIG. My 70th gig of Mike Skinner. Best lowlands gig from the streets by a mile.

We didn’t see Art. Trying to get the setlist. It’s a lot harder this time. “The new Art” was giving them to the security. But he just turned around and gave them away. That was not where I was standing. Ozzy went there. Luckily there was still one left. And Ozzy had to look a bit angry at the security. The security wanted to give it to someone else, but Ozzy got one in the end. Thanks so much Oz.

After the gig, we went to the barn for a drink and a pizza. It is a very hot day. We try to find the shade as much as possible.

We walk towards the Alpha tent. The Sugababes are playing here. Omg so many people. It’s too busy. We’re getting too old for this. After 2 songs we leave. Ozzy goes first and as body guard he helps me and himself through the crowd.

Then we walk to the X-ray tent. We sit down for a while. We get another drink. Strange days indeed joins us for a little while as well. I’m glad we sit down so much, because it’s also a lot of walking. My feet hurt, but no blisters. That is fixed. We walk back to the barn. We get a drink and we go to the toilet.

Masterpeace will be playing in about an hour. So we go back to the xray. We wait outside on some wooden benches. It’s very quiet in the xray. But we hear the terrible noise from the India tent. The band is called soft something, but omg the noise!! Horrible!! That is not soft at all. When it’s almost time for Masterpeace, we get inside the tent.

We’re up front. Strange days indeed is watching as well. I like Masterpeace. His shows are a bit of the same. It’s like “one, two, three jump” all the time, every song. Not very original. But he knows how to put up a show, and the mosh pits in the crowd helps a lot too. He was supposed to play 50 minutes, but his set was only 35 minutes.

We have some time left. Before Overmono will be playing in de Heineken tent. We go back to the barn for a drink. We still have some time left before Overmono starts, we decide to have some food first.

We saw cheese fondue, but it’s too busy here. We can’t sit down. We get Mexican Nachos instead. This is quite a lot. Pretty good too. While we were eating we hear Overmono starting.

After our food we go to Overmono. After one song we want to leave. It’s alright. It’s better than expected. But let’s go. When we’re outside he starts his “Turn the page” remix from The Streets. So we quickly walk back inside the tent. He also does a remix of “Has it come to this”. We see that it attracts more crowd. We also heard a few cheers. That were the 2 best songs of his set haha.

We walk towards the Alpha tent. Jorja Smith is playing here. We walk to the top of the hill on the left side of the stage. We can sit in the grass for a while. In the meantime the sun sets. It’s getting colder. Luckily I brought my Streets hoody. We have to stand up, cos everybody stands up. We can’t see anything, otherwise.

Ozzy is getting us a drink. And I get a text from Strange days indeed that he left the huge crowd. I totally understand. It’s too massive. He’s going back to his camping to put something warm on. Ozzy and I walk to a cocktail bar. We have to toast on my 70th gig, and Ozzy’s 65th gig. Cheers!!

Strange days indeed join us as well, for a little bit. Then it’s time to say goodbye. We go to the barn to heat up for a bit. And he will join his friends.

In the barn we get a coffee and a tea. When we’re a little warmer we go to the alpha tent. Fred again will be playing here. We watch him for a while. He’s pretty good. Not sure if he is headliner material, but I like his set. But we’re cold. And we feel like the mosquitos are bothering us. We leave again. We get one more drink in the barn cos we still have some tokens left. We heat up a little bit. But then it’s time to walk back to the car.

Perfect that we don’t have to cross the bridge of living. It used to be a bridge with stairs and that. Horrible of you have to carry your camping gear. They called it the bridge of death. But a couple years ago they changed the bridge. There are no stairs anymore. It’s more like a walk path now. It’s called the bridge of living now.

The walk isn’t too long. We get to the car quickly. Time to drive home.

We’re home at 1am. Mark fell asleep on the couch. Ozzy goes upstairs right away. I wake Mark up. And we both go to bed as well.