When Down the rabbit hole is marketed by Mojo in 2014 as ‘little brother of Lowlands’, a maximum of 8,000 people will come to the Groene Heuvels in Beuningen. In 2023 – on almost the same surface – there are now 45,000 ‘rabbits’ this weekend. Young and old. And for days on end they are nothing but blissfully happy down the ‘rabbit hole’. “This is a wonderful festival, man!”
Froukje kicks off on the Hotot main stage on Friday. The sun is then shining nicely with some regularity. Handstands are done, swings on the other side of the field and also swimming at the lake in the Green Hills. Of course there are lines at the coins. Coins? Yes, as one of the last festivals, coins are used.
Does it seem to matter? So no. Most of all, people want to have fun without a care in the world. Swimming, drinking, talking, dancing and, if it suits, even going to a performance. Or that the 255 euros is worth it? The fact that it was sold out within an hour with barely appealing names speaks volumes.
Total experience
Meanwhile, there is supping in the lake, there is a floaty Thai chi – which is enthusiastically participated – and many other activities. Down the rabbit hole is not necessarily just music, but a total experience. This is somewhat apparent from the line-up, especially the headliners: With Fred again…, Burna Boy (after Stromae’s cancellation) and Paolo Nutini, there are no big names.
But what is big? Fred again… easily sells out the Ziggo Dome twice. When he then closes Friday on the main stage with his emo-dance-pop act, the Hotot is bulging. Especially the younger visitors (thirties) showed up en masse and turned it into a crazy party.
walker
Wil (70) from Nijmegen also enjoys it to the fullest. It’s the seventh time he’s been down the rabbit hole. Now together with his wife and he is very proud of that. “And she is even here with a walker,” the seventy-year-old shouts cheerfully. “It is cozy and friendly. Just a wonderful festival, man!”, he says with a smile. “I hope to go for a very long time.”
What draws him to Beuningen every year? “As a young boy I watched Woodstock and I thought, ‘I want to see that too’. And now in recent years we are finally going.”
Wil doesn’t mind that quite a bit of rain is predicted for Saturday. ,,That does not matter. Then we went to Woodstock for a while,” he winks. ,,And everyone wants to dance here, me too!”
Amusement park
The rain is indeed there on Saturday, but there are few ‘rabbits’ who really care. Poncho on and go. When the sun suddenly breaks through at the start of a Spoon performance, cheers erupt. On Down the rabbit hole people were born with a silver spoon in their mouth, so to speak.
Henny (48) from Ameide is also enjoying himself. And he’s a seasoned DTRH-goer, he hasn’t missed a single edition. “If I count correctly, this is the eighth time. I’ve had a really nice day again. What I saw was really great. It’s just always a great weekend.”
Caveats
He does, however, make some caveats. “I miss the old names. I want to see old heroes. Previously there was always an Iggy Pop, David Byrne or Nick Cave. A good old name. They have forgotten about the ‘faithful Rabbits’”, I think.
A lot has changed compared to the very first edition, and not necessarily for the better, he believes. “There’s a bit going on here why I didn’t go to Lowlands at the time. It’s not quite my festival anymore. Incidentally, there are people of all ages here,” notes the forty-year-old. “But I think it has become an amusement park.” Are the Down the rabbit hole veteran doubts? “I say now that this is the last time. Ask me again next year”, he concludes with a joke.
2023-07-02 10:38:12
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