Food, Glorious Sziget Food

-the king and queen of all Sziget food: the hot dog cooked on lava stones. Sadly missing from last year’s offerings, lost half a day wandering around aimlessly in a state of growing despair looking for an elusive stand. Alas, to no avail. For whom it may concern: the „American” hot dog with that measly sprinkling of grilled onions and the anemic pickles just does not live up to the standard. The real deal has a giant sausage prepared on the above mentioned stones and several juicy garnishings to choose from, which enables the creation of a food monster that will leave a trail of destruction, ketchup stains and discarded cabbage leaves in it’s wake.

-the classics: corn on the cob, of course and lángos. There used to be an oily trap right next to the main stage which could set your whole day on a greasy orbit of unhealthy food and beer to wash it down with.

-the foreigner honey trap: kürtös kalács, marketed occasionally as chimney cake. Guaranteed to save your life if an act is so bad your blood sugar levels drop. Trust us, it can happen.

-the legend: back in the day, when the Sziget dinosaurs were young and restless, there used to be an infamous Krishna tent, known mainly for two things: the incessant hum of Krishna Krishna Hare Krishna being belted over varying genres of music and free food. A bit uncooked yes, weird spices and all, queing with strangers in different states of festival „hygiene”, but freeeee. Don’t ask me about the taste though, I’d rather not remember.

-burger of the beast: yes indeed, for some years Sziget’s been having it’s very own McDonalds restaurant. Strategically placed close to the party tent to cater for those coming exclusively to check the latest trendy DJ and to be shunned by pretty much everybody else.But since we are one big loving family, no one shall be left unattended to.

-drink yourself happy: due to its sponsorship deals Sziget always has a rather strict list of available beverages: THE soda family, THE beer and THE energy drink. This might mean joy to some, sorrow to others, but such complaints are compensated for with the cocktails (served by the bucket), the ubiquitous Sziget spritzers and fény. Hungary’s very own claim to fame in the contest for the most mind boggling concoctions known to man, fény (light) was invented on hot summer nights by Balaton, and is basically fruit juice (raspberry and elderflower are the usual suspects) blown into orbit with sparkling vodka.

-the international section: another strategic placement, for the past few years it was parked right behind the main stage area, so even those who’ve wandered in for the headliner can find it without much trouble.Usually you can trip into at least a Mexican, an Indian, a Serbian and a...Transylvanian stand ( we will politely glide over the fact that Transylvania isn’t really a country, but oh well) and if the meat with meat and a bit more of greasy meat might be somewhat hard on your stomach, the pálinka bar is safely tucked into a corner eagerly awaiting to help your digestion over some rough patches.

-and the, if you feel particularly wild, a touch of delicious...well...testicle stew.

Sziget Stuff to be Excited About This Year: Franz Ferdinand

They are back after a longish hiatus with one of those songs of theirs, which, pun intended, will take you out. To the festival to see them again. And who knows, maybe Alex will feel inspired and write some sound bites about Budapest too this time around.

Alex Kapranos- Sound bites from Around the World

Let's Welcome Back One of the Good Ones:Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

There are bands that never grow old, just better. And each new album is a new joy. And each new concert sends shivers of excitement up your spine. There she goes, my beautiful world.

Sziget Stuff to be Excited About This Year (and a bit of a Sziget Romance): Enter Shikari

You know him: your mate who comes to Sziget then promptly disappears into some odd little tent to check out a suspicious act with a suspicious name then return raving that he's found the Holy Grail. He does that every year and you keep telling yourself that one day you should join him, but never do. Then a hole shows up in your schedule (oh noes, the sworn enemy of all Germanic minded festival goers) and you say why the hell not. After all, NME did write about them. And NME was very very right to write about them, for Enter Shikari are as fun as they are intense and I can't think of any other odd little tent I'd be in than the one they'll be playing this year. Like, uhm, the Main Stage.

                                        

Sziget Stuff to be Excited About This Year: Empire of the Sun

They have THE summer song of the year (bar that almost obnoxious one from Daft Punk, who are obnoxiously not playing it live.Which is very French. And obnoxious of them.) And actually this one is by far the most festivally. It kind of has the sound of that sunny afternoon when your biggest trouble in the world is balancing your beer so you don't spill it on a randomly sleeping Dutchman and deciding which weirdly named band to check out in some tent you might or might not be able to locate. I say go for the Australians!

Szigets of (Really Not So) Old: 2012 Part 1

Decked out in lights

Anna Calvi

                                                     Before I die...50 more Szigets :)

                                                                              dEUS

                                                   
                                                                       Friendly Fires

                                                                   Glasvegas

Navigating Sziget is not always easy business. One has to come prepared.

   Maximo Park

                                                                           Placebo

                                           

Romanian Party with Blue Nipple Boy

                                            

                                                    At the end of the long hard Sziget day

Sziget Stuff to be Excited About This Year: The Wheel

The Wheel debuted last year and what a ride that was. The only thing that can make a LMFAO concert an unforgettable experience is THAT view and occasionally being lifted just high enough to drown the noise out.

Right now the wheel is parked in pretty much the coolest spot of the city: best ice cream, best spritzer and best panorama. Yay. All that's missing is the music. But not for long.

A Sziget Romance: White Lies

Well I always liked the White Lies, even before they made it to Sziget. But the first time I saw them did not seem overly promising: late at night, tent packed, hot and sweaty, previous act delayed for what seemed like eternity and a day. As the boys put it themselves: death...

Incidentally, whenever my plane takes off, I hum to myself "could there be love beneath these wings". But there I was, late at night, my buddies grumpy and I was thinking maybe this is not going to work. But it did, oh how it did. There are some bands that just sound BIG as a jumbo jet on the smallest of stages and White Lies surely does. 

When they came back as headliners, though, some people felt they were just not big enough for a last night at a major festival. They more than compensated for that by the sheer happiness of being here and being the ones to close the ball. If any of the acts who played Sziget's main stage are to remember it particularly fondly, White Lies are one for sure. 

They're not in the line up for this year, but they do have a new (pretty awesomish sounding) album out soon, so Budapest is waiting. with our arms wide open.