Inlägg 135Marianne Saietz (Denmark) skrev:den 28 juli 2009 kl. 01:09
Funny report from Youth Magazine "Yber" from Giske summer party.
http://www.yber.no/?side=41&nyhet=348
This year's biggest party for friends

Never has there been so many people on Giske. The flat pancake-island with 600 inhabitants, hosted probably 12 000 to 13 000 people, when the islanders invited for a real friends party on Saturday.

Once upon a time, on a weather, known for harsh weather, outside Ålesund, 6 years ago, some friends got together, brought a little food each and had a cozy time with good music one summer day. This tradition has grown larger and larger. Last year, was expected 2000 people, 6000 came and this year the number had doubled.

All the 50 bands, played for free and booked the 15 hours of festival. 10 000 people were expected, but throughout the day, there was a long queue of cars stretching from Ålesund, with people aiming for the summer party, despite the cloudy weather and there came many more, than expected. If, next year, even more people will come to Giske, the rumour goes, that the island will sink. Festivalboss Ante Giskeødegård, known from the group "The Margarets" says - We even consider ourselves a young festival, we have only been big for 2 years.

The music could be heard all the way to the neighboring islands Godøya, Valdroya and Vigra. What is unique about the summerparty is, that it is a “ everybody contributes” pary, where food, entrance and camping is free. In the foodtent, people brings, among other things, home made buns, crab claws or pasta salads, and they can help themselves to what others have brought.
A brilliant concept that made the bulge of food enormous. Outside, there were two great stages, and a third stage in a circustent where there was sold "mans soda”. ( beer )

People are laying in the grass, others are pressed together like herrings in the barrel in front of the stage. Then you have some, sitting a little outside in the camping area..
“ How many artists did you get to see?” we ask one. “øh, none!” answers a camper, who came for the social life, rather than the music. In spite of the enormous amount of people from far and near, there was little unrest, and no fights at all, this peace-filled Saturday evening.

About the people at Giske, one can say much good, they are hospitable and earth-bound and they receive foreign people with a smile and a wink.

Artists came from the USA, Manchester, Ireland, Oslo, as well as the local heroes from the "The Margarets". When The Margarets played, Alexander Rybak suddenly joined them with his violin. He had rehearsed some songs of the Giske-group, to great enthusiasm from the audience.
Eventually Rybak took over the stage and created the adventure feeling of the song that everybody knows.
Later in the evening was Maria Mena, Jan Eggum, and what was described as a "surprise" in the festival newspaper, a pretty girl with the fringe into the eyes, blue dress, a guitar and sang "If a song could get me you" arrived on the scene, the was Marit Larsen.

Festival Buses went to and from Ålesund, but a good option was to pitch a tent in Camp Devold. Smalltalk and allsång as "A solskinnsdag" and "Turn on the ring" was sung between the tents before the silence came around six in the morning and only seagulls crying and the waves against the shores, were heard.

Suddenly, everybody was waken by the sound of the "Banana Phone song" that someone from the camp put on "for full power". In the tents, people wormed themselves out of the warm sleeping bags. – That was clever, that! Shouted a camper, about the funny song to wake up to.

A fantastic festival for all. The organizers had really fulfilled their desires, that it should be a festival with good memories for everyone involved. Set a day or two free in the calendar next summer and take a trip to the summer party at Giske, for more magical festival atmosphere can not be found!