Deadly Buda's European Vacation (April-May 2006)
| Bourges, France - The Teknival - This is an event I was very much looking forward to: 4 days of non-stop blaring techno madness. A Teknival is when a bunch of differnet sound systems get together to throw a huge, usually outdoor, party. The phenomena has grown so huge that the former illegal gatherings are now sanctioned by the French government. This has made them no less wild. This Teknival would last 4 days attended by 40,000 people and would host probably 90 or so sound systems, many blasting 50,000 watts of French Hardcore Techno. My guide was Matthieu Inconnu of MLEH Soundsystem. We were invited to play on the Assault and Teknomad Sound Systems, but first we got practically strip searched by the cops on the way in. | |||
 |
 |
 |
 |
Matthieu |
Little
yellow signs point to teknvial. |
The
Police Checkpoint - last photo taken by Virgil
|
|
|
|
The daytime at the Teknival is fairly sedate despite the many sound systems. From 2-4 p.m. all sound is turned off and everyone is supposed to clean their area. The different sound systems decorate their areas and some look super cool. Many of my pictures didn't come out unfortunately, but you get a basic idea here. Black and white picture is from the MLEH forums. |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
The nights of the Teknival is where it all happens. The sound systems crank up the music and lights. The crowds swell. These cell-phone pictures can't really do the experience justice, but just imagine swirling lights and lasers and a cacauphony of sound from practically 100 rigs. It is truly one of the greatest music experiences and unlike no other I know of. At about midnight I got on the decks at the Teknomad Sound System. The crowd only wanted the hardest craziest music, anything less seemed to bore them. It was the most fun I had playing to a crowd in a long time. |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| The frenzy of the night gives way to the morning but the music never stops. Matthieu gets on the Teknomad Sound System at 7a.m. Just when we all want to collapse from exhaustion. The dark side of the Teknival is most evident in the morning as the sleepless zombies and insomniacs create a scene reminscent of a sci-fi dystopian future. But no. This is reality. Nonetheless, Matthieu played a great set and had the die-hards dancing for two-and-a-half more hours. | |||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Finally a new DJ relieves Matthieu and me, Virgil (2nd to last picture) and the rest of the crew gets ready to leave. Next stop... | |||
 |
 |
 |
 |
A
sound system van