Like a 1960s hippie dream that just won’t die, Roskilde Festival has remained strong for 50 years. Created by volunteers and shaped by the youth throughout five decades, the festival has proven itself able to constantly change without losing its core values. That is believing in young communities.

This is the story about how music has been the driver at Roskilde Festival for 50 years. About the volunteer-based commitment which year after year makes the festival happen. And most importantly, it is about the audience. The narrative of Roskilde Festival is found in things created by, for or with the audience.

Go on a trip amongst soundboxes, beer bongs, theme camps, crazy outfits, festival toilets and worn-out boots. Each and every one a part of the myth that compiles 50 years of special Roskilde moments.

The world inside the festival fence is a dirty but loving one. A world that has, for the past 50 years, made it possible for young people to explore their dreams of ultimate freedom and partying.

Join us for a guided tour of the exhibition at Ragnarock and explore the many wonders of Roskilde Festival.

Tour times (max 20 people per tour):
18 November: 10.00 – 11.00 & 13.00 – 14.00 (language: English)
18 November: 11.15 – 12.15 & 14.15 – 15.15 (language: Danish)
19 November: 10.00 – 11.00 & 13.00 – 14.00 (language: English)
19 November: 11.15 – 12.15 & 14.15 – 15.15 (language: Danish)
20 November: 10.00 – 11.00 & 13.00 – 14.00 (language: English)
20 November: 11.15 – 12.15 & 14.15 – 15.15 (language: Danish)

Buy your festival ticket here.

The talk will be followed by a tailormade tour of the exhibition focusing on the impact that Roskilde Festival has and has had on the city of Roskilde and its citizens.

Music festivals transform towns and cities into carefully crafted touristic sites, shaping the ways both locals and visitors engage with the “authentic” musical performances that take place there. This transformation often extends beyond just the event itself, affecting the image of the city through changes in public policy, demographics and even the local music scene.

Through a discussion of the two major festivals that take place in Austin, TX (USA) each year – the Austin City Limits Festival and South by Southwest – this presentation will explore the relationship between festivals and their host sites and how a small town in the middle of the Texas hill country was transformed into the “live music capital of the world”.

Dr. Charles Carson is a professor at the University of Texas at Austin where he teaches courses on contemporary art music, popular music, hip-hop and jazz. His research interests include music and tourism, American music and African-American culture. He has presented and published on a variety of topics ranging from Italian opera to theme park music.

TIME AND PLACE:

19. november kl. 16.15-17.45

RAGNAROCK – Museet for pop, rock og ungdomskultur

Buy your festival ticket here.

Psychedelic music meets Egyptian Shaabi. Cumbia merges with Indian sounds. In the glow of illuminated tents, among DIY sound systems and camp flags, guests are urged to sink into soft floor cushions and Fatboys in RAGNAROCK’s special exhibition about Roskilde Festival. Here, visitors can immerse themselves in the sounds and narratives of the Festival’s work towards promoting global music – not only at the festival itself but also on the national and international stage.

In 1996, Peter Hvalkof was hired by Roskilde Festival to book music with a focus on danceable genres that stood out from what you would otherwise experience at the festival. This proved to be the first step of what would become a 25-year endeavour to create a platform for culturally diverse music from all corners of the world.

In tonight’s session, Hvalkof will join musician, DJ and journalist Rasmus Poulsen for an inspirational conversation. Through words as well as music, they will explore the process of developing a festival that also uses celebration and cultural exchange to strengthen the many local voices around the world.

Peter Hvalkof

Peter Hvalkof became involved in live music as a teenager. He has retained his early links with live music throughout his life. His principal focus in music is the 100% non-profit Roskilde Festival held in Denmark early July every year since 1971, one of Europe’s biggest music festivals. Hvalkof has held several important Roskilde posts, from programmer and booker to assistant manager. He was also deeply involved in other projects related to live music, such as hosting Womex 2009 – 11 in Copenhagen; serving for 11 years as music director at music venue Global CPH, which in 2016 merged with Copenhagen Jazzhouse into Alice CPH.

In august 2020 he retired from professional music life but is still voluntary member of the booking team at Roskilde Festival.

Rasmus Poulsen

Rasmus Poulsen is a well respected music journalist, DJ and musician. As a musician he is known by his stage name Raske Penge and is one of the leading figures in the wildly popular wave of dancehall and reggae that has been splashing all over Denmark. He is celebrated for his somewhat hardcore music and conscious yet humorous lyrics. Together with his regular stage partner Klumben he has had one of the biggest Danish reggae-hits to date, the smokers anthem “Faxe Kondi”.

www.raskepenge.dk

Instagram: @raskepenge

Facebook.com/raskepenge

Facebook.com/djrasmoney

TIME AND PLACE

19. november 18:15-19:30

RAGNAROCK – Museet for pop, rock og ungdomskultur

Buy your festival ticket here.

DANSK

Fra ukendt land til international scene

Globalmusik på Roskilde Festival gennem 25 år

Psykedelisk musik møder ægyptisk shaabi, Cumbia forenes med indiansk inspiration. I lysskæret fra oplyste telte, blandt hjemmebyggede anlæg og campflag inviteres publikum til indtage bløde puder og fatboys i RAGNAROCKs særudstilling om Roskilde Festival. Her kan de fordybe sig i lyden af og fortællingen om, festivallens arbejde med at fremme den globale musik – både som en del af festivalen men også på den nationale og internationale scene.

Peter Hvalkof blev i 1996 hyret af Roskilde Festival til at booke musik med fokus på dansevenlig musik, der ikke lignede noget af det andet, man kunne opleve på festivalen. Det blev startskuddet til 25 års arbejde med at fremme og udvikle en scene med musik fra alle afkroge af kloden og med mangfoldige kulturelle udtryk.

I aftenens videnssession mødes Hvalkof i en stemningsfuld samtale med musiker, DJ og journalist Rasmus Poulsen. Her vil de gennem både ord og musik dykke ned i arbejdet med udviklingen af en festivalscene, der gennem fest, dans og kulturmøder også arbejder for at fremme og udvikle de mange lokale musikudtryk derudefra på internationalt plan.

Saving the rain forests, local community building or fighting for gender equality – all are different examples of how festivals engage in social or environmental issues of our time. The modern music festival has proven to be a highly successful concept to gather huge crowds of music lovers to enjoy and experience live music.

Besides organising high profiled concert events, many festivals engage or even invest their brand value in various social, cultural or environmental issues.

Why is it important for the modern festival to act as a social agent? In a time when corporate social responsibility becomes more and more important, will the future of the festival be more a celebration of values than a celebration of music?

In the moody atmosphere of the exhibition “50 years of Roskilde Festival” both festivals and researchers will join a panel to discuss why many festivals develop a social profile.

Professor Ian Woodward, university of Southern Denmark, will host the panel. He will be joined by Søren Eskildsen, spokesperson of Smukfest, Jo Haynes, associate professor University of Bristol and representatives from one or two other significant festivals.

Ian Woodward is Professor at the University of Southern Denmark. He has written many books and papers, listens to a lot of different musics, and goes to music festivals as a personal and professional pastime. He researches consumer cultures, music economies/ecologies and cosmopolitan ethics. His most recent books are “Vinyl”, “Labels” and “The Festivalisation of Culture”.

Jo Haynes is Associate Professor in Sociology at the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom. Her research focuses on popular music, ethnicity/race, festivals, creative labour and entrepreneurship in the cultural industries. She is a principle investigator (with Professor Ian Woodward) on a large European project – FestiVersities – which focuses on the recovery and reimagining of music festivals post-covid and has a strong international track-record of publications. She is currently a director on the Board of Trustees for the Bristol Festivals Network.

TIME AND PLACE

20. november 16:15-17:45

RAGNAROCK – Museet for pop, rock og ungdomskultur

Buy your festival ticket here.