The main stage performers on the third day of the Campus Festival were Csík Zenekar, Majka, and Dimitri Vegas. Accordingly, the audience was very diverse in every way also.
No one would argue that musical taste divides humanity into different groups, with each group adopting distinctive external characteristics that distinguish them from members of other groups. This fascinating representation was visible in Debrecen for those who attended the third day of the Campus Festival.
The Csík Zenekar performed with András Lovasi and Tibor Kiss, which in itself counts as an eclectic musical experience. Lovasi, the frontman of ‘Kispál és a Borz,’ which disbanded after their farewell concert at last year’s Campus Festival, returned to the main stage to sing with Csík Zenekar. The crowd size was far smaller than Kispál’s farewell concert last year, but many were still eager to hear the mix of Hungarian folk music and alternative rock. The audience seemed rather random—fans arriving early for Majka mingled with families visiting the Civil Agora during the day, bringing their young children to enjoy the festival. Undoubtedly, the music of Csík and Lovasi resonated with both groups.
At 8:15 p.m., Majka took over the stage, delivering an impressive show with professional flair and spectacular elements. It’s no surprise that a huge crowd gathered for the concert. The audience seemed more unified overall, almost breathing in sync with the performer, but on closer inspection, there were party-goers from very different age groups. I saw everyone from five-year-olds to people in their seventies. Among Majka’s rapper subculture fashion trends, I also noticed hipsters rapping and girls not typically dressed in rap culture attire still enjoying the concert a lot. Majka repeatedly praised the Debrecen audience, admitting that the city’s fans, who have welcomed him with open arms for years, mean a lot to him emotionally.
After Majka, Dimitri Vegas &Like Mike took over the stage, but during the break, everyone rushed to the nearby drink stalls. A surprising twist occurred around 10 PM when almost nothing was available at the drink stalls next to the Ferris wheel. “There’s nothing left, just these two kinds of drinks. I can’t give you anything else; everything is sold out. They drank everything!” said the incredulous bartender girl, and it was only thanks to our willingness to compromise that we didn’t remain thirsty…
Dimitri Vegas amplified the eclecticism of the evening. Counted among the world’s top ten DJs, the handsome Dimitri shared a similar opinion of the Debrecen audience as Majka—he repeatedly called tonight’s crowd “amazing.” I found him amazing also because he mixed an incredible range of music, from 90s pop hits to indie-rock with Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used to Know” and Andrea Bocelli’s “Time to Say Goodbye” (Theatre Silenzio). Although I appreciate his skills, this concept-less medley didn’t necessarily match my musical taste.
One thing is certain: the three main concerts of the 3rs day brought together such a colorful festival population, a level of diversity I’ve only experienced in the United States.
– Virág Vida –
