More music for your rock'n'roll dollar

Appartly the Swedes and Islanders are staying away, while the bands (the big names that is) are screaming for more money.

The festival director Henrik Rasmussen and musical director Rikke Øxner have been wining away about this in the media, saying they can't afford any decent headliners this year.

Apparently Bruce Springsteen, AC/DC, Madonna and Depeche Mode represent the hights to which Roskilde Festival aspires to climb... but not to worry, we might not be getting Madonna but those musical visionarys at RF have managed to book us (drum roll) Oasis, Nine Inch Nails, Faith No More, The Pet Shop Boys and even early 80's media darling and one hit wonder Grace Jones, my God, they really know how to capture the spirit of 2009 don't they (yes we're being sarcastic).

What do they think they're doing, this little selection could have topped the Roskilde poster 16 years ago then at least 2 of them would have been fresh and relevant.

If the festival really is in financial trouble (the tickets have certainly skyrocketed) then it might be an idea to use "our money" on some exciting new sounds of todays music scene rather than wasting it all on tired showbiz dinosaurs. Are they trying to encourage more middle aged people to dig out their tents and wellys, now that their kids are older and they have more time on their hands, "bring the kids and the barbecue it's a trip down memory lane". Over the past 4 years NOT APPEARING has featured many current acts as an exciting alternative to this 80's/90's pop waxwork museum: fx. The Black Lips, Mark Ronson, White Denim, Vampire Weekend, The Zutons, Crystal Castles, Jarvis Cocker, The Horrors, Oneida,The Young Knives, My Morning Jacket, 1990's, Mysery Jets, Be Your Own Pet, Gallows, Black Kids, Hercules & Love Affair.

Cutting edge sounds from a wide range of genres, that's what Roskilde used to stand for, and if your a rock'n'roll aficionado or a new sounds junkie then hang around Roskildes smaller stages this year, there are still a few treats in store (Dodos / Cola Freaks / Frightened Rabbit / Soil and Pimp) but the focus has definately shifted and for this last couple years the good stuff has been getting pretty thin on the ground.