Motherfudd The Gathering

Motherfudd: The festival for fudders

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/group.php?gid=9479414998&ref=ts

http://www.motherfudd.com/

Motherfudd is one of the most awesome Gatherings you can ever attend, for the simple reason that music is literally the point. You could say that getting smashed might be the point too, but honestly that’s just a plus side. Motherfudd caters for anyone who has a feel for Metal and who likes watching live bands, drinking and moshing until you can’t feel anything; other than your head attacking the floor. Those that are not so eccentric can always just plunk themselves under a tree and enjoy it from there.

To my bitter disappointment I heard that there won’t be a Motherfudd next year. The Festival was a huge success, but I heard that financially it went down the pooper. So I decided to share my experience with those that might not get the chance to do it themselves.

With bands playing practically all day there was no lack of entertainment, so whatever you decided to do there was a constant sound of music in the air; whether it was a live band or just someone’s car blaring. The atmosphere made me feel all warm and fuzzy. Whenever I heard something interesting, I would just tilt my head to distinguish where the sound came from and what it was I was listening to. There was a pool, a bar and loads of stalls where you could buy practically anything, and let’s not forget the Jägermeister truck. Keeping in mind that the venue it was kept at was quite great too. It was held at Malonjeni Guest Farm.

Some people might think twice before even considering going to it. I was quite the skeptic myself. Can you imagine yourself being between the tent of a guy that eats cats for a living and a woman that looks more like IT than that neighbor you had as a child, who wore so much eye shadow she was able to see all the way to Japan. You can’t be too careful going to festivals either way but I went, and it wasn’t all that bad. (I am starting to get excited all over again just thinking about it – good thing one can’t stutter when typing).

So there we were, packed and ready to go. Needless to say, I was starting to get really excited. I felt like an earthworm under distress. It was my first Motherfudd and even though I didn’t know what to expect, I knew  it was going to be awesome. They organized the Guinness World Records to be there so that we can put up the record for most people head banging simultaneously. Now even though we weren’t the most people to ever head bang together, we were the first to think of it (or rather the organizers of Motherfudd were). I always knew that deep down somewhere inside me, I had a little something that would allow me to end up in that book. The song we head banged to was a collaboration, they used some of the bands’ guys and covered “Walk”  from Pantera. Awesome!

On Saturday a whole bunch of bikers joined the festivities and, might I add, that was the most amazing day ever. I met a few of them and a few of the band members of Sacrifist who played that night. Now if you know Sacrifist, you would most probably know that most of them are part of the Hell Razors (the bikers club). Don’t let looks deceive you, they are really awesome people. I was protected from all harm that could potentially strike and I had the time of my life; what more could one need? I really felt like I should slap myself silly for Judging before I knew. The people were weird but certainly not in the way you might expect. If someone walked passed you twice, they would introduce themselves and become “your new best friend”. I even got stung with an invisible dart (shot to the dude with the green monster watch). I was soon to realise that no one there had any hang-ups with anyone and if so, the security would have sorted that problem out.

So I have learned that people that are even weirder than myself, judge even less and sometimes you need to meet the person behind the “mask”. I don’t have the words to describe the atmosphere; it was really an epic experience. Honestly I can’t really remember most of the bands that played and I hardly understood what they were singing, but that’s in no way because of them; it’s me. The sound was awesome, the stage setup was great and the performances were out of this world. I can really say that South Africa’s music talent is becoming quite something.

Motherfudd was really the high point in my 2010 and it surely is sad that there won’t be another one. Motherfudd became the place most people called “home”, it was a tradition and a brotherhood a lot of people will miss and I know I am surely going to remember it.

For your interest and imagination, here is the list of the bands that played and the times.

FRIDAY 12TH MARCH 2010
18:15 – 18:45 EMPERIUM
19:00 – 19:30 SATHERN
19:45 – 20:15 RHUTZ
20:30 – 21:00 RIDDARE av KODEN
21:15 – 21:45 EREBUS
22:00 – 22:45 A.O.A.
23:00 – 23:45 STIGMATA DAWN

SATURDAY 13TH MARCH 2010
10:15 – 10:45 NIGHTHAWK
11:00 – 11:30 INSTRAMETAL
11:45 – 12:15 RED HELEN
12:30 – 13:00 LOATHE
13:15 – 13:45 FRAGMENTED CHILDREN
14:00 – 14:30 GUINNESS WORLD RECORD
14:45 – 15:15 GUINNESS WORLD RECORD
15:30 – 16:00 HAGGIS & BONG
16:15 – 16:45 ALL FORLORN
17:00 – 17:30 JUGGERNAUGHT
17:45 – 18:30 CHROMIUM
18:45 – 19:30 SACRIFIST
19:45 – 20:45 AGRO
21:00 – 21:45 REVEREND HENRY KANE
22:00 – 22:45 BILE OF MAN
23:00 – 23:45 MAZARU

Lets just hope that by some stroke of luck, Motherfudd will continue one day.

Until then – we will be sobbing, thinking of  our sentiMental memories.

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