photos in the gallery courtesy of @klaudiakotlinska – thank you!
do check her YouTube channel for videos from the concert.
Gdynia welcomed me with the rain and a sudden drop in temperatures. I was pretty worried about the day of the concert, but magically for only that one day of the entire festival (!) the rain stopped and sun shone. Still, the wind could blow your head off, but at least with proper clothes it was quite nice, and occasionally warm. Since I could no longer wear sandals with the dress that I’ve chosen for that occasion, I’ve decided to wear a totally new shoes that I’ve got last year, but haven’t worn them yet.
It was a dumb ass move on my part, I will spare you the view of the blisters and my bleeding feet, let’s just say that even several different band aids didn’t help. And since festival took place at the airport, and LP played at the smaller Tent Stage, while Main Stage was on the total opposite side of the airport, you can only imagine the pain I endured. Still am, lol. But, let’s get back to the main subject of this blog. In Gdynia I was a guest of Ewelina, who manages LP Poland Fanclub.
Here I wanted to thank her for a very warm welcome and for taking care of me during those few days! I’ve had a blast, thanks Ewelina! We were also joined by Nikola – Ewelina’s friend. We arrived at the festival’s gates, from the back, shortly after 3 pm, right after they opened festival’s doors. We’ve had to walk quite a long distance and then to take a bus that took us straight to the back entrance, and then to a place where you’ve exchanged printed tickets (don’t ask my why they need a physical copy of the ticket, such a waste of paper…) for a special bracelet.
Then there was another check point, and finally you’ve entered the festival’s site. Place is really huge, but since we arrived from the back, we were very close to the Tent Stage. First, we’ve decided to see how many fans were already there, and if we could take a spot at the barriers before the concert. It turned out there were already few fans there. Most for LP, even though she was 4th in line and her set was to start at 23.15! We greeted with everyone, some people I knew from Instagram and vice-versa. And then we could wait until they opened the Tent for its concert goers.
In the meantime, I was trying to sort out a few details of the upcoming interview with LP, but I will write more about that in a separate post. So when I got back to the Tent Stage, it was already opened. I was lucky, as my spot was held by Aleksander, guy who was more interested in the first three concerts, so he took care of my spot until I could change places with him. Also big thanks to Angelika and Nikola for keeping our spots safe, when we couldn’t be there. They’ve had to ‘fight’ a big battle with the crowd that was quite out of control during earlier concerts.
At some point a friend wrote to me, that there was hell, someone fainted, others ended up with bruises… So, I was really glad that I didn’t have to stay there more than I should… Time flew by really fast. Before the concert there was a brief meeting with LP and I could do a quick interview (again, more in separate post), and afterwards we’ve arrived for the final time at the Tent Stage to take our places. It turned out, it would be rough, even though some people started to leave during Rosalia’s last song…
I don’t think I would have made it to the spot if not Ewelina who lead me to the barriers. I think I would have turned and cried somewhere in the back. You see, LP played after 3 really different artists who brought a very different crowd to what I’m used to at the concerts… Crowd, not necessary that behaves, to my liking… I was really happy that I was spared of the crowd that gathered for some rapper. When we arrived at our spot, I’ve exchanged places with Aleksander and somehow I thought we will have more room to move when LP will start to play.
But, I was sorely mistaken. Our side was full from front to the back, we were squeezed as sardins, while on the opposite side there was a lot more free space. Thankfully at some point people moved a bit, and while we were still squeezed and the tent was filled out totally, when LP entered the stage I was in my zone, and I no longer cared… I was really suprised by the amount of fans that turned out to see LP. I thought that some already came for the final artist of that day, that was about to play after LP, but when I’ve asked everyone said, “no, we’re here for LP”!
LP came to our country with the next concert after 2 years since her performance at the Life Festival in Oświęcim in 2017. I was ecstatic to be able to welcome LP earlier that day in Poland, and I just hoped that our Polish fans will do justice to our Queen during the concert, and wow, and I really mean WOW. They truly did! The sheer volume of screams could make you deaf. But, I don’t mean it in a bad way. I think both LP and her band were totally surprised by the very hot welcome they received from Polish fans.
I think LP was also surprised that the Tent was filled to the brim. I still don’t understand why LP wasn’t performing at the main stage, but that’s the question for organizators of the festival. It looks like LP brough much bigger crowd than Smashing Pumpkins that had played their set on the Main Stage. Sadly, many people couldn’t squeeze in for LP, and even though there was a jumbotrone outside with a view on the scene (there was a camera that provided live-feed), the sound didn’t make justice to LP’s performance.
Luckily, I was inside, in the front row, cheering and having the time of my life, for the last time during this Summer Tour. During first two songs our view was very limited as there were at least 10 photographers in the pit. They’ve had only 2 songs to do their job and when they finally left we could see LP with no interference. And I’m really lost for words. She was otherworldy. Vocally, she delivered such passionate performance that I was totally lost in her voice, music and sound and it’s really hard for me to bring some specific memories.
I remeber that she made a contact with me few times, at least I hope those were aimed at me… She had an amazing contact with the entire audience. I think she was very tempted (several times) to come downstairs to greet her fans, but decided not to, perhaps the crowd seemed too passionate to her, and she might have been worried for those who were next to the barriers, as it could have ended up badly. I was also wondering if LP will be able to play full hour set, as you know, festival’s sets can vary.
But to my huge excitement, LP’s set was even a bit longer than an hour! So she played most of her songs, sadly ‘Hey Nice to Know Ya’, didn’t make the final cut, so it seems that I have heard it live only once during LP’s tour… Setlist in Gdynia: 1. Dreamcatcher; 2. When We’re High; 3. Dreamer; 4. When I’m Over You; 5. No Witness; 6. The Power; 7. Die for Your Love; 8. Tightrope; 9. One Night in the Sun; 10. Girls Go Wild / You Shook Me All Night Long by AC/DC; 11. House on Fire / Paint It Black by the Rolling Stones; 12. Other People; 13. Shaken. 14. Special.
photo courtesy of Miłka – here I am, lost in the moment, in my happy place…
For encore: 15. Muddy Waters & 16. Lost on You. There were several times I felt like crying during LP’s set, but I’ve pulled through. I was just overwhelmed with so many emotions. I was happy to see LP in my country, she was giving a fire performance, the crowd made it extra special and I was sad knowing that it’s the last concert for me. So all those feelings were mixed and I was just going with the flow, I was trying to enjoy my time as much as I could.
I screamed and sang and I just got lost in the moment. “One Night In The Sun” and “Muddy Waters” had a very special light show that needs a mention on its own… During first song, my jaw dropped and no one and nothing else existed. The screen behind LP showed close ups of her face, and the lights created incredible atmosphere. And while during “One Night” I didn’t take my phone to take a pic, I just soaked it all in me… That during ‘Muddy Waters’, for the first time in years!!, I’ve had an urge to take a proper picture and to save that moment in time.
photo: me
Again, most of you don’t know it, but I used to be an avid photographer. I used to take my semi-professional camera everywhere with me, but with anxiety and depression, that passion was lost. So, to get that familiar feeling, after more than 8 years, was really suprising to me. Of course since I have a shitty phone and the guards were standing very close, I didn’t expect to take anything extra special, but to my amazement, the few photos I took, turned out good and not blurry!!
photo: me, just imagine that guard’s head doesn’t exist…
My hands didn’t shake! Imagine that! I also recall that during “Dreamcatcher” and “When We’re High” photographers in the pit looked like worker bees who have gathered to greet their new Queen Bee, they were following her every move like in some sort of special dance known only to them and LP. It was a really special concert to me and I suppose to many Polish fans. During “Other People” LP sang “thank you Poland, thank you so much, we love you, danke schön (from German), dziekuję (thank you in Polish)” to a cheers from the crowd.
You know, I’m just sitting here, looking at my computer screen and trying to think if I can recall anything else, but I only feel like crying. I’m realizing that I just saw LP for the final time (now) and I don’t know how long I will have to wait till I’ll see her again. I just wanted to thank LP for coming to our weird little country with a concert. While we, as a society, do have many issues to sort through, we are a very passionate and faithful crowd that will be very happy to see LP back in Poland.
Since I’m lost for words I will use quote by Asia Juszczak, who perfectly captured, why LP is the best of the best: “LP won everything. The best concert. She doesn’t need confetti nor sequins. LP hypnotizes on stage. The jaws drop. I admire her.” Asia wrote her words in Polish at the Open’er Facebook, but I hope I managed to capture the spirit with my translation. There were many beautiful comments from people admiring LP’s voice and stage presence. LP was even described as volcano woman!
LP, I still dream that you’ll come with a concert to some great place in Poland. We do have a beautiful NOSPR venue in Katowice, that would be worthy of your voice. And who knows, maybe one day my wish will be fullfiled. I’m also trying really hard not to end my post on a sad note. I just hope that my blog will be “enough” for me to to go on while LP will be finally home on the opposite side of the globe. I hope that I will still have plenty to report and that somehow the winter (that lurks in the corner) won’t be as hard as the previous one.
And that with new year, new music and new tour will come. Until then, LP still have few shows left to play during the Summer, so I’m not going anywhere yet. I will be here, waiting for you with new material for as long as you’ll need me, and I – you. For gallery of Day 3 of Open’er, when LP played take a look here. It might give you a better idea of what I was trying to show with my words. PS. I did catch up most of Kylie Minogue’s set as well and while she did a great job on main stage, my heart still belongs to LP.
