Tomorrowland, exactly nine hours I lasted and that is quite an achievement for an ex-punk rocker!
Tomorrowland is the slightly more expensive party for the globalised dance enthusiast. This year about 600000 visitors from all continents will attend the yearly dance festival in Belgium. After a short break due to the covid crisis, TML 2022 added an extra weekend to the festival.
What am I looking for there? Nothing! Nice decors and a beautiful environment, …for shure. It reminds me of a trip to the amusement park. Walt Disney would have enjoyed this setting and I have to admit, I really liked the ambiance. I am just disappointed about the music (sic). You don’t have to look for an instrument (or talent) on the 10+ stages, and certainly do not look for someone who plays an instrument. Today’s “artist” brings a USB stick to the stage. During the covid downtime, a large number of “artists” have been able to kill time with the Roland TR-8S or the Akai MPC and some free software… so today there is enough digital noise available to fill three weekends with monotony. Three weekends of partying have done no harm the organization. After a mandatory (and subsidised – 1,8M€) waiting period of one year (due to covid) they just raised the prices and added an extra weekend. In my opinion it should have doubled their last turnover. The organization will be dancing to the sound of the cash register.
A lot of pretty people from all over the world at Tomorrowland. It is a party of “see and be seen”. Rich youngsters fly to Belgium to drink from recycled cups. Well funded adolescents come to show off in crazy outfits and sometimes with the lack of an outfit. I believe many fathers are very proud of their daughters who show their talents to the world at TML. It’s fun to stroll thru a cloud of influencers and content creators. You recognize them easily, arty-farty-dressed selfie-lovers all take the same stance: one leg forward, knee slightly bent and a color filter. Hordes of influencers harvest “likes” in real time with their simulacrum, during a festival that creates a hyper-reality in itself. But I doubt if there are many people at this event who have ever read Baudrillard…
In short, TML is an experience but a deafening one and full of bad beats. A beautiful setting for non-talent and an enticing alternative to reality. TML is recommended for anyone who cannot choose from the extensive range of stupid entertainment. Tomorrowland is an amusement park, the music can be traced back to a molecular thump and is therefore accessible to everyone. Let yourself drift along in the school with the other herrings.
Just a warning for the visitor in trance: Do not step into the Jacuzzis! I don’t know if sharing jacuzzi water with a hundred visitors is wise. You could get the monkey pox for less.
Beam me up Scotty, no intelligent life here!
