Lazy sunday. My favorite day at Melt. Everybody is a bit hungover and fluffy. Movements are slower, in a common pace, people got used to each other, made friends and are a bit emotional because a great time is going to end. I got to see many, many concerts that day and in the very end had the lovely surprise to see my unexpected highlight. Here we go.

First concert: Lana del Rey. And the girl can sing! Really good and friendly, excited fans and perfect chilled music to start the last day. Pleasant surprise. Next were Freedom or Death. New discovery which I liked a lot.

Waiting in the evening sun to see Destroyer.

I was looking forward to this concert and wasn’t dissapointed. Daniel Bejar treated the microphone stand like a flamboyant walking stick. Very elegant, smooth and unexcited.

Hopping over to the sleepless to see if everything was alright in the last sunbeams. It was.

Gesaffelstein starting with some fat, slow electro disco french house smash. Ok, so party again.

Here you see a ZDF Kultur toy where every floor panel makes a different sound. Great idea but I pity the crew who had to look over it and listen to the noise for 4 days in a row.

And Justice for all. Very, very loud, but somewhat not really funky.

The Gaslamp Killer felt underemployed and jumped on stage as MC for Brodinski.

My personal Melt! highlight: Symbiz Sound celebrate a Latin infused Dubstep party at the Sneaker Freaker stand and made a spontaneous crowd jump and sing. People just came along and stopped, being dragged into the show by these great entertainers. They deserve a big stage!

And that’s it. A tired mainstage covered with the leftovers from the last days.

Thanks for a great festival again!

There is a kind of rain which seems inconspicuous. But it’s crawling into your bones after a while, it’s steady and mean and merciless. The horizon becomes blurry and faces become grey. It’s not refreshing, it’s not dramatic. It’s just annoying.

On a festival, this kind of rain is even more depressing and I was really afraid that we were going to have it here at Melt2012. But slowly, during saturday afternoon, clouds faded away and with The Rapture entering the stage, the sun came out eventually. Stage and people bathed in the golden light and the festival finally could start for real.

Friday is costume day at Melt so you see many people in colorful disguises. I spotted especially feathers, bows and arrows, Native Americans seems to be a common motto this year. But I also saw Pharaos, popes and sailors, policemen, prisoners, bears and tigers.

The Rapture left a happy audience and I went over to the Big Wheel floor which is perfect for sunset. This year, the stage rotated so that te sun shines directly on it in the evening. John Talabot and Maya Jane Coles had a good groove there.

Plan B were ok later on, I don’t like Dillon, I heard Boy were really good, M83 are overrated in my opinion, they proved that again, Caribou were good, Bloc Party well received, Hudson Mohawke really made a difference, Shed took a bit too long to start banging and Nero were really impressive, loud and massive and fun.

The rain started again but that did not stop the people from dancing.

Today I am looking forward to seeing Benga, Phon_o, Lazer Sword, Araab Muzik and Modeselektor live. You can see some stuff live on tv at ZDF Kultur.

Melt started yesterday with a soft preparty in the Intro tent. Considering the rainy weather, the tent will probably be the most popular venue this year. Toy were one of the openers and did a good job with impressive trumpets and trombones. Mike Skinner as a DJ was quite disappointing again, he has a selection but doesn’t mix and has no strategy whatsoever. People liked it anyhow.

I could spot a first fashion trend this year: Apart from the necessary rain boots, track suits and animal hats seem to be a common style statement.

It’s 1pm and people slowly get up or start arriving at the festival site. It’s been raining all day already but there’s a little light at the horizon. Everybody yearns for a beam of sunlight. At least, Pasta from cans taste better in the rain.

Today I am looking forward to seeing Raveonettes, Boy, Frittenbude, Caribou, Nero, Shed, Mouse on Mars and Hudson Mohawke. Markus Kavka opens at 3pm on the Big Wheel stage, the Vaccines start at 5pm at the main stage. First highlight though is MC Fitti who performs at the camping site at 3pm with his flamngo girls.

MC Fitti

Frittenbude

Shed

I am almost on my way to Melt! festival 2010 where I will be working again this year. Massive attack, The XX, Goldfrapp or Get Well Soon will not be any of my clients but Kode 9, Mala, Maskinen, Modeselektor, Four Tet and Schlachthof Bronx will. I am excited to show these artists around the festival and make them comfortable. Follow me on Twitter to get updates and pictures during the next three days or check the hashtags #meltfestival

Check out all the previous Melt stories from the last few years on Stylewalker.