The Frequency Festival, Austria’s third-largest festival, celebrated its 24th edition this year. Although it wasn’t a special anniversary, the usual 3-day-long event weekend was expanded by an extra day, Day 00.
On this Day 00, only one out of three stages was active. Some might argue it was not a typical festival day but rather a mini-festival in itself, designed to celebrate Ed Sheeran’s return to Austria. But let’s start from the beginning.
Day 00 started hot. With temperatures over 30°C, everyone was already sweaty before the dancing even began. The main stage opened with American artist Dasha, who was the only female performer of the day. But with the intense heat, it took a while for the crowd to crawl out of the shady spots. More festival-goers arrived for the following DJ-set by Regard. I was hoping to hear one of the three songs I knew by him, but my expectations were not met.
David Kushner followed with a contrasting performance, playing guitar himself and supported by a live band. Although he appeared a bit shy—it was his first time playing in Austria—the crowd was mesmerised by him. For me, it was his deep voice that fascinated me the most. Along with performing his biggest hit-to-date, ‘Daylight’, he also treated the audience to some unreleased songs.
Those who didn’t dig Kushner’s music might have had more fun at the next artist’s show. Tream is a German act who incorporates elements of traditional culture into his music and stage outfit, blending them with modern influences. When Tream hits the stage, it’s all about beer and partying.
Calum Scott was a little more laid back. I first discovered him when he performed at Frequency last year. This time, he was on the main stage and had a later slot, which showed how much an artist can evolve in a year. His stage presence was phenomenal, and the audience rewarded him with massive positive reactions. At one point, Scott was so moved by the crowd’s enthusiasm that he teared up.
As the night fell, the temperatures dropped, and the crowd was loaded with excitement because it was time for the headliner of the day: Ed Sheeran. It had been a couple of years since I last saw him, and I have to admit: He is still as fantastic as ever. The first time I saw him live was ten years ago, and he is still that smiley guy on stage, armed with only his guitar and a loop pedal. Ed Sheeran played a mixture of songs, from old-time favourites like ‘The A-Team’, to newer tracks like ‘Eyes Closed’, which was released just last year. I was thrilled to see that he still performs some of my personal favourites, like ‘Bloodstream’, ‘You Need Me, I Don’t Need You’, and ‘Take It Back’. He also wowed the crowd with mash-ups of two or three songs, all supported by visuals on a big screen and pyro effects. The day ended with a spectacular fireworks display.
Overall, I had a lot of fun on day 00. The mixture of artists worked well, offering every festival-goer something for their liking, and allowing time for breaks and refreshments. It was a great start to the festival.
Written by: Wiebke Krause
Photographed by: Wiebke Krause
Edited by: Shanna Henselmans
