By Eden van der Moere
2016 marks the three year anniversary of Stukafest, a performing arts festival hosted by students, in their own houses. Between beer crates and dirty socks, upcoming artists perform their tracks. Last Tuesday, I went to the Stukafest in Middelburg, where I visited little concerts performed in the students’ houses of my peers. Each artist was located to a student house, which resulted in a total of seven locations all through Middelburg. Although there were three rounds of performances, I went to see two: DOOXS and Crystal Water.
The first performance I visited was by DOOXS, an upcoming duo creating a mix of indie and electronic music. The two young women stood in a student living room, surrounded by traffic signs and fairy lights, and performed dark, hypnotic and sensual tracks. At one point, it was hard to tell when one song ended and the next began: synths, hushed voices and glowing beats filled the shadowy room. DOOXS bewitched the audience, even when the duo had a small technical malfunction halfway through the performance. This is definitely a name to remember…
After the last electronic echoes had died out and the lights were turned off, it was time to cycle from one student house to the next. On my way, I passed both students and inhabitants of Middelburg, excitingly discussing the performance they just witnessed: Stukafest was everywhere during that night.
The next performance I witnessed was that of Crystal Water. A group of five artists stood in the darkened living room, with only colored dots of light surrounding them. The setting turned out to truly fit the music: psychedelic, with a strong beat and just hint of mystery. Their sound reminded me of Tame Impala, with similar guitar streaks and surprising rhythms, but Crystal Water still managed to create their own unique sound, by adding a stubborn funk to the mix.
Stukafest really is a unique experience, as it brings together students, artists and inhabitants of a city: individuals who otherwise might never have met. The combination is fun, laid-back and incredibly entertaining – and that all, for a student-friendly price.
Eden van der Moere, Class of 2018, is a Literature and Linguistics major from Goes, The Netherlands.
