A layout spacious enough to wander without ever losing sight of the stages. It’s the rare urban escape where nature meets city access. Calm when you need it, electric when the music starts.

With three stages, and enough food trucks to cause serious decision paralysis, Syd For Solen proved it’s Copenhagen’s happiest excuse to spend all day outside with strangers who feel like old friends by the end of it.

Food here isn’t just fuel, it’s part of the identity. Every dish is built around organic, seasonal, and locally sourced ingredients, whether you’re craving a plant-based feast, high-quality meat, or MSC-certified seafood. It’s all in line with the festival’s mission: "serve proper, good food that tastes really good".

And then there’s the sustainability ethos. This isn’t token recycling bins, it’s a fully realised action plan covering energy, waste, transport, and ethical partnerships. Diversity, inclusion, and responsible cultural production are woven into every decision. In a crowded festival landscape, Syd For Solen isn’t just another summer party, it’s proof that music events can be joyful and forward-thinking.

Day 1: Pink Cowboy Hats And Pure Pop Energy

Elias Rønnenfelt opened the show with mellow, heartfelt tunes that felt like postcards from a Scandinavian summer. His voice was the perfect soundtrack for people settling onto picnic blankets with their first beer of the day.

Liana Flores followed, bringing breezy, bossa-nova-flavored folk that floated across the crowd like a sea breeze. Her delicate guitar work and airy vocals made the park feel momentarily smaller, as if we’d all been invited into her living room for a private show.

Then CMAT arrived, instantly shattering any lingering calm. Witty, theatrical, and full of catchy heartbreak bangers, she strutted across the stage in full technicolor drama. Between songs like 'I Wanna Be a Cowboy, Baby!' and her wry banter, she commanded the audience’s attention as if we’d all been cast in her very own musical.

MK.Gee kept things unpredictable, blending wiry indie rock with warped, futuristic beats. It was a set of left turns, moments of quiet introspection crashing into bursts of groove-heavy, experimental energy that had people dancing without even realizing it.

Then came Julie Pavon, who turned up the temperature with pulsing electronics and sharp, deliberate choreography. Her stage presence was magnetic and every movement syncing perfectly with the beat, every drop pulling the crowd closer to the stage.

As golden hour washed over Valbyparken, Khruangbin drifted in with their hypnotic psych-funk. Their wordless, winding jams felt like a collective exhale after the day’s pop energy. Warm guitar tones, rich basslines, and rhythms that seemed to sway with the setting sun.

And then came Chappell Roan.

She didn’t just play her set, she took control of the entire park. Strutting onstage in a glitter explosion that was part 80s glam, part Barbie Rodeo, she delivered unapologetically queer pop anthems with a voice that carried to the beer tents at the far end of the field. 'Good Luck, Babe!' brought the loudest singalong of the weekend, while 'Hot To Go!' turned the crowd into a bouncing, glitter-covered ocean. 

She joked, she teased, she roared and the audience gave it all right back. It felt less like the end of day one and more like the kind of finale people talk about for years.

Day 2: Football Shirts, Nostalgia, And Big Choruses

Gone were the pink cowboy hats. In their place: a black-and-white wave of Newcastle United shirts, all waiting for Sam Fender’s headlining set. The crowd may have been smaller, but the vibe was pure stadium energy.

Turboweekend, making a welcome return after years away, blasted open the gates with synth-laced rock nostalgia. Their set was a reminder of how tight they’ve always been as a live band. Every drop, every hook landing with precision.

Blau Blume followed, delivering falsetto highs and lush, layered arrangements that wrapped the audience in a haze of dream-pop melancholy. There was a stillness between songs, the kind of reverent silence that only happens when a crowd is fully locked in.

If Blau Blume was a deep breath, Confidence Man was a sprint. They staged a full dance riot with costume changes, campy choreography, and basslines that hit you square in the chest. It was impossible to stand still, and the crowd didn’t even try.

Sienna Spiro kept the energy alive with smooth R&B vocals laced over crisp electronic beats. She played with tempo and mood, drifting from sultry slow-burners to dancefloor-ready drops.

Then came Sigrid, bringing her signature mix of pop sparkle and emotional punch. Tracks like 'Strangers' and 'Don’t Feel Like Crying' had arms in the air, while her between-song chat felt like catching up with an old friend.

Natasha Bedingfield surprised everyone with a nostalgia-soaked hit parade. When she launched into 'Unwritten', generational lines disappeared and everyone, from festival teens to forty-somethings, was singing like it was 2004 again.

Then, the moment the football shirts had been waiting for: Sam Fender. If Chappell Roan was the glitter queen, Fender was the stadium king. He opened with 'Getting Started' to instant chants, followed by hits like 'Will We Talk' and 'Seventeen Going Under'. The latter turned into a massive singalong that felt like a football terrace transplanted into Valbyparken. No gimmicks, no overproduction, just arena-sized songs, a tight band, and the kind of presence that made you believe he could close any festival in the world.

During 'Hypersonic Missiles', Fender invited climate activist Greta Thunberg and several other activists on stage, turning the performance into a powerful statement about urgency and action, an inspiring reminder that music and activism can share the same spotlight.

Two days in, Syd For Solen 2025 had already proved why it’s a highlight of Copenhagen’s summer: eclectic lineups, unforgettable performances, and the kind of shared moments you can’t plan. Add in the sustainability-first approach, and food worth queueing for, and you’ve got a festival that’s as meaningful as it is joyful.

Nicole Palmlund

@npalmlund

Images: Nicole Palmlund, Chappell Roan by Sebastian Vistisen Toft

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