A Crazy Holiday & The Foo Fighters: My Budapest Adventure

I’ve just left behind a wild holiday, filled with experiences worth writing about.

At the last moment, I decided to head to Budapest to see the Foo Fighters.

The flight was only 1.5 hours. Budapest is so close! As I was asking for directions at passport control after landing, a guy came up to me and asked, “Are you from our country?” I said, “Where are you from?” Turns out, he was from the USA. He asked, “Why did you come here?” and I started telling him I was here for the Foo Fighters. As we chatted, I noticed he had something like a poster in his hand. “Can you hold these for a second?” he asked. Then he opened his bag, pulled out a pair of drumsticks and a guitar pick right in front of me.

The person I was talking to was Taylor Hawkins’ assistant, the drummer of the Foo Fighters. He quickly gifted me what he had and went on through passport control. “Come to California! See you!” he said. I was in shock—I hadn’t even entered the country yet, and already this stroke of luck had hit me.

Until the festival day, I spent my time sightseeing around Budapest. I explored the city with two friends I met through Couchsurfing, from Singapore and Saudi Arabia.

We joined a Free Walking Tour, but for the first time in my life, I had to leave a tour halfway through. Budapest was having the hottest day in its history, and I just couldn’t take it anymore.

At one point, we found ourselves by a giant Ferris wheel. “What’s the name of this?” asked Bert from Singapore. I grinned and said, “Budapest Eye,” like I knew what I was talking about… You know, like the London Eye? And yes, it’s really called the Budapest Eye. So, a round of applause to all the people of Budapest for the most creative name ever. It couldn’t have been better!

Day of the Festival

The next day, we headed to the festival grounds. At the entrance of Sziget Festival, we were greeted by “Welcome” signs in various languages. The festival site was huge, and the prices were reasonable—not as overpriced as I had expected. During the day, we watched two British bands.

Almost every corner of the festival had food stalls, and there were art workshops and activity tents scattered around. I only went for a day, but those staying for five days could easily find something new to do every day without getting bored.

The music went on until morning. How do I know?

Well, a thief broke into our friend’s tent. We spent the whole night searching for clues with the police and festival staff. Thankfully, my friend had put his valuables in the safe. The festival team gave him a new tent, but after the heavy rain, even that one flooded. It was so late that I missed my train and had to stay in the tent with him. Unsurprisingly, I got sick from all this, but we had a lot of fun despite everything.

Foo Fighters: A Legendary Show

Now, let’s talk about Foo Fighters. They were awesome! Whether you’re a fan or not, a Foo Fighters concert is an unforgettable experience.

They had already warned everyone about the forecasted rain before the show. The lightning started striking repeatedly, and then it poured. Foo Fighters were on stage, with lightning flashing behind them. It was an incredible scene.

At first, I was right in front of the stage. But as you can guess, standing close to the mosh pit was not the safest idea. We stayed for a while, then moved further back.

It was amazing to see the band members up close. The heroes of our childhood and youth, right in front of us! First in Nirvana, and now in Foo Fighters… Dave Grohl is an amazing human.

Taylor Hawkins was incredibly talented. It was such a great concert. Even though I got drenched by the rain and ended up really sick, I’m so glad I went! I can’t wait to see them again.

Dave Grohl’s daughter was also on stage as a backing vocalist, wearing a Nirvana t-shirt. Dave joked, “I forced her to wear the Nirvana t-shirt!”

Taylor sang “Under Pressure” for us. We all did the classic Freddie Mercury call-and-response: “Eee yo! Ee ooo!” And of course, Dave later came out and said how strange he found Taylor’s behavior—but that Taylor loved doing it.

By the way, the posters I was holding at the passport control were Freddie Mercury posters that Taylor wanted to hang in his room.

At the end of the concert, our wheelchair-using rocker friend was brought up on stage with the help of others. He broke a guitar—what a legend!

The concert was deeply emotional for me. There’s been a bond between these people for years. Foo Fighters have been around for over 25 years. When you think about the Nirvana era and those three amazing albums… it gets me every time.

Afro Rhythms and Khruangbin

After the concert, we headed to a tent where Afro music was playing. I was so tired. The tent’s floor was wooden, and it was dry while the rain poured outside. I found a spot, lay down on my backpack, and watched as people danced. The atmosphere felt magical. I closed my eyes, and it was as if I were in the middle of a tribal dance. Footsteps, laughter, and voices echoing off the wood…

It was an incredible feeling. Should I go to Africa next?

Around 1 a.m., Khruangbin was playing on another stage. I watched them from the front this time, and it wasn’t too crowded. Their synchronized moves and laid-back vibes were so cool. I even appeared on the screen a few times while dancing. If they broadcast the concert, I’ll be sure to share it!

The next day, I decided to burn my return ticket and stay an extra day in Budapest. I eventually landed back in Istanbul on August 16th.

Evgeny Grinko: A Beautiful End to the Journey

And what do I find out? Evgeny Grinko is performing that night! I called up Erdem Çapar, our family’s metalhead, and he got me a spot in the protocol section. Thanks to him, we had an excellent concert experience.

With the light show and visuals, the concert transcended the usual piano recital and turned into a full-on stage performance. It was also livelier than the previous Evgeny Grinko concert I’d been to. Evgeny and his team are so humble; they just want to play their music and go. The focus is purely on the art.

Afterward, we went backstage. Evgeny has gained some weight, and Yana (the cellist) has longer hair. I told her she looked healthier. She turned to Evgeny and teased, “You should eat more! You don’t eat enough at work!” It was hilarious.

We once all went to a kebab place after the İzmir concert. Poor Yana had to eat parsley and onions all night because, unfortunately, there are no vegan kebabs in Turkey!

Their concerts usually sell out, but if you find tickets, I highly recommend going. Evgeny’s compositions are a perfect match for Turkish musical taste.

Reflecting on an Unforgettable Trip

The last few days have been so much fun, and I’m incredibly happy. I’m grateful for every moment.

Right now, I’m sipping herbal tea at home and listening to the Foo Fighters.

Sending distant hugs—I’m too sick to give you a kiss, but lots of love!

Heart,

A.