Benicassim - A health warning

I woke up with the power out

In 2009 I ventured to Spain for the Benicassim Music Festival in Badalona. That year there was a forest fire, a hurricane an outbreak of Swine Flu and the cancellation of three headliners. I’d love to say that the festival has vastly improved since then, in terms of general organization, crowd safety and lineup management but regardless here’s a few dos and don’ts for any revelers making the pilgrimage.

After your flight/Bus /Train, You may feel you have been travelling a while. When I went I took a 23hr bus journey from Paris. They showed Austin Powers two in French twice. I went insane

Get one of your friends to buy a battery powered IPOD charger-Lifesaver

NOW THE ADVICE

Drink shed loads of water; you don’t understand appreciate water so much as when you’re actually there.

Wear a high factor sun cream- see; I’m sounding like your mother already.

Make friends, Beni was the friendliest place I’ve ever been in my life.

Eat FOOD. I advise Nutrigrain bars. I got through 8 boxes. Lovely.

Spend at least one hour in the shower a day! You’ll see what i mean what you get there.  Cold showers have never been so nice.

Buy nothing prior to your flight except a tent and sleeping bag ( tents are available in the town just in case). The town is full of chinese shops selling, tents, lilos, just everything you can think of for little money. The restaurants are all fine, plan your meals with your need to use toilets with proper plumbing. At the bottom of the town there is an Aldi and a Spanish version of an Aldi. Buy a cooler bag, some ice, a load of cheap beer. It'll come to about a tenner and do you for a day of drink

Do not carry drugs of any type when traveling to the the town. This is beyond important. There are feck-all police around but there are civil defence on horseback on patrol who do random searches of your bags when they feel like it.

NEVER EVER EVER light a fire, it’s the equivalent to committing a mass murder in the town. The year I was there, there was a forest fire which got out of control. The security freak out when they see a campfire, imagine a lot of high pitched “eehhhhhh ehhhh” with hand gestures signaling you to put out the fire. 

There is a Benicassim official Heineken bus. On the first day you arrive buy a weekly ticket for a tenner from the driver this will give you unlimited travel. Now to explain that further,

there are two campsites, one beside the festival arena (20 min walk from town) and one in the town near the beach. The one in the village has more trees and shade and is preferred by many. The bus provides transport from the village to the venue, its air-conditioned and amazing. Don’t forget that the campsite opens a week before the festival, the shaded site is usually gone by then. Most people are there on the Monday before. The site beside the venue is very very very intense. Because you’re in Spain, the music can’t start till 7pm (It’s 35c during the day). The headliners are usually on at ten ( you will laugh at how badly organised the lineup is, see boards for changes/cancellations everyday at the campsite). There are more bands on after the headliners/Till 5am on some stages. If you are camped near the venue don’t expect to sleep. When the music finally stops at 6 the sun comes up and melts you by 7am. You find yourself awake and heading to the beach by 9am. CAMP UNDER SHADE.

When you arrive some campsite assistant will make you head to the back of whatever campsite you pick and you’ll be on a pile of rocks, when they leave, camp wherever you want. In the site nearest the venue, camp under the white outer sheets which provide shade. If you have to, buy a bed sheet and extra tent poles to create an outer shade layer( this could buy you hours of sleep in the morning).

If you really feel the need to buy a T-shirt, buy one on the beach/street. The official ones are not worth the money. 

Limit the amount of beer you buy from Benicassim Heinieken tents. Its done on a ticket system that makes no sense and is very pricey. Tank up in the camp site prior to entry. 

Bring a torch. The year I was there, there was a hurricane and the town was in blackout for 2 hours.

Before you ask theres no Mc Donalds. There’s a TELEPIZZA and the Spanish are proud of it. It’s crap. 

There is one Internet Cafe in the town in the tourist information office. Put your name down for a spot in the queue, she’ll give you a time.(5 hours away) Stick it out and wait a half hour, most people don’t turn up for their time. 

Don’t go to house parties in the town. Bad things happen. The locals are dangerous.

Don’t expect security deposits back in the hotels

Don’t be afraid If your room gets double booked, the campsite will let you in. Buy a tent for twenty euro.

Break up your budgets to an amount a day. The town is so cheap you’ll spend all your cash on crap. 

BRING A BOOK regardless of charming company, the early start which is forced upon you from the 7am sunrise often makes for long days on the beach, sometimes waiting 10 hours till your band is on.

You can charge your phone near the Heineken tents in the campsites.

This town is empty 9/10 of the year. The beggers flock to the town when the festival is on. Be aware of this when your eating in the outdoor cafes in the town.