By Stephan Delbos
 
We arrived in the small Serbian town of Novi Sad with twenty-four hours to spare before the opening performance of Exit Fest 2008. Already the campsite was crowded with festival-goers from all over Europe, though the twang of British English could be heard from the hollows of more than a few tents. The campsite is situated across the river from the Petrovaradin fortress where sixteen stages stand waiting behind ancient walls to accomodate some of the most exciting and varied acts in music today, from Serbian rock to reggae, The Hives to Manu Chao. By the twilight hours, the site had become the scene of an Exit Fest pre-party, with tents corralled around revelers, as well as a DJ stage on the nearby beach, which kept listeners bumping until the early morning hours.

The first official day of the festival dawned early over a groggy camp, with empty plastic bottles of Serbian beer rivaling the number of tents. But as campers filled themselves with Chinese noodles, panini and yogurt shakes from snack stands, the camp took on an atmosphere of anticipation for 19.00, when Serbian rockers DMT would kick off the musical festivities, followed by The Bell Rays, Nightwish, N.E.R.D, The Streets, and DJs spinning until 6.00am; and all of that only on the Main Stage.
 
Until then, tea will be boiled, deals made, frisbees tossed, and pages turned by tired readers lounging in Serbian sunlight with only dog-eared copies of "The God Delusion" and a bristling knowledge of what is to come to keep them company.

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