Location: Nickelsdorf / Pannonia Fields / Austria
Concert date: June 14, 2008
Attendance: 100,000
If the first day of Nova Rock had us shivering and even four sweaters weren’t enough, on Saturday we woke up to a pleasantly warm, sunny morning. And the whole day turned out that way. Only a light breeze took the edge off the heat. Just the right weather, because a ton of good bands were waiting for us that day.
Intro text: Lea Lesar
RED STAGE
FIRE IN THE ATTIC: 12.30-12.55
The first to stride across the Nova Rock Red Stage on Saturday were Germans Fire In The Attic. Since they’re locals, a pretty sizable crowd of young guys and girls (as expected) piled up in front of the stage. No wonder, since this is a band for the kids, and the guys spice up their melodic punk rock with some screaming too. Ole can pull it off!
The guys put out their fourth studio album in April this year, titled “Cum Grano Salis”. In a good twenty-five minutes they served up quite a few new songs, including “Fake It Like You Mean It” and “Senses Riding Shotgun”. The latter is the last single from the freshly released record. But the crowd didn’t really react to the new stuff. Maybe because it hasn’t quite settled into people’s ears yet. So the emphasis was mostly on the slightly older tracks from “I`ll Beat You, City!”, released in 2006. “The City”, “An Audience Of One” and “Bonfire Now”.
Fire In The Attic broke the ice of Saturday afternoon and solidly warmed up the crowd for what was coming next: Kill Hannah, Opeth, Bad Religion and the giants Motörhead with Lemmy at the helm.
Words: Lea Lesar
KILL HANNAH: 13.15-13.45
Kill Hannah. A bloodthirsty name for five fresh-faced young guys. The band, founded by singer and main lyricist Mat Devine, took its name from his ex-girlfriend, even though it was supposedly only a fleeting romance. A girl with a fateful name who ended up being the spark for success.
A bit fewer people came to see the Americans than Fire In The Attic before them. Would German-speaking youth care about musical quality too, and not just about where a band comes from? True, not as many people gathered in front of the stage, but everyone was moving once Kill Hannah took it over. Literally. Guitarists Jonathan Radtke and Dan Wiesse and bassist Greg Corner bounced around the stage like it was theirs alone. And when Mat came charging out and jumped up on the monitors by his mic, the girls in the front rows literally melted. Don’t get me wrong, the guy has charisma, but in every way he reminds me way too much of Jared Leto, singer of 30 Seconds To Mars. The way he dresses, the make-up, the body language… Guys, where’s the originality? And their music sounds pretty similar to the Mars boys too. Among the songs the guys used to win over the crowd, these are worth mentioning in particular: “Lips Like Morphine”, “Wrap Myself Around You”, “Crazy Angel”, “The Chase”, “Kennedy”, since they show both the following of a musical trend and the variety across all four of their albums.
After the show Kill Hannah gathered in the tent for an autograph session, where a large group of girls was waiting for them. While chatting and signing, the guys proved to be great conversationalists. They couldn’t help but scold the closed-off, unresponsive German youth, though. Sadly, that happens too. Kill Hannah are a young, hungry band that anyone who pampers their ears with 30 Seconds To Mars, The Faint and The Killers shouldn’t miss.
Words: Lea Lesar
ALPHA GALATES: 14.10-14.50
Canada’s Alpha Galates are a whole different musical story. Third on the Red Stage with a nice chunk of 40 minutes to show what they’ve got, they attacked the stage with real bite. Metallically snarling and as surprising as it gets. True, the band’s foundation is the word “alternative”, but the simple alt rhythms are followed here and there by interesting, technically more complex twists you can’t miss, when the band suddenly shatters the rhythm and conjures up a completely different tempo and a new mood. The band is extremely dark and obscure. Singer Matthew Von Wagner, who is also the band’s drummer and of course its leader, is the source of most of the ideas and the core of Alpha Galates. Unfortunately, it was exactly this band that showed how annoying it is to play as a drummer on big stages raised 3 meters or more, since you’re condemned to sit in the back. Mathew, as the singer, should have been placed at the front with his drums, or at least with the drums in line with the guitars. As it was, you practically couldn’t see him from below, and it felt like there were five instrumentalists on stage with pre-recorded vocal lines. Alpha Galates have a hot-blooded bassist in their ranks, Karen Wagner, who thrashed wildly the whole time and nearly tore off all the bass strings. With her peroxide, wildly tousled hair she nicely filled the singer’s “void” in the front line and so, in that respect, actually took the lead in the band. The band likes to serve up a sharp thrash riff, and the vocal, while full of bitter anger, is clean and therefore melodic, and the whole thing even hits home thanks to the simply driven rhythms with emo core ingredients. The Predator Clip, Stand, NATIO and Time Out were some of the songs the band warbled out.
Words: Aleš Podbrežnik
SONIC SYNDICATE: 15.20-16.10
The area in front of the Red Stage filled up fast when Swedish metalcore heavyweights Sonic Syndicate took the stage. The band plays a hybrid metal variant leaning on the legacy of Swedish melodic death metal like In Flames or even Soilwork. The screaming vocals are of course to blame for the core component, combined with melodic, clean singing. There are two singers in the band. The band is (you read that right) a sextet and boasts no fewer than three Sjunnesson brothers! Singer Richard, and guitarists Robin and Roger. A fertile family, no doubt. “Only Human” is their freshest album, released last year on Nuclear Blast, and the band burst onto the scene with the song Aftermath. As melodic as can be, to the point where the extreme screaming vocal gets slightly lost. The guys sound very trendy and fashionable, and so does (pardon me, I almost forgot the gentler sex) the lass on keyboards (Karin Axelsson). The band is perfectly tight. They delivered a razor-polished sound and an extremely precise performance of the material. No off-notes to be heard, and the intensity of the seriously fired-up crowd, who breathed together with the band on stage for a full 50 minutes, did the rest. Among other things, Sonic Syndicate took on All About Us (originally by the Russian female duo t.A.T.u.), Denied, Enclave, Jailbreak, Blue Eyed Fiend and Psychic Suicide. The band showed excellent form, and given their huge popularity we can hope that a proper sonic-syndicalist mania will erupt in Europe this fall when their new album “Love And Other Disasters” comes out.
Words: Aleš Podbrežnik
OPETH: 16.40-17.35
Along with Motorhead, these were the band I was waiting for most impatiently to hit the Red Stage. On the second day the Red Stage was once again friendlier to metal riffs than the Blue Stage. This day was something special for Opeth. Their official bassist Martin Mendez wasn’t on stage, since he stayed behind in Sweden: on this very day, while Opeth were playing Nova Rock, he became a father to his son. So Johan Niemann, otherwise the bassist of Demonoid and Therion, jumped in to help (good thing nothing like that happened to boss Mikael Akerfeldt).
However you look at it, Opeth were the band with by far the highest musical I.Q. at the festival that day. They played just 5 songs in 55 minutes, which means an average Opeth song ran 11 minutes. Progressive death metal rarely sounds this distinctive, polished, inventive and, because of that, this impressive to the ears. They surprised absolutely everyone by kicking off with the “prehistoric” Demon of the Fall, taken from their third album “My Arms, Your Hearse” (1998). All eyes were of course on Mikael Akerfeldt, the driving force of Opeth, this one-of-a-kind musical genius. The swap on bass didn’t show in the band at all. They played with incredible perfection and ease. All the complex passages, the alternation between acoustic parts and massive onslaughts of aggressive death metal riffs, the tempo changes, all worked like the best-oiled machine. The precision in the transitions was especially breathtaking, where the band has to stay perfectly in sync to form complete silence in the short pauses of such transitions. Akerfeldt sang effortlessly again. With aggressive growls and switching to clean vocals, especially in the calmer passages, he strung together many different moods.
RockLine first saw Opeth on December 18, 2006 in Treviso, and the set list this time was completely different. The Baying of the Hounds (“Ghost Reveries”, 2005) reinforced the cataclysmic atmosphere even more, and the first dark clouds appeared in the sky. During Opeth’s set it clouded over completely, that’s how much bitter fury the Swedes were unleashing on stage! The atmosphere reached a special ethereal quality with another gem, Master’s Apprentices (“Deliverance”, 2002).
The fourth song, the new one called Heir Apparent, got an interesting intro. As the well-known humorist he is, Akerfeldt kicked it off like this: “We have new album out!” Silence in front of the stage. Akerfeldt gets pissed: “Well? Fuck you!!!” and repeats: “We have new album out!” Only then does the sleepy crowd wake up and give a loud welcome to a new milestone in the band’s evolution. Akerfeldt uses the moment to introduce the song Heir Apparent from the new album “Watershed”, pointing his right hand at guitarist Frederik Åkesson and finishing: “Let this cock rocker open it for you!” Åkesson must really be used to the worst. Opeth dig in once again, this time especially intensely, since it’s new material, an extra challenge when played live. Majestic and unique once again. The band spiced up its set with what we can now call its classic, especially popular with the audience, The Drapery Falls (“Blackwater Park”, 2001), of course in its original 11-minute version. So on the second day, on the Red Stage, in their 55 minutes, given the multilayered nature of their own musical-artistic direction, constantly sown by the creative, exploratory spirit of its members, Opeth presented a homogeneous lineup at the peak of its creativity, and in terms of high atmosphere, ethereal moments, technical complexity and at the same time precision and perfection in performing the material, nobody came close to them. The fact is simply that Opeth were born to play indoor halls and their own headline tours, much more than the role of “filler” at outdoor festivals, especially non-metal ones. In just under an hour they left us hot and bothered and hanging, even though those feelings would have been even more intense if the guys had played a festival with more metal heft. We have to remember that Nova Rock mostly caters to the taste of 20-year-old Austrian youth and not music gourmets, so in that respect Opeth were the festival’s complete black sheep on the second day, taking over that role from Porcupine Tree, who played the festival on the first day. They’re just “too smart” a band for Nova Rock!
Opeth set list:
1. Demon of the Fall
2. The Baying of the Hounds
3. Master’s Apprentices
4. Heir Apparent
5. The Drapery Falls
Words: Aleš Podbrežnik
SUBWAY TO SALLY: 18.05-19.10
With their tenure and mileage, German gothic metallers Subway To Sally have definitely earned the status of a band you’d call elder statesmen. The septet from Potsdam enjoys enormous respect in German-speaking countries. Austria is no exception, and certainly not Nova Rock. The space in front of the Red Stage was once again bursting at the seams with overcrowding and the euphoria of thrilled fans. Subway To Sally of course used the gig to present their new album “Bastard” (2007), released on Nuclear Blast. Avant-garde stage outfits, a dark gothic sound, touches of folk melos, all of course under the baton of melodic riff figures and simple rhythms that get under your skin instantly. Subway To Sally came across as appealing, like oddballs ripped out of a completely different musical dimension, one that could somehow unite even fans of In Extremo or Rammstein under one flag. Folk metal with extra rhythm loops? A dash of industrial? Totally real. And of course rich orchestral arrangements. The band’s performance was truly something special, especially thanks to the pyrotechnic inserts that further fired up the crowd, and the special charm is the stage acting itself and the performers’ movement between songs, which works like a kind of mini theater. Eric Fish is of course the commanding officer, and as such, right at the start during Eisblumen, he made one of the band’s female fans in the front rows happy by hurling a white rose at her at the end of the song. Subway To Sally thus staged yet another utterly unique event at Nova Rock, a brand-new musical experience, above all loaded with the drama of stage acting. Rich experience allowed no mistakes or slip-ups during the performance. Just one more confident triumph!
Subway To Sally setlist:
1. Die Trommel
2. Auf Kiel
3. Feuerland
4. Eisblumen
5. Veitstanz
6. Falscher Heiland
7. Geist des Kriegers
8. Henkersbraut
9. Sag Dem Teufel
10. Ohne Liebe
11. Kleid aus Rosen
12. Sabbat
13. Sieben
—– encore —–
14. Julia Und Die Räuber
Words: Aleš Podbrežnik
BAD RELIGION: 19.40-20.50
The German circus show was over and it was time for the legendary Bad Religion, who drew so many people to the front of the stage that the crowd had no end in sight. Bad Religion formed in the early eighties, but only became famous with their eighth studio album, “Stranger Than Fiction”, released in 1994. Alongside several other hits, it contains “21st Century (Digital Boy)”, which they opened with. The moment the first riffs rang out, the crowd went nuts, and that madness lasted through the entire evening. Their latest album, “New Maps Of Hell”, has been on the market for more than a year and is already very well known among the audience. That was proven during the next song, “New Dark Ages”, when everyone sang along with the band. You can also watch the anti-war music video for “New Dark Ages” online. “Let Them Eat War” followed. Like many other bands, Bad Religion take part in the “Rock Against Bush” project. During the show they loudly and clearly voiced their disagreement with the war in Iraq and the politics of US President George W. Bush. His presidential term is slowly running out, and we can only hope his successor will look at things a little more realistically.
Bad Religion continued with “I Want To Conquer The World” and “Punk Rock Song”. The crowd went wild and opened up quite a few circle pits. Another older one, “You Are (The Govrnment)”, then back to something fresh with “Requiem For Dissent”. The gathered crowd once again proved that this is just one more piece in the mosaic of Bad Religion’s hits. Keep it up, gentlemen! The madness escalated with “Big Bang”, “Social Suicide” and “The Defense”. Between songs Bad Religion grumbled a few more times about Bush and the Iraq war, and the vast majority of those present agreed with them. The gentlemen had played almost a dozen songs, and we were only halfway through their set. “Flat Earth Society”, “A Walk” and the invitation “Come Join Us”. Join a good party? No problem. After “Struck A Nerve” it was time for something new again. This time they combined the opening track of the latest album “New Maps Of Hell” (2007), “52 Seconds”, with the first song on the record, “Heroes / Martyrs”. A welcome change of pace that came off very nicely. A jump back to an older one followed, “Refrigerator”. The crowd knew every single one of their songs by heart, older or newer. Impressive! “Before You Die” proved it once more for the newer tracks. Bad Religion’s time was slowly running out, but the gentlemen still hadn’t played a favorite from their best album, “Stranger Than Fiction” (1994). I’m talking, of course, about “Infected”. And if anyone was wondering when they’d play it, the answer came soon enough. Now! The crowd went wild and sang along with the band: “You and me, have a disease, you affect me, you infect me, I’m afflicted, you’re addicted, you and me, you and me …” A song every true Bad Religion fan has to hear and experience live at least once.
The end of their set was approaching relentlessly. They played just “Fuck Armageddon”, “American Jesus” and “Sorrow”. The hour of their set flew by in the blink of an eye. It’s also true that two more big bands were waiting for us on the Red Stage – In Flames and Motörhead. As for Bad Religion… Until next time!
Bad Religion setlist:
1. 21st Century (Digital Boy)
2. New Dark Ages
3. Let Them Eat War
4. I Want To Conquer The World
5. Punk Rock Song
6. You Are (The Govrnment)
7. Requiem For Dissent
8. Big Bang
9. Social Suicide
10. The Defense
11. Flat Earth Society
12. A Walk
13. Come Join Us
14. Struck A Nerve
15. 52 Seconds / Heroes & Martyrs
16. Refrigerator
17. Before You Die
18. Infected
19. Fuck Armageddon
20. American Jesus
21. Sorrow
Words: Lea Lesar
IN FLAMES: 21.20-22.35
Melodic death metallers In Flames are Nova Rock regulars. They played in the exact same slot as last year. On the Red Stage, second day, 20 minutes past nine in the evening. It had just gone dark, perfect for getting showered with flames. And that’s just how it went this time too. Salvos of pyrotechnic detonations, the stage glowed red, and the crowd literally lost it. The show even started identically to last year, with the song Cloud Connected from the album “Reroute to Remain”. In Flames are becoming a fixture of big festival gigs in the summer months. Very seasoned Swedes, they conjured up that signature melodic death metal, as cultivated by their countrymen At The Gates, Soilwork or Dark Tranquillity, and rounded off their retrospective with an even selection of songs from all their albums. These guys are perfectionists, they do their job 100%, no screw-ups. They’re tight, in sync, and despite all that routine there isn’t a moment in the show that doesn’t “burn” you metal-style, as befits the name In Flames.
The band was backed by a massive crowd in front of the Red Stage: singer Anders Frieden, with his lush dreadlocks, practically led the crowd with his eyes closed, and they were literally eating out of his hand. In Flames didn’t miss a beat this time either. The only thing that bothers is the instant, predictable nature of the quintet, who can no longer surprise anyone because of how often they play these spectacles. The set list was also very similar to last year’s. In short. Fans of the band were living their paradise, and those of us who craved traditionally raw rock n’ roll were already eagerly waiting for the appearance of Chancellor Lemmy and his Motorhead, even though In Flames, once again with no hair on their tongue, mercilessly burned everything around them to ashes.
In Flames set list:
1.Cloud Connected
2.Leeches
3.The Mirror’s Truth
4. Disconnected
5. Colony
6. Alias
7. I’m The Highway
8. Only For The Weak
9. Come Clarity
10. The Quiet Place
11. Take This Life
12. Move Through Me
13. Delight And Angers
14. Egonomic
15. My Sweet Shadow
Words: Aleš Podbrežnik
MOTORHEAD: 23.05-00:30
The festival bustle of the second day was closed out by the legendary bastards. Lemmy Kilmister (vocals, bass), Mikkey Dee (drums) and Philip Campbell (guitar) made up the living-fossil show at Nova Rock No. II, if we count the Sex Pistols gig from the first day. With Motorhead there’s no hide and seek. What you see is what you get. You can only love them or hate them. There’s no middle ground.
With their performance Motorhead brought no revolutionary innovation, if I compare their show with the one from late November 200z at Munich’s Zenith hall. The repertoire of songs stayed practically the same, and if Motorhead had had an hour and three quarters, the set list would probably have been completely identical. So, not to beat around the bush, the band was still playing the “Kiss Of Death” repertoire. They carpet-bombed Nova Rock with rock n’ roll napalm as they tore into the classic Dr. Rock.
But this Motorhead show was something special. The trio had trouble with the sound on Lemmy’s vocals. The Chancellor and one-of-a-kind rock legend, the venerable gentleman who turns 63 this year, Lemmy, after a few opening bars of Dr. Rock, waved his hand and signaled Dee and Campbell to stop playing. He realized the vocal was set too quiet in the PA. Motorhead wait on stage while the sound techs battle the awkward situation. After about three minutes it’s sorted and the guys hit Dr. Rock once more. The band sails through the show successfully, but Lemmy grumpily drops two verses during Stay Clean, and a look of utter displeasure appears on his face. The band makes it to the third song, Be My Baby (“Kiss Of Death”, 2006), the guys play just a few bars, Lemmy opens his mouth, then jerks his head away from the mic, stops singing, glances at Campbell and signals to leave the stage. What? Is that even possible? The techs come running back on stage and frantically test where the stumbling block is hiding, since the vocals simply can’t be tuned to the required level. Five minutes pass, Motorhead return. They hit it again, and when Lemmy roars the first bar, a nasty feedback oscillation creeps into the band’s sound, practically blowing Lemmy away from the mic. This time the legend takes matters into his own hands and personally does the sound techs’ job: “One, two!!! One, two!!!” It becomes clear in a flash and the man, with his thundering voice, shakes the ground of the Pannonian fields of Austria: “Take the bas off the fuckin’ microphone!!!” A basically elementary-school mistake was fixed in a moment, and Motorhead finally jump onto the right tracks of their show.
From the shortened repertoire the band fortunately cut the new songs, the drum solo and the Whorehouse Blues drag, which they’ve kept in the encore set since the release of the album “Inferno”, and the “Bastards” (1994) classic Born To Raise Hell. What stays in the set is the fragrant gem Over The Top, the ever-tempting “Another Perfect Day” (1983) classics I Got Mine and Just ‘Cause You Got The Power, and the unnecessary tribute to Phil Lynnot and Thin Lizzy (Rosalie). The crowd in front of the stage was incredibly, against all expectations incredibly, fired up, lively and loud. It really went wild right at the end, when Motorhead ignite the extremely fast rock n’ roll creation Going To Brasil, followed by the immortal Motorhead “epic” Killed By Death, the closer with an iron fist (Iron Fist), and the epilogue of the cult rock lineup shines in full of course with the creation of that unique, shamelessly venomous atmosphere that only the Motorhead machine can create. I’m talking, of course, about the essential Ace Of Spades and Overkill.
Even though Motorhead were the Red Stage’s headliners, the show was over in a flash. Compared to a somewhat worse day in November 2008 at Munich’s Zenith, Lemmy again seemed maximally convincing. That goes of course for his vocal delivery, which after all these years this man has dragged and breathed through in the name of rock music is still a majestic one-off. That persona of exceptional authority, gigantic self-confidence and clear devotion to the religion of rock, which only the figure of Lemmy can offer, shone with exceptional intensity. Lemmy’s two companions contributed the standard without which Motorhead wouldn’t be Motorhead either. Mikkey remains a raging animal on the drums, Philip a hot and untamed riff terminator.
After what they showed at Nova Rock, Motorhead remain the very definition of the most genuine rock n’ roll experience. No fuss, no needless waffling, no trace of make-up. No. All that counts is an honest heart and living the life your heart tells you to live. Lemmy and company carved themselves an immortal rock n’ roll monument long ago. On the second day, with this simplicity of rock essence and genuine charisma, they flattened all the competition at the festival. Again and still. There’s something in them that gives you goosebumps automatically, and the Motorhead spirit burrows irreversibly under your skin, completely magical. Power and know-how that are given only to rock’s giants.
Motorhead set list:
1. Dr. Rock
2. Stay Clean
3. Be My Baby
4. Killers
5. Metropolis
6. Over The Top
7. I Got Mine
8. In The Name Of Tragedy
9. Rosalie
10. Just ‘Cause You Got The Power
11. Going To Brazil
12. Killed By Death
13. Iron Fist
—encore—
14. Ace of Spades
15. Overkill
Words: Aleš Podbrežnik
BLUE STAGE
DIE MANNEQUIN: 13.00-13.25
The twelve-hour silence that had lasted since about one in the morning was finally broken on the Blue Stage by Canada’s Die Mannequin. A trio! Alternative rock. The band’s leader is singer/guitarist Care Failure, who at 23 really needs nothing more than a good rhythm section. The girl has tremendous charisma, a properly neurotic vocal, kicks up thick, simple guitar phrases that clap nicely against her disappointed yet furious female screaming. The trio made a great wake-up call, a real “kick in the head”, for all the potential sleepyheads who were maybe still hanging around the stage after the wild night of day one. The primitive, slightly sloppy and raucous rock drive was convincing. The trio put out its first studio album this year, titled “Unicorn Steak”. With such convincing performances and tightly built shows, whose main star is the young singer’s “biting” charisma, Die Mannequin can expect even more recognition across the planet in the near future.
Words: Aleš Podbrežnik
SUNSHINE: 13.45-14.15
The Czech quartet Sunshine plays a very melodic version of alternative indie rock. You could almost say it’s a punk version with a good dose of pretty, single-string, sleepy strolling, over which “pulse” vocal lines typical of post-rockers. Add the characteristic rhythm transitions reminiscent of the old dark rebels The Cure or even Joy Division, and you might get a fairly good approximation. You In Your Head was the song they opened the show with, reminding us that they could be, who? A European Interpol? Well, with a much more “sunny” atmosphere. The band presented its fifth studio album, titled “Moonshower And Razorblades”. Excellent tightness from the crew, simple laid-back tones, just right for lazily stroking early-afternoon sunbeams. Also on the list were Keep Your Eyes Open, Top Top The Radio, Ghetto, Days Will Never Be The Same and of course the fully used 30 minutes that Sunshine’s set lasted.
Words: Aleš Pobrežnik
CARBON/SILICON: 14.40-15.15
The easiest way to describe Carbon/Silicon is to say it’s a garage rock band put together at the end of 2001 by two great legends of the world music scene. They are Mick Jones, former guitarist of The Clash, and Tony James, whom we know as a bassist from Generation X and Sigue Sigue Sputnik. At gigs the gentlemen also play with bassist Leo “E-zee-kill” Williams and drummer Dominic Greensmith. Carbon/Silicon are known above all for offering their new music for free online, so anyone can download it to their own computer. For those who appreciate music released on CD, a physical release also came out in the second half of last year, which Jones and James named “The Last Post”.
Carbon/Silicon took the Nova Rock Blue Stage a few hours earlier than originally announced. In a good half hour an enviable number of people gathered in front of the stage, who came to enjoy the sounds of softer rock. “War On Culture”, “Pier 51”, “Tell It Like It Is”, “T.F. Madness”, “Soylent Green”, “The Duel” are just some of the songs Carbon/Silicon pampered the crowd’s ears with. True, the gentlemen played a bit earlier, but the response of the gathered crowd was still praiseworthy. Maybe the locals shook off their prejudices and opened up to broader, better-quality music. Who knows…
Words: Lea Lesar
MELÉE: 15.45-16.35
California’s Orange County is a real cradle of great bands of all kinds of genres. Melée come from there too, and at first note they don’t sound special at all. Like a poor copy of London’s Coldplay. But after long and careful listening to their latest album “Devils & Angels”, released in April 2007 on Warner Bros, they convince you otherwise. If the guys have said that both Coldplay and piano virtuoso Elton John and soul singer John Legend influence their music, a casual listener wouldn’t pick that up. What gives their melodic pop its special quality is frontman Chris Cron with his cocky, at times slightly cheeky vocal and his explosive piano playing.
The crowd that greeted Melée at the Blue Stage was made up mostly of girls. Which of them didn’t want to rest their eyes on four good-looking guys who, on top of everything, can also really sing? Melée gave priority to songs from the latest studio album: “Frequently Baby”, “Stand Up”, “You Got”, “Imitation”, and of them all the most enthusiasm went to “Built To Last”, which carried the guys to the top of numerous music charts. While playing it on piano, Chris Cron swapped his hands for his feet, spicing up their show.
Among the yet unreleased songs, “Dead Mans Party” stood out, announcing a slightly different sound for the upcoming record. Finger-licking good.
At the end of their set Chris proved to be a real charmer, as he came down to sing “Built To Last” at the barrier, from which fans just wouldn’t let him go. Every goodbye is hard, but several more interesting bands were waiting for us later in the day.
Words: Lea Lesar
THE GODFATHERS: 17.05-18.00
Another bunch of Londoners shook the stage that day – The Godfathers. The band was formed twenty-three years ago, in 1985 to be exact, by brothers Peter and Chris Coyne. They released their debut album “Hit By Hit” two years later, and became recognizable with their second album, released in 1988, which got them onto the American Billboard top forty. The album portrays four phases of a person’s life. “Birth, School. Work, Death”. Birth, school, work, death. And where’s the time for music? Five more, not very resonant albums followed, and The Godfathers mostly played various clubs in that time. After nineteen years away from big concert stages they returned to them, partly thanks to the reissue of their first album, which turns twenty-one this year. So we had the chance to see them at Nova Rock too, where they mainly played old new hits from the already mentioned first/last album. “This Damn Nation”, “I Want You”, “Can`t Leave Her Alone”, “Lonely Man”, “Love Is Dead”. And from “Birth, School, Work, Death”, the song of the same name and “Cause I Said So”.
True, this isn’t typical music for young people, yet they were thrilled with The Godfathers’ show. And you could see on the band’s faces that they had missed the atmosphere and energy of playing big stages.
Words: Lea Lesar
NEW MODEL ARMY: 18.30-19.35
Justin Sullivan, this indescribably charismatic musician who, with his New Model Army, brought an exceptionally genuine rock rebelliousness, with no make-up, no need to grab attention or please anyone, rewarded a somewhat emptied-out front of the stage (everyone was crammed in at the same time for Subway To Sally on the Red Stage). Compact, sharp and loud songs felt Bolshevik, with a punk accent especially noticeable, and Justin’s raspy, loud, authoritative vocal left no room for drawing flowers and sunny skies. In that hour a downpour of furious criticism rained down on everything that smells of politics and the imposing of principles and rules that aren’t the individual’s own. In general, e.g., the songs Sky In Your Eyes and Into The Wind touched the associative cortex incredibly deep under the skin. Justin’s heartfelt vocal and devoted stage acting dictated a distinctive way of delivering the musical heritage. A hint of R&B and at times even folk rock leaps blended nicely into the basic sharp punk heritage. An excellent indie rock experience where you don’t have to think about when you last spun it. It doesn’t get much more natural than this. An excellent gig.
Words: Aleš Podbrežnik
GAVIN ROSSDALE: 20.05-21.15
The former singer of England’s Bush was another nice refreshment on the Blue Stage. The man ruled with an acoustic guitar, a killer look and a thoroughly polished performance. He’s got the voice, he’s got the charisma, and the charm is undoubtedly there too. Rossdale, who released his new solo studio album “Wonderlust” this March, took on Don’t Dream It’s Over, Love Remains The Same, Comedown, The Trouble I’m In, The Chemmicals Between Us, Letting The Cables Sleep. The man is artistically even more mature since Bush is no more. His little hour of lively, natural-sounding tunes, from grungy to acoustic pop-rock, was real balm for the ears. Generally, the way his soulful vocal fits perfectly into the simple heritage of rock music was convincing proof that a solo career is the most natural continuation of Gavin Rossdale’s musical path. A smooth and easygoing hour of rock!
Words: Aleš Podbrežnik
BEATSTEAKS: 21.45-23.00
Beatsteaks, Beatsteaks. A band that’s a fixture at all the major Austrian festivals. After we caught them last year first in August at Frequency and then in September in Ljubljana’s Gala Hala, we also listened to them at this year’s Nova Rock, where they were one of the most anticipated bands. That Beatsteaks get more popular from gig to gig and are a real attraction for both eyes and ears was proven by a crowd with no end in sight. They started their set with the song “I Don`t Care As Long As You Sing” and everyone gathered sang in one voice. A moment that sends shivers down your spine. What devotion to a band. “As I Please” followed, which as the title track is on their latest studio album “Limbo Messiah”, released last April. “Demons Galore” confirmed that the aforementioned album is yet another excellent Beatsteaks product. “What`s Coming Over You”, “Hand In Hand”, “Let Me In”. The crowd was dancing along and opened up some circle pits, Beatsteaks were having a night like never before. When the next song, “Hello Joe”, was announced, anyone unfamiliar with Beatsteaks could easily have thought it was a slightly older song by blonde Blondie. But no, it’s just the same song title with completely different content. Better or worse? Judge for yourself. Then a salute to the freaks, “Hail To The Freaks”. The crowd was really going mad. Beatsteaks know how to throw an unrivaled party at every gig, whether it’s a smaller club stage or a bigger festival one. With their energy they literally hypnotize you and pull you into dancing along. They know how to create a special atmosphere that not everyone can match.
If up to now we’d heard mostly songs from the last two albums, “Smack Smash” (2004) and “Limbo Messiah” (2007), it was time for something older. That was “Big Attack” and “Hey Du”. Both songs came out as live recordings on the double live album “Kanonen Auf Spatzen”, released in March.
Beatsteaks said goodbye with the only German song in their repertoire, “Frieda Und Die Bomben”, as an extra shot in the arm for the vast majority of German-speaking souls.
And so another excellent show was over. On the Blue Stage only the legendary The Verve were left waiting for us.
Beatsteaks setlist:
1. I Don`t Care As Long As You Sing
2. As I Please
3. Demons Galore
4. What`s Coming Over You
5. Hand In Hand
6. Let Me In
7. Hello Joe
8. Hail To The Freaks
9. Big Attack
10. Hey Du
11. Frieda Und Die Bomben
Words: Lea Lesar
THE VERVE: 23.30-01.00
Besides their excellent music, English rockers The Verve are also known for their numerous breakups and reunions. The band, formed in 1989, first ran until 1999, with a short break between 1995 and 96. In the period from 1999 to June 2007, each member devoted themselves to solo projects. The return of The Verve to the scene was first announced by England’s BBC 1. The guys decided to go on a world tour, and in August we can also expect their fourth studio album.
The guys kicked off their debut Nova Rock set with the groundbreaking “A New Decade” and reaped a loud wave of enthusiasm. The crowd just couldn’t quiet down. Maybe it didn’t even want to. “This Is Music” followed. A legendary song, during which the gathered crowd again sang along with Richard Ashcroft, who wrote most of The Verve’s lyrics. After the slightly punchier “Sonnet”, everyone drifted off into the space between the universe and time with “Space And Time”. The audience was louder during the chorus than ever before. “Life`s An Ocean” got a similar reaction. The Verve just know how to lure listeners in with the right rhythm. Then “Weeping Willow”, and then “Sit & Wonder”, the first of five songs (the other four are “Judas”, “Mona Lisa”, “Rather Be”, “Appalachian Springs”) written after their reunion last year and their return to concert stages. The Verve continued with “The Rolling People” and “The Drugs Don`t Work”, one of the songs with the most down-to-earth title and lyrics. Remember what the guys say. “Lucky Man” is one of the biggest hits and the crowd once again sang in one voice: “But I’m a lucky man
With fire in my hands”. Like Beatsteaks, The Verve have an unconsciously hypnotic effect on people, and when an indescribable feeling of joy washes over you… You’re left speechless. But nothing can compare to “Bittersweet Simphony”, when thousands of hands could be seen in the air. Hand in hand, wherever the eye reached. Definitely one of the most beautiful moments of the evening, which it would have been a sin to miss.
The Verve brought the evening to a close with the song “Disco”. The crowd sang loudly with the guys one last time. The lights went out, until we meet again.
The Verve setlist:
1. A New Decade
2. This Is Music
3. Sonnet
4. Space And Time
5. Life`s An Ocean
6. Weeping Willow
7. Sit & Wonder
8. The Rolling People
9. The Drugs Don`t Work
10. Lucky Man
11. Bittersweet Simphony
12. Disco
Words: Lea Lesar
Photos: Aleš Podbrežnik, Matic Zorman
Setlist
RED STAGE: FIRE IN THE ATTIC KILL HANNAH ALPHA GALATES SONIC SYNDICATE OPETH SUBWAY TO SALLY BAD RELIGION IN FLAMES MOTORHEAD BLUE STAGE: DIE MANNEQUIN SUNSHINE CARBON/SILICON MELEE THE GODFATHERS NEW MODEL ARMY GAVIN ROSSDALE BEATSTEAKS THE VERVE
Photo Gallery
