Author: Aleš Podbrežnik
Photos: Aleš Podbrežnik
Location: Rieden-Kreuth / Germany
Concert date: August 27, 2009
Attendance: 3,000
Ticket price: €80.00
We finally got a whiff of the traditional Wacken Open Air festival, which has been running for 19 years in the far north of Germany, in a slightly scaled-down version, a bit closer to our corner on the sunny side of the Alps. The organizer, who is clearly doing better and better, decided this year to put on three additional (sub)festivals under the umbrella of the flagship Wacken Open Air (which sold out this year). The first of the three was called Wacken Rocks Berlin and took place back in late May, while the other two followed one right after the other at the end of August: first the one by the sea, called Wacken Rocks Seaside, then the one in the Bavarian countryside toward the eastern border with the Czech Republic, called Wacken Rocks South, held in the idyllic German village of Kreuth, known for one of Europe’s biggest horse stables. Both of the latter festivals had a similar lineup, and the most attractive act on both was undoubtedly the thrash metal giants Slayer!
The three-day party at Wacken Rocks South was spread over two stages: the main stage, which stood out in the open air, and a smaller stage set up in a hall, where the lesser-known acts played. The organizer was careful with the schedule, so that no two acts on different stages overlapped. On the first day only the main stage came alive, with six bands. When we arrived at the grounds we were greeted by the German AC/DC tribute band AM/FM, who kicked off with the opening track of the new AC/DC album “Black Ice”, Rock N’ Roll Train. While we were fighting our way through the press counters, the box offices and all the security “pat-down guys” on the way to the campsite, T.N.T., Hell’s Bells, Thunderstruck and Highway To Hell rolled by, followed by the new War Machine… AF/FM delivered an incredibly decent approximation of the real AC/DC, so they’re worth keeping an eye on in the future.
After adjusting to the new climate, we found ourselves in front of the stage for Germany’s Freiwild. These party rockers, who radiate the energy of something like Slovenia’s The Drinkers, ground out scorching, riff-driven punk rock led by a screaming, piercing, lower-pitched vocal. That naturally stole the spotlight from the otherwise simple, cliché lead motifs. The solos were trivially minimalist, what few there were, but they played full throttle, which is of course expected of a band that’s been around for a good decade. Nothing special, nothing memorable, but a convincing enough warm-up for all the joints and mosh pits.
The festival only really got going with the headliner of the first day. With Germany’s In Extremo! This renowned, internationally established German name is a guarantee of an interesting experience when you meet them face to face in front of the stage. It’s a name known for spectacular stage shows, with no shortage of pyrotechnics and even acrobatic flips, even somersaults. Let’s not forget, we’re in Germany, some 50 km east of Regensburg, still in Bavaria! In Extremo enjoy a lot of respect in Germany, and there was no small amount of excitement in front of the stage before they started. True, the front of the stage wasn’t packed, and you could wander off for a beer during the show from the second row and come back to the same spot, but the German noggins were breathing hard and following the band along through the verses. Is there anything lovelier than “blabbering” in German? Okay, let’s get to the concert instead. In Extremo put out a new live album, “In Goldenen Ring”, in May, and they more or less recapped the setlist it offers. Seven tribally dressed musicians take the stage and blast you back to golden Celtic times of genuine paganism. In their hands they carry handmade instruments that are exact copies of ancient ones, from some primeval past that still flows through the blood of modern Germans. Wooden pipes, harp, hurdy-gurdy, lute, zither, bagpipes, of course the obligatory rhythm section, and a sharpened guitar “in the undercarriage”. Add keyboards in the style of some dulcimer and the thing is basically done. Of course, “the last unicorn” has to show up on stage too, which is what the singer is called, an extremely charismatic stage figure, “Das Letzte Einhorn”, without whom In Extremo are unimaginable, not on stage, let alone in the studio or in shaping the musical path of this band, which is unique in every respect. His biting tonal color is an important part of the voice and stature of In Extremo.
“Sängerkrieg” is their current studio album, and we got a generous helping of songs from it (seven in total). Through lively, witty stage play, with no shortage of interesting combinations of individual instruments carrying the main motifs, and with the guys quickly showing off their musical versatility by mastering all sorts of instruments, In Extremo led us into their unique magical world. The men use not only German in their poetry, but also Icelandic, Latin, Old Swedish and so on… The hour-and-twenty-minute show offered the songs Sieben Köche, Frei zu sein, Hiemali Tempore, Sängerkrieg , Ave Maria , Spielmannsfluch, Poc Vecem, Vollmond, En Esta Noche, Ai Vis Lo Lop, Zauberspruch, In diesem Licht, Flaschenpost, Rasend Herz, Omnia Sol Temperat, Auf’s Leben, Küss mich, Krummavísur, Wind. Totally confident, with a unique atmosphere and a chemistry further fanned by the pyrotechnics and some daredevil acrobatics from Flex.
In Extremo confirmed their vast experience, bulletproof self-confidence and maturity. As a genuine figure in the folk metal genre, even today they find no worthy competition on European soil. They’re the originators, and all the face-painting and dressing up in animal skins that came after can’t hide the simple fact of In Extremo’s bold, exploratory pioneering.
photos: Aleš Podbrežnik
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