KIT XI quick review

[carnut]

I returned from KIT a few houres ago so here's a (little) review.

The venue was changed for a single time towards the "Posthalle", in Würzburg, what a beautiful city !!

But...the hall was in the middle of town and there was very little or no parking space nearby. Luckely all furthes KIT fests will be at the original place with big parking and camping outside...

Openener was Hellhound from Japan. Not a bad band at all but the vocals are a little "sharp" for my taste. But these guys deserved to open the festival ! Here on photo Hellhound vocalist with two guys I attended the festival with...

Second up were Cast Iron (Finland). The Running Wild guitarist gave a little performance here but not quit a good replacement for Forte, who canceled.

Timelord were the first real interesting band. A little bit progressive for the KIT festival maybe, but very good US MEtal with a good vocalist and 2 great (fast) guitar players.

Faith Factor, the band with vocalist Ski from Blessed Death. A very good performance musical and vocal wise. I don't mind the christian brawling but Ski's changing of clothing for every song was a bit over the top, as well as the wick...for the rest A-class power metal !!

Evil was good. The bass player looked a bit like an 80's dressed doll (including the non-movement and a moustache)but they did a good set, very nice guitar sound there (bit VH like).

Artillery did a blasting straight forward thrash set. No time for resting, the Artillery goes forward. Good band to see, last thing I heard from them were demo's in the 80's ...

Tokio Blade were next up. Didn't expect too much from them but I proved to be completely wrong. They took all of their best old songs and performed them rock hard. The (new?)vocalist is absolutely awesome, he hits all high notes, "Night of the Blade" is no problem for him. Dio/Rainbow cover "Long Live RnR" was awesome too! Best band of the day for me!!!

Girlschool; never liked them that much and live didn't touch me either. Very simple RnR, to my ears not performed very proffessional, seemed more like a starting high school band. New guitarist attracted quit some camera flashes....

Nasty Savage, the band I looked forward to the most...Were a disaster. Nasty Ronnie's vocals were, well, let the pic of me and my buddy's Raf and Tom speak ...

Closing band Flotsam & Jetsam performed a superb show with mostly old stuff (that is quit superior to the later stuff I think). Super sound (sound was very good throughout the whole day) and great music and vocals !! A band I wanna see again and again !!

That's it...I'll add some video's my friend shot later on today or tomorrow !! Here's a pic of how to disguise a bootleg videocamera as a fire extinguisher

Cheers to y'all !!!

 

[Trans-Siberian Outcast]

COOL! Nice report, and love the pics Gert!

 

[poundingmetal74]

Glad to see you had a blast and that Tokyo Blade were great! 2009's Line Up is more to my fancy however and I'm not too familiar with most of the bands mentioned in the report.

 

[carnut]

Here are the vids ...

Tokio Blade


Faith Factor


Evil


Flotsam & Jetsam


Nasty Savage

 

[Wyvern]

Openener was Hellhound from Japan. Not a bad band at all but the vocals are a little "sharp" for my taste.

Yeah the guy is a bit hight pitched, but for some reason I learnt to stand it at least in the studio. I would like to listen to them live.

Tokio Blade were next up. Didn't expect too much from them but I proved to be completely wrong. They took all of their best old songs and performed them rock hard. The (new?)vocalist is absolutely awesome, he hits all high notes, "Night of the Blade" is no problem for him. Dio/Rainbow cover "Long Live RnR" was awesome too! Best band of the day for me!!!

Interesting. I haven't even considered TB without Alan Marsh, but it seems I may have to check upon them again.

Girlschool; never liked them that much and live didn't touch me either.

There goes the problem for you, you don't like them at all. I would have liked to check upon them now, but maybe get dissapointed (as I did with their new album)

Nasty Savage, the band I looked forward to the most...Were a disaster. Nasty Ronnie's vocals were, well, let the pic of me and my buddy's Raf and Tom speak ...

No kidding. I'm not a superfan of Ronnie's vocals but I do like the band (after all I have all their albums). This sounds nasty as may sign the band is loosing essence

Great that all and all you had a good time, that's the important thing.

 

[tsorl]

Nasty Savage, the band I looked forward to the most...Were a disaster. Nasty Ronnie's vocals were, well, let the pic of me and my buddy's Raf and Tom speak ...

Classic pic!

Regarding Cast Iron, I was a bit surprised they got a gig at KIT. Not because they suck (they don't!) but because they only have one MCD out and their first gig ever was last summer IIRC. Still, who the hell is going to say no if they're asked to play KIT? In any case, they're one of the few positive highlights in the very lame old school scene of this country.

Other than some very elementary Flotsam&Jetsam knowledge, I can't say I have any idea about most of the other bands on the bill. No doubt a good time anyway!
Still pondering on KIT XII, the lineup's not quite as insane as in KIT X but very good still and the headliners (Saint and Lizzy) are solid gold for me. Also a very good chance to see one of my fav non-metal bands, Saga, on the same trip as they're playing somewhere near Düsseldorf the day before KIT.

 

[carnut]

Girlschool for Wyvern

 

[poundingmetal74]

Regarding Cast Iron, I was a bit surprised they got a gig at KIT. Not because they suck (they don't!) but because they only have one MCD out and their first gig ever was last summer IIRC. Still, who the hell is going to say no if they're asked to play KIT?

Looks like there may still be hope for FS to play KIT yet!

I'll have to check Cast Iron out, never heard of 'em.

Wyv, Girlschool did nothing for me either (on CD).

 

[Wyvern]

Looks like there may still be hope for FS to play KIT yet!
Wyv, Girlschool did nothing for me either (on CD).

a) why not? You're a band with a lot of potential, pretty decent material for KIT, HOA, WOA, etc.

b) I think it is an acquired taste. I love female fronted bands, I love more all female bands . Girlschool delivered very well for me up to "Play Dirty".

 

[tsorl]

Looks like there may still be hope for FS to play KIT yet!

Of course there's a bigger threshold to bring a small band over from NA than get one from Europe but that being said you should definitely send a Final Stage CD to the KIT organizers. After all you do have a studio album out which means you're serious business and most definitely KIT worthy I think. Besides they've already pretty much had all the old American bands so they're forced to move on to the 21st century.
Crank out a new album next year and we'll see you in Germany 2010!

As Wyv said, Headbanger's Open Air is another one you should start harassing... don't know about Wacken which to me seems a bit corporate nowadays (never been there though to be fair).

 

[poundingmetal74]

Of course there's a bigger threshold to bring a small band over from NA than get one from Europe but that being said you should definitely send a Final Stage CD to the KIT organizers. After all you do have a studio album out which means you're serious business and most definitely KIT worthy I think. Besides they've already pretty much had all the old American bands so they're forced to move on to the 21st century.
Crank out a new album next year and we'll see you in Germany 2010!

As Wyv said, Headbanger's Open Air is another one you should start harassing... don't know about Wacken which to me seems a bit corporate nowadays (never been there though to be fair).

I'll have to look into that. The biggest problem is we don't have management and have few connections (at least that I'm aware of) that could score us a gig with one of these festivals. We've had offers in the past to tour Germany but both fell apart long before we were actually due over there. Maybe Hawk might know someone?

So... if anyone knows any of the people who organize these shows, have them get in touch with us!

Also, Wyv, yeah I think it's an acquired taste although I do enjoy many female bands. Girlschool and Bitch in particular never really did much for me, though I did like Lee Aaron (and recently saw her - she opened for Skids).

 

[Wyvern]

Here are the vids ...

Tokio Blade
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jgapj7GAeD8

Sounds also pretty good and intense like in the heyday of NWOBHM.

Nasty Savage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_K_45_edKw

a) Nasty Ronnie is compiting with Jon Oliva for the balloon of the year, the guy is dangerously fat!
b) Actually it sounds as bad as in the studio albums to me , I would probably have enjoy it (or not)

Girlschool for Wyvern

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpgmzspg6KQ

'Yeah Right'! Considering it's a bootleg video it sounds pretty good to me, wish I had been there. Thanks for the video Gert.

 

[Trans-Siberian Outcast]

Girlschool and Bitch in particular never really did much for me, though I did like Lee Aaron (and recently saw her - she opened for Skids).

Lee Aaron, yummy! I used to love the first two albums back in the day. Long Live the Metal Queen! I was just doing some research on her (looking for some nude shots I saw a few years back) and found out she has a DVD release of a 1985 concert in London. It's in my Netflix queue right now!

Oh, and personally, I'd like to see Final Stage play in Phoenix. I'd come out of concert retirement for that one! Plus you guys would have a free place to stay.

 

[poundingmetal74]

Oh, and personally, I'd like to see Final Stage play in Phoenix. I'd come out of concert retirement for that one! Plus you guys would have a free place to stay.

I'll keep that in mind.

You know, it's funny. Ken from Wycked Synn is a bud of mine (he lives in Mesa) and he's tried talking us into coming out and doing a show with them. Personally, I'd love to do it. 3 day road trip with the two idiots in the backseat, not so much.

 

[Wyvern]

3 day road trip with the two idiots in the backseat, not so much.

I love the way you treat your bandmembers, I want to play in FS :Smug:

 

[poundingmetal74]

I love the way you treat your bandmembers, I want to play in FS :Smug:

Yeah yeah... I'm sure the other two guys feel the same, and it was in good fun. The longest road trip we've had with 3 people and loads of equipment in one van was about an hour - and even that was a bit much. I think we'd go nuts spending that much time together.

 

[Trans-Siberian Outcast]

I'll keep that in mind.

You know, it's funny. Ken from Wycked Synn is a bud of mine (he lives in Mesa) and he's tried talking us into coming out and doing a show with them. Personally, I'd love to do it. 3 day road trip with the two idiots in the backseat, not so much.

There ya go! Perfect opportunity to come visit. And if you guys can't stand to sit in the same van together for 3 days, how the hell you ever gonna TOUR? Just make sure everyone has their own portable DVD player and mp3 player as well, to keep themselves entertained. At least that way you only have to deal with smelling each other's farts.

 

[poundingmetal74]

There ya go! Perfect opportunity to come visit. And if you guys can't stand to sit in the same van together for 3 days, how the hell you ever gonna TOUR? Just make sure everyone has their own portable DVD player and mp3 player as well, to keep themselves entertained. At least that way you only have to deal with smelling each other's farts.

I think you and Wyv are taking this completely the wrong way. Look, by no means do I hate the guys - I couldn't be in a band with people I didn't like. If you knew us as people and the van situation, I think my comments would become a lot clearer.

You've also got to remember that most touring bands have a bus where you can move around, and a road crew, tour manager, etc. Spending 3 days with a 20 pound amp head on your lab will start to drive you nuts in a very short amount of time.

Although, yeah, the DVD/Mp3 thing is a necessity. I guess the solution in the case of driving 3 days to Phoenix would probably have to be to rent a U-haul or separate cars (more cargo room for one).

 

[Trans-Siberian Outcast]

I think you and Wyv are taking this completely the wrong way. Look, by no means do I hate the guys - I couldn't be in a band with people I didn't like. If you knew us as people and the van situation, I think my comments would become a lot clearer.

You've also got to remember that most touring bands have a bus where you can move around, and a road crew, tour manager, etc. Spending 3 days with a 20 pound amp head on your lab will start to drive you nuts in a very short amount of time.

Although, yeah, the DVD/Mp3 thing is a necessity. I guess the solution in the case of driving 3 days to Phoenix would probably have to be to rent a U-haul or separate cars (more cargo room for one).

No, I knew you were joking around about your bandmates. I was just trying to egg you on. But, I thought I understood you guys being stuck in the seat of a van for 3 days. The 20 pound amp head on your lap REALLY made me understand!