Love of Live (part två)

[Defiance]

Yeah they're a great live band, I saw them a couple of years ago and also had a great time.

Yesterday I went to Paganfest in Amsterdam. Not exactly my kind of music, but some old friends of mine who I hadn't seen in a long time had been talking of meeting again for quite a while, and since they're really into that sort of music and told me they were going, I decided to buy a ticket anyway in the morning. I'm amazed it wasn't sold out, the venue seemed to be completely full.
I missed the first three bands (Varg, Arkona and Dornreich) due to other plans in the afternoon (and a traffic jam) but I've been told they were crap anyway. Alestorm was pretty good, missed Equilibrium (lunch/dinner break, again, didn't miss much). Eluveitie was also kinda cool.
I'm glad I've finally seen Finntroll, what a great live band. I don't know any of their material after 2004's Nattfödd, but apparently they've released 2 albums since. But obviously some old songs were played, Trollhammaren was awesome!


Just like Korpiklaani in October 2006, it was a great night, but at the same time it's the kind of music that I'd never listen to outside of concerts, and definitely wouldn't want to spend my money on for cd's.

Yes, Finntroll is brilliant, one of the few folk bands worth listening to nowadays. I saw them in The Netherlands with Sodom and Legion of the Damned, they were great (Sodom not so much hehe.)

I saw Koorpiklaani on my last trip to Canada, and they were really boring. Thye haven't released an good album since 2004 or something. It says a lot when a band that's been around for seven years has released six albums. The new one was simply horrendous! 'Vodka', what a lame song!

 

[Elvina]

Yesterday I went to Paganfest in Amsterdam. Not exactly my kind of music, but some old friends of mine who I hadn't seen in a long time had been talking of meeting again for quite a while, and since they're really into that sort of music and told me they were going, I decided to buy a ticket anyway in the morning. I'm amazed it wasn't sold out, the venue seemed to be completely full.
I missed the first three bands (Varg, Arkona and Dornreich) due to other plans in the afternoon (and a traffic jam) but I've been told they were crap anyway. Alestorm was pretty good, missed Equilibrium (lunch/dinner break, again, didn't miss much). Eluveitie was also kinda cool.
I'm glad I've finally seen Finntroll, what a great live band. I don't know any of their material after 2004's Nattfödd, but apparently they've released 2 albums since. But obviously some old songs were played, Trollhammaren was awesome!

I was there too, obviously.
missed the first band Varg, and half of Arkona >> too bad, i wanted to see them, since they're my fellow country men and i just heard toooo much praise to them from the people i know... Of what i did hear on saturday, they were ok, but nothing spectacular. I'd say overrated, but it must be the cute lady singer who does the trick...

Dornenreich was great as usual (3rd time i saw them), just definitely a weird bird in the flock of this year's Paganfest. Which was noticable on the bored audience that was there mostly to mosh and dance to the folky tunes after (un)reasonable amounts of boose. Dornenreich just didn't fit in there, i wonder why they decided to tour this time...

a couple of vids i filmed of them:




and pictures:



Alestorm was the lunch break as usual. Equilibrium was boring as hell (2nd time i saw them within last 3 months), much worse with the new singer than the last time i saw them. Or maybe the sound was bad because we were chilling at the back of the balcony.

Then before Eluveitie came on stage, we made sure we had quite good spots, that is far from the moshpit and the front rows where countless stage divings took place, but from where we could hear ans see everything. I haven't seen these guys for a couple of years, which they certainly didn't waste if you see all the promotion and merch... With the different lineup than the last time, they were just as great! I loved their show! I have to admit that the commercial path that they've taken since made me lose my interest altogether, but they remain just an awesome live band! The uninspired and easy catchy songs from their last 2 albums somehow just sound much stronger when played live. So i really enjoyed their set as much as years ago and would love to see them again!





Then there was Finntroll. This was my first time to see them live, and i am also not familiar with their music That's why it was a must to at least see them play live. And they didn't disappoint! Dunno what their music sounds like on cd but they're a great live band! Their set was as much the highlight of the day as Eluveitie was. I enjoyed it very much and was glad i wasn't standing at the front of the stage because of the plague of the stagedivers! at least 5 stage divers per song! at some point the vocalist has kicked some girl and a boy in the ass with his boot so that they flew off the stage, and was booed at by the audience! The vocalist looked pretty annoyed! it was much fun to look at from the balcony, and must have been much fun for the stagedivers too, but not to those on whose heads they landed 5-10 times per song while they were still trying to enjoy the show... Judging on the comments in the event's shoutbox on lastfm, most of the people standing there went home very pissed off and sworn to never go to this event again





More videos here

More pictures here

Anyway, it was a fantastic day, i'm glad i decided to go after all!

 

[Azzor1911]

Nice review and footage.

Too bad you skipped Alestorm, I thought they were an unexpected pleasant surprise! Like I said, I hadn't heard of any band other than Finntroll so all other bands were going to be surprises for me anyway

And did you also notice how many kids/teenagers there were in the audience? Or maybe it's just that I'm getting old

 

[Elvina]

Nice review and footage.

Too bad you skipped Alestorm, I thought they were an unexpected pleasant surprise! Like I said, I hadn't heard of any band other than Finntroll so all other bands were going to be surprises for me anyway

And did you also notice how many kids/teenagers there were in the audience? Or maybe it's just that I'm getting old

thnx! i've seen Alestorm one time too many (something like 4 times now?) and it never ceases to amaze me how unbelievably many fans those guys have... there was a thread somewhere about how people seriously could listen and like stuff like Korpiklaani and some power metal bands (maybe it was on some other forum?). I have the same story with Alestorm. I will never understand people who actually like this. I have met Chris more than once, too, and i just cannot take seriously the music that is played/made by people that never take neither themselves nor their music seriously. It all seems to be one big joke to them, and so it is to me. And because fun is not what i'm looking for in music, i tend to skip bands like that. So Alestorm have been my lunchbreak 3 times of the 4 that i saw them (which still means i manage to catch 2-3 songs i guess).

Hmm i didn't notice there were particularly many kids/teens in the audience, maybe because this is generally the case for me at every metal gig i go to What i did notice, that there were lots of kids who didn't look very metal, more like emos or something... And i noticed that a lot of people weren't especially interested in pagan music, more like just in having good time and party... Maybe it's normal for Amsterdam? On the other hand, there were also some people that came all the way from Brazil, which i thought was quite extraordinary!

 

[Defiance]

thnx! i've seen Alestorm one time too many (something like 4 times now?) and it never ceases to amaze me how unbelievably many fans those guys have... there was a thread somewhere about how people seriously could listen and like stuff like Korpiklaani and some power metal bands (maybe it was on some other forum?). I have the same story with Alestorm. I will never understand people who actually like this. I have met Chris more than once, too, and i just cannot take seriously the music that is played/made by people that never take neither themselves nor their music seriously. It all seems to be one big joke to them, and so it is to me. And because fun is not what i'm looking for in music, i tend to skip bands like that. So Alestorm have been my lunchbreak 3 times of the 4 that i saw them (which still means i manage to catch 2-3 songs i guess).

Hmm i didn't notice there were particularly many kids/teens in the audience, maybe because this is generally the case for me at every metal gig i go to What i did notice, that there were lots of kids who didn't look very metal, more like emos or something... And i noticed that a lot of people weren't especially interested in pagan music, more like just in having good time and party... Maybe it's normal for Amsterdam? On the other hand, there were also some people that came all the way from Brazil, which i thought was quite extraordinary!

I've never seen Alestrom, but what you wrote is exactly how I feel with bands like Korpiklaani. And as Azzor said, there're always a bunch of kids in those concerts.

It was really depressing because I felt like the oldest guy there, and I'm 23 . Then again, that says a lot of the scene: Most kids these days only listen to bad (horrible?) Folk Metal bands (i.e. Korpiklaani) and math-core stuff (which I think are horrible too).

And I seriously doubt the guys from Brazil went there just for the concert .

 

[Allfader]

I've never seen Alestrom, but what you wrote is exactly how I feel with bands like Korpiklaani. And as Azzor said, there're always a bunch of kids in those concerts.

It was really depressing because I felt like the oldest guy there, and I'm 23 . Then again, that says a lot of the scene: Most kids these days only listen to bad (horrible?) Folk Metal bands (i.e. Korpiklaani) and math-core stuff (which I think are horrible too).

And I seriously doubt the guys from Brazil went there just for the concert .

Oh, my Cthulhu! that's the same thing that happened when I went to the Korpi gig (but I'm a bit older than you ). I can't get why people listen seriously that stuff like Aleshitstorm or Suckbuckle. I talked with 2 guys there (they were friends of the girl who invited me to the gig), and their folk metal band concept was: Ensiferum, Korpi, Alestorm, Finntroll and a couple more of that kind of 'upbeat' folk. I went there with a Vintersorg t-shirt and I made them listen Solefald's 'Allfathers'. They were like :O!! fucking epic!, then I showed them Asmegin's 'Over Aegirs...' they wet their pants. I thought that they don't listen better stuff just cause they don't know nothing better. Finally a guy said: Vintersorg rulz!!; me: Yeah, what's ur fav album? he:hmm, I just know a couple of tracks. (after a facepalm): check for Vintersorg, one of the best folk viking/progressive avantgarde bands out there and hace a nice time with Korpi.

 

[tobz]

bad (horrible?) Folk Metal bands (i.e. Korpiklaani) and math-core stuff (which I think are horrible too).

I've seen this genre-name thrown around lately, even heard a band claiming they were playing it (can't remember the name), but I just don't get it. What the hellblazes is it???

 

[Defiance]

Oh, my Cthulhu! that's the same thing that happened when I went to the Korpi gig (but I'm a bit older than you ). I can't get why people listen seriously that stuff like Aleshitstorm or Suckbuckle. I talked with 2 guys there (they were friends of the girl who invited me to the gig), and their folk metal band concept was: Ensiferum, Korpi, Alestorm, Finntroll and a couple more of that kind of 'upbeat' folk. I went there with a Vintersorg t-shirt and I made them listen Solefald's 'Allfathers'. They were like :O!! fucking epic!, then I showed them Asmegin's 'Over Aegirs...' they wet their pants. I thought that they don't listen better stuff just cause they don't know nothing better. Finally a guy said: Vintersorg rulz!!; me: Yeah, what's ur fav album? he:hmm, I just know a couple of tracks. (after a facepalm): check for Vintersorg, one of the best folk viking/progressive avantgarde bands out there and hace a nice time with Korpi.

Haha, yeah it's exactly the same everywhere, I saw the same parameter in The Netherlands too. Finntroll is, to be honest, one of the few decent 'modern' folk metal bands. Haha Swashbuckle are OK I guess, better than Korpikraapy IMO.

Haha that's a great story, and further proves how new folk bands pretty much suck.

I've seen this genre-name thrown around lately, even heard a band claiming they were playing it (can't remember the name), but I just don't get it. What the hellblazes is it???

Oh, you're asking the wrong person! Hahaha, I basically hate anything with the ending -core in it, except with some hardcore.

I think Meshuggah, Mastodon and all that (IMO) rubbish are mathcore, or math metal or something like that.

I don't know how anyone can listen to Mastodon, I've listened to them and thougt it was crap. I saw them live, and thought they were one of the worst pieces of (insert pejorative adjective here) I've ever heard and seen. But Between the Crap and Me are still, by far, the worst.

 

[lefay82]

dark funeral are approacching! cannot wait!!!!!
one week to go....arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

 

[Draugen]

dark funeral are approacching! cannot wait!!!!!
one week to go....arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Saw them like two weeks ago. They we're quite....meh...

 

[lefay82]

Saw them like two weeks ago. They we're quite....meh...

i love dark funeral albums!
i've seen them 4 years ago, that's why i cannot wait to see them again after so long time. they are one of my fav black metal groups.
when i saw them, they were fantastic!

 

[Allfader]

I saw them 6 years ago or so, 'Twas 'k. Marduk was so much better, 3 years ago.

 

[lefay82]

no dark funeral for me....
both my boyfriend and I felt bad yesterday, and now he has the flu


next in line will be haggard, the 12th, if everything goes how it should....and i hope so!

and i'm very upset because alcest will play live the 4th but: 1st I have to work because it's easter and 2nd they play so far and i will take too much time to get there in time for the show

 

[tobz]

Oh, come now, a little illness has never stopped anyone from doing what they want! Mind over matter!
Once I saw Tiamat on a cruise-ship from Sweden to Finland and back, and I had about 40 degrees Celsius in fever (not kidding). It was great, in a way, first time Isaw Tiamat, but I wouldn't recommend it for anyone else. I was sweating cold, shaking, and had to hold on to the crowd-fence not to drop to the ground. Afterwards there was more music, and lots of fun events, but I had to high-tail back to my cabin and get into bed...

 

[lefay82]

Oh, come now, a little illness has never stopped anyone from doing what they want! Mind over matter!
Once I saw Tiamat on a cruise-ship from Sweden to Finland and back, and I had about 40 degrees Celsius in fever (not kidding). It was great, in a way, first time Isaw Tiamat, but I wouldn't recommend it for anyone else. I was sweating cold, shaking, and had to hold on to the crowd-fence not to drop to the ground. Afterwards there was more music, and lots of fun events, but I had to high-tail back to my cabin and get into bed...

a little illness?
he has been puking all the day and all yesterday night...
it's not nice to be 300 kms far away from home, on the railway, with 39 degrees of temperature and have to stop the car every 5 minutes :zombie:

i went to concerts with fever too, i went to a festival under heavy medicins treatment (punctures two times a day, i had to stop every 8 hours at the first aid's tent) but there's a limit when a person cannot do something, and he had crossed this limit this time!

 

[lefay82]

oh well...i'm not angry...i'm just explaining...
and i'm a little bit sad for not having the chance to go there....

 

[Elvina]

yesterday i finally saw Opeth in Essen! My long time dream came true! notworthy
They were terrific!!!! i will write a review with 5 vids i shot later when i have more words... right now i'm still a bit speechless...
AND in a minute i'm off to see Heidevolk, XIV Dark Centuries and Grimm (is that the one that played with Otyg?)
I slept something like 3 hours last 2 nights so i feel quite shitty right now myself... hope i won't faint there or something...

 

[Erik Erna]

a little illness?
he has been puking all the day and all yesterday night...
it's not nice to be 300 kms far away from home, on the railway, with 39 degrees of temperature and have to stop the car every 5 minutes :zombie:

i went to concerts with fever too, i went to a festival under heavy medicins treatment (punctures two times a day, i had to stop every 8 hours at the first aid's tent) but there's a limit when a person cannot do something, and he had crossed this limit this time!

Reminds me of being sixteen-seventeen in my dumber years going to concerts. Having a partially broken foot, hung over, sick with a temperature and then tailgating at the concert to get drunk again before going in. How someone can be so stupid, I don't know. I'm just as stupid now, but just with different things.

 

[lefay82]

i don't think it's only a matter of stupidity. it's a matter of phisical endurance.
i've done thing when i was younger that now i'm not able to do anymore without dying

 

[Draugen]

AND in a minute i'm off to see Heidevolk, XIV Dark Centuries and Grimm (is that the one that played with Otyg?)

It probably is since they're playing with Heidevolk (who also are Dutch).

Probably waaaaay too late now but I recommend you look Grimm up before the gig. All their stuff is great - the "Dark Medieval Folklore" and "Heksenkringen" records are solid as shit. Real folkmetal as it is supposed to sound. Not that finnish humpa-crap or anything like that. But their real gem is their last MCD "Ter Galge", which I think is outstanding folkmetal.

Grimm is a sadly underrated band and IMO one of the best folkmetal bands since Otyg.