I actually never intended to write a detailed report about Sweden Rock. However, since I tend to be an early riser and there wasn't much to do at the place we were staying early in the AM, I ended up going outside every morning and typing notes into my Blackberry.
It's worth noting, that when it comes to these large festivals, two things seem certain; you never actually catch all the bands you think you’re going to catch and you can never predict which bands you’re going to end up enjoying. With respect to the latter, time of day, energy level, sobriety, the band’s performance and the crowd’s reaction play such a big part.
As a quick preface, I switch between "I" and "we" with disturbing regularity. When I say "we", I'm most often referring to the wife and I. I'm sure Jason (Dark One), who we traveled with, will have own comments/thoughts and I don't want to speak for him.
OK… onto the review.
DAY 1
Perfect day; 70F and sunny.
We walked around the shops a bit, picked up festival shirts and sat down for some drinks. A few bikers from Norway sat down at our table. We got to talking and the drinks started to flow.
When five o'clock rolled around, our new Nordic biker friends convinced us to come down and watch Korpiklaani with them.
Korpiklaani - I've never paid much attention to these guys. I've heard a song or two, here and there, but it's never been my thing. However, live, buzzed and in a festival crowd that was anxious to get the party kicked off, their style just worked. Both the crowd and the band clearly had a great time.
Astral Doors - headed over to catch a few tracks. They sounded good, but unfortunately, they just couldn't hold my interest.
We decided to find a sunny patch of grass, grab a seat and throw back a few cups of coffee to re-energize. By this point, we had become all too aware of the Swedish paradox (it’s too warm in the sun, but too cold in the shade). A pair of Swedes decided we looked like we were in need of some company, so they sat down beside us and started chatting. Nice guys. One happened to mention he was looking forward to checking out a band named Graveyard (bless his Swedish heart).
Fatal Smile - as we were wrapping up our conversation with the aforementioned Swedes, we heard some cool tunes wafting out of the Gibson Stage, so we decided to take a walk over. I'm glad we did. Fatal Smile's performance was seemingly transported from 1985 Hollywood, California. The band's catalog, energy and performance was dead on 80s L.A. Hair Metal at its finest. This performance was everything PC69's ProgPower performance should have been (energetic, nostalgic and tons of fun), but wasn't. And speaking of ProgPower performances, to offer some insight into just how much fun Fatal Smile's performance was... think Freak Kitchen.
Sabaton - Wow... I had no clue how just popular these guys are. The crowd was very into them and the band seemed to be loving every second of it. They have a very unique sounding front man, a good stage presence and a tight live sound. I can see these guys quickly becoming one of the biggest names in Power Metal and I will not be shocked if they're either a ProgPower X headliner or in that slot just below the headliners.
Graveyard - not much else going on, so we decided to stroll over to the Gibson Stage and give Graveyard a listen. WOW! Talk about being totally blown away. I'm not sure how to describe exactly what it is they do. It's got a strong Cream / early 70s / Kyuss vibe. As I alluded to, my description falls woefully short of capturing their sound. Suffice it to say they have a ton of groove, a ton of taste, a fantastic sense of dynamics and they are excellent songwriters. I spent the next day and a half trying to track down their debut, which I finally did ($25).
Satyricon - this was one of the bands I was most looking forward to when we booked the trip. However, I had a tough time immersing myself in their performance (through no fault of the band's). First, we had been up since 6AM and had taken a cab, to a plane, to a 2nd cab, to a 3rd cab. We had been on our feet and scrambling for the better part of the last 18 hours. To make matters worse, we were on our way down from a nice beer buzz and feeling drained. I guess it just wasn't meant to be.
Side Note - Satyricon's lead singer had cut his hair very short and slicked it back. He looked like an evil version of C. Thomas Howell, from the movie "The Outsiders", and I couldn't help thinking to myself, "Stay black Pony Boy".
DAY 2
Another beautiful day in Sweden. Grabbed a cup of coffee and a seat in the VIP tent. Met up with some guys from California who we had partied with a few nights previous at a very cool Metal bar called the Anchor, in Stockholm.
(my head is not actually on fire in that picture)
After some catching up, we headed over for Black Stone Cherry.
Black Stone Cherry - they're a little too polished on disc (for my liking) for the style of music they play. Live, their music has the sense of energy and rawness that it lacks on disc. Unfortunately, their youthful exuberance occasionally causes them to lose focus, while they're jumping around on stage, having a good time. Overall, I'd grade their performance as a B- / C+.
Sebastian Bach - we headed over to the Festival Stage to catch Baz. We were very surprised by just how sparse the crowd was. Unfortunately, we were unable to read the message (in Swedish) on the big screen monitors, announcing that Bach had apparently missed his flight. Definitely a let down, as I was really looking forward to his set.
Primal Fear – as always, a solid performance. We caught the first half and headed over to catch CB Murdoch.
CB Murdoch - awful.
Volbeat - I wasn't sure what to expect. I own the first disc and kind of dig it, but it's not something I reach for often. Well, apparently, I'm in the minority, as the Zeppelin Stage was packed in anticipation.
As soon as the show started, it was clear to see why these guys have become so popular. They were indeed excellent and gave one of the best performances of the festival; tight, energetic and pure fun. I'm definitely going to spend more time listening to their discs in the future.
Coheed & Cambria - I intended to catch their set. But as we began our long walk towards the Festival Stage (from Volbeat), we were able to clearly hear them blaring through the sound system and see them on the big screen monitors, and decided it wasn't what we were in the mood for.
Disturbed - I was pretty psyched to catch Disturbed live. I've been a fan since the debut, but have had no desire to attend one of their shows and rock out with a bunch of twelve year olds. The crowd for Disturbed's performance was the largest of the festival (up to that point) and the crowd was very into them. They were much better live than reviews I've read had led to me to believe. And even though we had heard that he had been sick, Draiman's voice sounded very strong. It was a very enjoyable set indeed.
Testament - they've never been my thing. However, they're legends and I've never seen them live. I listened to about five songs before I decided they're still not my thing.
At the Gates - similar to Testament, I'm not a fan. But again, they're legends (albeit on a smaller scale) and I've never seen them live. They were fairly tight for a band that's been disbanded for as long as they have. However, I had two problems with the set. One, the same problem I always have with AtG; the singer's voice is completely monotonous. Second, due to a lack of rain in the weeks leading up to the festival, the ground was bone dry. And by this time in the fest, the amount of dust in the air, especially down by the Sweden Stage, was brutal. During the next two days, there were actually portions of the festival grounds that were uncomfortable to walk through, due to the extreme amount of dust in the air.
Judas Priest - had they performed earlier in the day, I might have checked them out. However, by 11:30PM, we had too many reasons to pass on this performance. For starters, everyone in my group had seen them during their glory days. More importantly, I had read Halford’s back problems have left him practically immobile and unable to perform live the way he use to. It’s one thing to watch aging rock stars when they can make you forget about their age. However, I’d much rather keep the memory of Priest live that I have, rather than overwrite it with something bordering on embarrassing.
DAY 3
Tesla - Tesla is one of my three favorite bands if all time. We got there early and ended up in the second row of people. As always, they were amazing. If I had one complaint; I could have lived without the 7 minute cover of "Rock Bottom". It was a good cover and a great jam, but I would have preferred more Tesla material.
Side Note - An interesting thing they do at Sweden Rock, is the security guards on the stage side of the barrier rail hand out open bottles of water to audience members. People take a drink and then pass the bottle to other audience members. I thought this was fairly disgusting and that I would never partake in this activity… until about 45 minutes into Tesla’s set in the midday sun. Oh well… so much for germs.
We went into the press tent for Tesla's press conference. This was a lot more fun than I would have thought. The guys all seemed very down to earth and laid back.
Ace Frehley - begrudgingly, I went to check out Ace. Suffice it to say, I don't see the appeal. Then again, I've never seen the appeal of Kiss.
At this point, festival lag began to set it. All the travel, drinking and hours spent in the hot sun had begun to take its toll. And with a few hours until Whitesnake, there was no escaping the fact... we were tired.
Whitesnake - I'm not really sure what to make of this performance. I'm a big fan of the three popular discs (Slide it In, S/T and Slip of the Tongue) and I think the world of Coverdale as a vocalist. However, there were some elements to this show that were off putting. For starters, Coverdale relies on a lot of pre-recorded lead vocals. At times he seemed to be lip syncing (though we couldn't tell for certain). He also primps his hair and shoots the crowd a pouty look, in much the way an 80s video vixen might, at least two or three times per songs. Combine this with his rather strange habit of sucking on his finger, as he makes eye contact with the audience, and it's a little strange. When female porn stars do all this, I find it kind of cool. When 50-something British guys do it, it’s just odd. Odd stage behavior aside, it seemed as if he was doing all he could to complete a 90 minute set and sing as little as possible. Between guitar solos, drum solos, extended audience sing-alongs, and even taking the time to introduce the bass player’s nine year old son, you couldn't help but think he was trying to kill time, because he's losing his voice. Finally, the set list wasn’t heavy one the discs I prefer; no “Crying in the Rain”, “Judgment Day”, “Slow and Easy” or “Sailing Ships”.
Saxon – I’ve never been a fan. They slipped below my radar in the 80s and I’m very unfamiliar with their catalog. That said, they totally kicked my ass at Wacken last year. Still, I never went back and listened to their CDs, as I chalked it all up to good timing. However, they kicked my ass yet again this year. The had a ton of fun with the audience and Byford’s vocals were as strong as could be. I definitely owe these guys a purchase.
Def Leppard – we chose to pass on Def Leppard, because quite frankly, they suck live. And not because they’re old or because their set list is now filled with a ton of new material. I saw them on the Hysteria tour, with a flawless set list, and they were still no better than average. A few years ago, I was dragged to a Def Lep show by a friend who loves them, and it was just awful. As it turned out, we could clearly hear Def Leppard from where we were in the VIP area, and suffice it to say, nothing has changed.
Ironically, after being totally wiped out six hours earlier, we were completely energized now. We decided to head back to the VIP tent and grab a few drinks. I ended up in a very humorous, political conversation with a very cool guy from Norway, while my wife was drinking with a couple of Swedes.
Unfortunately, we had such a good time that we lost track of time and had a hard time catching a shuttle back to the hotel. We ended up having to stand around for about an hour, freezing our asses off.
DAY 4
We decided to bypass Lizzy Borden, who I had really been looking forward to, as we were just exhausted and I had begun developing a bit of a head cold. We decided to get there just in time for Blue Oyster Cult.
Blue Oyster Cult - not exactly my cup of tea, but my wife wanted to catch them. Given that she's sat through more than her share of bands who she's had no desire to see, over the years, I could hardly say no. Overall, it was a solid performance, that the crowd was very into.
Ratt - the first live show I ever saw was Ratt (Invasion of Your Privacy), with Bon Jovi (7800) opening up. So I was fairly psyched and very curious to see how they had held up over the years. Suffice it to say, they were awesome. They played all the classics and hits, with the exception of "Dance". As with most of the big 80s acts at this year's Sweden Rock, the crowd was completely crazy for them.
Side Note - I always thought of Warren DeMartini as being on that rung just below the George Lynch's and Vito Bratta's of the 80s (who I held just below the top tier; Vai, Satch and Malmsteen). However, DeMartini is even better than I thought/remember. His was a truly a great guitar performance.
Primordial - these guys were the main impetus for me going to the fest. They did not disappoint. There are few artists on this planet as intense as Alan Nemtheanga. His voice was flawless and his stage presence was fierce. As always, the music was executed perfectly. Alan joked, on a few occasions, how this was the first time Primordial had played Sweden, and that he never thought it would be opening for Poison. Great set list, awesome performance.
Avantasia - as we walked from Primordial's performance towards the VIP tent, we caught a bit of Avantasia. Giant stage set, female back up singers... the works. I kind of dig the first Avantasia disc, but we were just too worn down to care. Plus, we wanted to make sure we caught the first shuttle back, as only half the number of shuttles were running to our hotel, due to mechanical problems with some of the buses.
Overall, the festival was really good. I'd give it a B+ We met a lot of cool folks and saw a lot of excellent performances. We also got the opportunity to spend a few days in Stockholm. That said, I think I'm done with Euro festivals. Between all the planes, buses and taxis, dramatic time change, the expense, and 3 - 4 long days dealing with the weather, crowds and downtime, I'd just rather chill on the beach at Tulum with my wife, listen to my iPod, smoke Cuban cigars and sip Cuba Libres.
Zod
It's worth noting, that when it comes to these large festivals, two things seem certain; you never actually catch all the bands you think you’re going to catch and you can never predict which bands you’re going to end up enjoying. With respect to the latter, time of day, energy level, sobriety, the band’s performance and the crowd’s reaction play such a big part.
As a quick preface, I switch between "I" and "we" with disturbing regularity. When I say "we", I'm most often referring to the wife and I. I'm sure Jason (Dark One), who we traveled with, will have own comments/thoughts and I don't want to speak for him.
OK… onto the review.
DAY 1
Perfect day; 70F and sunny.
We walked around the shops a bit, picked up festival shirts and sat down for some drinks. A few bikers from Norway sat down at our table. We got to talking and the drinks started to flow.
When five o'clock rolled around, our new Nordic biker friends convinced us to come down and watch Korpiklaani with them.
Korpiklaani - I've never paid much attention to these guys. I've heard a song or two, here and there, but it's never been my thing. However, live, buzzed and in a festival crowd that was anxious to get the party kicked off, their style just worked. Both the crowd and the band clearly had a great time.
Astral Doors - headed over to catch a few tracks. They sounded good, but unfortunately, they just couldn't hold my interest.
We decided to find a sunny patch of grass, grab a seat and throw back a few cups of coffee to re-energize. By this point, we had become all too aware of the Swedish paradox (it’s too warm in the sun, but too cold in the shade). A pair of Swedes decided we looked like we were in need of some company, so they sat down beside us and started chatting. Nice guys. One happened to mention he was looking forward to checking out a band named Graveyard (bless his Swedish heart).
Fatal Smile - as we were wrapping up our conversation with the aforementioned Swedes, we heard some cool tunes wafting out of the Gibson Stage, so we decided to take a walk over. I'm glad we did. Fatal Smile's performance was seemingly transported from 1985 Hollywood, California. The band's catalog, energy and performance was dead on 80s L.A. Hair Metal at its finest. This performance was everything PC69's ProgPower performance should have been (energetic, nostalgic and tons of fun), but wasn't. And speaking of ProgPower performances, to offer some insight into just how much fun Fatal Smile's performance was... think Freak Kitchen.
Sabaton - Wow... I had no clue how just popular these guys are. The crowd was very into them and the band seemed to be loving every second of it. They have a very unique sounding front man, a good stage presence and a tight live sound. I can see these guys quickly becoming one of the biggest names in Power Metal and I will not be shocked if they're either a ProgPower X headliner or in that slot just below the headliners.
Graveyard - not much else going on, so we decided to stroll over to the Gibson Stage and give Graveyard a listen. WOW! Talk about being totally blown away. I'm not sure how to describe exactly what it is they do. It's got a strong Cream / early 70s / Kyuss vibe. As I alluded to, my description falls woefully short of capturing their sound. Suffice it to say they have a ton of groove, a ton of taste, a fantastic sense of dynamics and they are excellent songwriters. I spent the next day and a half trying to track down their debut, which I finally did ($25).
Satyricon - this was one of the bands I was most looking forward to when we booked the trip. However, I had a tough time immersing myself in their performance (through no fault of the band's). First, we had been up since 6AM and had taken a cab, to a plane, to a 2nd cab, to a 3rd cab. We had been on our feet and scrambling for the better part of the last 18 hours. To make matters worse, we were on our way down from a nice beer buzz and feeling drained. I guess it just wasn't meant to be.
Side Note - Satyricon's lead singer had cut his hair very short and slicked it back. He looked like an evil version of C. Thomas Howell, from the movie "The Outsiders", and I couldn't help thinking to myself, "Stay black Pony Boy".
DAY 2
Another beautiful day in Sweden. Grabbed a cup of coffee and a seat in the VIP tent. Met up with some guys from California who we had partied with a few nights previous at a very cool Metal bar called the Anchor, in Stockholm.
(my head is not actually on fire in that picture)
After some catching up, we headed over for Black Stone Cherry.
Black Stone Cherry - they're a little too polished on disc (for my liking) for the style of music they play. Live, their music has the sense of energy and rawness that it lacks on disc. Unfortunately, their youthful exuberance occasionally causes them to lose focus, while they're jumping around on stage, having a good time. Overall, I'd grade their performance as a B- / C+.
Sebastian Bach - we headed over to the Festival Stage to catch Baz. We were very surprised by just how sparse the crowd was. Unfortunately, we were unable to read the message (in Swedish) on the big screen monitors, announcing that Bach had apparently missed his flight. Definitely a let down, as I was really looking forward to his set.
Primal Fear – as always, a solid performance. We caught the first half and headed over to catch CB Murdoch.
CB Murdoch - awful.
Volbeat - I wasn't sure what to expect. I own the first disc and kind of dig it, but it's not something I reach for often. Well, apparently, I'm in the minority, as the Zeppelin Stage was packed in anticipation.
As soon as the show started, it was clear to see why these guys have become so popular. They were indeed excellent and gave one of the best performances of the festival; tight, energetic and pure fun. I'm definitely going to spend more time listening to their discs in the future.
Coheed & Cambria - I intended to catch their set. But as we began our long walk towards the Festival Stage (from Volbeat), we were able to clearly hear them blaring through the sound system and see them on the big screen monitors, and decided it wasn't what we were in the mood for.
Disturbed - I was pretty psyched to catch Disturbed live. I've been a fan since the debut, but have had no desire to attend one of their shows and rock out with a bunch of twelve year olds. The crowd for Disturbed's performance was the largest of the festival (up to that point) and the crowd was very into them. They were much better live than reviews I've read had led to me to believe. And even though we had heard that he had been sick, Draiman's voice sounded very strong. It was a very enjoyable set indeed.
Testament - they've never been my thing. However, they're legends and I've never seen them live. I listened to about five songs before I decided they're still not my thing.
At the Gates - similar to Testament, I'm not a fan. But again, they're legends (albeit on a smaller scale) and I've never seen them live. They were fairly tight for a band that's been disbanded for as long as they have. However, I had two problems with the set. One, the same problem I always have with AtG; the singer's voice is completely monotonous. Second, due to a lack of rain in the weeks leading up to the festival, the ground was bone dry. And by this time in the fest, the amount of dust in the air, especially down by the Sweden Stage, was brutal. During the next two days, there were actually portions of the festival grounds that were uncomfortable to walk through, due to the extreme amount of dust in the air.
Judas Priest - had they performed earlier in the day, I might have checked them out. However, by 11:30PM, we had too many reasons to pass on this performance. For starters, everyone in my group had seen them during their glory days. More importantly, I had read Halford’s back problems have left him practically immobile and unable to perform live the way he use to. It’s one thing to watch aging rock stars when they can make you forget about their age. However, I’d much rather keep the memory of Priest live that I have, rather than overwrite it with something bordering on embarrassing.
DAY 3
Tesla - Tesla is one of my three favorite bands if all time. We got there early and ended up in the second row of people. As always, they were amazing. If I had one complaint; I could have lived without the 7 minute cover of "Rock Bottom". It was a good cover and a great jam, but I would have preferred more Tesla material.
Side Note - An interesting thing they do at Sweden Rock, is the security guards on the stage side of the barrier rail hand out open bottles of water to audience members. People take a drink and then pass the bottle to other audience members. I thought this was fairly disgusting and that I would never partake in this activity… until about 45 minutes into Tesla’s set in the midday sun. Oh well… so much for germs.
We went into the press tent for Tesla's press conference. This was a lot more fun than I would have thought. The guys all seemed very down to earth and laid back.
Ace Frehley - begrudgingly, I went to check out Ace. Suffice it to say, I don't see the appeal. Then again, I've never seen the appeal of Kiss.
At this point, festival lag began to set it. All the travel, drinking and hours spent in the hot sun had begun to take its toll. And with a few hours until Whitesnake, there was no escaping the fact... we were tired.
Whitesnake - I'm not really sure what to make of this performance. I'm a big fan of the three popular discs (Slide it In, S/T and Slip of the Tongue) and I think the world of Coverdale as a vocalist. However, there were some elements to this show that were off putting. For starters, Coverdale relies on a lot of pre-recorded lead vocals. At times he seemed to be lip syncing (though we couldn't tell for certain). He also primps his hair and shoots the crowd a pouty look, in much the way an 80s video vixen might, at least two or three times per songs. Combine this with his rather strange habit of sucking on his finger, as he makes eye contact with the audience, and it's a little strange. When female porn stars do all this, I find it kind of cool. When 50-something British guys do it, it’s just odd. Odd stage behavior aside, it seemed as if he was doing all he could to complete a 90 minute set and sing as little as possible. Between guitar solos, drum solos, extended audience sing-alongs, and even taking the time to introduce the bass player’s nine year old son, you couldn't help but think he was trying to kill time, because he's losing his voice. Finally, the set list wasn’t heavy one the discs I prefer; no “Crying in the Rain”, “Judgment Day”, “Slow and Easy” or “Sailing Ships”.
Saxon – I’ve never been a fan. They slipped below my radar in the 80s and I’m very unfamiliar with their catalog. That said, they totally kicked my ass at Wacken last year. Still, I never went back and listened to their CDs, as I chalked it all up to good timing. However, they kicked my ass yet again this year. The had a ton of fun with the audience and Byford’s vocals were as strong as could be. I definitely owe these guys a purchase.
Def Leppard – we chose to pass on Def Leppard, because quite frankly, they suck live. And not because they’re old or because their set list is now filled with a ton of new material. I saw them on the Hysteria tour, with a flawless set list, and they were still no better than average. A few years ago, I was dragged to a Def Lep show by a friend who loves them, and it was just awful. As it turned out, we could clearly hear Def Leppard from where we were in the VIP area, and suffice it to say, nothing has changed.
Ironically, after being totally wiped out six hours earlier, we were completely energized now. We decided to head back to the VIP tent and grab a few drinks. I ended up in a very humorous, political conversation with a very cool guy from Norway, while my wife was drinking with a couple of Swedes.
Unfortunately, we had such a good time that we lost track of time and had a hard time catching a shuttle back to the hotel. We ended up having to stand around for about an hour, freezing our asses off.
DAY 4
We decided to bypass Lizzy Borden, who I had really been looking forward to, as we were just exhausted and I had begun developing a bit of a head cold. We decided to get there just in time for Blue Oyster Cult.
Blue Oyster Cult - not exactly my cup of tea, but my wife wanted to catch them. Given that she's sat through more than her share of bands who she's had no desire to see, over the years, I could hardly say no. Overall, it was a solid performance, that the crowd was very into.
Ratt - the first live show I ever saw was Ratt (Invasion of Your Privacy), with Bon Jovi (7800) opening up. So I was fairly psyched and very curious to see how they had held up over the years. Suffice it to say, they were awesome. They played all the classics and hits, with the exception of "Dance". As with most of the big 80s acts at this year's Sweden Rock, the crowd was completely crazy for them.
Side Note - I always thought of Warren DeMartini as being on that rung just below the George Lynch's and Vito Bratta's of the 80s (who I held just below the top tier; Vai, Satch and Malmsteen). However, DeMartini is even better than I thought/remember. His was a truly a great guitar performance.
Primordial - these guys were the main impetus for me going to the fest. They did not disappoint. There are few artists on this planet as intense as Alan Nemtheanga. His voice was flawless and his stage presence was fierce. As always, the music was executed perfectly. Alan joked, on a few occasions, how this was the first time Primordial had played Sweden, and that he never thought it would be opening for Poison. Great set list, awesome performance.
Avantasia - as we walked from Primordial's performance towards the VIP tent, we caught a bit of Avantasia. Giant stage set, female back up singers... the works. I kind of dig the first Avantasia disc, but we were just too worn down to care. Plus, we wanted to make sure we caught the first shuttle back, as only half the number of shuttles were running to our hotel, due to mechanical problems with some of the buses.
Overall, the festival was really good. I'd give it a B+ We met a lot of cool folks and saw a lot of excellent performances. We also got the opportunity to spend a few days in Stockholm. That said, I think I'm done with Euro festivals. Between all the planes, buses and taxis, dramatic time change, the expense, and 3 - 4 long days dealing with the weather, crowds and downtime, I'd just rather chill on the beach at Tulum with my wife, listen to my iPod, smoke Cuban cigars and sip Cuba Libres.
