Out in the Cold

ARRRRGH!!! I'm so sick and tired of this cold now. But it seems a lot of visitors from the NWOBHM X Mas Rocka brought home the same thing. I thought it was going away but yesterday it took another turn and now I have a fever and the headache from hell, yes still. Feels like someone is baking on my forehead and pushing my eyes out from the inside every time I try to look down or basically just move my head. Snotty and of course taking care of that hurts like hell too.

But, the Festival was a blast, very good atmosphere and a lot of good shows. Cloven Hoof and Mythra being my favorites but Demon, Blitzkrieg, Persian Risk, Tokyo Blade, Tytan, Chariot, Stampede, Venom Inc.... Ok, now it start to be crazy, all did very good shows actually. Apparently since I almost listed the full line-up before even realizing it. 

I really don't want to plan so far ahead but with the latest additions with Satan and Desolation Angels added and Salem, Gaskin, Raven and Diamond Head already on the bill, not much to think about. Also, with the benefit of the discount on tickets offered...

But there are more things (I need to have something fun to think about now you know. I surely missed not going to Malta this year and with the line-up they presented the other day, COUNT ME IN.... Old Grave Fest is always so much fun but it's a bit ironic I have to go to Romania to see the good Swedish bands, not that I mind. It's always fun to hang out with RTMC people and the rest visiting the Festival.

And the NWOBHM France looks REALLY good... Ok, Salem and Cloven Hoof did the trick but the rest is cool too. And we'll definitely go to Storm Crusher this year to see Exciter, they always kick ass and there are some really cool other bands there as well. Tygers of Pan Tang are always fun to watch. 

Keep It True and Headbangers Open Air it will be, no doubt about that. And I really want to go to the Metal Assault too, until now I've never managed to get it into my schedule. And the same goes for Hell Over Hamburg. 

Of the major Festivals both Sweden Rock Festival and Copenhell is tempting, this year I had the opportunity to get press/photopasses for both. I hope I am as lucky next year too. Else, I really want to see Aerosmith one last time and we had the plans to get tickets for Copenhagen, but over 1000DKK for the cheapest ones felt a little much. 

And, the line-up for Up The Hammers is a killer as always. I'm not so sure I will enjoy Greece in May as much as I've done in Feb-March... Will it be too hot??? 

Well, it looks like 2017 will be busy too! It will be hard to make it to all Festivals that I want to but it normally is sorted out in the end anyway. And of course, there will be a lot of concerts also to squeeze into the schedule. 2016 has been a very good concert year, I've seen a lot and I've seen a lot of very good stuff. But more on that later.

And now, back to the Top 10 list of the year. I realized I've missed a couple of albums completely, some I should have listened more to... But I guess that's the case. I'm twisting and turning of the order of the first 9 and have another 5 that really should be in Top 10... Deadline for Metal Kaoz is Saturday (which mean I won't have time to listen to the new Attacker album for example, sounds awesome the samples available). There are a few more being released now also that I won't have time to listen to before the list is due which is a bit of a shame. 

Hmmmm, wonder if I have any Whisky here??? Need to check, should be a good cure for the cold, temporary at least. 

Cheers
Erika

NP: Glenn Hughes - Resonate

 

Then there was none...

And that goes for the megabit on our fiber broadband connection today... ARGH! Everything has been so slow today it's very frustrating to do anything. Ok, editing pictures of course doesn't require internet access but when I'm sending them in I need it. 
Still feel the buzz from the Symphony X show, damn that was good. I must admit I was a bit disappointed though that there was no photo pit at Pumpehuset. It all turned out ok in the end but it was impossible to get to some of the guys up on stage so the series of pictures isn't as varied as they normally are. Got the report and pics sent in after a lot of curse-words and a some freak-outs.

Next up is one more Exodus / Lost Society show. That will be fun since it was really good in Gothenburg. Of course I need to go to both when I have the opportunity. And there sure are a lot of things coming that I want to go to. 

This one for example, Ragnarökkr Metal Apocalypse

Winterhawk I missed in Greece, Satan's Host and Leather Leone I've only seen ones. And Leather was with the special show at KIT for Sledge/Leather so it really is a first. It's not that expensive to fly to Chicago either... Just the days off work that's the issue.
I also would like to see Metal Church and Riot V. They both play in Switzerland but that clashes with the above event. Metal Church plays in Hamburg which is very convenient and close... We'll see about that!

Then Muskelrock of course. And I REALLY hope it will be warmer than last year. It wasn't really fun to hang out and wait for Anvil to play the Headline slot on Saturday then...

Diamond Head, KAT, Neon Rose, Rock Goddess, Vardis (since they rocked hard at UTH), Tysondog and maybe most Salem. So it's a quite good year now also... Need to book the hotel though because there's no chance in hell I'll be camping ever again at that Festival.

And when Sweden Rock Festival announced that Michael Schenker will do a special show including 3 vocalist and one of them being Robin McCauley I have to go, or go somewhere else that thing happens. 
But for the big major Festivals it is Copenhell that's the deal. Takes about an hour to drive one way which it's worth instead of tryint to get on one of the busses back to city. Just have to see Black Sabbath once at least and the rest isn't bad either.

Metal Magic is tradition and it's damn much fun to hang out there. Also, the line-up is very good. There're some really good artists. Uli Jon Roth, Manilla Road...

In the same way Headbangers Open Air is tradition but I hope we won't end up neighbors with the Modern Talking fans again this year. Why go to a Metal Festival and play 80's pop hits all night???

Alcatraz Metal festival is always fun then... And, and, and.. Helloween is playing in Knislinge this year so I guess it will be another visit to that festival, at least on the day they're playing. 
And for the fall...

One I would really like to go to is the Frost & Fire Festival. It's a damn good line-up.

Malta Doom, Old Grave Fest... We'll see what happens with those based on all other things happening. I love going to both but it's the line-up that matters.

And the line-up of this one is purely fantastic... Sure need to get that one into the schedule also;

So I guess the last one is a must! And it shouldn't collide with any other Festival at least... But I'm sure there are other concerts and shows that will mess up the schedule. Vicious Rumors should get their new album out soon and that I have to go and see if they come for some gigs...

So many bands and so little time! What to do, what to do?

Cheers
E

NP: Symphony X - Paradise Lost

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Festival Season 2014 starts...

Yep... Keep It True which is the first one is just two weeks something away now. I'm really looking forward to this Festival. As always, a lot of great bands and I'm sure I will meet up with old friends and get some new ones too! Again, as it always is! Another thing that really equals KIT is a Schnitzel in our Hotel Restaurant, Goldener Stern in Lauda. Gerhard and his staff serves great food with homegrown vegetables. Last year, I think it was, Gerhard and his regular visitors tried to sing a song for me, "A little flower called Erika". Hysteric! Fun and a bit embarrassing!!! It's going to be really cool to see HEXX, found them back in 1988 and the records still kicks ass. LETHAL too of course. TOXIC, JAG PANZER and METAL CHURCH... And, and, and...

We'll miss Heavy Days in Doomtown this year unfortunately. Nice event even if the line-up doesn't always fit my taste. But I've also seen some really cool bands on that Festival, bands I never expected to like prior to the show. Like PROFETUS. Maybe next year.

Muskelrock has become a tradition. Especially since I realized it's possible to stay at Hotel Rådmannen and skip camping, else I doubt I would gone back year after year. Even if it is a very nice Festival, similar atmosphere to KIT and always a great line-up, but if I have to be camping in the end of May in Sweden the line-up needs to be a killer. Not necessary now though! I'm really looking forward to see Uli Jon Roth, SATAN, PROTECTOR, ANGEL WITCH and a few more...

 
Then the big ones starts, Copenhell Festival. Even though it is big it's a very nice Festival. Nice atmosphere and killer bands. What's so cool with Copenhell is everything around that's arranged as well. Normally they have a Film Festival showing independent as well as classic films, last year they had a burning (smoking at least) church and open coffins in the center field!!!!

Metal Magic is the next one up! Even if the temperature allows camping I really enjoy the Festival where I can stay in a Hotel. So it is with Metal Magic, always great line-up, great people and very well arranged! And always a lot of cool bands, DARK QUARTERER, PORTRAIT, HÜRLEMENT, PARAGON and a few more will be great fun.

I'm not sure exactly how many Festivals it will be during the summer, not more than the ones already mentioned... But one of the highlights is absolutely Headbangers Open Air. The only Festival I don't mind camping for. Normally warm and nice and possible to build a camp, set up BBQ etc. That I like. This together with great people and awesome bands sure makes it a good vacation. WARLORD, DEATH ANGEL, RIOT, WHIPLASH, GRAND MAGUS, TYGERS OF PAN TANG, CAGE will be awesome and I assume the rest will be great as always!

Then what? Sure, I can't be out traveling all summer, need to spend some time at home too, to rest a bit. But when bands come to town it's hard to resist. I really want to see VICIOUS RUMORS too, they're coming over to Europe for a few gigs and I think I need to catch at least one. KING DIAMOND is playing in Berlin a few days after HOA, that could make a great end to the vacation!!! Busy busy!!!

And then the plan for fall!!! I'm not sure how I will have time to work anymore, and it sure will be a hell lot of travel with work as well!!! Exiting days.

Cheers
E

NP: MSG - Michael Schenker Group