Metaltown 2010
Today I arrived back at home after a visit to Metaltown in Gothenburg, a two day festival with lots of metal and some Rammstein. We booked a hotel a long time ago, meaning we were smack dab in the middle of town in a marvellous room for almost no money at all. Excellent planning makes for good metal, as I always say. Or always would say if I thought of it more often.
The first day had a bunch of not so interesting bands listed. And Rammstein at the end of the day. Thus, we spent the evening going from bar to bar, carousing in general, and made it down to the festival area just as Rammstein was about to go on. Perfect timing, and a very good show which was well worth the effort to get there. Fireworks, flamethrowers, a giant thing which spewed foam on the audience, confetti bombs, and belligerent German music - what more could we ask for? Well, more to drink, so we ended up going clubbing after the show, and came home rather worn and tired in the wee hours.
The next day was full of bands we had shortlisted. We managed to drag our poor, hungover selves downstairs for some food, and then we headed out to see Sodom, a German death metal band with quite an impressive list of albums to their name. Unfortunately they were as tight as a choirboy in the Vatican, so that was quite a disappointment. So we went for a beer, and waited in Finntroll instead, while the rain poured down.
And Finntroll was all that we had hoped for and then some. Really good show, and good music, new and old. After them we went to the other stage for some Amon Amart, which was also excellent, although the sound mix was truly horrible. If that had been done right, they would probably have been the highlight of the festival. After them some more beer, and some Dark Tranquillity on the small, cozy stage. Also a good show, although the sound on that stage wasn't the best. Awesome to see them up close again, it's been way too long.
And after that we waited in the main act of the second day; In Flames. Last I saw them, also on the pier at Metaltown, it wasn't that great an experience, although the stageshow was very well done and high-tec. This time they played more old skool, and the sound was back where they belong - in melodic, heavy death metal land. And the stageshow was even more impressive, with some truly spiffy high tech gadgets, lots of fireworks and things that exploded and burned and stuff. Awesome! But despite Anders Fridéns best efforts the pier didn't sink under Only For The Weak this time either. Maybe next time!
The first day had a bunch of not so interesting bands listed. And Rammstein at the end of the day. Thus, we spent the evening going from bar to bar, carousing in general, and made it down to the festival area just as Rammstein was about to go on. Perfect timing, and a very good show which was well worth the effort to get there. Fireworks, flamethrowers, a giant thing which spewed foam on the audience, confetti bombs, and belligerent German music - what more could we ask for? Well, more to drink, so we ended up going clubbing after the show, and came home rather worn and tired in the wee hours.
The next day was full of bands we had shortlisted. We managed to drag our poor, hungover selves downstairs for some food, and then we headed out to see Sodom, a German death metal band with quite an impressive list of albums to their name. Unfortunately they were as tight as a choirboy in the Vatican, so that was quite a disappointment. So we went for a beer, and waited in Finntroll instead, while the rain poured down.
And Finntroll was all that we had hoped for and then some. Really good show, and good music, new and old. After them we went to the other stage for some Amon Amart, which was also excellent, although the sound mix was truly horrible. If that had been done right, they would probably have been the highlight of the festival. After them some more beer, and some Dark Tranquillity on the small, cozy stage. Also a good show, although the sound on that stage wasn't the best. Awesome to see them up close again, it's been way too long.
And after that we waited in the main act of the second day; In Flames. Last I saw them, also on the pier at Metaltown, it wasn't that great an experience, although the stageshow was very well done and high-tec. This time they played more old skool, and the sound was back where they belong - in melodic, heavy death metal land. And the stageshow was even more impressive, with some truly spiffy high tech gadgets, lots of fireworks and things that exploded and burned and stuff. Awesome! But despite Anders Fridéns best efforts the pier didn't sink under Only For The Weak this time either. Maybe next time!