I thought good about writing this review for the festival. I lost my first enthusiasm and sometimes i don't see a big point in doing all this. But for the love of music i will continue to do this through the near future.
Also have a lot of reposting to do. I now see that the "whole(crucial)" discography of the bands is a little tricky to keep up with for a lazy person like myself. Better if i tried to review the albums, but okay i'll live through it. So there you go: ROIR, Maraboots, Eve & the Evils with new albums updated.
Now the fest. Well the fest was big, i could compare it to Endless summer from last year summer fests. And i don't really like big fests or the open ones. Too many people draw out the intimate soul from the festival or concerts it just ends up being like a stadium, crowd show like that glam rock stuff in the 70's. That just isn't "punk" like small dark night crawler squats where there are 50 kids trashing it like it should be. Don't get me wrong, i didn't mean that the names like the ones on a fest don't deserve a big crowd, that would be hypocritical. But it sometimes chokes the bands real soul and the connection that is felt and could be enjoyed in a smaller fest, gig...especially if the crowd is lame. But on the other hand. This was a hardcore fest and the crowd was hyped and dragged some energy from the bands, that maybe wouldn't come up if it wasn't so big. And you always end up seeing less bands than you would want, because you can't see all of them without taking a break for a drink and to talk. The most positive thing on the fest was that it's fuckin' too cheap for bands like these. Anyway...
We went to Fluff from Zagreb with a van on thursday night. The usual drinkin' (except for the sxe ones, ofcourse), jokin', talkin' on the road and we came there early in the morning, that was unusually very cold and windy in central Czech R. After gettin settled we went to the small town centre to explore a little, find something to eat and to drink, and waste some time 'till the fest begins.
As i am still a new\fresh person with the love of the hardcore sound, i felt frustrated that i didn't knew more bands and explored them before i saw them live. And ofcourse because of the tight schedule you don't have a chance to see that much you would like if there were more time for chillin'. So the first day i missed out the 50 lions and All teeth.
So the first band was Touche Amore which made a very good impression on me with the energetic vocals. Broken records, Honest sleep and etc. they went with their songs which i ain't that familiar with their names so i won't guess.
After then we went to check the merch before returning really fast back for the Carrier. The Boston finest melodic though harsh hardcore band. Mostly was concentrated on the their vocal, which had a damn good (i mean powerfull) voice. Some have said it to be too macho for Fluff but i think that he wasn't and was decent enough in his live show, after all the band has song and an EP about love (can't seem to find that macho).
Then the main band and one of the most known on the Fest. La Dispute. Like a total opposition to the Carrier vocals, there stood the skinny and childish La Dispute vocal. I never gave them too much opportunities since i thought they aren't that hardcore of a band. I was pretty wrong and positively shocked. The little almost shy guy had more energy than most of the fests "hardcorers". They didn't play their most famous songs (good move) and gave a chance to more unkown songs to come up, some new ones and the TA split with the vocal of TA that came on stage to help.
After the show, more drinkin' and fooling around. Before we ran outta beer and had to call it a day. Something worth mentioning that this was a fest where i had least money for spending, only 30 euros, 10 per day and still managed to economise them so so. Only a shame because i didn't got a chance to spend some on merch. but there will be time, material stuff doesn't mean shit in the end.
The second day i missed out on Beyond Pink (which i heard were very good few days before Fluff in Zagreb), Trainwreck, Victims ( i only went in for one song and didn't like it that much) and Ensign ( i have a good enough excuse). Anyway after the usual morning coffee, shopping and getting ready. The first band that day were the Dangers. And they started at about 3PM which i couldn't get for a great band like this. Anyway i was infront so i saw the playlist and i liked what i saw. They started with We broke PA, the Power Chord Blues, Half brother, all cop, AIDS, Cancer, I'll Clap When I'm Impressed, Opposable, Stay-At-Home Mom and finished with We have more sense than lies and few more i can't remember they played. The vocal isn't sane in a good way. Animal while singin', jumping all around and into the crowd but still with moderate authority. Also a good and sincere talk between some songs. They really made a good impression and are one of the best bands i saw live. After them the screamish powerviolence band Battle of Wolf 359 which were fair enough but not my cup of tea.
Then there were the powerviolence Punch with a positivly good attitude that can be felt of the female fronted vocals while she was talking. Punch was one of those bands that i like the fast and harsh music and can listen to it, but there isn't any song that is jumping out of the monotomy. But still the played good enough to see them again and played almost 2 sets ass most of the songs are very short.
after them another female fronted band the German Glasses that were almost on home turf considering that the fest native language was german because of their invasion on border country Czech. They were the only band i watched in the tent or should i say outside the tent that was filled all the time. That's a minus beacuse a lot of people couldn't get inside, but nevertheless they were very good and have drawn a lot of energy outta their crowd.
That was that for the day, there was lot of drinkin' to keep up with. Something very funny made this fest unique. I drank an average of 10+ beer per day and ate one time a day and didn't get drunk. After all that moving around you can't get drunk until you settle down or take it on to the next level with good old vodka, that did the trick. Also, let's say that half of the bands on the fest were sxe, and let's say that there were less sxe lads than the ones gettin' completely wasted. Even the bands were on two sides, like the Victims (i think it was the Victims bt not sure) askin' are you all wasted, and the Ceremony trading their merch for marihuana.
After finishing the drinks and ourselves we were gettin' ready for the third and final day.
The usual morning and usual missing of the next bands Rosetta, Raein (also missed in Zagreb because i thought i would watch them here, moron.). As i am begining to be lazy to write more i'll speed up things. The next band was Ritual which i more watched more on gorund while drinkin' and laying on my back or ass (told you i was lazy). Then the Soul Control which weren't that much audience honored for a good band like that. The audince was limp in fact. The next band was Black Breath for which i thought that Motorhead is playing but without Lemmy. They were okay, but really don't like that much sludge and crossover (death) metal, or what that was.
Then the big guns went inside. When i saw the guys from Ceremony on stage i thought they broke outta a mental institution, not to mention the performacne and the Damned\Misfitsslashgoth outfit of the guitarist. Who are these guys. These are revolutionists in hardcore. Insane calm nihilistic lyrics and sets mixed with fastcore crazy shouting of the vocalist. They started in the head with Intro and Sick. The crowd exploded and almost everyone who was on the fest was on the band. Then the songs Moving Principle, Kersed, This is my war, Terminal Addiction, the cover of Red C Pressure's on and other hits. I don't know what to say more beacuse i was also hyped on them. Here, will post their video only and enjoy.
Ceremony - Sick, Fluff 2011
