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Events and Reports - Bloodstock Open Air 2009 - Day 2 - Candlemass, Kreator, Blind Guardian
Saturday 15th August
First band of the Saturday was the Swedish band Wolf, they played a short but sweet half hour set to a pretty large and enthusiastic crowd despite the rather early slot of 12pm
Starting with "Speed On" the band played a six song set including "All Hail Caesar" (which I mistook for All Hail Satan, possibly an even better song title) and "The Bite" before ending on an excellent rendition of "Evil Star".
The band had suffered technical problems last time they played Bloodstock but the set went off without a hitch this time round. As they left the stage to a chorus of wolf howls from the crowd you could see they had obviously enjoyed themselves much more on this occasion.
Wolf Set List:
1. Speed On
2. The Bite
3. All Hail Caesar
4. Voodoo
5. Genocide
6. Evil Star
There was a big gap in our schedule next as we wanted to avoid The Haunted like the plague. So we decided to fill up on food and beer and show our support for the winners of the Glasgow Bloodstock Battle Of The Bands competition Switchblade Scream. The band play melodic metal with a hint of Firewind style Power-influences.
There was a decent size crowd for the band in the unsigned tent and I picked out quite a few faces from the Glasgow metal scene in attendance. It was an entertaining enough set with some great musicianship from guitarists Al of D and Gary Law. Front man Matt Dorian is quickly developing his own voice and has already got a good grasp of stage craft with a cocky air which should stand him in good stead.
Their music might not always be to my taste but the band got a great reaction from the crowd, including a pit during "Switchblade Scream". By the time the set was wrapped up by "Secondary Effects" the unsigned tent was without doubt won over by the accomplished performance.
After wandering back to the main stage and being more than a little bored by Entombed's set it was time for the Doom powerhouse that is Candlemass.
Opening with the masterful "Emperor of The Void", the band ploughed straight into a heart stopping rendition of my favourite Candlemass track "The Samaritan". Current singer Rob Lowe sings the Biblical tale in a different style than his predecessor Messiah Marcolin but he still manages to wring every drop of emotion out of the song.
Just like when I saw them at Sweden Rock two months previous the weather was almost oppressively hot which strangely worked in the bands favour. The heat along with the slow, bass lead groove of songs like "Solitude" and the only-slightly Black Sabbath influenced "Hammer of Doom" led me into a trace like state. At the end of their set Rob playfully announced that "Coming from over here I guess you guys will know this song" and the band cranked out a brilliant cover of Rainbow's "Kill The King". A superb set but at only 45 minutes I was left wanting more.
Candlemass Set List:
1.Emperor of the Void
2. Samaritan
3. If I Ever Die
4. Hammer of Doom
5. At the Gallows End
6. Solitude
7. Kill the King
Highlighting the eclectic nature of the festival it was the turn of Enslaved to control the main stage next as they attempted to frost the warm summers air a little with their brand of Prog-Black Metal.
Unlike Candlemass I was struggling to enjoy the bands set, as well played and passionate as it was. Songs like "To The Coast" and "Ruun" just didn't grab me as they have done on previous occasions. Mid-way through the set Nina suggested we queue up at the signing tent to meet Blind Guardian. I heartily agreed and after about forty minutes of queuing we entered the tent only to be confronted with the shocking sight of a short haired Hansi Kürsch!
We chatted for a few seconds while I was getting their signatures and I attempted (probably in vain) to cajole the band into playing Scotland as they have never toured there before. You can't really blame a guy for trying.
Kreator had already started by the time we exited the tent so we made our way down the front left of the stage to enjoy the show. We grabbed a pretty good vantage point just as the band finished "Enemy of God" and then launched into the classic "Pleasure To Kill". Perfect timing as far as I was concerned!
A highlight of the set for me was "Violent Revolution". Many people look down on Kreator's later work but I think this song is an absolute classic, with a riff that compels the listener to head-bang as if the fate of the world depended on it.
Front man Mille's stage banter can also split the crowd in two, some people can't stand his crazy ranting but I for one love it. So when he pointed at a Kreator flag and explained that "I see a Kreator flag in the crowd, but there is only one flag...of hate" I knew what was coming next. He demanded the crowd scream "HATE" as loud as possible before the triumphant set-closing double header of "Flag of Hate" and "Tormentor".
We decided that watching Apocalyptica would have to be sacrificed in order to conserve more energy for one of the most eagerly awaited bands of the festival Blind Guardian.
Blind Guardian were booked to perform at the 2008 Bloodstock but had to cancel due to other commitments. So their appearance this year was met with almost religious fervour from the crowd. From the moment the traditional "War of Wrath" intro tape began to the triumphant masterpiece of storytelling that is "Mirror, Mirror" the band had the crowd in the palm of their hands.
Opening with "Time Stands Still (At The Iron Hill)" it was apparent that the cutting of Hansi's hair had caused him no Samson-like loss of power as his voice sounded the best I have ever heard it. In addition he has without a doubt lost a fair bit of weight and at points his now lithe form appeared to tower over the crowd as his voice enraptured the packed English field.
The rest of the band too sounded excellent as André Olbrich hit out with superb solo after solo backed by Marcus Siepen's precise riffing. The rhythm section of Frederik Ehmke and bass player Oliver Holzwarth (Still stuck up on his podium after all these years) plus keyboard player Michael Schüren completed the sound perfectly.
It's impossible to describe accurately how Guardian's music can totally take control of you in a live setting. The thrashing angry plea's of "Another Holy War" sound as relevant as ever and hearing thousands of voices sing along to the chorus of "Nightfall" is a vastly moving experience.
Imaginations From The Other Side is my favorite Guardian album so I was overjoyed to hear them play not only "Holy War" and the title track but also the utterly magical "Script For My Requiem" I dare you to find a Power Metal song with a more moving chorus that that one.
The band treated us to "Sacred" from the soundtrack of the computer game Sacred 2: Fallen Angel which I had never head before and I must say sounded excellent. After this came one of the moments of the festival as the band played a song that I genuinely didn't expect to hear "Lord of The Rings"
It was one of the the first Guardian songs I ever heard. So as soon as that arpeggio intro started and everyone joined in with the opening line "There are signs on the ring" I knew it was going to be a special performance. Hansi utterly nailed the vocals in this one and jumping about to the extended "Slow down as I sail on the river" (with extra double bass) made the night complete for me.
Blind Guardian Set List:
1. War of Wrath (Introduction)
2. Time Stands Still (At The Iron Hill)
3. Another Holy War
4. Nightfall
5. The Script For My Requiem
6. Fly
7. The Quest For Tanelorn
8. Valhalla
9. Sacred
10.Lord Of The Rings
11. Welcome To Dying
12. Imaginations From The Other Side
13. The Bard's Song (In The Forest)
14 Mirror, Mirror
After such a majestic set, Cradle of Filth were always going to struggle to win over the crowd, but little did I expect the band to get the disgusting treatment that followed.
Coming on stage around 15 minutes late did little to endear themselves with the crowd but I'm sorry to report that right from the opening track "Shat Out of Hell" the band were forced to dodge missiles launched at them by pathetic individuals in the audience..
Most of them were aimed at Dani Filth, who I think we all know has earned the reputation of being a bit of an arrogant twat, but the other members also had to be on the lookout for bottles and other things flying towards them. At one point Dani goaded the crowd by saying "If your going to throw drinks, at least make them full ones" which probably wasn't the wisest thing to say.
The band played on valiantly and delivered genuinely great renditions of earlier tracks "Dusk and Her Embrace" and "The Principal of Evil Made Flesh". Musically the band sounded fine but Dani's vocals were clearly strained, highlighted by him really struggling with the chorus to "Nymphetamine"
Unfortunately after around twenty or so objects being thrown on stage one eventually found its mark, guitarist Paul Allander was hit and injured while he had his back to the crowd and had to leave the stage. It later turned out to be a massive Gobstopper bought from a sweet stall at the festival site that had hit him in the lower back.
The band followed him off the stage at the end of the song and an announcer came over the P.A to advise the band would not be returning. This lead to some jeers from the crowd but I for one applauded the bands stance.
At the risk of souring this report I would just like to take a moment to say I'm utterly disgusted with the events that took place during Cradle's set particularly when the atmosphere of the festival had been superb up till (and even after) that point.
It was a wretched act by some utter morons who deserve to be banned from future Bloodstock's. I'm seriously hoping that this kind of action never rears its ugly head at the festival again.
Go to...
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
| | Written by Stuart
Sunday, September 6, 2009 |
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