If from 1992 to last year Groezrock (Meerhout, Belgium) had earned the title of best festival HC, punk-rock, emo, alternative of Europe this year was voted through the network web, even as global best festival. It 'also this is a good reason to go look around, participate and document the big event because it must be said, of irons in the fire on these two days of April, there's something so much, seeing is believing:
Friday April 23:
Hatebreed, Face To Face, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Saves The Day, Sunny Day Real Estate, Glassjaw, Agnostic Front, Banner Pilot, Alesana, The Real McKenzies, The Friday Night Boys, Haste The Day, This Is Hell, A Skylit Drive, The Swellers, Adept, Oh Sleeper, Young Guns, Grey Like Masquerade
Sabato 24 aprile:
Bad Religion, Sum 41, Pennywise, AFI, Lit, Story Of The Year, Parkway Drive, The Bouncing Souls, 88 Fingers Louie, H2o, The Bronx, Snapcase, The Aggrolites, Good Clean Fun, Born From Pain, Strike Anywhere, Despised Icon, A Wilhelm Scream, Zebrahead, Mustard Plug, Dance Gavin Dance, Winds Of Plague, Rise And Fall, Strike Number 8, Pour Habit, Mute, The Warriors, Stick To Your Guns, Static Radio, In Fear And Faith, Defeater, 50 Lions, Asking Alexandria, Miriachi El Bronx, Mc Lars.
La lineup, divided into three stages, content to anyone, of any age, music preferences, gender and generation, too bad that 2010 will be remembered by posterity as the year of the "awakening of the volcanoes." The fact is that, because of natural forces unleashed in the not so distant Iceland and the consequent block of flights by all airlines exist, some bands have had to give the show the day before the festival. But this, alas, is history ... The names were very important because a concert Saves The Day was and remains one of my biggest dreams.
As for the other away, tears also the absence of Sunny Day Real Estate , to point out the impossibility of arriving in Belgium Hatebreed, Oh Sleeper and Stick Your Guns . The mission of this dab the wound has been entrusted to Millencolin (the news would make them happy, even those who do not know), Holding Onto Hope , Caliban and The Ghost Of A Thousand . All in all, with or without the intervention of the volcano, this edition is certainly less of previous throat but the desire is always to the stars Groezrock then we put in motion without delay.
Day 1: After 13 hours of
highways and trails Only Belgium for good or evil can still offer a few hours of time to place the tents and rest for a few hours before advancing in the great circus. Said - that are 17.00 hours when, recognized as the "Italian Press," we come punctually, between more or less well-known faces, the big event.
cut the ribbon are the 2010 edition Groezrock The Swellers which finally will be one of the best performances of the entire event, on overload, before an audience at that time already vast and surprisingly enthusiastic in front of rookies (first European tour of their career) for more information refer readers to the interview we had the opportunity to do them later.
After the interview, the greetings and compliments of the Press-Area, managed to carve out a slice of time to mess around in the various tents and stalls of all kinds, from food to those of clothing, moving inevitably to the music. On a note of all Etnies credit goes to stand with his two, his gadgets and his staff of all respect.
But now let us make haste to take place on stage, because even if you've seen and reviewed over and over again, we can not neglect the Millencolin, there would be entire pages to be written about them, the concerts and festivals which were attended are endless as the affection that was created around to them by all public and groups, have called them to last, once again have proven, successful hit and run. The end of
Millencolin coincides with the beginning of Alesana , the feeling you get is a bit strange 'like eating a dog's nails after eating a hot pizza, another stage, another audience, another music. I could spend any more words for Alesana, describing, for example, their movements impeded by their performance on stage or painful without the support of a producer as in the case study, but I do not want to besmirch the bottom are nice boys, a bit 'naive but nice, do a little bit of tenderness.
But back in the Main-Stage the Glassjaw are burning! They screamed when a lot of people near the stage or on the next (I love you Alesana), were screaming for asylum and other reasons. Their superb performance, sweat, anger, repression and so much heart. Among other
a gig I have not found the time to set foot on the Stage "smallest" Etnies-Stage, which is actually the most spectacular stage with little more than a meter high and the public in direct contact with the band and there could be no better occasion than a show of Banner Pilot to confirm this expectation. It seems that the Belgian public a lot more of us appreciate the Italian scene punk-rock, not that I find it strange, but it does something to see a new purchase in my opinion little-Fat Wreck Chords, generate so much rage and unleash a chain of stage diving as long as the entire concert, a fable .
What have I want but I've never been an avid fan of Face To Face, mostly because I never studied the subject, I still see that one of the legends of punk has always something to teach, if only curriculum ago. The result has been positive, above my expectations. I did not remember to know so many of their songs also the age does not affect their desire to make the casino and I do not think they made a single mistake, I only regret not being able to see them until the end because of the overlap time with The Friday Night Boys that forced me to return to the Etnies-Stage. Sometimes curiosity and expectations ruin an event, and this is the case of TFNB, discreet pop-punk on their hard, horrifying live down briefly in the details of this music is easy to manufacture but are able to do the same disgust I was sorry. I
hurrying to attend the last half hour for Funeral For A Friend this screamo-rock British band I've never been excited, is not the first time I see them play but I find that it leaves me quite indifferent ... Points of view. For the Mighty Mighty Bosstones
which is entrusted with the task of finishing the first day of the festival, I prefer the Belgian beer and my tent so uncomfortable for a time waving the white flag and try to recharge as much as possible the next day.
Day 2:
Despite the fatigue, after 48 hours without rest between travel and concert, on Saturday morning does not require the intervention of the alarm, forcing everyone to get up because the sun is that, unlike what we have seen so far in Italy, decided to assert himself turning curtains into real saunas and distributing burns and permanent tan all day, of course Mother Nature has decided to put a patch over his injury. Skipping merrily
part of the festival with Brutal-Core Asking Alexandria, In Fear And Faith and The Ghost Of A Thousand than anything else I already had the disgrace of seeing a few weeks before, we present punctually at 12: 30 in a Main-Stage certainly not full of people to attend our first choice of day or MC Lars. Hip-hop, rap, but also a lot of punk-rock songs in his unusual, for the occasion, the training includes, in addition to leading MC Lars, an African-American rapper who sings a splinter, a guitarist who scratches on the strings of the guitar (if you do not understand what it is understandable) and the rest of the band composed of members of Zebrahead (the two bands were touring Europe together), all dressed with the basics of a Mac-board stage. The result is surprisingly positive, the live songs are more enjoyable than the disc, the nerve of those guys and their ability to engage slowly satisfies them, filling the tent between rappers, punks and metalheads appalled. A statue of him the most fun concert of the festival.
Just enough time to change mid-stage and it is the turn of Zebrahead, my excitement at seeing them has vanished after the first three times, actually, to play with them to "duck and all three of my jump," not I had a great desire and so, moving to a hundred feet from behind me they are hummed.
A week after the date of Cesena, here I find myself in front, or rather the next Dance Gavin Dance, I never lost my mind for this band, but I had promised my presence. Accurate, powerful and technically impeccable, it was fantastic to see them.
Just to stay on "technical" to make the big overhang of people think we Eastpack-Stage A Wilhelm Scream . Their show has the distinction of leaving the public with open eyes start to finish. Unbelievably fast yet precise as a clock of NASA, and every time I come out amazed, so I realize that I lost the first 25 minutes of 88 Fingers Loiu ! However, arrived in time for the most important pieces for the first time I witness a concert of the veterans of the scene Melodic HC-made in Chicago. From their notes you hear all the experience and character of those who have contributed to a socio-political genre strong enough to become a school of thought ... In spite of everything are still there, we can not help but applaud. My organization requires an impromptu stop to enjoy the sun, mexican-burger and beer but the phase supply should be racing because there are only 20 minutes at the time of The Bouncing Souls . It 's almost a shame to see them play only three quarters of an hour, I have too many and too enjoyable but just too many beautiful pieces to be able to cut off someone, however the "Lean On Shena" succeeded in uniting all, chills, and sing-along.
turn came the Lit 'm going to grab a place for it on board stage to follow closely, with honor, those who laid the foundations of modern punk-rock. Cooled immediately Lit minds because they are not as you imagine, or maybe I was wrong to think of being in front of the musicians and clowns. I will not remove them altogether, because what they did in the past is indelible, but fortunately see them today as tanned pop-punkers from TRL, attitudes and braggarts, I was disappointed to say the least. The live performance seems to count for much, everything is focused on the rest, the look and the choreography made by leaps and movements predictable, annoying and sometimes clumsy. I did not want to get to this but ... you are drunk brain. Another eagerly awaited
band, another disappointment, this is the turn of Sum 41 . The Canadian band despite the fame and the life of a star has never stopped making good music by tapping his best time with the album "Chuck" could be called a mini masterpiece. I made this brief introduction to discuss their recent defeat: The next and last album "Underclass Hero" is not bad but suggests the direction of this group fell from quartet to trio, abandoned much of its value to the way a big step backwards. This decline is reflected in vivo by boredom and banality. In this there is also to be added to the inefficiency of the singer Deryck Whibley, too poppy and too punk to play punkettone to do pop, left no voice and no identity, tries to imitate Billie Joe Armstrong with poor results. Between songs were able to put tens of minutes to catch his breath with absolute silence or soft battery time accompanied by long agreements. Bad.
A look outside, it is almost evening and we can see that the presence of participants at the festival much lower than the previous edition but I do not want to discourage motivation in organizing this festival which is why I attach the blame for all this to the Icelandic volcano with all the problems that caused shifts, can I do?!
"Thankfully, the AFI never disappoint," said a Belgian behind me and how he's wrong?
course after several plays their chants no longer have the impact of the first times and the voice of Davey Havok is the long tedious but live you can not find fault. In Europe to present their latest work "Love Crash," the AFI phase to make do with Groezrock professional and a lineup that does not include their origins, but is nevertheless genuine innovation and perseverance.
Now to the big question we have been facing the end of 2009: how will Zoli Teglas as a new lead singer of Pennywise ? The answer he gives a terrific performance. If with Ignite can give vent to his immense vocal talent coming up to the sky and often beyond, with Pennywise, Zoli change the voice setting, getting as close as possible to the old leader Jim Lindberg who recently left the band to pursue family. Certainly the band as a whole, has always offered a show of respect and it is inevitable that, without the acclaimed Jim Californians will not be never the same levels but the substitution can be described as "very apt."
Persia H2O lack the gift of ubiquity, I head to the middle stage, which will close its doors with Story Of The Year. I already knew what to expect from them, same lineup (with the addition of some new piece of the album), the usual jumps, spins and loops in dozens of repetition, indeed this is what I demand them to do and, once again, I have satisfied. The role of the headliner
Groezrock 2010, the play obviously Bad Religion, complete with captain's armband, without question their position that, for many of these bands, it is especially to coach. Mammoth, accurate, experienced and casual give the impression of being there for fun and for everyone to give a stern lecture, on the other hand, see Bad Religion live is equivalent to opening a history book, to study and understand why of everything that has happened since. Whether you like it or not those are the facts ... The teacher is on stage, we open our eyes and ears, we learn.
All finishes at Split, the mentality and discipline Belgian, by the book, requires the immediate return to the participants and, in no time at all, the whole space of Groez turns into a ghost park, with the Italians only to finish the night at the bars to celebrate multiethnic and toast.
very positive experience that the return to Belgium, once again, let me agl'altri and boys' Italian Press the door wide open for 2011, finally I feel obliged to stress the competence of the staff of Groezrock, both in terms of the bureaucratic, administrative and informative web site, both for the technical and management inside the festival and the Press-Area. To an Italian it is unthinkable that such an event begins and ends without any trimming, that makes me think it is good that takes place all up there in no more Meerhout unknown.
