Festival report: Fluff Fest 2012, day two

Ever since the schedule for the second day surfaced on the festival's website, I knew that I would be killed by it. The list of bands was insane and it was definite that I'll have to sacrifice some bands in order to see others. Lots of tough decisions and maneuvering, but in the end it resulted in a fantastic day. Only thing that did suck was the stubborn heavy rain which greeted us from the early morning hours.  

Schedule for day two of the festival is as follows:

Main Stage:

1:25 PM: Beton

2:05 PM: Bokanovsky

2:45 PM: True Nature

3:30 PM: Run With The Hunted

4:15 PM: Titan

5:05 PM: Wolf Down

6:00 PM: Masakari

7:00 PM: Suis La Lune

8:00 PM: No Turning Back

9:00 PM: Anchor

Tent Stage:

12:30 PM: Controlled Existence

1:15 PM: Vendetta

1:55 PM: Ralph Macchio

2:35 PM: Kung-Fu Girlz

3:20 PM: Child Meadow

4:05 PM: Osawatomie

4:55 PM: Planks

5:45 PM: Boredom

6:45 PM: Aussitot Mort

7:45 PM: Vaccine

8:50 PM: Light Bearer

10:00 PM: Alpinist

While the rain was pouring down like there was no tomorrow and everyone was covering at the merch desk, "Beton" marked the beginning of the day on the main stage. A quintet from Slovakia playing some superb crust, the band unleashed a series of devastatingly fast d-beat tunes across the soaked festival field. Prior to the festival I found myself craving some more bands of this genre in my book and this act came with all the ingredients that I love, nonstop beating to the senses with speedy playing and that good old dirty crust sound. Sadly I was too far away from the stage and at one point I had to run to my tent to grab a hoodie, so I didn't enjoy the band to the fullest, but I definitely praise the very discovery of their work. Will keep an eye out on this project, attention is most deserved.

Moments later it was time to crawl from under the covers and step into the rain to see "Bokanovsky" from a closer point. Right away I have to say that this band definitely jumps up to be in my personal top five performances of this year's "Fluff Fest", no doubts about it. I know about these guys for several years now, though I kinda neglected listening to them in recent periods of time. After this performance, there is no way to ever forget about them again. The band was so powerful and emotionally impacting that they immediately resurrected the passionate love I had for them back in the day. Seeing that unbelievably well-crafted combination of beauty and serenity wrapped in heavy and unpredictable sounds oozing with emotions and passion was magnificent. This is, without any second thoughts, the first band on this festival that managed to thoroughly impress me and shake me to the core. My readers probably know how much I adore screamo hailing from France and this band is a perfect example of why I feel so much infatuation for their music scene. But wait, there is one more band from this country leaving its mark on this review, just coming up next.

Right after "Bokanovsky" finished their set, two of their string players went on into the tent to form "Child Meadow", only this time one of them was on drums and the other remained on the guitar. This band has to be the most pleasant surprise of the festival, without a doubt. These two guys managed to fill the entire tent and the audience with so much positive energy with their smiles, jokes, insanely catchy melodies and extremely pleasant attitude. There was interaction with the crowd, silly playing mistakes which created even more smiles on peoples faces and just make everyone feel like they are attending a house show. Aside of their own songs, the band did a cover of "Remek" which was actually assisted by the singer of the said band. The same happened with a "Paper Plane Crash" cover song. When you put everything together, you get a really thrilling show and a true bomb made out of positive emotions. I seriously don't recall a gig when a band managed to make me smile during the entire set. France, you should be proud.

After some hanging out around distros it was time for "Wolf Down". For various reasons I saw the band perform only briefly, but the tiny spectacle was amazing. If I remember well, I came just in time to hear "Rot" and it blew me away at how perfect it sounded. Also, I was kinda far away from the stage so I had a really nice view on what is going on there and the band really managed to move the crowd with its insane amount of energy. Jumping on stage, crowd surfing, rampage on the ground, the band itself being wild and constantly moving, just total mayhem everywhere. The sound they succeeded in creating was far more aggressive and brutal than that on the recordings, so it was quite a sight seeing them live. Definitely a band worth the note. I also did an interview with them some time ago, found here, so you should also check that out if you already haven't.

Next up, "Boredom". Maybe it is quite cheezy to say, but they instantly annihilated any possible presence of actual boredom in the tent. Precisely as on their recordings, the amusing clash between raspy, thrashy crust and almost rock and roll type melodies managed to impress me beyond measure, changing my mood from calm to nigh hyperactive. Ever since I first heard their split with "Rivers Run Dry", courtesy of good friend Botond from "Itai Itai Records", I've found their sound so unique and intriguing, thus this being an absolute honor to attend their show. Similarly to when I listened to them at home for the first time, they just swept me off my feet when they started playing on stage and my mind blown state was present until their sound died. "Lap Dance of Rats" and "The Poverty Lawyer" punched me in the gut so hard that I really don't know how I restrained myself from killing someone in the dancing area in front of the stage. What this band can do to you with their music is insane, that's for sure. They have less than 500 listeners on last.fm and that is something that is not tolerable at all. Seriously people, what's wrong with you? Check this band out, I promise you won't regret it!

It is sad to say that this is the point where the schedule became extremely tight and squeezed for me, with too many good bands entwined with one another. I really wish that "Fluff Fest" starts doing what "Ieperfest" does with its schedule, although this will have to wait until I write the review of my stay in Belgium. Until then I'll stick to what happened in Rokycany. "Masakari" was next and due to seeing "Boredom" I couldn't attend to their whole set. Although I only witnessed a part of the gig it was definitely enough to stomp me entirely. Approaching the show I realized how enormous their sound is, not only because of the fact that they were on the main stage, but also because it was, plainly put, the sound of "Masakari". There was just so much anger and energy hurling from the stage, so much that I felt completely battered, in a positive way of course, despite the fact that I was rather far from the source of sound. If I recall well, I arrived just in time to hear "X. Pain Conceived As A Tool", the song which is featured on the benefit split with "Tempest", and the band just killed everything with the sheer massiveness of their music. I've always been in love with "Masakari", but I never imagined them being that good in concert, just stunning. I feel insanely sorry that I didn't see their whole act, so I hope they come back to Europe one day to wreck havoc on everything. 

One more occasion to see "Aussitot Mort" and yet again I wasn't able to view their entire set, because I needed to catch another band. Sigh. "Fluff" you are killing me. Anyway, if I remember well the band once again opened their act with "La Ride Du Lion" which is just a superb opener and mood-setter. The band simply excels at lashing out their amazing atmospheric sound in a single swipe and it definitely doesn't leave you unshaken. I only saw that first song being played and I already had to run to the main stage, but it was absolutely worth it. I still hate myself due to the fact I missed their show with "Heaven In Her Arms", especially now since I have a chance to see them properly but always fail to see the entire set. The band hates me probably, that's why. I due love them, however. 

Rushing to the main stage earlier I managed to secure a first row place for the next act. "Suis La Lune",  legendary screamo band from Sweden and a long time favorite band of yours truly, was getting ready and just about to start. I was quite anxious about this performance due to the fact that, prior to the festival, I heard that they weren't really entertaining live and I honestly had some level of fear about what was going to happen. Additionally, for various reasons, they kind of drifted away from my liking and this show was definitely a sort of a test for the band in my eyes. Saying it right away, the band swept me off my feet entirely. And they would sweep me even easier if I wasn't stupid enough to neglect listening to their newest album called "Riala". The majority of the performed songs were from that album and, although I watched with awe and utter pleasure, it just isn't the same when you actually know the songs, if you know what I mean. Needless to say, "Cornea", "Remorse", "All That Meant Something" and all other new pieces managed to resurrect the old love I had for the band. Mixed with those were "With Wings Of Feathers And Glue" and "September Gave Us...", while the ending came in a beautiful combination of "Utter Silence Is Fragile" and "A Letter A Void". In all the years that I followed this band fervently, I always imagined that they would be so blissful and wonderfully gentle and there they were, proving and justifying all my previous thoughts. I have always dreaded about writing things concerning my favorite bands, among which is definitely this one, and this amount of text is enough to make me shudder, thus I will stop here. Astonishing performance, worth the wait all these years. 

After soothing melodies and emotions, it was time for pissed off straight edge powerviolence. That sounds gnarly, wouldn't you say? "Vaccine", a band hailing from Massachusetts and featuring members of acts such as "Orchid", "Ampere", "Glue", "Failures" and "Think I Care", just got on stage and basically kicked everyone in the face, over and over again. This came as an enormous shock to the senses after the previous band, but damn, it was worth it. Their entire set was just a violent ball of rending, heavy guitar riffs, choking drums, harsh bass and angry to the core vocals to top it off. I was simply flabbergasted at how awesome this band is, especially since I never heard about them before. I did, however, get a second chance at seeing them on "Ieperfest" where I managed to pay more attention to what is going on amid the chaos they created. Seeing this band twice shows that I'm really lucky that I didn't get a heart-attack. This day just didn't fail to continuously impress.

Once the truly maddening set was over, I had just enough time to go to my tent and put on my "Vestiges" shirt for the next band, just for fun. By the time I got back, the tent stage was overcrowded and bursting with expectations for "Light Bearer". I managed somehow to squeeze inside, despite my initial wishes to be in the very front row. The band opened with their newest song, that from the split with "Northless", called "Celestium Apocrypha: Book Of Watchers", which I have to say surprised me a bit. Although it is a truly astounding piece, I think it is a really bad choice for a short festival performance due to its length and slowness. Needless to say, the band somehow pulled it off and mesmerized the crowd with their great sound and ambiance. After a sluggish start came "Prelapsus", which literally exploded inside the tent, the mass of people erupting into a conjoined choir of screams at the cataclysmic ending of the song. From then on it was continual stage diving and dancing on the part of the audience, while the band continued with "Lapsus" and, if memory serves well, "Primum Movens". The strength of the sounds radiating from the small stage kept being increased to unbelievable levels, completely justifying the epic concept the band is enveloped in. I had my doubts about how the performance will come out in the tent stage, but so much energy and power packed in such a tight spot proved to be magnificent. My only complaint would be the pick of the opening song, since I presume that "Armoury Choir" would be a far better decision, but this stays in the boundaries of personal choice. Additionally, for a score of reasons, I really didn't approve of words spoken by the band during breaks, some of them addressing the whole situation with "Defeater". I just find it a lot better when people mind their own business and think about what they are saying before they actually say it. Otherwise, a great performance.

"Alpinist" gets one word as an opener. Wow. I wasn't pleased at all with their performance on "Cry Me A River" and I came to this gig to give them a second chance. Wow, again. The very first millisecond the band started playing, the crowd erupted like an eons old volcano. Instant stage diving, jumping, crowd surfing, screaming, pushing, everyone became so squeezed together from the sheer amount of people which hurled into the tent to participate in the sea of limbs and sore throats. The band seemed to play in such a violent fashion, when compared to the last time I saw them, and it doesn't come as a surprise that the audience replied in such a fashion. Their sound became exceedingly heavy, pounding and fast, so much that even though you were trying to stay alive in the whirlwind of bodies your mind was well aware of the sounds rushing towards the ears. There was minimal time for pauses or speeches, although they were present, and it was just nonstop insanity until the end of their set. The band just didn't stop beating their instruments until the crowd started feeling fatigue approaching. The only downside to the entire thing was that a girl got seriously injured, if the information is correct she got a fractured skull, during the set. Although it was really fun and adrenaline rushing, people should be a little bit more careful with really hurting someone, especially since at the beginning of the show a lot of tinier people were in front. I got separated from my girlfriend during the course of a couple of songs and I can't say that I wasn't worried for her. Also a similarly lame thing happened to me on "Light Bearer" while I was crowd surfing and was dropped to the ground at one point, without people actually trying to get me up but going along with their business. Just a little bit more concert etiquette is needed I presume. But aside of that, this is by far the wildest and most intense concert I've attended in a long, long while. "Alpinist", I applaud you, this was a show to remember. 

Festival report: New Noise 2012

As you have figured out by now, most of these reviews were written way before they got to be posted, so the dates might not match with certain show times. This here, for instance, will be a review of the “New Noise” festival which I’m writing in the train that is rushing through Hungary to get to the Czech Republic. Yes, I am again going to visit “Fluff Fest”, though this review will probably end up being posted quite some time after the said festival. I’m spending a lot of time with my girlfriend and my writing and internet time is rather scarce, so that is why the posts are so late and mixed up. All in all, this is a really epic summer trip and the number of shows I need to write about is constantly increasing. I just want to take this opportunity to say how sorry I am to all the bands that have sent me their material and everyone who is waiting to be hosted on “Natures With No Plagues”. Thank you for both the interest and the patience, I will surely dedicate my time and words to all of you. But until then, it’s time to drop by to Karlsruhe!

Here we are with yet another European music festival with a lot of tradition behind it, spanning for seven years now. Although it has a rather long life span, I have to admit that this is the first time I hear about the event. Got to say that I was really impressed by the lineup and the overall idea of the entire happening. "New Noise" took place at Ostauepark, located in the eastern section of Karlsruhe, on 7 July 2012. My woman and me were nested in a youth hostel, located a good half an hour walk from the fest, so we grabbed a chance to get to know the city a bit. Karlsruhe definitely seems like a wonderful place to live, especially thanks to that one enormous park-botanical garden located in the center. Reaching the festival was rather easy due to the signs posted by the organizers, which really made things go smooth at a certain point. "New Noise" itself consisted of two big tents where stages were set up, numerous distros and food and drink stands circling around the entire perimeter. There was also a sitting area with benches, located in the center of everything, and also a rather big grass field for laying around. Overall, it seemed really cozy and there was always room for everyone everywhere, so big thumbs up for the organizers of the event.

The timetable for this awesome day looked like this:

First Tent
13:00-13:25 The Tidal Sleep
13:40-14:05 Nine Eleven
14:20-14:45 Tempest
15:00-15:25 Run With The Hunted
15:40-16:05 Aussitot Mort
16:20-16:45 Code Orange Kids
17:00-17:30 Sailing On
17:45-18:15 Midnight Souls
18:30-19:00 Loma Prieta
19:15-19:45 Adorno
20:00-20:30 No Turning Back
20:45-21:15 Defeater
21:45-23:00 Church of Ra Showcase

Second Tent
13:25-13:50 Unveil
14:05-14:30 June Paik
14:45-15:10 Titan
15:25-15:50 Man Vs. Humanity
16:05-16:30 Vestiges
16:45-17:10 Downfall of Gaia
17:30-18:00 Birds In Row
18:15-18:45 Former Thieves
19:00-19:30 Anchor
19:45-20:15 Brutality Will Prevail
20:30-21:00 Graf Orlock
21:15-21:45 Celeste
23:00-23:30 Raein

First band in line which we managed to see was none other than “June Paik”. I barely managed to brace myself after their previous performance and here they were again, ready to devastate me once more. To make things even crazier, their sound was far better here than on "Cry Me A River", so you can just imagine how powerful their set was this time. Their scheduled playtime was much shorter than on the previous fest however, but the strength of the impact hit they made on the audience was not crippled by time in the slightest. "I" was played again and it is wondrous what the band manages to do with that song. A true work of art, especially when created live, just a perfect composition leaving you breathless and in a very specific mood. And I will leave it at this in hopes that I don't end up sounding like a fan boy, especially after my previous review of their gig on "Cry Me A River".

The first band I watched had a little bit of a delay due to some issues regarding setting up, so I was kinda late to see the full set of “Tempest”. Of course, what I did witness was enough to show how many asses the band can kick. Attending their show for the third time now and the band keeps showing that it is always so pumped with amazing vibes and energy, so much passion and creativity. I came just on time to hear  my favorite song again, "Death Rattle", and it was absolutely enough for me. We stuck around for another number and then it was time to raid the distros. As I said before, keep an eye out for "Tempest" and try to attend a show, you'll leave with your jaw on the floor.

It was time for “Run With The Hunted”, so we were forced to somehow make our hands unglued from the awesome records present at the festival. Seriously, if my wallet was big enough I would probably spend the entire day just swimming in a sea of vinyl. Anyway, the hardcore outfit from Phoenix, Arizona delivered a really fast punch with their set. A very lively performance with excellent sound, the band quickly managed to intrigue and move the audience. I was present for only two songs on their gig, so my impressions are rather limited, but from the start they showed that they will give all they've got and that it's bound to be a fun ride. I also failed to see them on "Fluff Fest", but as much as I saw people were walking away after their gigs quite happy.

After failing to see “Aussitot Mort” when they were touring Europe with "Heaven In Her Arms", cursed be my life, I finally had the privilege to do so. The French quartet opened with "La Ride Du Lion", the first song off of their newest outlet, and those very first tones instantly blew me away. The power and intensity of their recordings were perfectly transferred to the audience live in concert and even increased beyond anything I previously imagined. With the help of the "venue" and its excellent sound, "Aussitot Mort" managed to create an amazing atmosphere and connection with the crowd, making their set really intriguing for watching and listening. They showed how and why they are one of the most important bands in that astounding post rock rock screamo crossover and that they are a project you definitely need in your book. Sadly, due to the timetables being a little messed up, I was only on a tiny bit of their performance and it was already time for another band to be grabbed.

Rushing to the second stage and grabbing a perfect first row place for “Vestiges”. Thus far, I think my readers have a great understanding of my thoughts about the band and how much attention this blog showed for the whole project. From the initial moment I heard their music and up to this point in time, my love for their work has been rapidly growing and I was happy beyond reason when I realized that I will see them live this summer. The time finally came and the band naturally opened their set in the same fashion as their record begins. My excitement was at a boiling point, but once "I" exploded their set proved to be really crippled due to insanely stubborn problems with the singer's microphone. Despite screaming and growling from the top of his lungs, Alex just couldn't be heard at all. It was really unpleasant standing there and seeing the man give his best, but get sabotaged by the equipment. I just have to give a negative shout out to the organizers for this, since they made a really tight schedule, basically forcing the bands to play, without making sure that everything technical is okay. Instead of providing stupid, worthless red lights during the day on the stage, a little more attention and care should have been paid to whether or not the equipment is working, since "Vestiges" are not the only band that had issues. Needless to say, the band managed to provide an astounding show despite the difficulties they faced, especially the singer who didn't stop for a single second, just proving that they are a true force to be reckoned with. Their music was exceedingly powerful live, giving absolute justification to their recordings and the entire concept of the project. "V" was also played and it was such a breathtaking, passionate finisher of their set, since seeing one of their guitar players putting a maximum of his heart and soul into the performance was quite a sight. I will stop here with my thoughts, since you'll be reading more about them in an upcoming review of their show with "Downfall of Gaia" in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, so stay tuned!

Once the quintet from the States ended their act, it was time for “Downfall of Gaia”. In case you follow my blog for a longer period of time then you are aware that I did a little bit of travelling with this band last year. So not only is my love for their music strong and endless, but I also consider them really good friends and it was utmost pleasure to see them again. As expected, they managed to knock me off my feet in a second. For a while now it has been known that the band is recording new material for an upcoming double LP, so this was a grand occasion to hear some of their new songs. If memory serves me well, two new songs have been performed and they left me speechless. Ever since the band formed, "Downfall of Gaia" has been in a constant cycle of evolution and their newborn is not without such a merit. Further expanding their music and putting an even higher accent on black metal and those gloomy atmospheric sections, the band hinted what they have been creating for us behind closed doors. Everything that was remarkable about "Epos" has been kind of upgraded and put on a new level with their new material, which definitely made me even more thrilled about hearing the entire album. Aside of those songs, "These Wet Feathers..." was also played, which is one of my personal favorites. Overall, an amazing performance and a wonderful preview of what is yet to come from this project. 

Short break and then coming back to the same tent to view “Birds In Row”. To be honest I haven't listened to them in a long time, the pinnacle of my attention for them being drawn way before the band got signed to "Deathwish Inc.", after which I almost forgot about them. Either way, the band swiftly brought back the memory of why I liked them in the first place. Their songs were always impacting and strong, but I never imagined the band sounding as powerful as it did live. Completely exceeded my expectations. "Among the Ashes" and "Colossus" were enough to set everyone who was present into the right mood, although the band kept beating their instruments without remorse. Definitely a wild and entertaining performance.

“Loma Prieta”, strike three. Much like "June Paik", they had far better sound quality on "New Noise" than on the previous festival and it resulted in a really intriguing performance. Continuously energetic and fierce, the San Francisco four-piece dropped a chaos bomb into the venue yet again. In contrast to their past gigs that I attended, vocals had a really high volume and it was both a surprise and a pleasure to hear them under the spotlight. The crowd was also quite responsive to their tunes with dancing and even some stage diving. Their performance went wild and boiling until the last song, that being "Trilogy 6 "Forgetting"", when Michele from "Raein" sat behind the drum kit while Val was picked up by the audience along with other parts of the set and so he played like that in mid air. Definitely a really epic and crazy finisher which no one could expect!

Once the chaos from the previous band went silent, it was time for “Adorno” to take the stage. This would be my second time watching them live, since previously I saw them way back in 2010, an experience about which you can read here. As much as the previous show made me smile and enjoy, so did this one leave a purely positive impression on me. Their melodies have an uncanny ability to instantly put a smile on your face and just wash you over with so much nice energy. Songs from "Said And Unsaid" were played, as well as from their split with "The Black Heart Rebellion", making their setlist a really amazing one. The band also kept their friendly ways of talking to the audience, so overall this looked more like a house show than a festival gig, which is a huge plus in my head. Extremely happy I got to see them live again and I am definitely hoping that they will have more activity in the future.

Okay, this is where things get downright serious. Thus far this review was really easy to write down, but now I'm sitting here with absolutely no knowledge where to start. “Celeste”, the well known four-piece from France, has a special place in my heart. They bear members from "Mihai Edrisch", a band which I love inexplicably and hold dear beyond this world, and that alone was always enough for me to  be infatuated with them. Their music is, without a doubt, a story for itself. Numerous times I found myself trying to somehow properly categorize their sound in a specific genre and always failed. The unstoppable and devastating impulse going under the name of "Celeste" has been a thing so unique that it can't be placed or tamed into a tag. But without further ado, let me get back to writing about the show. Darkness fell into the tent and only four red dim lights were hovering on stage, illuminating from tiny lamps placed on the heads of the band members. Smoke crawled around the stage and the audience, mystifying the setting for what is yet to come. And when the beast came, it couldn't be tamed until it was killed by lack of time. I won't even say which songs were played, because their set was simply an unstoppable, violent behemoth with only second long breaks for a single breath. I have never in my life witnessed four people creating such a destructive wall of sound, so powerful that I thought the ground will break under our feet. Everything seemed to crash down onto the audience, the crowd also deciding to give its violent outburst in response to the band's apocalyptic rhythms. I was simply stunned beyond words. All I can say is that this is absolutely one of the best shows I attended this year. The repertoire of bands I saw in 2012 seemed like it will be hard to pick out my favorites, but "Celeste" made their place as number one without a doubt. I am sure they won't be taken down from the throne in the upcoming months, this is something that you experience once in a lifetime. My entire experience was definitely sealed and made complete with talking and shaking hands with Johan, singer of both "Celeste" and "Mihai Edrisch" and a man I consider truly as a one of a kind artist. I will stop my review of their set here and just say that if you can go to their show, just go. If you haven't heard about them, take a listen and stop missing out.

“Church Of Ra” was the name that closed the day for me. The act with the longest scheduled playtime, a band consisted of members from "AmenRa", "Oathbreaker", "Hessian" and "Syndrome", picked as something that can bring an epic ending to this year's "New Noise" festival. I am probably playing with fire here, but I have to keep my honesty on a high level and just say that I was sincerely bored. Maybe it was due to the fact that there was and is so much talk and hype about this collective that I pumped up my expectations to high. The band members on stage kept switching during the set and each time that would happen I was hoping for something intriguing to happen, but it never did. At times all members would be on stage, I can't really recall was it eight or nine of them, and they would play at the same time which would create a truly massive sound. Even that failed to actually impress me. My personal opinion is that any band making that much noise after "Celeste" is doing just that, making noise. Definitely a lot of factors played their part so that I ended up not liking the band, though I absolutely saw that they had a massive crowd, so I am probably just a drop bouncing off from the ocean. To each his own, though I do feel real regret that my sacrifice of seeing "Raein" in the other tent was in vain. Pity.

As you can see, this has been a fantastic day. Lots of amazing bands, great distros and a really interesting place to hold a festival. Like I already mentioned, my only complaint goes out to issues regarding equipment, since that managed to mess up the timetable a fair bit. Otherwise, "New Noise" proved to be a really intriguing festival and I hope that its tradition will be kept alive in many years to come. Special praise goes to my girlfriend, who managed to keep up the game with me despite me being really dumb at times. That's love for you!