The latest concert you've been to...

[Bartwald]

And did you see that: a Gamma Ray/Helloween session! Two of my fave bands, supposedly not liking each other very much, here are playing together!

[slayrrr666]

That's what I noticed, the first thing. Imagine, a semi-reunion of the Keepers albums. If only Kiske could show up, then it would be the surviving members in a reunion as close as possible. That would be nice to see.

[Bartwald]

Just came back from the Masters Of Rock festival. Awesome. Truly, honestly awesome. As soon as I have a bit more time, I will comment on all the bands I saw but let me just say this now: Gamma Ray and Edguy easily overshadowed everyone else there, both bands are just genius live!

[slayrrr666]

Will be waiting patiently, as I'm seriously thinking of adding both band's upcoming live DVDs to my collection. Sounds like a winner.

[Bartwald]

Good! So perhaps you will be buying the Edguy DVD they were recording during Masters Of Rock - Tobias announced this near the very end of their performance there. A HUGE SHOW!

[slayrrr666]

Yep, I heard about that. That's the one I'm talking about.

[Bartwald]

[glow=red,2,300]MASTERS OF ROCK 2006[/glow]

DAY ONE

"Are we playing on a fucking train station?!" - asked David Coverdale when the darkness of the night surrounding the stage was briefly cut by the lights of a train passing by - just a few metres from where the singer was standing. "Ah, fuck - why not?" - he concluded and started another song.

Masters of Rock 2006 lasted four days (of which I attended three - the ones for which my favourite groups were scheduled) with as many as 44 bands playing. All the shows were performed on one stage but probably even the hardest rock/metal fans weren't able to see them all - on some days it would equal sitting in the festival area from 9am to 3am, with the loud music invading the air almost constantly.

The first performance I saw was from HORKYZE SLIZE - a very energetic band from Slovakia. The vocalist looks like a groundskeeper in a poor village school but makes up for it with his sense of humour and great chemistry with the crowd. At one point he told us to be patient as "this song has a poor verse but a very cool chorus", then he was trying to sing like Joe Cocker but when performing such catchy tracks as Shanghai Cola or Telegram he proved he can work the crowds also as a singer. After the performance I was trying to get a CD from the band at one of the festival stalls but couldn't find any (which is strange as I wouldn't have this problem with any of the other bands performing later).

Next was German TAMOTO - a project of the GUANO APES drummer Dennis Poschwatt, here mainly singing and playing the guitar. Seemingly very shy and often loudly questioning their presence at a festival that has "Masters" in the name, TAMOTO nevertheless gave a very good performance, playing a nice mixture of modern rock and metal and including in the set a cover version of a song no one in the audience seemed to remember (Warriors Of The Wasteland by FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD). However, near the end of their show the hungry crowds were already waiting for KREATOR, the first true star this evening.

And I don't think the crowds were disappointed. Mille Petrozza was - as usual - in great shape and once again managed to prove that the songs from the band's last two albums (like Impossible Brutality or Violent Revolution) sound just as good as the cult-worthy oldies (Pleasure To Kill, Extreme Aggression, Flag Of Hate, Tormentor). Those who haven't seen KREATOR live before might have been shocked with Petrozza's chit-chatting ("Are you ready to kill each other?!!" before Pleasure To Kill) but for the true fans of the band this is a well-known and much-loved ritual.

After this loud and angry performance there was a near 100% change of the crowds near the stage - the KREATOR fans went away to sip Czech beer and the less dangerously-looking fans of THE GATHERING flooded the first dozen rows. Anneke Van Giersbergen, after her recent health problems, was again singing like a (dark) angel and was amazed with the enthusiastic reactions from the audience. The slower, more atmospheric songs, however, did not receive as much applause as the more melodic ones people knew from recent singles or the ones that were just pure energy.

After THE GATHERING the main star of the festival arrived: WHITESNAKE reborn yet again. The beginning was a nice surprise, especially for the many fans of DEEP PURPLE: David Coverdale jumped on stage to the tacts of Burn, sang it with huge passion and then, just as passionately, started singing Stormbringer. The rest of the concert looked like if it was promoting the band's "Greatest Hits" album released several years ago: Fool For Your Lovin’, Ain't No Love In The Heart Of The City, Slide It In and at the end - Here I Go Again plus Still of the Night. Perhaps the only surprise in the main set was a very good version of Bad Boys. Cryin’ in the Rain was lengthened by the okay solos of Doug Aldrich and Reb Beach; much better was the drum solo performed a bit later and played in large part without the help of the sticks!. Coverdale looks more and more like a blond Alice Cooper but his voice is still impressive and in his unbottoned shirt, with lots of fresh-washed hair the man still can create an erotic aura on the stage. A pity he didn't play anything new here.

Following WHITESNAKE we were to witness an act from the German MASTERPLAN, the vocalist of which used to "do a Coverdale" in THE SNAKES. Sadly, MASTERPLAN was one of those rare bands on Masters Of Rock which didn't sound good. The first few tracks were hardly recognizable, Jorn Lande seemed scared of the gathered crowds (in between the songs he couldn't say anything except repeating "How are you tonight?" several times). A fraction of the band's magic was to be felt during Kind Hearted Light and Enlighten Me, performed near the very end with the help of the audience.


This is what it looked like in between the acts before the Time Of The Stars

[slayrrr666]

Nice write-up, Bart. Luckily you mentioned the Whitesnake songs I like (yes, I can stand them. They're the only "hair band" I can do that with, along with Dokken) and anything with Kreator live can't be that bad.

[LivingDeadGirl]

admin said:

[glow=red,2,300] Cryin’ in the Rain was lengthened by the okay solos of Doug Aldrich and Reb Beach;

[/color][/quote]
One of my favorites....man, I'd kill to see them live again.

[Bartwald]

MASTERS OF ROCK 2006

DAY TWO

The next day seemed especially powerful: among the scheduled bands were GAMMA RAY and HELLOWEEN, then both of them were supposed to join forces for what was called a "jam session", and after all this we were promised the performance of the ever-perfect RAGE. The band that was introducing this great set was EVERGREY – and these guys did not let their fans down, either. Playing Obedience the band proved that the title of a track can nicely translate to what is happening near the stage – several hundred people were 100% obedient to whatever the leader of the band was gesturing and shouting. And this is not happening without reason as the vocalist Tom S. Englund emanates true, Charles Bronson-esque charisma, and he actually feels bold enough behind the microphone to steal a trademark shout from the mighty Bruce Dickinson; no surprise that the audience responded enthusiastically to his "Scream for me, Czech Republic!"

GAMMA RAY started their show with Rebellion In Dreamland and through all the rest of the 70-minute long set never wasted a single note. Kai Hansen introduced the band nicely ("We're from Germany and we fucked up in the World Cup... but who gives a fuck anyway, right?") and then went on to play some of their latest tracks (Fight, Blood Religion), some of their classic tracks (The Silence), and yet again proved that he still loves the "Powerplant" album (we got Gardens Of The Sinner, Send Me A Sign and Heavy Metal Universe from this one).

The Germans hypnotized the crowd as no band before during Masters of Rock 2006, so it was not easy for the metal veterans from HELLOWEEN to step onto the stage just after them.
They started with the new, long The King For A 1000 Years but then changed their set into a Best Of with a special emphasis on "Keeper of the Seven Keys" parts 1 and 2 rather than the brand new 3 (they played A Tale That Wasn't Right, Eagle Fly Free, Dr. Stein and Halloween). In comparison to GAMMA RAY, HELLOWEEN seemed less spontaneous, as if they did not have as much fun playing live anymore. The new guitarist, Sascha Gerstner, will most probably never manage to perfectly fit the band – his older colleagues are much crazier, much funnier and do not tend to wonder whether they look handsome each minute of the show. Andi Deris, on the other hand, knows very well that he will never match Kai Hansen's coolness, so instead he tries being more "mystical" and "sexy", which sometimes works and sometimes doesn't. During the "extra time" of the HELLOWEEN show they were joined by the members of GAMMA RAY to play two gems from the past: Future World and I Want Out. It was good to hear these tracks played with four guitars and two bass guitars but the even nicer thing was to see the two once-friends-once-enemies Hansen and Weikath share one cigarette while playing their guitar solos.

Around 1am another German band climbed the stage – RAGE. First we heard a spoken intro a la IRON MAIDEN and then the band started with a powerful version of Speak Of The Dead. The new album was then presented almost in its entirety (The Lingua Mortis Suite sounded great even without the presence of the orchestra and Full Moon, with its simple chorus, gave the audience a good opportunity to shout their hearts out). Journeys into the band's past were rare but effective (Baby, I'm Your Nightmare and Don't Fear The Winter). RAGE was also the band to provide us with the best solos during the whole festival: Victor Smolski was squeezing wonders out of his guitar, and with ease which would frustrate Joe Satriani; Mike Terrana was not only singing Frank Sinatra during his life-threatening solo but also dressed up like a poor man's Superman and was then "flying" all around the stage.



These guys were "playing" each single song currently performed on stage using their pink inflated guitars and moshing their wigs off. Fun.

[slayrrr666]

Man, you lucky Europeans and your summer festivals. I would kill to see GR and Helloween together on the same bill. That sounds pretty amazing that Weikath and Hansen can do the same stage thing now. Now if only Kiske can get over his fear of performing live and join them and we might get the closest possible Helloween renuion.

[Bartwald]

No chance for the Kiske/Weikath/Hansen Helloween, I think. Then again, I'd hate to see the current line-up dying because of a reunion, Anthrax-style.

* * *

MASTERS OF ROCK 2006

DAY THREE

On the last day of the festival the crowds started gathering as soon as 3.30pm which was when everyone expected METAL CHURCH – a classic melodic metal band from the US. Their show was a bit delayed but when the band eventually arrived the audience immediately forgot the Americans made them wait. The new vocalist, Ronny Munroe, looks appropriately menacing and charismatic and the live version of Mirror Of Lies, out of their just released album "A Light in the Dark", sounded just as good as the killer oldies – The Dark or Gods Of Wrath. Seems like METAL CHURCH is finally, after many attempts, facing a true rebirth.

After the American we were treated to a band from Poland – RIVERSIDE. Usually they are nothing short of awesome, playing what seems to be compromise between the music of MARILLION, RUSH and DREAM THEATER, but this show did not belong to their best ones. Just like MASTERPLAN two days ago, RIVERSIDE had some serious problems with the sound and as a consequence all their melodies were drown in the sea of loudness. A great pity, this.

Next was KORPIKLAANI – a Finnish folk-metal band that gains popularity with each released album (the latest one is 2006's "Tales Along This Road"). The crowd got crazy as soon as KORPIKLAANI started playing their blend of melodic and heavy music spiced with thrash metal vocals. The band focused on playing their liveliest tracks, a smart dressed violinist nicely contrasted with the savage-looking, beer-spitting vocalist and people in the audience were so drugged with the band's enthusiasm that they did not want to let them leave the stage.

However, the cheerful atmosphere in the audience was there to stay throughout the whole set of the next band, too – Czech Republic's own TRI SESTRY. KORPIKLAANI might have a violinist in the band but TRI SESTRY beat them, sporting not only a violinist but also a saxophone and accordion players; their music borders on pop/rock pastiche but there is no denying the crowd was entertained, and those who understood the language had one permanent grin on their faces.

Afterwards the stage was owned by the Germans from EDGUY who performed what was easily the most energetic show of the festival, starting with the super-catchy Catch Of The Century from the new album and ending with Avantasia and King Of Fools. The many girls gathered near the stage sighed loudly when seeing Tobias Sammet with his hair cut to the length usually preferred by Jon Bon Jovi, and the Czech men booed the vocalist when he started laughing at their national soccer team. All was soon forgiven, though, as the performance truly shook up the night; what is more, at the very end Sammet announced that it was being recorded to soon appear as EDGUY's live DVD; provided no one spoils anything in the process, this will be one of the greatest metal DVD's you can get!

With APOCALYPTICA preparing to take over the stage after EDGUY, I wondered if they were going to be able to re-create magic of the previous performance. They didn't but came quite close to it. Since the band started playing live with the drummer their shows became way more dynamic and this night was one more proof for this. Still, the most eagerly awaited parts are the ones where APOCALYPTICA plays METALLICA – this time they performed One, Enter Sandman and a great, red-blooded version of Seek And Destroy. The only thing these virtuoso cello players should be criticized for were the attempts at chit-chatting with the audience as their English is of a rather weak quality and apparently no one in the crowd was able to get what they were trying to say; the "Don't talk! Just play!" shouts followed.

The final band to perform at Monsters of Rock 2006 was Dutch WITHIN TEMPTATION. The vocalist Sharon den Adel looked was as sexy as any man in the audience could wish, and with the likes of Jillian she managed to squeeze out the last drops of energy out of the crowd. The show lasted until around 2am and each single track was causing the audience to shout out with enthusiasm. Den Adel did not even try to hide how happy she was about being received so well and here's hoping that the band will join next year's Masters of Rock to promote their long time coming new album. What better place to do that?



This poor sod was trying to imitate the Pink Guitar Guys using a shovel. Semi-successful.

[slayrrr666]

Meh, no matter if they can't or what, it's three out of four and 50% is perfectly acceptable.

Sounds like an awesome festival, Bart. That Edguy DVD just got a little more interesting. Great write-ups as well. ;D

[Bartwald]

Glad you like it, slayrrr. And the Edguy DVD is a must-have for guys like us; I was trying to think of all the tracks they were playing that evening and came up with this setlist:

- Catch of the Century,
- Sacrifice,
- Save Me,
- Superheroes,
- Trinidad,
- Fucking With Fire,
- Babylon,
- Tears of a Mandrake,
- Mysteria,
- Lavatory Love Machine,
- King of Fools,
- Avantasia.

Plus super-short versions of Iron Maiden's The Trooper and Deep Purple's Smoke on the Water.

[slayrrr666]

Well, they didn't play the ones I really wanted them too (We Don't Need a Hero, Vain Gloria Opera, Arrows Fly or Rocket Ride) but that seems downright reasonable, considering they are touring for the new album. It's good enough to pick-up.

And I guess my joke in the previous post went unnoticed.