The Maifeld Derby Diaries 2016, Day 3

Starting the last day of the festival with a late breakfast in the garden before we prepared to go to the festival again. By the time we went to the bus we saw big dark clouds in the sky and heard thunder. As we arrived to the bus station a massive rain set in and we could see several lightning over the town. Not knowing how the weather will be for the next hours we stepped into the bus and after a short ride we arrived at the festival area. And suddenly the rain stopped and the sun came out again. And it lasted until the festival was over.

First band we could see was Sara Hartman. She is a New York born and now Berlin living singer/songwriter. She impressed with a very deep voice and catchy songs. There is a lot of potential in her songs and I look forward when she will be invited to a duet by any electronic artists.

After this perfect set we moved into the big tent to see Suuns. I really looked forward to see this band from Montreal, Canada, live because I like their sound. The don't make songs in classic style. It is more a collage of sounds. Minimalist instruments generate sounds which come along commonly and gloomily. Here hit disastrous Synthesizer-Bleeps on bagged guitas and hypnotic song. Now and then reeling warm melodies find from time to time between major key and minor the way in the auditory canals.

Julien Baker is another singer-songwriter from Memphis, Tennessee. She is also a member of an alternative rock band called Forrister (I have to admit that they are new to me). She impressed with a clear voice and only an electric guitar to perform her songs. Sometimes the way she sung reminded me to SOAK I saw last year on the festival. If you are ready for some intimate songs you can find yourself home at her.

Between two concerts I listened for a few songs to Algiers. I liked their record released last year and their perfect mixture of industrial, gospel, soul and punk combined with their critics against racism and capitalism. They did a good show but sadly I wasn't in the mood for this kind of music at this day.

So I moved into the small tent to see one of the hottest new German bands. I featured Isolation Berlin a few weeks ago and their appearance was awesome. The tent was strongly overcrowded by young hipsters to see an awesome set of pure punk rooted music.

One of last year's biggest hype was Destroyer. His album was promised too surely. A lot of great songs I played various times and I asked myself how will they work in a big tent. But they did. He appeared with a seven-piece band with extra trombone and saxophone. They made his sound a bit more complex and warm. If you ever get the chance to see him live - go and get yourself a ticket.

Next one on the  list was Battles, a New York based experimental band. Their music moves between rock, pop, experimental, electronic and improvisation. Instead of giving up simply the initial renunciation of song, four place on distorted, electronically made unfamiliar song lines. However, these contrast not as such with the musical overall impression, but adapt themselves as a supplement.

Last band for today was Boy, a German based female duo added with a small band. The style of the duet is able Best as catchier, modern, but individual pop described which reminds of the music from Feist. For me a perfect close of a fantastic festival. Of course I missed Dinosaur Jr. because I had to catch my train home and I've seen them years ago supporting Gun Club.