Like many others 45 years ago Marc Bolan and T.Rex introduced us to rock music. We didn't know that this music will be called glam. Anyway we went and bought theirs singles or albums. T.Rex will be often named when someone is talking or writing about glam and the early 70's music. Not only for sentimental reasons - their songs were superb arranged, catchy and worth to be listened decades later.
And as a bonus: A live version of this song done by Morrisey
In addition to the festival I think I should post a new song by Dinosaur Jr. It is an artist I missed but seeing the clip I think they will work fine live these days. A cracking guitar and energetic bass-lines seem like never going out of style.
Never thought to hear something new by De La Soul. They brought a new kind of HipHop to our ears back in the late 80's. Together with bands like Jungle Brothers and A Tribe Called Quest they were the spearhead of soul-influenced rap. This is a track from their upcoming album. And it has a real good bass-line and a steady flow. This could probably be a summer favourite for many.
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.
There was a weather forecast for last weekend that predicted thunderstorms and massive rain during these days. It happened when we were on our way back home on Saturday in the early morning after watching Meute that heavy rain set in. No chance to get to bus without getting wet. No alternative than to went outside the rain and getting wet all over. We thought about what will happen on Saturday because the forecast was even worse. Finally we were lucky guys because there was only rain for 30 minutes and after it the sun came out. As a more than the half of the gigs were inside the tents we didn't made many thoughts about the weather. So let's recap the second day.
The first band in the early afternoon I saw was Blackberries a band from Cologne. Their music is easily described as guitar based sound with a lot of ingredients of late 60's psychedelic music. Just a band that made fun to watch without any ambitions of doing sophisticated stuff.
Next on the list was L'aupaire another new German band for me. Their music turned more into folk-rock and handmade rock. Pretty good to watch them live because they made a very familiar feeling when they played their songs. Their songs are tender and postulating as well and the voice of mastermind Robert Laupert reminds me to the Kings Of Leon.
Drangsal is nowadays one of the biggest hypes in German music. Mixing ingredients of new-wave, rock and electronic to his own sound seems like it is unique. Seeing him live was a disappointment. The band had a very fine bass guitar that would fit to every new band in the early 80's but he didn't captured me for more than a few songs. I think he overproduced his songs - on record as on stage.
With Octa Logue another German band appeared on the open air stage. Originally based in Frankfurt they make a very unique sound deeply based in guitar sounds of the late 70's with ingredients of Neil Young and early Pink Floyd. I am not a fan of long guitar soli but I had a lot of fun watching them. As far as I know they made already some concerts over the Atlantic ocean. We'll see where they finally arrive.
Minor Victories was one of these bands I was curious to see live. I got their record played often the recent weeks and thought by myself if they could stand the laurels they got. Known as a so called supergroup of members by Mogwai, Editors and Slowdive they should be able to play a good gig. But they showed me a lot more. I was fascinated of the sound they made. Lead by a great guitar they made somekind of conversation with the singing. Backed with a massive and steady playing rhythm section they made this appearance unforgettable.
On the festival there is a smaller venue where really unknown artists can appear in front of maybe 200 people. I went there if something sounds interesting for me or only for sitting down for a while. So I sat there and watched Karen Ann a singer-songwriter, composer, producer and engineer born in Israel and now located in Paris. It was a relaxed, professional and unique performance with her band. Good arranged songs played with fun and all over Karen Ann's fantastic voice. There were a lot of less talented artists big in America.
My personal highlight of this festival was the appearance of Explosions In The Sky. It's a post-rock band from Texas. Their sound is similar to Mogwai I was lucky enough to see them last year. Never thought that someone beat them in their genre but they did. There were guitars galore not playing riffs but rather let them yip. They haven't songs in classical style - more symphonic. Me and my brother were astonished about what we saw. It was all in all a complete live act. Everything they did was exactly planed. That's what I name a band in this genre.
It was hard for the next bands to please me after this big event but I went out of the tent and The Augustines took over. It is a New York based indie-rock band that gave us a lesson how a three-piece band could play some indie-folk. A charismatic singer who is always in intimate contact with the audience and assisted by a tough and straight band made an hour of great and relaxed music.
The main act on Saturday was James Blake, the so called new star on the scene. He played his very intimate songs very well and the performance was perfect. I like a few of his songs but I have to say there was less I remember the highlights of his gig a few days later. I think it's nothing you have to see live - his records are better.
I waited weeks to get to this festival. Finished my works in the office and went to the train to Mannheim. First I got to my brother to leave my luggage at his place and we went off to the festival. Retrospective I have to say that more of the half of the artists were from Germany. And there was a lot of new music from my home country to explore.
The first band we saw live on Friday were Neufundland, a new band from Cologne. Their sound is torn between post-punk darkness, tender impact, electronic dance music and great melodies. And lyrics like Joseph Stalin buys uniforms at Primark or There is nobody prescribes to me how I have to lose makes them different even in Germany.
The next artist that impressed me was SG Lewis, a producer based in Reading that combines classic songwriting with club culture. It was a really great combination of both genres. Filled with a fundamental bass he sings his lyrics in a very entertaining way. Looking forward for his next outputs.
Lilly Among Clouds is a project by a young German female singer from Würzburg. She has a fantastic voice sometimes like a siren but always beautiful. She combines her (pop)songs with massive dubstep ingredients. A voice between Norah Jones and Alanis Morrisette makes her songs something special.
Liima is a project by Danish/Finish collaboration from members of Efterlang and percussionist Tatu Rönkkö. To describe their sound is rather different. Rhythm-based trips by the sound worlds which lift the difference between concert hall and dance floor and added with reverb singing. It worked amazing live.
After a few hours on my feet I went to a smaller spot where I could sit down and listen to well unknown artist. Expecting nothing from Martin Kohlstedt he took me into another dimension. He is a wonderful piano player with huge addicts to electronic sounds. Of course nothing for the main stage but fantastic music for a time of your own. If you like Nils Frahm you could love him.
Late in the evening I went into the smaller tent they built up at the festival and was reserved for the newer heavier and faster sounds. I've gone there to listen once again to a post-punk band from Stuttgart that I featured a few month ago. Loud, fast and emotional music with heavy influence of the early 80's independent sounds. It was loud, fast and awesome to hear them live again. Probably a great hope for German independent music today.
Although we were tired we both wanted to listen to Meute a German Techno Marching Band. And it was worth waiting for them. Only the bass drum made the rhythm and a lot of horns joined it. Nothing more than fun listening to them.
Too much work and dates during the last days stopped me continuing the blog. Now I will do the rest of work for today so that I can catch the train to a familiar 3-days Festival in Mannheim. Looking forward to a few great gigs and Kate Tempest doing a reading. So there will be no post until next week.
You can check out more of this event here with some videos of the appearing artists
