Despite threat that biggest Czech rock festival will have to change place, it take place again in small but really hospitable town Vizovice and well known grounds of Distillery of Rudolf Jelinek. As every year before, there were some new camps and great music again…

Thursday

After year of absence, home rock band Fleret opened festival its own way and this great fun was followed by first (and not the last) castling of festival when Slovak punk-rock legend Konflikt played instead of Dark Gamballe and they made jump those who were already standing in front of stage. Then shine Scottish pirates Alestorm who didn’t took it totally seriously and singer played different parts as he used to play but there was no one who can say that it wasn’t great performance. Different thought many after Virgin Steele who played good but sound engineer started to make his job miserable (and it won´t end till the end of festival). Many were disappointed by David DeFeis high singing, but it is typical for him. He, sadly, also didn’t communicate with crowd as well. Mood was improved soon by Bonfire with their great show and unwanted demolition of stage when they succeeded to drop at a time two equalization speakers. It was all fixed soon and next star of night – Amorphis – played perfect concert from beginning to last song – House of Sleep and they became the best band of first day. This wasn’t changed nor by Pagan Alliance show when two great bands – Finntroll and Eluveitie hit the stage. Great cooperation of those two bands and their greatest hits made happy every fan but nearly two hours long concert made them really tired as well. Next was disappointment of night – Hammerfall. From great band they changed to common band with American sound and even the old hits of band sounded like cover songs (not good cover songs). All was fixed just thanks to last playing Moonspell, who played great show and left hearts and all their energy on stage so everybody can go to drink his beer or to sleep with smile on his face.

Friday

Waking up at morning and recognising that we got enough time gave us opportunity to enjoy attractions that were provided by new partner of festival – beer Gambrinus – sumo fighting, rodeo bull, climbing wall shaped as can of beer or water football. Some daredevils tried bungee, some enjoy their beer in shadows of trees…

Just before lunch played first band of day – Czech Nil who played great show but somehow, I can´t get through preciousness of singer. Next on stage was SKA playing Tleskač and deferred Dark Gamballe who played great show (It looks like moving benetits them) and it couldn’t be described other than by one word – perfect. Next was about alcohol singing Alkehol (playing instead of Danish Mercenary) and every home fan enjoyed it right way. Pagan Varg shined again and I have to say that I enjoyed it more than Pagan Alliance day before. Traditionally uninteresting played czcech Silent Scream of Godless Elegy, but there were few fans of them and they shaped atmosphere well. Disappointment of day was cancelling of Sirenia but on the other hand, next playing Hungarian trash legend Ektomorf got more time. They unzipped it in style and genius performance climaxed by songs Gypsy and cover Rusty Cage originally played by Johnny Cash. More time taken Italian Rhapsody of Fire as well and it was big plus to their performance again so everybody could well prepare for headliner with large H – Twisted Sister. What they shown could be called just by superlatives and experience from that night couldn´t be described by words. Completion of visual aspect was drumming solo with luminous drum sticks. Sadly, to misery of sound engineer added his misery light engineer who decided to light up only singer and solo playing musician and it won´t change till the end of festival. Airbourne offered us crazy, but for me monotonous show that was spiced just by frontman’s climbing on stage construction. About next playing Watain I rather write just a few words. Darkness, lot of fire, there was nearly nothing to be able to see and in front of stage fell tubes with leeches. Well … black metal … 

Saturday

With not good English started day singer of Crash Road and next was funny insertion of Czech entertainer / musician Jiří Schmitzer, who obviously reap great success at home. Fact that combination of megaphone and microphone showed us Audrey Horne and he saved average performance just in the end. Untypically without bass player played nice show Visions of Atlantis and we could prepare for rare event on metal scene – Powerwolf. Although that it looks bad before their show and in front of stage stand only about one hundred fans, last songs enjoyed thousands of fans. Exciting atmosphere drove band to tears in the end. Czech Seven would be totally stodgy if they don’t get guests who don’t recognize the festival (they were still talking about Masters of Metal) who saved whole performance. Some covers made it even better but otherwise it was average and boring. Kreyson played similar way in my opinion but people who know the band enjoyed it pretty well. Boredom was developed by trash metal Legion Of The Damned, who´s only show on stage was headbang. They were just standing like rounds in the fence and live their own reality. Show built on well-known hits of Manowar offered us Ross The Boss, but I liked it more than original band. They played it without unnecessary crap and rough poses, with more humanity and it didn’t lack quality. It was followed by insertion of guitar workshop of genius Victor Smolski from Rage since UDO prepared the stage. When finally UDO get on stage he offered us great show and in its end, he played greatest Accept hits and crowd went crazy. Sometimes I really can´t understand how can people like Udo got such big charisma …

Paper headliner Guano Apes defend its position in my eyes. I heard a lot bad ideas about their performance but those who grumble didn’t know what they could expect from new album and it surprised them. For me, it was perfect performance, perfectly played and I really felt energy radiating from Sandra Nasić. But great performance ended and those few who still stand in that frosty night may enjoy Brainstorm as icing on the cake. Nice end of night … 

Sunday

Morning was time of crazy band Dymytry who compensated lack of good music by good show and … I don’t know how … they succeeded. Something totally different showed us Törr with its rejuvenated configuration and it was really awesome. Next came my music nightmare Steelwing who messed even the one song that is acceptable for me. On the other hand – they didn’t disappoint me. Completion of castling on Masters of Rock 2011 made Mercenary who used to play on Friday. Again, it looks like it helped them. Energy and power, great show and even movement – something that is uncommon for me on trash metal shows. In same style played British Evile and we then we should enjoy the one band from East – Russian Arkona. Masha with her charisma on microphone, well played music, atmosphere that should by envy by many bigger bands and bagpipes and pipes that made it concert on which you can felt breeze on your neck - of course in positive sense. Dutch Delain showed similar great performance but singer have some problems with voice in some positions. Silver ribbons that were blown to the crowd don’t have planned effect because of wind that blow them to the stage and just few of them flew to the crowd.

Start of crazy German show of OOMPH! Was great but sadly for many, they played only German versions of their hits although they recorded them in English on their last album. Singer who looked like as he lived his own reality decided to go stagedive in the middle of show. That trip ended badly for him as he fallen on the concrete but as professional he ignored it and finished show just as nothing had happened. In good mood shown Overkill as well and they looked like comedian show instead of trash metal concert to me. Guitarist was changing ups of drum set during concert, somebody was turning his microphone off and whole band was making strange and funny faces whole concert. But it was cheerful and I like it much more than static Legion of the Damned. Band looked like they enjoy it even after that many years on scene. That was sadly the last positive music experience from Masters of Rock 2011 – next were record breakers from Helloween – in 90 minute long set they were able to play the less amount of songs in their history (I think) and to speak and play solos most in their history. If we add pretty bad sound of bad singing Andi Derris, you can imagine it well. Yes. Band was playing really good but I can´t remember last time I had seen such boring concert …

Finale of night and whole festival was in sign of home band Tři Sestry. I really don’t understand how could this be concert worthy of end of the festival after last years, when this playing time taken Sepultura, Europe or Lordi. We really wanted to see band instead of flying bottles of beer. I don’t really think that band was the best idea for that time.

To Cut a Long Story Short

Organisation is better from year to year and new sponsor took a lot of new attractions that fans like. Bands succeeded to made great atmosphere (yeah, there were some exceptions) and they´ve done a great job. That´s what we couldn´t say about sound engineer who can´t made good sound of second vocal and light engineer who light up only singer and solo playing musicians (looks like there is no one else on stage). Apart from that we can enjoy four days of perfect music, great attractions and great food at decent prices.