NOVAROCK 2011 - Pannonia Fields II, Nickelsdorf, Austria (Blue Stage)

ARRIVAL

To go off the Banská Bystrica with sunrise is nothing uncommon. Signing of road is perfect, Bratislava is welcoming us and we are closing Nickelsdorf and see first sings of festival area. We get to festival area without any problems two hours before start of festival. We find exclusive parking place (only 15 minutes from entrance to area) and because of we see some tents around, we started to build ours one. Security told us that it is not area for tents and those already built would be removed as well (Yeah, you are right! They weren’t, nor after 3 days!). OK, we are moving to field (area of 5 ha) where all other tents were build and we are looking for any free spot. After more than 30 minutes, we finally found the place – we are 20 minutes from festival area and we are building a tent in hole. But who cares…it looks like we got great spot when I look around. When I finally recognize what time is it, i see that I miss few bands and whole festival started few hours ago… 

SATURDAY

I finally get in front of stage and as first band, I´ve seen emo-core band full of energy – Silverstein. Music was great but there was really hot in there. But security was giving some water to the people all the time so it was OK. When band (and genre) changed and it was performed by Plain White T´s, it goes better and better. It sounds like Bee Gees with modern electric guitars. But very sweet. Where do I know this band from, I had recognized just when they played their radio hit song Hey There Delilah. When I heard those rhytms the only thing I can do was to say “Aaaaaaah…”. Next band playing – Dredg – was making me problems to listen to them. It was played professionally, but … it was boring. I was hoping that I can rewind it and go straight to next band in line up.

That next band was first well known star of festival. The stage was hit by Guano Apes with their new album “Bel Air” that was represented by first song – single Oh, What a Night. Actually, whole concert was in sign of new album and few notoriously known songs. Those were You Can´t Stop Me when cameras were interested by girl standing on crowd (Yes, she was standing on crowd.) and Underwear, classic hits – Open Your Eyes and Big in Japan, when crowd was suddenly like reborn again and the end of set belonged to Lord of the Boards. Pretty cool performance, Sandra didn’t lose her charisma and it was obvious when you were looking on her.

The prize for the worst sound of day had won hard-rock Wolfmother, visually obviously inspired by Jimi Hendrix. Band was doing what they could but I was really disturbed by roaring drums and crackling in repro. But at least Joker and the Tief could be rated as “Good job!” and I really enjoyed it.

First star of night was granted to fan attractive 30 Seconds To Mars and it was obvious from the beginning, that they take it seriously. Stage show, great communication with crowd (probably best of whole festival) and all that stuff was, sadly, marked by illness of Jared who´s voice wasn’t in best condition, but the crowd was helping him and they sang few songs nearly all instead of him. Beginning represented by A Beautiful Lie, continuing with biggest hits of new album This Is War and Closer to the Edge and ended by Kings and Queens. Before last mentioned, Jared called over 50 fans on stage to help him sing. Video projection on back of stage made atmosphere even more perfect.

End of day by Linkin Park was a bit disappointment for me. Show was great and everything was played professionally but I got feeling that it missed feelings and some kind of spark. Band accomplished what people wait from them – they played greatest hits, take their stuff and go home … sadly …

SUNDAY

It is morning. We are getting off the tent, packing it and getting it to car and then – hurray in front of stage. First band was, for me unknown, Blood Command. When they started playing, I knew why I don’t know them. I really hate that vocal in minute. As bonus – it had really bad sound and it all sounds like underground oi! – metal band. In same bad view I see next band – Asking Alexandria, who got great show but it was all. Sound was better, but still bad and when singer demand blood and violence before last Morte et Dabo, I thought really vulgar things about him. But let’s go on. Clutch who made really great concert with their blues rock really don’t know how to communicate with crowd. But crowd enjoyed show although the band doesn’t talk to them at all. Next band – the biggest positive surprise of festival for me – Black Stone Cherry. Youths (nobody got more than 25 years) looks like they were born on stage and they really enjoyed that big one. Soordination with crowd has changed opposite of Clutch on 100% and every aspect of performance could be rated for A+. I don’t want to play prophet but those guys should have nice future… …what I can’t say about Times of Grace that played after BSC. They were masters of boring pseudo-show, monotonous music and average metalcore. But there were few fans enjoying that “show”. What brothers Cavalera and Cavalera Conspiracy did was represented best way with song Roots Bloody Roots when people switch to madness, pogo was brutal and dust was swirling in the air. But things like this are what we wait from bands like that. Next was another disappointment because of Danzig, who should look for image maker. Their image doesn’t correspondent with genre they played. But it was just visual mistake. Bad sound and feeling like it was totally without any sense. Crowd’s reactions were closing to zero and it makes me sure that my opinion on this band should be unbiased.

Stars of night made us all satisfied and first of them – Korn – offered us perfect show with good sound and suave by animal expression of frontman Johnatan and his playing on bagpipes or alien look of drumkit and mic stand. Obviously, it was the most animal performance of Blue Stage.

The one who turned us totally crazy was Danish Volbeat with their unique Elvis metal. It is really hard to describe what this band can do on stage, but if somebody asks me for the band that will sell out stadiums and big halls, I would definitely answer Volbeat. To tell it short way – brilliant way played show, perfect set list. Concert ends and we are entering the car to get to Bratislava to make university entrance exams.

MONDAY

Entrance exams, energy drinks, getting in front of Blue Stage just in time to see all important of day. First I saw was Bring Me the Horizon, that should be describe by three words – perfect core show. What really interested me was total minimalism of drum set and singer non-stop asking for mosh-pit. Before end of concert, guitarist went off the stage and climbed up the sound engineer´s tower where he gave singer a finger. He doesn’t let to be shamed and he sang half of song with ass shown and turned towards sound engineer’s tower (and by the way towards fans as well).

Next on stage was In Flames on who´s concert started troubles (big troubles) with sound. When band played second song with nearly no sound, singer had to admit that “This is the weirdest gig I´ve ever played!”. Band started to play 25 minutes late but it didn’t help a bit. Show was great and band was trying to offset what sound engineer screwed. Whole suffering ended with song My Sweet Shadow. Well, we were hoping it was end …

As we were wrong … after what sound engineer done during Motörhead, he deserved prison (at minimum). Sound was the worse I had ever heard. And I count club underground concerts as well. I couldn’t really enjoy the performance and it wasn’t band´s mistake. 50 minutes of their 80 minutes long set were unlistenable. The most accurate song for situation that they played was In The Name of Tragedy because of its name. At least their biggest hits – Ace Of Spades and Outlaw – got good sound and we could enjoyed it.

Next band (and the last band I´ve seen on Novarock) I don’t need to introduce. Iron Maiden is band that is proceeds by its reputation and after this experience I have to say that reputation wasn’t lying. Lights went down and nearly 5 minutes long intro started and it results to hit of last album – The Final Frontier. There were about dozen of background sheets changing and Bruce Dickinson was running over the stage way that many younger people would have problem with it. And he sang even better. Atmosphere culminated and when Eddie came on stage with song Evil That Men Do, we all feel a bit small (Eddie got about 3+ meters, so don’t wonder)… and it was only small brother of Eddie who appeared on Iron Maiden song – the last song. But there was encore as well so we could enjoy The Number of the Beast, Hallowed Be Thy Name and Running Free as well. After those appeared gorgeous fireworks above Pannonia Fields II and it ended whole main show of Blue Stage. And it was sign of our leaving of Austria as well and we get on shortest way back home. 

TO CUT A LONG STORY SHORT

One of the biggest rock festivals in our lands offered us perfect atmosphere, unbelievable bands and for me, it was making dreams come true weekend. But the one who didn’t come at least day before realized that it is total despair to find park place and spot for tent. When you look on bands, it is the best you can get in the time so it is 100% sure that you would be satisfied… only if you don’t like mainstream bands, because you can´t look for underground bands out there. One way or another – it is experience that is worth of that money.