Weekend action (Posted Date: 08 Aug 2005, 09:40)

Aereogramme - The Ocean Red

And I know I am still afraid
Of hearing voices
Rattle in my head

And I could simply free my veins
Into the ocean
An ocean turning red

You were all I had left today
Can you pull me out of the waves
And I am lost (when will you find me)
And I am lost (when will you find me)
And I am lost (when will you find me)
And I am lost (when will you find me)

This weekend was dedicated to music. On Saturday we went to the Sport & Freunde festival in Gelsenkirchen (I got free tickets for it) and it was an enjoyable day out with heavy rain showers during the performances of Cosmic Casino and Madsen which didn't bother us as we didn't get wet under the awning above the stage which also covered a large part of the area in front of it. During Kaizers Orchestra's superb set the sun came out and warmed our hearts as did the music of this magnificient Norwegian band. Die Sterne and Nada Surf were also very good and Sportfreunde Stiller weren't as bad as I expected, but not really good as well. Anyway, it's been a lovely day in the company of my new sweets dealer Inga who brought a bag of the product range of the candy factory she's working for with her.

On Sunday I drove down to Stuttgart to see Aereogramme again. On my way from the station to the venue I suddenly heard my name shouted out in a Scottish accent. It was Craig looking for batteries. I joined his company and tried to help him getting some, but were unable to find the right ones on a Sunday with all the shops closed.
But meeting him was good as he got me into the club for free and it's been a pleasure chatting with the guys again. The gig was really good and as they hadn't rehearsed enough songs Craig played The Ocean Red and You're Always Welcome on his own. After the show we chilled out with some beers and Jägermeister at the Mos Eisley and slagged off Phantom Planet as the tv showed their Rock Am Ring performance (they're such a bad live band). At 2.30am I made my way back to the station to catch my train home where I arrived at 8.30am this morning, tired but happy.
Sorry Inga that I didn't call you during Post-Tour Pre-Judgment, but I had forgotten my mobile phone in the bag I left in a station locker.

Areagramme (Posted Date: 27 Jun 2005, 00:24)

I feel it unraveeling
It comes with no warning at all
And takes me over
All words fail
(from Aereogramme - The Unravelling)

What makes people think you could be awake on a Sunday morning at 8 am, esp. when you've been out the night before? Anyway, that early caller couldn't really ruin my good mood I've kept from yesterday's Area 4 festival in Oberhausen.

I've finally seen Aereogramme again playing their first show after a seven month break due to Craig's illness. The crowd really enjoyed their set, so did the band who were a bit nervous beforehand after such an unusual long absence from the stages of the world.

After only taking a short glimpse at Motörhead (I have lots of respect for Lemmy, but their music doesn't get me at all) at the main stage we headed back to the tent stage to watch Slut from Ingolstadt who again proved they're in good form currently (I've already seen them a few weeks ago and enjoyed their set back then as well after having been disappointed with their performances in previous years).

The next act on the main stage were the Beatsteaks, the most successfull German punk band at the moment, right after Die Toten Hosen and Die Ärzte. They got the crowd moving and really rocked the place though it seemed a bit too experienced to me.

The excitement grew as Nine Inch Nails were up next. It's been the first time I've seen them live and I was caught immediately by the raw power of their music (especially the guitarist seems to be a real psycho) and the emotional depths of Trent Reznors performance. They were undoubtedly the best band of the day.

After their set we hurried back to the tent stage to catch the rest of Kettcar's performance. They filled the headlining slot at the tent as The Mars Volta had to cancel their gig (thank God, they're terrible live), but couldn't draw as large a crowds as they usually do in Germany for most people were too eager to see the big names on the main stage. But Kettcar played a good set nonetheless. And they made the joke of the day:
"Für alle von Nine Inch Nails Rübergekommenen: wir sind Mars Volta, haben Deutsch gelernt  und uns die Haare geschnitten." (For all those just coming over from the Nine Inch Nails set: we're Mars Volta, we've learned to speak german and we had our hair cut.)

System Of A Down brought the evening to an end and most of the crowd seemed to enjoy their set, but they didn't win me over. I thought they were boring, unable to reproduce the enrgy from their recordings on stage which makes their their complex music sound lifeless.

But they couldn't belittle what has been a nice day out with some brilliant shows and the joy of meeting some bearded friends again. Nice talking to you again, Iain.