Photo Reports

After a well-deserved summer break, the new season opened with a bang. Fat Bastard Promotions and Asgaard managed to book 1914, one of the most interesting bands of the last decade. Bokkerijders was chosen as support. No wonder the tickets flew out the door. After a few days, the event was hopelessly sold out.

The kick-off of the evening was given by Bokkerijders, a thrash/black metal band with sometimes some influences of death and maybe even some other genres. Bokkerijders stormed the stage at with an intensity and raw energy that can only be described as electrifying. The crowd responded instantly, drawn into the band’s dark and heavy atmosphere. The instrumental pieces in the songs are technically very challenging, but were performed impeccably and with a lot of power. The combination of the raging drum and the groovy bass play with the aggressive riffs was a feast for the audience. Frontman Laurens Oostrom was a commanding presence. His raw, visceral energy was palpable as he fed off the crowd’s growing excitement, occasionally locking eyes with audience members and pulling them deeper into the void. By the time Bokkerijders closed their set, the crowd was exhausted but euphoric. They left the stage as they had entered it—ferocious and enigmatic, leaving behind an audience that was buzzing with adrenaline and awe. In an era where metal can feel overproduced and polished, Bokkerijders’ raw, unrelenting performance was a reminder of the power of live music at its most primal. For fans of heavy music with a rebellious edge, this is a band not to be missed.

And then it was time for 1914, the moment the public was eagerly awaiting. Ukrainian blackened death-doom outfit 1914 delivered a soul-crushing performance, dragging the audience deep into the horrors of the First World War with a sound as intense and brutal as the subject matter they channel. Known for their conceptually driven music, which blends historical themes with punishing sonic landscapes, 1914 proved why they’ve become one of the most respected names in extreme metal. From the moment the band took the stage, the atmosphere in the room shifted. Dressed in period-inspired military garb, the band members looked more like soldiers than musicians, immediately setting the tone for the night. The haunting intro quickly gave way to a barrage of blast beats and sludgy, doom-laden riffs, dragging the audience into the grim trenches of war. Frontman Dmytro Kumar was an imposing figure on stage, his deep, harrowing growls cutting through the dense instrumentation like a commanding officer barking orders. His presence is magnetic; he doesn’t just perform these songs—he seems to live them, channeling the anguish and devastation of a century-old conflict. At a certain moment, he walked into the audience to interact with crowd members, to share his despair about war. The guitar work was especially powerful, alternating between atmospheric, haunting leads and crushing, down-tuned riffs that felt like the earth shaking under heavy artillery fire. 1914‘s live performance is not just a concert—it’s an immersive, visceral experience that leaves you reeling. Their ability to blend history with such punishing and emotional music is truly unmatched, and last night’s gig was a testament to their unique power as a band. For those who appreciate extreme metal with depth, intensity, and meaning, 1914 is an essential live act.

After visiting last year’s Super Wednesday, that opens the 2nd week of STARS IN TOWN, I went to see the (Super-)Friday in 2024. This wonderful festival in the heart of Schaffhausen old-town is spread over 2 week-weekends. The first weekend (Friday & Saturday) starts and the following week it runs Wednesday until Saturday. Daytime the big place is open to the public and each evening it will become a festival infield with a very special charm.

The warm hospitality of the Swiss, the charm of the historic old town, and the lovingly designed festival grounds all contribute to falling head over heels for this event. Equally admirable is the wide range of musical styles, ensuring that fans of all genres find something to suit their personal taste. This year’s Super Wednesday featured the German music icon Herbert Grönemeyer as the headliner. Classic Rock on Thursday with Swiss local heroes KROKUS and the indomitable Status Quo. Friday – alternative and independent was on the menu – what more could a fan’s heart desire?

The size also gives a special flair that is hard to describe and personally, I prefer it to the huge events with tens of thousands of spectators.

Why do I think this year’s edition is a Super-Friday? The line-up. Opened by German alternative-punk-rock five-piece DONOTS, followed by EDITORS and finally closed down by PLACEBO.  That is simply super in my opinion.

DONOTS – started with English language song material in the early nineties and changed to German lyrics in 2015. Their style is somehow hard to describe, but there are still punk influences included. Opening up this evening, they have to fight with the high temperatures of approx. 30 °C and the sun shining directly into the stage. Loads of sweat after a few minutes. Being a German language band is their advantage when getting contact with the audience. Furthermore, vocalist Ingo Knollmann is entering the crowd to sing a song in the middle of a circle pit. Adding some more amusement is their willingness to learn Swiss swearing expressions and trying to pronounce it correctly in ‘Schwytzerdütsch’, the local dialect. A great opening act who has won the heart of the crowed completely.

EDITORS – UK based indie-pop is on the menu next. With a musical style often reminding of JOY DIVISION and other UK indie pop giants, they put a show and playing a large variety of their material, including their hits like ‘Papillon’. After the sun had set, the stage and the lighting added another notch to their stage performance. Even though they did not seek the contact to the audience as close as DONOTS did.  Anyway, they got the audience moving and dancing, providing a great gig which was honoured by the crowd.

PLACEBO – last but not least. A real heavy-weight in the alternative and independent scene ever since their great breakthrough to a wider audience with the hit single ‘Every you and every me’, which was part of the movie soundtrack for ‘Cruel Intentions’. Being a kind of its own, they did prove this at STARS IN TOWN again. Taking over the stage screens and the cameras on their own direction. Opening the gig with a longer speech by singer Brian Molko, asking the audience not to use mobile phones during their performance on stage to shoot photos or record private videos (which the ‘Placebo Security’ took pretty seriously from the pit scanning the crowd in their reach in view and acting to stop the mobile phone users).  Besides that, the stage performance was professional and covering the whole musical bandwidth of their 29-year-long career. Supported by a great light show and graphics on the large screen of the stage. Closing the night and the stage action close to midnight and leaving a very satisfied, happy audience.

At the beginning of July, we hosted our very first folk festival Litha Fest at the Gentbrugse Meersen. It turned out to be a much greater succes than we could have ever imagined for our first edition. We welcomed almost 600 visitors throughout the day, we’re so grateful for the warmth and the positive vibes that you have sent us all day long.

Litha Fest is more than a music festival, it’s an overall concept with workshops (throat singing, balfolk dancing and wood carving), a market where vendors could display their unique offerings, a tattoo artist, pyrophotography, rituals and off course concerts of Hert, Faybula, Sorcières, Davy’s Jam Trio, Nytt Land and Faie.

Litha Fest started with a throat singing workshop in which interested parties could warm up his vocal cords to sing along with the bands for the rest of the day. If this wasn’t your cup of tea, you could still go to the market, where you could browse around at various market stands.

The first band of the day was Hert. Hert is a pagan folk metal band from West-Flanders where you can feel the influences of power metal. Thanks to the combination of violin with the heavy guitars, drums and bass, the music is solid, but still danceable. They made sure that everyone immediately got in the mood with their energetic songs, and the audience liked their performance a lot. Special mention: The drummer indulged himself so much that he kicked his bass drum to the Philistines.

The second performance of the day was Faybula, the live-band of multi-talented Morgane La Fay. Faybula took us on a magical journey with a Midsummer Ritual and musical storytelling. The performance was a welcome respite. The audience could relax for a moment and got carried away with the beautiful stories. The combination of Morgane‘s angelic voice and the musical accompaniment on flute and violin was truly divine.

Next up: Sorcières. Sorcières is a French Folk/Black Metal band based in Lille which started in 2017. The lyrical themes are all about Nature, Darkness and Folkore. I like the approach of Sorcières and to a certain extent they are really delivering some kind of new Folk Metal Style combined with Atmospheric and Epic Black Metal. The build up to the soundscapes of their songs is amazing. Pumping drums, melancholic melodies and terrific vocals, the mix of black and folk elements works wonderfully, and the audience loves it. A job well done!

The next band was Davy’s Jam Trio. Davy’s Jam Trio from Ghent is a group of three friends with a passion for Celtic folk music. With a powerful combination of guitar, whistles and uillean pipes, the trio gives the best of themselves to fully immerse you in the Celtic atmosphere. These three young gentlemen are part of the band Sanseveria. Unfortunately, at the beginning of the performance, a downpour passed over Litha Fest, causing yours truly to put away his camera equipment for safety reasons. Unfortunately no pictures of this show. There were some brave spectators who wanted to show their newly learned balfolk moves to the rest of the audience. The atmosphere was good.

Next came the act everyone had been looking forward to, Nytt Land. Music, skillfully balancing on the brink of acoustic ritual metal and the epic songs of Ancient Siberia and the Old North. Travel between the cold landscapes of the Tundra, the Mongolian steppes, and the Scandinavian fjords through the songs of Nytt Land. Nytt Land is inspired by the traditional music of the indigenous peoples of Siberia. Primordial dark folk music inspired by Siberian nature, shamanic rhythms and the mixed in the Old Icelandic epic “Elder Edda” and unique atmospheric sound. From the moment the show started, the audience was immersed in a mysterious atmosphere.  Natalya‘s vocal abilities, coupled with Anatoly‘s throat singing, created an ethereal sound that transported the audience to the vast wilderness of Siberia. The use of traditional instruments, such as the flute and the Morin khuur (Mongolian horsehead violin), gave an authentic touch to the performance. These sounds filled the festival grounds and managed to evoke an almost trance-like state in the crowd. The audience, ranging from loyal fans to curious newcomers, was noticeably captivated. People often listened silently, almost breathlessly, to the complex sounds and rhythms that the duo managed to create. Nytt Land delivered a mesmerizing and intense performance that pushed the boundaries of music and poetry. Their ability to combine traditional folklore and modern musical influences is truly unique and makes for an unforgettable experience. For anyone who is open to a musical journey into the depths of Siberian mythology, a performance by Nytt Land is an absolute must.

The last show was a closing ritual brought by Faie. Faie has Celtic roots and is a spiritual singer-songwriter from Ghent. Her music is linked to her background as a Yoga Teacher and practitioner of Paganism. In this way her music is influenced by ‘Kirtan’, ‘Pagan Folk’ and ‘Shamanic’ traditions.  She is blessed with a pure voice and enchanted everyone with her performance. Her music touched deeply and allowed the listeners to travel through different emotions and let go of what no longer served them by writing their feelings on a piece of paper which was set on fire. It was the perfect way to get your feet back on the ground after a fantastic day.

The Metal Circus came to Fort Wayne, Indiana via the Swedish metal band Avatar! They didn’t play under a “big tent” but they played at the beautiful Clyde Theatre.

The opening band, Mantra Of Morta, is a metal band from Indiana. There were quite a few local fans that came out just to support them. They hit the stage with a lot of energy and got the crowd ramped up and ready to rock!

Avatar brought their metal circus all the way from Sweden! This stop was one of several “one-off” shows while they were out on tour with Ice Nine Kills. Current band members are Johannes Eckerström [vocals],  Jonas “Kungen” Jarlsby [guitar], Tim Öhrström [guitar], Henrik Sandelin [bass], and John Alfredsson [drums]. This Thursday night was a night of spectacles and wonders, which is what is to be expected when the metal circus comes to town. Johannes had his face painted in what I would call a metal clown, and he donned a cane and top hat as the band took the stage. From start to finish, the show was high energy, engaging and entertaining. The audience’s attention was captivated from beginning to end. And this spectacular event was not “all for show”, the event was pure musical and theatrical talent. From the sound of the band, to the lights, to the crowd interaction, it was top-notch all the way! At one point during the show, Johannes disappeared and then reappeared, making his way through the crowd and settling on a spot in the sound area. He stood atop a box and began to make a balloon animal (which I later saw a child had – what an awesome core memory for the young lad!) After his balloon dog was complete, he went on to play the trombone for the song ‘Puppet Show’. What a treat that was! Some of the other hit tracks played were ‘Dance Devil Dance’, ‘Valley of Disease’, ‘Colossus’, ‘Let it Burn’ and ‘A Statue of the King’. It was sad the curtain had to close on all our fun for the night, but it will be a night that none of us shall soon forget. Until the ring leader calls again, my memories of this metal circus will remain close to my heart. 

The Swedish party machine that is Royal Republic, took over the stage at one of the nights of the Allas Sea Pool concert series and turned this lovely summer venue at the harbor in Helsinki into the place to be for a dose of real fun. And with the support of local rock heroes Moon Shot, not even the rain could kill the mood!

The long-running Celtic punk outfit Flogging Molly is a favorite of many people all around the world, bringing party, poetry and plenty of emotions of all ranges wherever they take over a stage. So we were all too happy that they included a couple of stops in Finland, in Helsinki playing the summer stage set up at the Allas Sea Pool. The crowd gathered, and went absolutely wild with Dave King and his bandmates. It’s always a true delight seeing these guys rock a stage, and in this setting at the sea basking in the colors of the summer sun in the evening, it was one of those shows to not forget for a long time. The evening got kicked off by the locals of Lala Salama, an energetic bunch that convinced already quite some people to bust out some moves to their punky indie rock!

Time for the last day of TollRock – Day 3! No more rain, but slightly cooler temperatures.

On the last day, the TollRockerz Band Contest starts at noon, where local up-and-coming bands get to perform on the big stage in front of the TollRock jury. Three bands compete: TÖRICHT (punkrock from Düren), LOST SANITY (metalcore from Würselen), and GOOD FORTUNE (hardrock from Gütersloh). This year’s winners were LOST SANITY. So we do expect to see them with a larger set next year. Unfortunately, at this early stage of day, the audience isn’t always abundant, so it’s a slight advantage for the last band when the audience appears slowly before the first main act of the day.

And especially because this year, right after the contest, DEINE COUSINE took the stage. The cheeky voice, the catchy German rock vocals, captivated people all over Germany. The energy and power with which they delivered their songs is simply exhilarating. Whether a happy person from the audience is brought on stage to sing along (at every concert of the band!), singer Ina’s excursion into the audience (with a unicorn scepter from the audience as a sign of the ‘decider’), or bassist Schraube’s polonaise – after all, the Eifel region is right next to the German carnival epicenter.

The following band, ROGERS, had a tough time with their German punk rock from Düsseldorf. They’ve been in the business since 2006 and have achieved high chart positions for their albums. They put on a great, energetic live show, mixing their program with songs from their latest album ‘Rambazamba & Randale’ and classics from their repertoire.

Next up, a drastic change: BEYOND THE BLACK took the stage and PA. In just 10 years, they’ve become a true force in the symphonic metal genre, and they proved why. Musically, they need not shy away from any comparison, and their stage presence is equally impressive. A grand performance!

Finally, the secret headliners, in the truest sense of the word, were up: ROYAL REPUBLIC! Their name had been kept secret for contractual reasons. The music style of the 4 Swedes is hard to describe:  it is a charming blend of funk, Britpop, punk, and plenty of rock ‘n’ roll. You could say they sound somewhat like The Hives, but with even more energy, putting up a spectacular show. From catchy music for singing and dancing to their perfectly choreographed stage performance and an attitude of not taking themselves too seriously, the guys in leather outfits owned the stage. Especially lead singer Adam Grahn, with his grimaces, dance moves, and interaction with the audience. It was pure entertainment for young and old. Yes, there were plenty of kids of all ages in the audience, enthusiastically participating. A true highlight!

Closing out this year’s TollRock festival were BONANSKA. The name says it all. As a local treat, they literally turned off the lights. As a cover band, they take on anything that’s not nailed down, all with a ska twist – after all, the name says it all. An incredible finale to a fantastic festival.

What a day! We are looking forward to 2025 already and see what TollRock will bring to the stage! It’s going to be awesome for sure, so don’t miss it!

Friday. Day 2. 8:00 in the morning. The campsite is awakened by German Schlager music. And bad weather: it’s raining. The Eifel region reveals its face. Last year, we were baked by the heat for 3 consecutive days – this year, it’s cool and wet. Plenty of rain. So, you sneak through the rain to the secret festival breakfast spot: Café Zur Schönen Aussicht. Small but delightful, they always offer an ‘All-you-can-eat’ breakfast buffet and unlimited coffee during the festival. The owners, who help at the festival food stand in the evenings, serve coffee, juice, and rolls in the morning.

Strengthened, you wait in your camping shelter, watching the thorough watering from above. But the rock gods have mercy, and the rain stops as the concerts begin.

The second day kicked off with last year’s winner of the TollRock talent competition, which always takes place on every festival Saturday: BASEMENTROCK, a local band.

Following them was another local rising star who performed at Wacken in 2023: HOSTAGE. Metalcore with groove and a touch of emo best describes their music. Their dedicated local fan base demanded their appearance, filling the infield with great energy.

One of the festival’s distinctive features is its diverse and stylistically varied band selection. This was evident in the following gig by CLAWFINGER. These Swedish rap metal veterans, with 30 years in the business, have likely played every renowned festival worldwide and collaborated with big names. Except for ACE OF BASE, their Swedish neighbors, with whom they strictly refused to work. The audience’s good vibes reached new heights, and lead singer Tell Zak had a blast trying on almost every headgear from the crowd, including the ‘one-eyed sunglasses’ found on stage the day before.

A radical shift followed: It was time for U.D.O. Udo Dirkschneider, founding vocalist of the band Accept, is a true German metal legend. His unmistakable voice remains strong even at 70+. Since 2023, he’s back with another ACCEPT founding member, Peter Baltes on bass, and U.D.O. has unwaveringly followed their path since 1997. Their catchy metal, with hymn-like choruses, compels the audience to sing along. Don’t expect stage antics from Mr. Dirkschneider; his vocal and musical prowess more than compensate.

The grand finale of day two was BIZKIT PARK. These Belgians from the Eifel’s ‘neighborhood’ rocked hard. Their musical name says it all – they cover everything in the Nu Metal genre. A spectacular light show accompanied their non-stop movement on stage – jumping, dancing, and giving it their all. The brief rain shower went unnoticed; the spectacle was breathtaking. It’s no wonder this band quickly became an act that conquered the biggest festival stages, including their own country’s biggest metal festival Graspop Metal Meeting and later this summer Alcatraz Festival!

A fitting end to day two.

Great things cast their shadows ahead. The 20th edition of the TollRock Festival in Schmidt, in the Eifel region, was scheduled for this year. What better way can a festival distinguish itself than through such a long history? On top of that, this year there was an extra day, and a very special first Thursday evening was imminent.

Before the enjoyment, the gods placed the queue for the campsite. But since the whole village is involved in the festival, it also happens that a resident turns his garage driveway into a stand for beer and grilled sausage (sausage €3, beer €2). The entire thing maintains its familial and non-commercial character. And by Thursday noon, the campsite was already full. Through slight changes within the festival this year, it was also possible to get a few more spectators on site and allow around 4000 spectators. Everything was well organized, running smoothly and all guests had loads of fun. The mood was simply outstanding. Outstandingly happy, peaceful and heart-warming.

The honour of the opening gig went to BOOZE AND GLORY. The West Ham fans and musicians belonging to London’s Oi-Skin scene conjured up a hefty portion of punk rock at its finest on stage and invited everyone to sing along for the first time. In this way, they paved the way for the main act of the first day: H-BLOCKX.

Their album ‘Time to Move’ turns 30 years old this year. It’s time to blast out the classic live on stage, along with many other hits from the band. Always straight in your face with full force. No holding back, no braking, circle pit, and off you go. With hits like ‘Risin’ High’, ‘The Power’, and ‘Ring Of Fire’, these musicians from Münsterland have not only made a name for themselves in Germany but also internationally. The audience knew no restraint until the last note from the speakers.

Simply put: A successful kick-off to TollRock’s anniversary. And a good kick-off to party on at the camp site!

Fully packed room to welcome North Americans, Ice Nine Kills (INK). The band, which presents a performance based on horror films in its shows, has a large legion of fans in Germany and put on a show that lived up to expectations.

Opening the night are two high-quality German proposals. From Fall to Spring mixes alternative metal with touches of electronica and rap; and Ghostkid, a project led by Sebastian „Sushi“ Biesler, who was part of Electric Callboy before they renamed themselves from Eskimo Callboy.