(
/36)
Metaltown
Festival Report 2009
Text: Tobias Nilsson Photo: Lunah Lauridsen
Friday:
We had been hurrying all day to make it in time for Pain who were opening the Red Stage, the second of the main stages at Metaltown, so when we saw the enormous line outside the gate we felt crestfallen. In a stroke of luck, we did manage to get in with only missing 1½ song however, and some joy was returned.
Our day was pretty much booked with bands; after Pain it was straight over to the Black Stage, the other main stage, for Napalm Death whom we had also seen in Copenhagen the day before.
After the energy-bomb had blown over, it was back to the Red Stage again for a powerful dose of thrash delivered by Trivium.
While Meshuggah played, we took our only real break of the day, which we used on walking around the small group of merchant stands, after which we ended up in the sideshow circus tent, where we enjoyed the company of the Hellzapoppin group. The first one we saw was a skilled juggler (in lack of a better word) who rolled a ball of glass all across his body. After him it was time for a sword-swallowing maid, the human pincushion Zamora the Torture King, and for the finale the girl returned and gave us a dazzling show as a contortionist.
After a quick run-in with a bar tent, we had to run back to the Red Stage for Children Of Bodom, as they for some unknown reason started 20 minutes before their announced time.
With this, the stage running started up again, as we went from Red to Black to see Volbeat, and then back to Red again for Disturbed.
As they are not a band in which company I have spent much time, I chose to see them from afar, downing the experience with a cold one in my hand.
Then the main act of the day, Slipknot, got ready on the Black Stage, but after seeing the enormous amount of people in the crowd we opted for a more party filled experience together with Bullet in our only visit to the Close-Up Tent stage.
As the last notes rang out, we got a final beer for the day, and then headed out into the streets of Gothenburg, to return to my sister’s apartment where we spent the night.
Saturday:
As we were already in Gothenburg this day, we weren’t as much in a hurry to get to the festival grounds.
We roamed a for a bit through the central part of the city, and met up with an old friend of mine; after which the four of us (Lunah Lauridsen, me, my sister and my friend) went for a bite to eat before Lunah and I headed for the festival.
As we were crossing Götaälvbron, the bridge running parallel to Frihamnen where the festival is located, we saw that The Haunted was already well under way with their set, and that there was already a large crowd gathered.
We took it with ease, as we didn’t have to be at the stage before the next band, DragonForce, anyway.
This day was generally calmer for us, as the billing wasn’t quite as hectic as the Friday had been.
After DragonForce it was time to get something to drink, as we held a small break during All That Remains, and later returned to the Black Stage for My Dying Bride. Surprisingly, the crowd was almost entirely empty at this time, especially so when I compare to the insane pressure I had experienced the day before.
After yet another break, and another stroll around the merchant tents for some light food, we found ourselves once more in front of the Black Stage; this time for Opeth. Finally I was beginning to see a definite increase in the audience again; however they were still quite calm. Not that Opeth’s music is one to inspire rowdy behaviour, of course.
As the breaks for the day had run out, we went to see one of the several Japanese bands visiting our northern hemisphere. The band, Dir En Grey, had impressed us at Wacken two years ago, and therefore it was interesting to see if they could do the same today.
This proved to be no problem at all for them, as they put on one of the most energetic shows of the festival!
After this, in the gathering darkness, there was only one band left before the end of the festival; Marilyn Manson.
This was a first for me, and after swallowing the first bits of disappointment over the barren stage-details, the concert grew on me, and towards the end I had an ok time with it.
When his set was finished, we decided to hang back in the bar to avoid the mass of people now leaving. We ended up staying there until we were kicked out, after which we turned our steps towards Sticky Fingers, a bar in town which held the more or less official afterparty. Here we had some more to drink with some other Danes we had met during the day, while a competent Kiss cover-band were rocking the stage...
Postscript:
I feel a bit torn about Metaltown.
In the positive area, we have an impressive billing, mostly oriented around the larger contemporary metal artists of the day.
It is also nicely located in the Gothenburg harbour, with several pubs and bars in close vicinity for pre- and afterparties.
However, I feel that the amount of people let in is more than the small place can handle. If you want to be in front for your favourite band, you most likely have to go there several bands in advance to secure a space.
Also, the lack of a camping area and the closeness between all stages makes for very little room, basically nonexistent, where you can go to sit down and take a breather if you feel like it.
The new addition, as far as I know, with Hellzapoppin was a very welcome variation though, which brought a new dimension to the festival.
All in all, a nice experience, but I’m glad it didn’t last longer than it did. After two full days of constant music and a baking sun, I felt quite used up...
We had been hurrying all day to make it in time for Pain who were opening the Red Stage, the second of the main stages at Metaltown, so when we saw the enormous line outside the gate we felt crestfallen. In a stroke of luck, we did manage to get in with only missing 1½ song however, and some joy was returned.
Our day was pretty much booked with bands; after Pain it was straight over to the Black Stage, the other main stage, for Napalm Death whom we had also seen in Copenhagen the day before.
After the energy-bomb had blown over, it was back to the Red Stage again for a powerful dose of thrash delivered by Trivium.
While Meshuggah played, we took our only real break of the day, which we used on walking around the small group of merchant stands, after which we ended up in the sideshow circus tent, where we enjoyed the company of the Hellzapoppin group. The first one we saw was a skilled juggler (in lack of a better word) who rolled a ball of glass all across his body. After him it was time for a sword-swallowing maid, the human pincushion Zamora the Torture King, and for the finale the girl returned and gave us a dazzling show as a contortionist.
After a quick run-in with a bar tent, we had to run back to the Red Stage for Children Of Bodom, as they for some unknown reason started 20 minutes before their announced time.
With this, the stage running started up again, as we went from Red to Black to see Volbeat, and then back to Red again for Disturbed.
As they are not a band in which company I have spent much time, I chose to see them from afar, downing the experience with a cold one in my hand.
Then the main act of the day, Slipknot, got ready on the Black Stage, but after seeing the enormous amount of people in the crowd we opted for a more party filled experience together with Bullet in our only visit to the Close-Up Tent stage.
As the last notes rang out, we got a final beer for the day, and then headed out into the streets of Gothenburg, to return to my sister’s apartment where we spent the night.
Saturday:
As we were already in Gothenburg this day, we weren’t as much in a hurry to get to the festival grounds.
We roamed a for a bit through the central part of the city, and met up with an old friend of mine; after which the four of us (Lunah Lauridsen, me, my sister and my friend) went for a bite to eat before Lunah and I headed for the festival.
As we were crossing Götaälvbron, the bridge running parallel to Frihamnen where the festival is located, we saw that The Haunted was already well under way with their set, and that there was already a large crowd gathered.
We took it with ease, as we didn’t have to be at the stage before the next band, DragonForce, anyway.
This day was generally calmer for us, as the billing wasn’t quite as hectic as the Friday had been.
After DragonForce it was time to get something to drink, as we held a small break during All That Remains, and later returned to the Black Stage for My Dying Bride. Surprisingly, the crowd was almost entirely empty at this time, especially so when I compare to the insane pressure I had experienced the day before.
After yet another break, and another stroll around the merchant tents for some light food, we found ourselves once more in front of the Black Stage; this time for Opeth. Finally I was beginning to see a definite increase in the audience again; however they were still quite calm. Not that Opeth’s music is one to inspire rowdy behaviour, of course.
As the breaks for the day had run out, we went to see one of the several Japanese bands visiting our northern hemisphere. The band, Dir En Grey, had impressed us at Wacken two years ago, and therefore it was interesting to see if they could do the same today.
This proved to be no problem at all for them, as they put on one of the most energetic shows of the festival!
After this, in the gathering darkness, there was only one band left before the end of the festival; Marilyn Manson.
This was a first for me, and after swallowing the first bits of disappointment over the barren stage-details, the concert grew on me, and towards the end I had an ok time with it.
When his set was finished, we decided to hang back in the bar to avoid the mass of people now leaving. We ended up staying there until we were kicked out, after which we turned our steps towards Sticky Fingers, a bar in town which held the more or less official afterparty. Here we had some more to drink with some other Danes we had met during the day, while a competent Kiss cover-band were rocking the stage...
Postscript:
I feel a bit torn about Metaltown.
In the positive area, we have an impressive billing, mostly oriented around the larger contemporary metal artists of the day.
It is also nicely located in the Gothenburg harbour, with several pubs and bars in close vicinity for pre- and afterparties.
However, I feel that the amount of people let in is more than the small place can handle. If you want to be in front for your favourite band, you most likely have to go there several bands in advance to secure a space.
Also, the lack of a camping area and the closeness between all stages makes for very little room, basically nonexistent, where you can go to sit down and take a breather if you feel like it.
The new addition, as far as I know, with Hellzapoppin was a very welcome variation though, which brought a new dimension to the festival.
All in all, a nice experience, but I’m glad it didn’t last longer than it did. After two full days of constant music and a baking sun, I felt quite used up...