Sonisphere - Saturday
31 July 2010
Knebworth
Early Saturday saw Sabaton invading the Saturn stage, as usual all kitted out in their camo combat trousers.The Swedes were confronted with a partisan crowd who chanted the band’s name between every song, invoking an enormous grin on frontman Joakim Brodén.Brodén was a bundle of energy, bouncing around the stage and clambering over speakers.With only a short stage time, Sabaton picked a selection of crowd pleasing anthems.Brodén however seemed to have a fascination with being gay today, declaring “We’re all gay, that’s why Per tunes his bass H.O.M.O.”.We were also invited to see their “homosexual tour” later this year.It must be a Swedish thing!(Oi, watch it! – Johan).
Sabaton setlist:
Ghost Division / The Art of War / Coat Of Arms / Cliffs Of Gallipoli / Primo Victoria / Metal Machine / Metal Crue
Pants!Cristina Scabbia’s got big black ones on today, making her look a bit like a circus performer.The setlist is pants, with the bulk taken from the disappointing Shallow Life album and couple from its predecessor Karmacode.It’s all so formulaic and lacking in variety.It was a short set but Lacuna Coil still managed to bore the pants of me.
Lacuna Coil setlist:
Survive / Underdog / Fragile / I Won't Tell You / Spellbound / Our Truth
Scampering back to the Saturn stage, there was nothing subtle about Soulfly’s performance.In fact the PA robbed us of many of the nuances of Mark Rizzo’s guitar work leading to a simplistic brutal sound.Max Cavalera looks like he’s been dragged out of a bush and got a couple of beehives attached to the back of his head in the process.Back To The Primitive invoked mayhem at the front of the stage, meanwhile a large circle pit opened as the fast section of Refuse/Resist kicked in.True to say that it remained the two Sepultura songs in the set that received the best response with Roots Bloody Roots getting the crowd to “jump the f**k up” before Soulfly play, erm…Jumpthef**kup.
Soulfly setlist:
Blood Fire War Hate / Prophecy / Back To The Primitive / Refuse/Resist / Bloodbath & Beyond / Roots Bloody Roots / Jumpthef**kup/Eye 4 An Eye
Anthrax were one of number of bands that were appearing in consecutive years.Whilst there had only been one member change since last year, this was a very different Anthrax.The band’s vocalist issues have been well documented and whilst John Bush was doing them a favour by appearing last year, Joey Belladonna is now officially back in the band.It’s not surprising then that this is a retro-set, but the delivery of it certainly exceeded expectations.There was nothing tentative about Anthrax today and Belladonna in particularly appeared to have a ball, with his vocal performance possible the strongest I’ve heard from him.Half way through Indians the band played a short rendition of Heaven & Hell with Belladonna’s vocal impersonation of Dio spot on.At the conclusion of the song a chant of Dio rang out in fitting tribute.If you’d told me in 1987, I’d be watching Anthrax 23 years later with the same Among The Living backdrop and 4/5’s of the same line up I wouldn’t have believed you, but I certainly enjoyed it.However, the real test will come with new material.
Anthrax setlist:
Caught in a Mosh / Got The Time / Antisocial / Indians/Heaven & Hell / Metal Thrashing Mad / Madhouse / I Am The Law
The darkness of the Bohemia Tent provided the perfect environment for Katatonia, allowing them to use dry ice and lighting to good effect.The Swedes are not a band to provide a particularly mobile performance, it wouldn’t suit them, but they probably left with a few sore necks.Reaching up to his microphone, frontman Jonas Renske hung from his stand, hidden behind a mass of hair.Actually he seemed quite talkative today and perhaps his high spirits were connected to the new wedding ring he’s wearing having tied the knot on the very same day as RockersDigests’ Johan – congrats to both (Note: they didn’t marry each other).The three songs from Night Is The New Day offer a more progressive edge, whereas My Twin and Leaders add a more instant appeal to the set.Katatonia are always best when given time to stretch at their own shows but this certainly wasn’t a disappointment.
Katatonia setlist:
Day & Then the Shade / My Twin / The Longest Year / Forsaker / Leaders
For my Audrey Horne review it would be easy to say just read last weeks High Voltage review and remove the part about them playing Sail Away.Actually I’m not sure why they cut that song today as they only played for around 22mins when they had a half hour slot.Regardless, once again the Norwegians were on top form and it’s a shame more people hadn’t made it over to the Jaegermeister Stage to witness them.Toschie was once again fully kitted out in white and our initial shock at seeing Ice Dale wearing a shirt during the soundcheck was rectified when said item was removed by the time the set started, much to the girls’ delight.Once again Audrey Horne pulled off one of the best sets of the festival.
Audrey Horne setlist:
Charon / Circus / Bridges & Anchors / Threshold / Blaze Of Ashes
I was actually sat some distance from the stage having some food with Apocalyptica in the background so not really fair to review.However, I do recall saying that they really ought to get a singer, just when one wandered on.Shame he didn’t hang about for the cover versions too.
Apocalyptica setlist:
Master of Puppets / Grace / Fight Fire With Fire / End Of Me / Last Hope / I'm Not Jesus / Seek & Destroy / Inquisition Symphony
There was a bit of the gap in the schedule now and sat between the two main stages being assaulted by Good Charlotte.The very high pitched crowd at the front were enjoying it anyway.Given they had a huge backdrop with the letters GC emblazzened on it, we joined in the childish atmosphere by thinking up alternative names beginning with G & C…most of which are unprintable!
Good Charlotte setlist:
The Anthem / My Bloody Valentine/So Lonely / Girls & Boys / The Story of My Old Man/Dammit / Predictable / Young & Hopeless / The River / Dance Floor Anthem / I Just Wanna Live / Lifestyles of The Rich And Famous
Crikey its 13 years since I last saw Skunk Anansie and they don’t really look any different.Skin took to the stage wearing some strange hood which made her look like Grace Jones for the first verse of Selling Jesus.It was soon dispensed with and she was off bouncing around the stage as if each of her feet were pogo sticks.Even though it was blazing sunshine, the amount of white lights pointed out at the crowd actually worked really well and gave the feeling of event as Skunk Anansie proved while they may have been frequent visitors to the top 40, they still know how to rock.Skin’s voice was absolutely amazing and during Weak she crowd surfed without missing a note.Having been returned by the crowd to the stage, she then proceeded to walk out across the crowd, with them holding her legs, again not missing a note.
Skunk Anansie setlist:
Selling Jesus / Charlie Big Potato / Because of You / Charity / Twisted (Everyday Hurts) / My Ugly Boy / Weak / On My Hotel TV / Tear The Place Up / The Skank Heads (Get Off Me) / Little Baby Swastikkka
Malefice had gathered a very impressive crowd at the Jaegermeister stage and a pit broke out immediately as they broke into The Midas Effect.However following Sickened, it was not enough for frontman Dale Butler who declared, “The thing I tolerate the least is you guys not making noise”.This seemed to do the trick with an enormous circle pit opening up for Risen Through The Ashes.With Placebo over on the mainstage, Butler guessed correctly we weren’t fans and instructed us to turn around and give them the middle finger as “a band that’s ruining our industry”.Malefice were on top form today and a blast of modern thrash went down a treat.
Malefice setlist:
The Midas Effect / Sickened / Risen Through The Ashes / Abandon Hope / Hatred Justified / An Architect of Your Demise
Motley Crue had brought their own on cityscape stage set and also one or two fireworks, though when you’ve got Rammstein following you that’s one “mine’s bigger than yours” your never going to win.A one-two of Kickstart My Heart and Dr Feelgood set things off well, though it did sound like Vince Neil was on helium.Whilst many singers lose the top end of their range as they get older, Neil’s heading the other way!Mick Mars may look like he’s been dug up for the occasion, but you can’t fault his playing.Having performed the whole of the Dr Feelgood album on their CrueFest 2, it’s not a surprise that we get as many as 5 songs from that album today.What was more surprising however was that was the newest material on offer, with nothing played from the Saints Of Los Angeles album.My favourite Crue performance to date was at the 1991 Monsters Of Rock, where they were shorn of gimmicks and on limited time.Despite the small-scale stage set, today was much closer to that situation than a Crue headline show and when the peripheral stuff is stripped away and the reliance is on the music, there’s a pretty good band hiding beneath.
Motley Crue setlist:
Kickstart My Heart / Dr. Feelgood / Too Fast For Love / Live Wire / Same Ol’ Situation (S.O.S.) / Don’t Go Away Mad (Just Go Away) / Ten Seconds to Love / Rattlesnake Shake / Wild Side / Shout At The Devil / Girls, Girls, Girls
Last year you only had to look at the size of the crowd to see that Linkin Park were playing the undercard to second day’s headliners Metallica.Today however, Rammstein laid down the gauntlet for the following night’s headliners with, literally, an explosive performance.An enormous German flag draped the front of the stage prior to the band opening with Rammlied and with all songs with the exception of Pussy being sung in German, we could have been over there.The pyrotechnics at a Rammstein show are integral with the performance and writing descriptions of them do not do them justice.Many of the tricks mirrored those used at the show at Wembley earlier this year, though the fact that we were outside allowed for fireworks to be blasted a good deal higher.Feuer frei! included the face mask flame throwers, Pussy had Till Lindemann on a mobile pink cannon spurting confetti into the crowd and keyboard player Flake took a long trip across the crowd on his dinghy.Disappointingly Engel and Lindemann’s giant angel wings did not make an appearance, but with a performance this spectacular that’s being picky.The band remained non communicative throughout the set, until towards the end when they all go down on one knee and Lindemann declared “We love you, thank you very much”.
Rammstein setlist:
Rammlied / B******* / Waidmanns Heil / Keine Lust / Feuer Frei! / Wiener Blut / Frühling in Paris / Ich Tu Dir Weh / Du Riechst So Gut / Benzin / Links 2-3-4 / Du Hast / Pussy / Sonne / Haifisch / Ich will
LINKS:
http://uk.sonispherefestivals.com/
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