Rock Am Ring 2008

 
My journey started at 5:30am from Rugendorf beginning with a 45 minute drive to Lichtenfels to catch a train that would ultimately take me to Koblenz 7 hours later. Like every year the busses were waiting a short distance from the central train station ready to take us to the festival grounds. And like every year I would be meeting a group of friends who traveled to the festival 2 days prior to me so that the best camping spot could be secured. There was significant construction happening this year so the busses dropped us off about 2 miles from where they did in previous years and 4 miles from the camping spot. So needless to say, the event started with a nice hike which resulted in me completing the journey in just under 9 hours. It's worth it!
 

FRIDAY (6-JUNE-2008)
CENTERSTAGE aLTERNASTAGE CLUB TENT
Rage Against The Machine X
Incubus X
Serj Tankian X
The Streets X
Gavin Rossdale X
Culcha Candela X
From First To Last X
The Prodigy X
Motörhead X
Bullet For My Valentine X
Cavalera Conspiracy X
Coheed & Cambria X
Bad Religion √
Opeth √
Silverstein √
Seether √
Animal Alpha X
Steriogram X
  X
Justice X
Roisin Murphy X
CSS - Cansei De Ser Sexy X
Rooney X
Booka Shade X
Johnossi X
Saul Williams X
Vincent X
Joe Lean & The Jing Jang Jong X
Tokyo Police Club X
Bedouin Soundclash X
Zox X
 
The first band I would see on Friday was Seether. I'd never heard of them before but one of the guys I was there with wanted to see them. So we walked up a bit, sat down and watched the band. They played a short set, maybe about 5 songs only, they were really done before I even started getting into the music. They have a grunge sound, similar to Nirvana or Pearl Jam. Overall, it was short but good.

The following band was Silverstein whom I had also never heard of. I was really staying around at this stage waiting to get up close to see Bad Religion. I am glad that I stayed around, because these guys rock! I liked them a lot and after about 2-3 songs I had to go up into the pit and partake in my first moshing exercise of the festival. They have a good mixture of genres in their music, most of which I like. I will certainly be adding them to my list of bands I want to listen to while chilling (yes chilling) or working.
 

 

 
Then came the band I had been waiting for. Bad Religion. This would be my 3rd time to see them. I saw them once in at a festival in southern Munich, then once in Munich and now getting to see them again at Rock Am Ring 2008. These guys are given credit for the revival of punk rock music during the 1980's that fueled the return of many other bands to return as well influencing many new bands. Greg Graffin did mention that they had been coming to Germany for over 15 years and wasn't sure how much longer they would be doing it. Maybe he was having a bad day or maybe 30 years of doing almost the same thing is enough. He has been to only constant member of the band since it was formed. The funny thing about Bad Religion, is that all 3 times I have seen them they have had a technical problem at some point in the show, first time there was a power cut, second time Mr. Brett's guitar wasn't making any sound and this time Greg couldn't find his microphone so he could start singing the first song. It was an awesome show. I love knowing the words of songs that the bands play, because I sing the words along with them and the others in the crowd who know the words as well. I know all the word of 'Stranger than Fiction'. Being bumped and pushed around singing 'Life is the funniest book I ever read, there isn't a hook, just a lot of cheap shots and pictures that shock and characters and amateur could never dream up....sometimes truth is stranger than fiction....' Then returning to the mosh pit for some more. It wasn't a violent pit but there were so many people, at one point we were falling over each other and on top of each other, at least three people dog pilled on me and in front of me I saw at least 80 people fall like dominoes on top of each other. After the song 'Generator', I made my way out of the pit and to the side to meet up with my friends again and return to the camping site.
 

 

 
Between Silverstein and Bad Religion was Opeth.  I did listen to some of their music before attending the festival and some parts of their songs were nice, melodic metal.  They play fast in most of their songs and lots of growls and screams.  I can understand how some people may suffer through the fast parts to get to the melodic metal parts, but they are not for me.  Mostly I satyed up in the front so I could get a good place for Bad Religion.
 

 

 
I wouldn't return to the festival again and missed a few of the bands I wanted to see, like Rage Against the Machine, whom I saw in Houston, but there will be future opportunities to see them...I hope.
 

 

 

 

SATURDAY (7-JUNE-2008)
CENTERSTAGE aLTERNASTAGE CLUB TENT
Metallica √
The Offspring √
Nightwish √
In Flames √
Disturbed X
Alter Bridge X
Alpha Galates X
Babyshambles X
The Verve X
Söhne Mannheims X
Manic Street Preachers X
Stereophonics X
Madsen X
Kate Nash X
Hot Chip X
Pete Murray X
Gavin DeGraw X
Rafael Weber X
Infadels X
The Hellacopters X
Danko Jones X
Against Me! X
Jonathan Davis X
Paramore X
Saxon X
Rose Tattoo X
Black Stone Cherry X
In Case Of Fire X
EL*KE X
Airbourne X
 
On Saturday, we grilled, played some cards, jammed on the guitar to 2 songs I have written (brought along some drum tracks for support), drank some beer.... There are a lot of good bands to see today. In Flames is one of them. Each year before I decide which bands I plan to see I look at the list and try to find and listen to some of their music. I found In Flames this year that had been around for many, many years. We made our way up to the festival grounds around 4pm to hear them play. Let me tell you, 100,000 people take up a lot of room. I remember when I came to Rock Am Ring in 2005 or 2006, walking between the stages, it was like being in no man's land, completely empty. Now that so many people are coming it's a dodge left, duck right, hop, skip, jump... from stage to stage then you are lucky if you can get in front of the jumbo screen to see the band, because getting up to the stage is practically impossible. One way to get forward is to crowd surf, but you need to get yourself down before the security guards grab you. I didn't do it but was tempted, we instead decided to stand in front of the jumbo screen and just enjoy the music.
 

 

 
 No moshing or such when you are so far back so I just banged my head and jammed while In Flames played. I will get some songs from them and add them to my collection shortly. In Flames were followed by Nightwish. Nightwish sounded like an Medieval Irish rock band. We mostly sat during their set. They weren't bad but it's not my kind of music. They were followed by The Offspring. I was a little disappointed by their show. There was no backdrop, no nothing, just a black stage with people dressed in black singing and playing. From where I was standing that could have well of played a CD of their songs.  I have seen Metallica now in Ft. Worth / Dallas (Monsters of Rock), Houston and 2 times at Rock Am Ring. As much as I like these guys and I've been a fan for over 20 years, I watch them more for a way to reflect and maybe recall some events that I was doing or was happening to me when listening to their music more than going to listen specifically to them.
 

 

 

As well, with the other 100,000 people there to see them, it's not possible to really see them, you just get to look at the jumbo screen. I was somewhat disappointed that they did not play anything from your new album that is planned for release in the coming months, Death Magnetic. When I saw you in Dallas at the Monsters of Rock tour in 1988 you played Harvester of Sorrow from ...And Justice for All before it was released. It was so awesome.  Interesting note is that you played Cyanide from Death Magnetic again by the Ozzfest in Dallas a few weeks before the release.  They must like playing their new stuff in Dallas. 

 

 
On returning to the camping grounds, my friends were there jamming to some music and having some beer. I joined them until early in the morning, playing air guitar and acting silly, it was a fun time.
 

 

 
 

SUNDAY (8-JUNE-2008)
CENTERSTAGE aLTERNASTAGE CLUB TENT
Die Toten Hosen X
Deutschland vs. Polen √
Sportfreunde Stiller √
Fettes Brot X
Kid Rock √
Simple Plan X
Lostprophets X
Rival Schools X
Queens Of The Stone Age X
HIM X
Jimmy Eat World X
The Fratellis X
Eagles Of Death Metal √
Filter √
Fair To Midland X
Disco Ensemble X
The Futureheads X
Fiction Plane X
Kill Hannah X
Dimmu Borgir √
Oomph! X
36 Crazyfists √
High On Fire √
Black Tide X
Black Dahlia Murder X
Pendulum X
Sonic Syndicate X
Bloodlights √
The Fall Of Troy X
Turisas X
Takida X
Whisk?! X
 

 

 

 
What a fast weekend. It was our last day of the 3 day festival and was looking to redeem myself for missing so many bands on the previous 2 days. At some point I felt I was running around from stage to stage more than I was listening or enjoying the music. I did get to see many bands on this day, and as well, enjoy some of the music. I journeyed up to the festival grounds alone to see Kid Rock, because no one else really wanted to come, plus it was a little early. My opinion is that his off stage antics are much more interesting than his on stage performance. He does have some cool songs that work well when in a certain mood. It was a good show, he had a full band with him, with background singers, percussionists and brass instruments. Those things make a difference when compared to just a four piece band.
 

 

 

 
I met the group at the Alternative stage to see the Eagles of Death Metal and caught some of Filter. Don't be confused by the Eagles of Death Metal name, they are not Death Metal. They are a rock and roll band. They played some Mötorhead like songs which were cool. He did say that they had never played in front of so many people before and to not get mad if they mess up, which I thought was funny.

Being in Germany and all of the guys I attend the festival with being German, they wanted to see Sportfruende Stiller. I accompanied them and the band plays some nice songs. Mostly pop style. They became most famous in 2006 when the World Cup of Soccer was in Germany and they wrote a song that crowned them as the world champions prior to the tournament even beginning. It was pleasant, they like the bright lime green color. The band that was planned to play after them pulled out at the last minute so they broadcasted the soccer match between Poland and Germany which is part of the European Championship tournament. I watched the first 15-20 minutes, until Deutschland scored their first goal. It was a nice experience, to celebrate the event with the 90,000+ people there.
 

 

 

One my way from the main stage were the soccer game was playing towards the coca-cola tent I stopped to look into the autograph tent where many bands come to sign autographs for their fans. I saw the Dimmu Borgir was there. I snapped a few pictures of them. It seems like Sunday nights' at Rock Am Ring are when they have their serious heavy metal music bands, mostly in the Coca-Cola tent. I got to the Coca-cola tent just in time to catch High on Fire. In the tent the lights and sound are basic so there was nothing special when I watched them play. They were followed by 36 Crazyfists, which again where good and had some fun moshing.

Returning the camp grounds, almost a mile away, I heard Germany score another goal when the 90,000+ people screamed all at the same time and celebrated. Deutschland ultimately won against Poland.

 

 
 

MONDAY (9-JUNE-2008)
I called it an early night, unlike 2007 when I got back to the campgrounds at 05:00, because I had to get up early and catch a bus to the train station in Koblenz. It was amazing that at 07:00 there was a line of about 100 people waiting to get on the bus. I managed to get on the bus and to the train station about 45 minutes before my train departed. Just enough time to get a soda and begin gathering my thoughts about the festival. The train ride was long and boring, but I made it to Kulmbach where I was quickly picked up taken home.

Another awesome year at Rock Am Ring and again, am looking forward to 2009!

<-- Previous