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Heavy Metal - Livegigs - Rezensionen - Kritiken.

In the matter of pop punk. ALL TIME LOW are one of the most ambitious bands from the States with their album "Nothing Personal" entering the Bilboard charts at number four. The band is now heading to continental Europe for the first time. It's also the first show for THE AUDITION to play for a German audience. Today both bands stop over in Cologne. The Luxor is blazoned with a "Sold out!" sign. There is a long line before the club consisting ot mostly 14 to 18 year old girls, only waiting for getting position in the front row. At seven prompt THE AUDITION start their set and the audience is surprisingly well receivng the Michael Jackson-pop-punk sound. The band itself is highly motivated for that kind of sound, and though the singer does not hit every note in the beginning, that very circumstance is blessed with improvement. The scene kid's mood is at it's best and they shake a leg to songs such as "You've Made Us So Conscious", "Love With A Motive" ot the cover of KATY PERRY'S number one hit single "Hot 'n' Cold". After 40 minutes and "Don't Be So Hard", which is interrupted by a game with the audience in an "all peopla say Fuck Yeah at three" style, the set is over. ALL TIME LOW are next, and the start up furiously with "Lost In Stereo". The vibe was great some moments ago, and now it's even better. The songs are sung along more loudly. The foursome's set consits of a godd mixture of both albums and the ep. No hit is missing and especially the ballad "Remembering Sunday" causes goosebumps. Penis jokes of course are not missing when shorts are thrown at the stage. ALL TIME LOW make a good show. The crowd goes with the band, the sound is okay and the band is in a good mood. Though the songs are great, they sound too similar at times. This makes THE AUDITION the band of the evening as far as songs is concerned. The concert is over after 50 minutes, the club is empty before nine and 450 teenagers are walking through the streets of Cologne.(Köln Cologne Luxor on 19th Sep 2009)

Annual tours with larger billings have become more and more popular during the past few years: Persistence, Hell On Earth and Never Say Die have all been well attended. The Beatfest Tour is a new realisation with CALIBAN and SUICIDE SILENCE as headliners who attract a major number of visitors in Cologne. AFTER THE BURIAL play a proper Metalcore without surprises. The audience likes it and after 30 minutes the show is over. 
EMMURE enter the stage. It was clear from the beginning that the band would attract a certain kind of audience, as evil sounds with a lot of breakdowns are only for real tough guys. They are now appearing and start some major pit action. The band itself is rather embarrising. It was better in April on tour with AUGUST BURNS RED and MISERY SIGNALS. The setlist is also not so great and there are too less songs played from the debut album. Half an hour is really enough.
The German band MAROON is the first real favourite for the audience. The band starts its set great with „Endorsed By Hate“, is in a good condition and plays their songs appealingly, a mixture of the last three records. Funny creatures in the first rows: HEAVN SHELL BURN morons, metal fans trying to be hardcore and WoW-Pro-Gamers. Andre's announcements are good as always and everyone seems to have fun.
SUICIDE SILENCE are the secret headliners of tonight and attract most kids, but also the most wretches. SUICIDE SILENCE are in a great mood and play a destructive show. Mich is doing his vocals very well, almost as evil as on the records. There is a lot going on in front of the stage. Everyone is waiting for the last song „No Pity For A Coward“. 40 minutes of fine Deathcore.
CALIBAN play before a smaller audience, but still have a lot of fans. The band starts its set with „Caliban's Revenge“, followed by „My Time Has Come“. Dennis' vocals sound a bit strange and as if they were pimped up by playback. But it is a great concert as usual and none of the favourites is missing.
A great tour actually, but with a very embarrassing audience. (Köln, Essigfabrik am 1th Nov 2009)

Köln - Düsseldorf

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA are ready for their first European tour since they have become shooting stars of the US-Metalcore-scene.
The club in Cologne is well-filled and after the boring local support the German band PARACHTUTES enters the stage. They sound a bit like THE BLACKOUT, but with more screaming. They play Screamo with a large rock vibe which is however not able to enthuse the majority and so the band just gets applause for courtesy reasons.
A lot more enthusiasm is to be found for the British YOUR DEMISE. Propably the UK's most anstisocial band besides GALLOWS. The new singer however takes a lot of the antisocial vibe from the band, compared at least to the tour in April with DEEZ NUTS. The fans seem to like it anyway and the band plays their 30 minute set with a lot of fun, basically based on the band's debut album „Ignorance Never Dies“ and some songs off the EP, like its title track „The Blood Stays On The Blade“. The breakdown-ladden „Burnt Tongues“ marks the end of the show.
Christian band THE DEVIL EWARS PRADA starts furiously after an intro. It's obvious that the band enjoys the gig, the whole band is on the move constantly. The vocals are just as good as they are on the record, screamings as well as clean vocals. Nearly perfect. The setlist satisfies everyone and is mostly based on the albums „Plaques“ and „With Roots Above And Branches Below“. After first reacting a bit shy, the audience goes will with the show and arms are constantly raised to the sky. The huge applaus for the Jesus sermon might be a little frightening, but it remains the only criticism for a great show. (Köln, Essigfabrik am 25th Oct 2009).

Düsseldorf

COLDPLAY are doing headline open air shows in Europe this summer. They are accompanied by KILLAINS, an indie rock band from Dinslaken. Germany, who take part in the tour at the request of Chris Martin himself.They start up the show right away and their sound is somewhat like a mixture of TOMTE, COLDPLAY at the times of their debut and OASIS. Contrary to my expectations for a cheap festival band such as ITCHY POOPZKID the band is very talented and are great fun. This certainly partly affiliates to the sympathatic speeches of singer Simon. The second support band can be skipped confidently. COLDPLAY do a great job. The stage is decorated with a huge VOVA LA VIDA backdrop and video screens show projections and what's happeing on stage. The set is packed with songs of all four of COLDPLAY's hit albums. Special attention is directed to ""A Rush Of Blood To The Head" and 2008's album "Viva La Vida". "X&Y" however is rather short, and though the albums's best song "Fix You" is played, "Speed Of Silence" is missing. But it doesn't matter, because all hits are featured in the set, including "Politik", "In My Place", "The Scientist", "Yellow", "Viva La Vida" and "Clocks". The band does also not back off from covering Michael Jackson and performes the song "Billy Jean". The spectacle is over after 90 minutes and about 70.000 people are satisfied on their way back home. (Düsseldorf, Esprit Arena on 26th Aug 2009)

Köln

For Britons BRING ME THE HORIZON this tour might be the most important tour of their career. The band sorrounding Oliver Skyes does probaly have as much critics as it has fans. Both parties are really making no prisoners when it comes to praise or goof. Being labelled as fashion vitctims (through Sykes' very own Drop Dead brand), a bad live band (voice problems, hangover and drunkenness) and other scandals have also had a share in the band's reputation as their albums or their well-performed concerts – that have also existed. A look into the venue shows that the band not yet has reached its peak. It is alomost sold out and more the show was participated by more visitors than last time the band was playing in Cologne, one reason for which might of course be the popular support. First band of the night is AUGUST BURNS RED. The metalcore outfit is big friends with God and seemingly have enough fans in Cologne, prasing the band from the first notes of the intro. The band is very active on stage and obviously does have fun performing for such a huge audience, only a few of which are standing outside leaving not much space in Essigfabrik live club. The band plays a great mixture of thier two latest records „Messengers“ and „Constellations“, they do however not give us any song of thier debut album. It doesn't derogate the atmosphere and the band gets much applaus from more than 1100 fans after finishing their concert after 30 minutes. The Intro is sung along when A DAY TO REMEMBER enter the stage. The mixture of Pop-Punk and metlcore has enough followers meanwhile. Unfortunately the vocals sound not as good as two weeks before in Münster. The set outweighs that fact, though „Monument“ or the cover songs are missing. A DAY TO REMEBER also perform a great mixture of their latest three albums with main focus on their current masterpiece „Homesick“. The band reacts on the audience' fun with weird posing. After 40 minutes the show is over and the audience prepares for today's headlining band – except for 20 guys who leave because the don't want to see Oliver Sykes. BRING THE HOIRIZON from Sheffield in the UK. The stage is set with giantic illuminated letters (BMTH), flaring up during the entire concert. The show starts great with „Chelsea Smile“ making the audience go crazy immediately. This one is followed by „Pray For Plagues“, first some from the debut record – accompanied by a nie Wall Of Death. It is a remarkable fact that Oli Sykes seems to be sober just as two weeks earlier, which has a positive affect on his stage performance. His voice is also sounding well, maybe his best vocal performance that I have seen during the eight concerts. Setlist is based on songs of „Suicide Season“ except for „Plagues“ and „For Stevie Wonder's Exes Only“. Some snippets can be heard of their remix album „Suicide Season Cut Up“, making the kids dance. Last song of the night is „Football Season Is Over“ during which all are going crazy again to sing along to “Party till you pass out/Drink till you're dead/Dance all night till you can't feel your legs“. The show is over after 55 minutes and the band prooved that they are more than a bunch of stylish guys making better parties than the others. If they are able to keep up to that quality they will get more acceptance inside the metal scene, not only a big praise by Robert Flynn. Tonight I vitnessed the best show of 2009. (Köln, Essigfabrik on 12th Nov 2009)

Paramore have been amongst the most important bands since thier single hit „Decode“. Their new record „Brand New Eyes“ also made high chart positions. Because of the request the Cologe concert was relocated from Live Music Hall into Palladium which capacity is three times as high. It was nonetheless sold out very quickly. You Me At Six are with them, also getting more and more experience. But before we have to overcome Now Now Every Children. The sound of the band is loceated in the Indie and Electro genre. There is not much happening in the songs and is kind of boring and too much sounding like 90s Generation X. Most kids seem to agree and thus the band does not get much attention. Next are The Paper Rote, a bit more brisky. Also playing an Indie/Electro influenced style. It's not realy breathtaking but they entertain the crowd in a more convincing way. A band that you could give a listen. Boredom has gone when You Me At Six enter the stage. The band with singer Josh Franceschi starts furiously with thier latest single „Kiss And Tell“. There is a bit more going on in the audience, though many seem to not know the band. Atmosphere is not coming up before the play a cover version of Lady Gaga's „Pokerface“, that everybody can sing along to. Other songs like „Save It For The Bedroom“ oder „Jealous Minds Think Alike“ are going down a bit. The Brits have still fun and it is clearly to see that the band likes playing big stages. After 35 minutes it is over and some of the kids may have found a new band. But then Paramore are coming on stage. After the intro the band plays its new single „Ignorance“ and the (better) Twilight-Song „I Caught Myself“. The fans are sining along from the very beginning. The Americans shoe their best side and play a great mixture of their three albums leaving no wihses unfulfilled. Only the ballads off their new reocrd „Miguiged Ghosts“ and „The Only Exception“ could have been left out of the set. It would have been better if they had played „My Heart“ oder „Let The Flames Begin“. The concert is great except for these two points and everyone of the 4500 people – also the legal guardian - should be happy.  (Köln, Palladium on 6th Dec 2009)

Dortmund

Americans The Carrier and Britons Dead Swans are toruing across Europe. The concert in Dortmund was announced short-termed, so that only 60 people come to see the show. It took place in the small Spirit Club which might have seen better days. That can be the only reason for the cheekiness of announcing 10 Euros for the box office, but charging 16 in the end. First a german band enters the stage, which doesn't even tell its name. But they have to make a break after the first six notes, because of a guitar string flying apart. Soud isn't really got either. The speeches rae not funny and the music is average hip Hardcore. They do not really play tight, but the say it was their first rehersal for month and not really a concert, finally afetr 25 minutes it is done. Dead Swans start right afterwards and start their concert with the opener of the new record „Thiking Of You.“ There is not much going on in front of the stage and most of the audeince is heading to the bar. But it seems like the girls take a step forward. The band istelf is a little wasted but does a good show on the small stage. They play a fine mixture of the „Southern Blue EP“ and their debut album „Sleppwalkers“. Ivy Archwy is unfortunately missing again. But it is even more sad, that this band does get too less attention in Germany. Vidoes from UK, France or Austria show that there is much more going on. The Carrier get a lot more attention and three third of the club stand before the stage and make a party to the band's sound. It is too less authentic for me, Kids that seem to me like they would rather do tough guy hardcore i the terms of Terror or Madball sing about heartache and play dark and melodic Hardcore. The music is however not bad and people in front of and on the stage seem to have a lot of fun. I watch it from the back, and after 30 minutes the concert is over. Band of the night for me was Dead Swans. And they will get the same attention as The Carrier sooner or later. (Dortmund, Spirit on 5th Jan 2010)

Düsseldorf

Arctic Monkeys are one of the greatest bands in European indie music scene with their debut album being one of the most sucessful albums in Britain ever. On their third album „Humbug“ the band does no longer play their bolshy sound of the first records and is now focussing more on quiet songs atomizing the flair of the 70s. It's interesting how it will sound live compared to the older harder stuff. But before this question is answered first The Misery Jets have to be overcome. The hall is filled quite well when the band starts its set, but there is not a lot going on in the audience. The music of the band sounds very much like the Beatles and is really nothing special. Many in the audience seem to think the same way. After 35 minutes the gig finally is over. Arctic Monkeys let people wait for half an hour. They start with the quiet „Dirty Little Liar“ off their latest record „Humbug“. The audience is very held back in the beginning. Some fans are jumping around but the party does not really start until the opener of the 2007 album „Favourite Worst Nightmare“, „Brainstorm“ is played. The audience is now fully in the hand of the musicians. They however move a bit too less. It doesn't really matter because of the brilliant light show and the monitors on both sides of the stage. Artic Monkey play a great mixture of their three albums, forgetting no hit to put into the set. „The View from The Afternoon“ is not missing, also You Probably Couldn't See For The Lights But You Were Staring Straight At Me“ is not. The new songs fit very well into the band's live set and 70 minutes should really be no reason for anyone to complain. (Düsseldorf, Phillipshalle on 10th Feb 2010)