The biggest metal and rock festival of Belgium was here again! With 5 stages and over 100 bands this is every year one big party celebrating the realm of the guitar riff. This year promised to be a very interesting edition with of instance the first ever appearance of much loved Rammstein as one of the headliners. Much to be looking forward to in other words…
FRIDAY
Bands:
Rammstein, Dee Snider, Europe, Black Star Riders, Blue Oyster Cult, Battle Beast, Slydigs, Emperor, Epica, Sepultura, Comeback Kid, Metal Church, Evil Invaders, Brides Of Lucifer, Tarja, Amenra, Solstafir, Melechesh, Rotting Christ, Decapitated, Tribulation, The Art Of Pantera, Alcest, Sinistro, Mayan, Prong, DJ Rock The Fox, Psychotic Walz, Metal Attack, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Kings’X, As It Is, The Devil Wears Prada, SHVPES, Every Time I Die, Motionless In White, Northlane.
Due to some appointments with Amenra and Epica for an interview and the blistering heat, we only managed to properly see some bands. So here are the ones that left the biggest impression on us:
Of course the Belgian Amenra has to be one of the more memorable shows played in the marquee on this day. Those who know them find their music heavenly. It even brings them to higher spheres if we can believe some of them. Their music is complex and of a technically high level but still holding a ton of raw emotion. We were as always taken away with their show and in our talk with singer Colin we learned even more about their performances (keep an eye out for that one).
Setlist: Boden – Razoreater – Thurifer. A Clamor Ad Te Veniat – Terrible – Nowena | 9.10 – Am Kreuz – Silver Needle. Golden Nail.
Epica also brought a very good show on Main Stage 2. Epica tours the world with their new album The Holographic Principle. The exciting show that Epica brought will be remembered for many years by their fans. Numbers from both The Holographic Principle (read our review of the album here) and The Quantum Enigma are big hits and were played very good live. Also, keyboardist Coen Jansen participated in a crowded crowd-surf with his portable keyboard. Before the performance we had the pleasure of interviewing guitarist Isaac about their music and touring (for the interview go here).
Setlist: Edge of the Blade – A Phantasmic Parade – The Essence of Silence – Ascension – Dream State Armageddon – Unchain Utopia – Cry for the Moon – Sancta Terra – Beyond the Matrix – Consign to Oblivion.
Of course most people came for headliner Rammstein. It was a historic moment since they played for the first time at our beloved metal festival, finally (we never thought this would happen)!! Them being at the festival on this day as headliner caused the festival to be very much sold-out, which was another historical moment for Graspop…
Rammstein themselves are always sure to bring an entertaining and high-quality show. Here they delivered a “best of” show with many of their classics which were every single one shouted along by the crowd on the top of their lungs. And as we know and expect from them we were bathed in the light and heat of their fire, we saw Till torture the keyboardist and at the end of the show he put on his angel wings to be lifted in the air while singing their classic closer Engel. All in all a great show yet again, but one that has been seen before… if you weren’t there but caught a show of them some time earlier, you didn’t miss anything here. Time for something new in their act we think…
Setlist: Ramm 4 – Reise, Reise – Hallelujah – Zerstören – Keine Lust – Feuer frei! – Seemann – Ich tu dir weh – Du riechst so gut – Mein Herz brennt – Links 2-3-4 – Ich will – Du Hast – Stripped (Depeche Mode cover) – Sonne – Amerika – Engel.
pictures by Graspop.
