Moitas veces entre amigos nos últimos anos comentábamos o separado que está Galicia no referente a concertos de metal e xiras de grupos con respecto á peninsula ibérica. O percorrido das bandas desde tempos inmemoriables de Piratas e Muniesas sempre era Madrid-Barcelona-Bergara e nalgúns casos Bilbao e Sevilla, co cal toda a parte Noroeste da península quedaba como mínimo a 500 km. de tódolos tours. A cousa cos anos non cambiou demasiado, os grupos seguen tendo esa mesma ruta básicamente e rara vez se descolgan por estas terras. Desde que me trasladei a Vigo, empecei a ir máis "regularmente" a concertos, pero entre 1998 e 2003-2004, a relación déstes, sobre todo dos internacionales era aínda bastante escasa en comparación con outras zonas. O antigo Anoeta era dos poucos lugares que recordo que trouxera cousas interesantes (Rotting Christ, Behemoth, Epica, Lost Horizon... ) pero non era habitual. Despois "descubrimos" Portugal, e que Oporto realmente non queda tan lonxe e que é unha opción que moitos grupos siguen á hora de escoller itinerarios, polo que agora mesmo, incluso antes que mirar as datas españolas dos grupos "grandes", miramos as portuguesas. Os anos seguintes ó 2005 foron mellor do que se podería esperar para Galicia, e sobre todo Vigo, que recollía prácticamente todos os concertos dos grupos recoñecidos internacionalmente que se pasaban por aquí gracias á Sala Ah! Pero cando a sala pechou, moitos nos puxemos outra vez a pensar en anos escuros de 1 concerto de peso cada 2 ou 3 meses. O que sí que non pararon nunca foron os de bandas locais. Hai realmente tantos grupos intentando facer o seu bolo cada fin de semana que case se podería falar de saturación. Esta saturación non conleva demasiadas boas cousas para os propios grupos, baixo a miña perspectiva, porque non se poden esperar que a cada unha das súas actuacións vaian un número decente de persoas se ó mesmo tempo noutros 2-3 locales da cidade hai outros concertos, moitas veces de similares estilos (aparte de que os mesmos compoñentes dos grupos moitas veces son os que pecan de ignorar todalas demáis propostas locales salvo a súa propia. Así vemos que en moitos destes bolos só atopamos ós amigos e mozas dos do grupo e pouco máis.. ) En fin, este é un tema longo e do que outro día me gustaría falar máis detidamente, pero agora iba ó que iba: estou flipando un pouco co número de concertos que se están programando para os próximos días tanto en Vigo como en cercanías. Se ademáis xuntamos concertos locales, é unha auténtica locura. E tanta actuación creo que pode causar un efecto contrario ó que se pretende. Explícome: hai que partir de que todos temos un presupuesto para gastar en concertos. Se de repente se aproxima unha avalancha, o público elixirá uns poucos que lle parezcan máis interesantes, e se se trata de grupos internacionales, e por tanto máis caros, é posible que elixa ir a 1 ou 2, doéndolle nalgúns casos na alma non poder ir a máis, e noutros casos obviando sen máis todo o resto xa que pode que "a escena local non é máis ca eso, e merece a pena gastarse os diñeiros en músicos mellores". Logo está o feito que dixen antes de que parece que moitos dos locales parece que teñan a un público de amigos, e si estes por algunha casualidade pensaban ver algún concerto máis (que en moitos casos é bastante dubidoso vendo algún que outro público deses bolos), probablemente se decanten polo máis "famoso". Se añadimos que todos estes próximos concertos se celebran en días consecutivos, cando non son no mesmo día, eu témome que moitos se van quedar ó final cunha asistencia bastante paupérrima. Os grandes seguro que non, porque xa teñen asegurado o seu público, pero o resto... non o vexo eu... Atención á lista de vindeiros concertos ata que acaba o ano (e supoño que ainda se unirá algún máis):
24 Setembro - Rockvigo Festival: Nocheni, , Crash The Ocean, Synteleia (Vigo) 3€
25 Setembro - Dantalion + Yidorah + Noishock (Vigo) 3€
25 Setembro - Rockvigo Festival: Freedom Xlave, The Outsiders, Neverside (Vigo) 3€
1 Diciembre - D.R.I. + Primitive (Vigo) (aplazado)
10 Diciembre - Angelus Apatrida (Vigo)
15 Diciembre - Swallow the Sun + Solstafir + Mar de Grises (Oporto)
E estoume comendo todos os concertos a nivel local que son de menor número de bandas... eu creo que non vou ir á quinta parte destes, se fose rico, igual, pero... se os trouxeran un pouco, só un pouco máis separados no tempo, firmaba que terían un % máis elevado de público do que o van ter (falando dos de Galicia).
Bands: Dream Theater (USA) + Opeth (Sw) + Bigelf (USA) + Unexpect (Can) Day: October 22nd, 2009 Place: Palacio de Cristal - Porto (Portugal) Price: 30 €
Thursday night and we ran fast to Portugal to see what we could find in the big gig Progressive Nation organized by the DT drummer Mike Portnoy. 10€ cheaper than in Spain, we couldn'd miss the chance to see Opeth and DT in the same stage, though I was really "expectant about Unexpect". Though we tried to be on time in Porto, the massive traffic in the middle of the city made us to arrive late, and we just heard the last notes of the canadian extreme progressive band Unexpect, which played really few time! maybe 30 min.??? It was really a pity :( Anyway, when we arrived we just saw the place: an amazing big bubble called "Cristal Palace" that seems to host many important events in the portuguese city, and that promised a proffesional ambient and sound, as we are used to have in Portugal in most of the concerts. Ready to come inside, hundreds of people dressed in black were at the doors, and many in a big queue that we didnt know whether it was for passing into the show or for the toilets. I just saw some of the members of Thee Orakle, the gothic metal band, and the charming singer just told me "see this??? this is the queue for the bar!!!" XD Omg that was something a bit unexpected... that day we would have some problems to get some drink at the concert... So, even that we were a bit thirsty, we didnt skip the chance to see Bigelf, who were already playing! (such punctuality! this is not happening in Spain XD) Bigelf are an american band that plays a kind of progressive hard rock totally inspired in the 70's, with an important psychedelic touch in the riffs and melodies, and mostly in those Hammond keyboards the singer was playing. I wasn't really expecting to see something that I liked, but I must say that seeing them in life was really worth. Not my kind of music but they were truly proffesional in the stage in a very short show. Again.. few more than 30 min.??? The sound in the place was almost perfect. Not the best I have heard, but no doubt much better than any concert I had been in Spain. Though there were many people outside (and many people in the queue for the bar), the building started to become full, and in DT both sides of the stands were occupied, leaving few free spaces of the 6000 people of capacity of the "Palacio de Cristal".
After Bigelf, we tried to get some beer for our dry throats and it was quite disappointing that the queue was even bigger than before and it didnt move 2 steps in 10 minutes!!!! So we thought that we should do something if we wanted to drink and to see Opeth, which already started on the other side, and made a little trick to get a bit of Super Bock. Another letdown: there were just small plastic glasses that could be drank in 1 min. if you are really thirsty, not any of those bigger ones... so.. "let's take as much as we can": We were already missing the first song of Opeth and we ran back to the concert. Well, another complain (I feel specially complaining about this Progressive Nation) is that the stage was almost down to the floor. In Bigelf we could see them, but in Opeth people started arriving and I barely could see the instruments, and I am not specially short, so I can imagine the suffering of smaller fans. The swedish progressive gods played mostly their new stuff, and though I like their new and old albums, they didnt choose the best setlist. I dont know, it was too soft, I missed more "death metal" moments, and it was way too short! but I guess that was about requirements of the "big band". Mikael Åkerfeldt is a funny guy and he did some jokes between song and song, I was already told about that he likes to talk and get the complicity of the crowd but somehow I felt he was pushed by the few time Dream Theater gave them, I'd say not much more than 1 hour. Anyway, their concert was the best of the show in Porto. Great moment: The Lotus Eater
With punctuality, after a big curtain fell down, Dream Theater came and it started to be very promising, playing "A Nightmare to Remember" as first. Again lots of heads in front of us that didnt let us see too much of the band except the totally exagerated drums of Mike Portnoy "hey guys I am the leader". Behind and in both sides, big screens that showed mainly Portnoy and Petrucci, and sometimes James and Jordan and other images that fitted with the songs. Poor Myung. With the developing of the concert, I'm sorry to say this, and probably many DT fans wouldnt agree with me, but it was becoming sooooooo damn dull!!! They started playing as Opeth newer stuff, and lots of mid-tempo songs/ballads that could keep the excitement of the most devoted fans, but not us. We were 5 people there, 5 people that grew up with those great albums as "Images & Words", "Awake" and "Metropolis part II" and we 5 got terribly bored and dull with the show they were giving. By the way, no songs from "Images & Words" and "Metropolis pt II", which I consider a terrible mistake. I cannot say they did a bad performance, of course not!!! they are great musicians and every single note was done with precision and technique, but... The keyboard solo of Jordan Rudess, completely unnecessary (much better if they played Take the Time in those minutes, come on!): And I have the opinion, as well shared with my friends that if you make some 3D animation, but it is not very good, better leave it at home cause showing it might be a shame. Matter that happened with those images of elephants walking or that lame Jordan-witch-keyboardist. We were laughing quite a lot with that: James LaBrie becomes boring when singing, not just in the concert but in the last albums, he was much more powerful in the first ones, under my point of view (it can also be that he was singing songs from newer albums... but... still... ) The top of boredom reached when they played the song of the 11-S, and we just decided to skip it and try to reach the bar, which still had a big queue... oufff Then, we found a funny old man dancing in the corner of the stage as he was watching an Elvis Presley show while doing aerobics, and stayed there for some time laughing and looking at him, and afterwards coming back to the crowds:
Summing up, I have learnt the lesson: it was my first and last concert of Dream Theater, which would be much more interesting to see years ago and unluckily I didn't have the chance.
At the end, this is everything we saw from Unexpect :/ who were signing some cd's and autographs outside.
*Note 1: “A tomar unas cervecitas” means "to have some small beers”
*Note 2: Like always, you can click over pics to see them bigger (at least the "enuma elis" signed)
Arrival to Vigo on thursday and after some tapas at night, we were prepared for the Alternavigo Festival second edition. Very unorganized until few days (even hours) before the concert, knowing just 4 days before that Grave Digger was the big band of the 8th August, knowing the schedules just 1 or 2 days before, and with almost zero promotion, this festival is coming for second time stablishing as the biggest Metal festival ever done in Galicia.
We were fearing this time people didn’t answer to the calling because of the low interest and few activity in concerts of metal fans in Galicia. Besides, this time bands were not so “old school” as that Alternavigo 2008 and that matter could play against the musical meeting.
It was one of the issues that I was more curious about: attendance.
Night of Thursday 6th August: tapas en Imperial + "A tomar unas cervecitas" (x4) en Porrón and Beer & Bones
FRIDAY 7TH AUGUST
17:00 – Scar Symmetry
Unluckily, our skirtmate Simon had the terrible lost of his granpa so he and his gf Angela had to leave on friday morning :(
Just arrived, and Scar Symmetry was already playing! We missed few seconds of Morphogenesis and that was great: it meant this time people from the organisation were very aware of the criticism in the last year about the complete chaos of the delaying (the last band, Cradle of Filth, played 2 hours after the forecast).
Scar Symmetry was having a quite ok sound, not the best -a bit low- but after we saw so many concerts in Galicia, it was ok for us. The loosing of Cristian Alvestam played against this band which had to take 2 singers to replace him. One was the “power metal voice” and the other was the “melodeath voice” (sometimes exchanging their roles) and they were ok, but I’d rather see Mr. Alvestam. I didn’t like their movementes too much: being 2, they could be more active and play more with the chance of having 2 independent throats. The main guitarist was too static, he was so concentrated about his fingers that he seemed to be giving a teaching class to us all the time.
First moshings, mainly between teenagers eager of metaaaaaaaaaaaaaal.
Correct concert.
18:15 – Destruction
Schedules were thoughtfully prepared, and Destruction came very soon. I have never liked too much this band. It is quite hard for me to stand one whole album, but isolated songs are ok. The triostarted with a bit low sound but later it was getting better. Moshing was much more active in the middle of the crowd and the concert was again ok. Public started to grow in number as well, and it started to be similar to the past year.
19:30 – Dragonforce
Yes, we thought.. it is time...“a tomar unas cervecitas”
We cannot understand why this band was playing after such classic as Destruction. Maybe the issue of appearing in that Guitar Hero stuff with “Through fires and flames” helped them to be more known. I have friends that the only metal music they know is Metallica or AC/DC and they knew this speedic power metal band… strange.
They made big part of the public to be more quiet after Destruction, and just some in front of them were cheering with the hands in the air. We just decided to sit in the middle after the first song because their music and attitude of smiling, jumping stupidly and cleaning the ground with the hair was a bit boring for our taste. Meanwhile we decided to watch them from one of the screens in the right side, talking, drinking, making jokes and sleeping a bit XD
The singer seemed to like to make people wet and didnt stop throwing water as far as he could. Ehmm oooook.... after the same speed-solo repeated in every song for 4th time, we decided to have a walk through the stands of shirts and CDs
21:00 Dark Tranquillity
After the dull of Dragonforce, by the way, with not very good sound in our position, then it came the madness of Dark Tranquillity. They did unquestionablythe best concert of all the Alternavigo 2009 (that includes 2008 as well). Again first with not very good sound but it was arranged a bit later, and public was expectant in the beginning, but soon we all became crazy with the magnificent show of the swedish band. We -our friends and me- were so into the music that took off the shirt and started moshing a bit, making headbanging and enjoying as much as they gave.
Maybe the only thing I could say against them is the setlist they had chosen, where there were no songs from the great “The mind’s eye” or “The gallery”, but I understand it’s difficult to choose when you have almost 20 years of story, and lots of very good songs.
They were the absolute winners.
22:30 Paradise Lost
Dark Tranquillity had a great sound and moved everyone in the place, and Paradise Lost had a difficult place in the schedule after them. And I guess that’s because they didn’t convince public too much. Besides, being a dark-rock-metal band after DT wouldn’t help. They played mostly the new stuff, and Nick Holmes didn’t make any hint for doing a growl, and I really believe old songs with clean voice make them to dissapoint everyone: the new fans cause they don’t know that doom stuff, and the old fans cause they are used to listen to that music with that strong voice (I am a fan in the middle –I like things from every PL season, and I would prefer as well they skipped old stuff if they make the shit they are doing with that in concerts).
The first lines were much calmer than before, and public was just looking at them mostly, and others took a step(s) back.
Not the best, but I think they were ok though we took their concert much calmer as well cause we needed to rest a bit the neck :P
“A tomar unas cervecitas”
00:00 – UDO
The small singer came with midnight and the schedules were perfectly followed. Starting with the famous Metal Heart, the germans had the public in the palms of their hands. There were lots of people who came to see just him and seems he didn’t dissapoint them. My opinion is a bit different. I think the setlist could be better, and I would prefer they played more songs instead of making a neverending story with some in the end. Seemed every song was the last one looking at the way of finishing. They made longer Balls to the wall (it's ok with this one, JUST with this one) and Princess of the Dawn (not necessary). The good point from them was that half setlist was old Accept stuff, which has under my sight much better songs than UDO. The bad: not playing Restless & Wild or Fast as as Shark... noooooooo!!!
Sound was again ok (so many bands with ok sound started to be amazing) and public answered quite well (of course!! Old school!!)
“A tomar unas cervecitas”
1:30 – Amon Amarth
The guardians of Asgard became in the last years a very famous band with their original viking melodeath, so much that it happened something completely unbelievable if we might think about this just 10 years ago: an extreme metal band heading everyone and over the heavy metal myth of UDO!
The swedish (three swedish bands in Vigo! Quite unbelievable as well!) vikings had again good sound and singer Johan Hegg did a perfect job. I went to the first line with my friend, who got a towel "brand amon amarth” and it was really enjoyable. People were tired after so many concerts, so in this one there was no moshing around, but cheered anyway a lot. Even that probably some UDO fans went to their homes, the excitement about Amon Amarth was high, and the place was more full than the previous year with the awful show of Cradle of Filth, I think. Twilight of the Thunder God, Victorious March, Death in Fire, Guardians of Asgard, of course Pursuit of Vikings… we reached home quite dead but very happy about the show and with quite a pain in the neck XD
Maybe the only dark point I can find is the lack of light in their show, we were close and could see their faces, but I bet a bit farer you could see just shadows. They should place some lights in front as well, not just up there.
The pic of Alternavigo 2009:
SATURDAY 8TH AUGUST
No time for hangovers. We went to the house of my dear friend Kike who made a great barbecue and with full stomach of meat and coffee liquor we went quickly to the place :P
17:00 – Angelus Apatrida
A bit tired but fine we reached again to the festival in the “spanish day”. We were a bit doubtful at the beginning if we should buy the ticket for this day as well, cause spanish bands are quite crap in general, but Angelus Apatrida and Grave Digger (the only foreigner in this day) could be worth to spend just 10 € more.
Again just in time, the 80’s influenced thrashers started and people went crazy with them doing walls of death, circles of death, headbanging of death, moshing of death and every possible thing of death. It was a bit odd that people were so active with the “smallest” band of the festival, but they left a very good impression when playing some months ago here in Vigo at the Iguana Pub, and people were eager to see them again.
In relation to the music, this concert was quite shorter than the one months ago, just played half time, and it was a bit short for everyone there. They had worst sound than in Iguana, and, objectively I must say that they did better in the small place than in this festival.
Anyway, people enjoyed a lot from the first riff to the last “corruption!!!” and it was probably the best show of the second day in the Alternavigo'09.
After so many circles of madness and evil moshings and grinder walls....
... the injuries...
18:15 – Ktulu
Ktulu is a spanish band which was famous 15 years ago or so, doing a kind of thrash-crossover. I have never liked this band so I cannot be very objective with their concert. I just can say that songs from Ktulu are quite crap, sound was not very good, and people didn’t answer too much, most of them just standing and looking and others went to have some beer outside.
They did a concert for people who started in the metal world in the 90’s and being not a very good decade for heavy/thrash metal releases (not in the world but absolutly not in Spain) they started listening to all those spanish crap bands, but it was the only we had in this country (...)
Right now, we saw Ktulu tried to follow the trends playing a bit more industrial-hardcore style, but they are absolutely an old-fashion part of the dark years for the spanish metal.
We even didnt bother about taking pics close.
“A tomar unas cervecitas” while Ktulu is playing their awful music behind.
19:30 Stravaganzza
We decide to wait until their concert cause it would be funny to see the spanish “rockstar” Leo Jimenez aka Leo aka 037. Stravaganzza is a band that doesn’t know at all what to be in its life. They want to be progressive, they want to be power metal, they want to be dark metal, they want to be gothic metal, they want to be Pantera, they want to be classical heavy metal… they want to be so many things… that it’s a pity that they don’t do any good one. They don’t know even how to compose songs; It’s not natural to play a typical Pantera riff for afterwards playing some dull ballad in the same song and afterwards some symphonic power metal and back to Pantera.
It’s not natural as well to have a guest which was a kind of crossover hardcore rapper? in a power metal song, it totally ruins everything, besides the song was already not very good.
After releasing a bit myself about the “wanna be” of Stravaganzza, I must say that they have some good parts as well, though under my point of view they finish ruining it making unnecessarily too long songs.
Related to the sound, it’s annoying this kind of “rockstar band”; the voice of Mr. Leo was over all the instruments, and when he took another guitar for doing the rhythm, it was louder than the solo guitar!
They were cheering as well the drummer they had in this concert, someone called Dani Perez or so… as he was one famous metal drummer or I don’t know… funny. Later someone told he that was the drummer of Skizoo, the next band, and I was “aaaaaaah much better now… the "very famous Dani of the international famous Skizoo XDDD”
I didn’t like their show nor the “rockposer” Leo, which has a good voice, but he spoil the songs singing the 90% of the time, and with too high volume.
By the way, we should ask if the guitarist is playing uncomfortable with that long skirt cause he didn’t made a step in all the concert, just very baaaaaaaaad faces (uuuuuh). Maybe an exchange? ours are quite comfortable :P
We love you Leoooooo......
....but not more than him uuuuh XD
“A tomar unas cervecitas”
20:50/1:00 - Skizoo, Hamlet, Los Suaves
They are bands that we have no interest at all, so we skipped them to go to Pontevedra, 30 min. far from Vigo by car. Moonspell and for free in the party of the town “Festas da Peregrina” was too good!!!
So at that time we left the Alternavigo:
We went to a place for dinner some tapas and “a tomar unas cervecitas” before the show, a very good place, by the way, called simply “Bar” XD It was a funny name for us and we decided to check inside. It seemed a typical old people “bar”, and following the usual rule “in the poorest looking places for old people you will have the best and cheapest food” we came inside.
Total surprise, the first corridor was full of people and the barman told us to go up (???) where we ate in a very nice terrace under a covering of grape trees. Food was pretty amazing and not expensive at all. Mmmm pig ear yummi yummi
22:30 – Moonspell
Just when finished, first riffs of Moonspell started outside, and we went quickly. Amazing place in the middle of the town (we were thinking what neighbours would think when they started listening to the music XD)
With images behind the stage and a big scenary Moonspell showed why they are the most famous band in Portugal and the BEST band in the Iberic lands. Fernando has character, presence and attitude and he is a great leader. Sound was good, lights were amazing, ambient was perfect with those candlelights, clothes… and the show was almost perfect. I say "almost" because I think there is some mistake in the setlist: they played Scorpion Flower, a mid-tempo/slow song, and afterwards 2 more (Luna and I don’t know the other) from the "bad years" of the band when they tried to sound more rock and less doomy which were both slow as well. So the concert had a letdown of 15-20 min. in the middle but soon recovered when they played Alma Mater, probably the best moment of the concert. Afterwards Awake, Full Moon Madness,… yeeeeeeeh
Great evening in Pontevedra, good sound, perfect performance, nice ambient with the lights they brought, and good place in that square with the full moon in the high of a warm summer night.
The best of Alternavigo’s second day was to leave Alternavigo, no doubt.
1:30 – Grave Digger
The party in Pontevedra’s old town looked quite fun, but having the chance of being in a Grave Digger concert in Galicia is quite unique, so we went back to Vigo and arrived just when Los Suaves, a galician “rock old school” band had finished. People seemed not to be very glad with them, someone was talking about the drunkenness of the singer (something usual in the band, even that he must be more than 60 years old).
“A tomar unas cervecitas”
Grave Digger started again with bad sound, and after 2 days of festival from 17:00 PM to 3:00 AM people didn’t have the same energy. But soon the german band cheered up people and we spent our last energies singing Heavy Metal Breakdown. Knights of the Cross, Dark of the Sun, Rebellion and so on. Sound got much better in the half-end, but I didn’t like again the setlist they had chosen. They played like 4 or 5 songs from their last album “Ballads of a Hangman”(which I don’t like too much) and left behind some classics like Pendragon or Circle of Witches...
They were just ok.
Yes, we started dancing humppa-muiñeira style and then my friend had to stop recording XD
After the concert, we went out in the city (yes, almost dead, but it was our last day and.. ) to the Beer & Bones pub, where people from Skizoo, Hamlet and Angelus Apatrida were having some beers inside. I haven’t seen that place so full before, but we stayed there till morning having some fun and talking with friends and people that we met in the concert about what we liked or not and so on.
Last pics with a lot of sweat over us after a day full of concerts and the hot summer night we had in Vigo and specially inside the pub :S :
A pic with Young Dio!!!
7:30 AM – Arriving home
… and still alive we came back to our homes the next day. It was a great weekend, I hope Alternavigo is now stablished as a festival and they decide to repeat next year. It is no doubt the biggest festival of rock-metal ever done in Galicia. And this time they managed to solve the huge problems of schedules of the past year, the problems of sound were almost nonexistent and concerts were in the average quite good.
Unas cervecitas for the Alternavigo!!!
Vigo at 7:30 AM
“A tomar unas cervecitas”!!!
Some pics courtesy of:
Tillate
El Porron
Rocknmetal.com
