09-09-2011 Greentunes Festival

Venue: K-17, Berlin (Germany)
By: Sabine van Gameren

Greentunes Festival is a festival that comes with a message: “Friends Not Just Food” it said all over on the banners, the website and on the stage.

A festival for people who love animals, respect animal rights, vegetarians and everyone who wants to know more about this theme. Besides that there was an extended musical program there was much more going on. Visitors were welcomed by many stands that sell vegetarian food, there were many information stands about different topics and there were also movies, theatre, poetry, readings and discussions going on.
This program was visited by many people and it got closed with a cooking show, so people learn how to cook on a more animal friendly way whether this means being totally vegetarian or some way in between. It turned out to be a very informative afternoon.

In the evening we soon started with the folk singer songwriter Nessi. She plays acoustic guitar and sings a few songs . She has the attention of many as the hall was filled with people who also observed the political words that were spoken right before her. Her songs work quite well and she has a good voice, a nice way to start.

Right after that, Transit Poetry would play. The band makes Alternative music and has their home base here in Berlin. After the release of their album “Pedestrians In The Sky” earlier this year I was curious enough how it would stand as the music seemed calm, but it turned out to be a nice surprise. Obliviously this music works quite well live and it was entertaining and intense enough to keep the people watching during the whole set. Maybe on stage it could be a bit more tight as in it seems somehow a bit insecure, a little more power in all up there would help a lot, makes the audience believe every word sung.

Metalspürhunde is a duo from Zürich, quite a trip for them while only playing a short set, but it reflects into quite some energy and passion in their performance. On stage they bring some more musicians which fill up the sound here also. Though, it is not easy to follow what the band is about if you are not fluent in German. That will leave you up with the music and then the fact they play a short set is not that much of a drama anymore. Feels like you miss the essence of the band now.

Sweet Sister Pain is a more classic band, bringing in a cello is one of those items that makes them who they are. And what they are is a bit dreamy, bringing you into a dreamy atmosphere, a different world perhaps. The darkness is all over them and with the quite dark male vocals combined with the female vocals of Charlotte Kracht you truly feel that dark romance coming through. It is well brought and perhaps in contrast with what was seen before, but this formation surely set a nice show.

Yet again something completely different: Pyro One. Pyro One is a hiphop formation from Berlin. As in hiphop the lyrics are much important it may have been hard from someone who doesn’t know that much German to follow it, but there are a few things that stood out anyway. There was a quite dark and dominant beat behind them and this combined with the performer bringing his statements which full passion you could truly feel that whatever he says comes from the heart. That is what matters as a performer and I am sure that with this passion he could have got his words come through to a deaf person as well.

Kafkas was up next and this music seems diverse. It’s punk, but with a lot of mainstream pop catchiness in them. Easy to pick up lyrics, catchy tunes and a lot of enthusiasm. The band is having their major strength in their vocalist who has a lot of charisma next to the fact that he is also energetic. The show of them was short but strong, a formation I would like to see more of some when.

Das Ich was also playing tonight. Frontman and festival organizer Bruno Kramm brought some friends also, for example Vic Anselmo, who’s gorgeous voice we had heard a day before in this venue as well. Das Ich is a band that has been around for many years and often has lyrics containing animal rights as theme. Unfortunately due time issues only a short set was played, but in the short time they played you could see exactly why this band is very loved. It’s danceable and it works.

After that the venue got somehow more aggressive with Hardcore formation Myra from Leipzig. The guys do not hesitate to get a circle pit started but since the audience was not too metal minded in this venue only a few actually executed this call for a mosh pit. Yet, the band has two strong guitarists in their line-up which clearly set a wall of sound here. It must be said that on the stage it is mainly vocalist Sebastian who stands up front with his rage but together this band puts a brilliant show here. Too bad the energy they gave wasn’t fully returned.

As closure we got a wonderful set from Leaves’ eyes. The band comes from Norway and came to play unplugged tonight. Although quite some people left, there were plenty people still there which created a cosy atmosphere. Liv Kristine, vocalist sits right up front and a whole band around her, including a cellist play a very intimate set including songs like “For Amelie”. The end of the evening got closed by cover song of “To France” which was the perfect way to end this gorgeous set. Fan or not, it was a wonderful experience to see the band playing acoustic, it was the perfect ending of this festival.