Venue: Tivoli Oudegracht, Utrecht (The Netherlands)
By: Elvira Visser
Summer Darkness is a festival during summer that turns the streets black in Utrecht. The city with its gothic atmosphere is the right location for this dark festival. The festival is not only about music but offers a wide program: many music genres, gothic fashion, arts, market, picnics, underground dancenights, boattrips and even games.
| The Sunday at Tivoli Oudegracht started off with three bands, two of them belonging to the pagan/viking metal. It was possible to buy only a ticket for these three bands. Besides a combination of bands there were day tickets and full festival tickets available. This is one of the nice things of this festival. Negura Bunget brings ambient folk metal from Romania. The atmosphere they bring on stage is quite dark. During the first numbers they played they got me quite curious. They used folk instruments and made deep and dark metal but the folk influences were clearly noticeable. The band was founded back in 1995, recently founders Hupogrammos, and Sol Faur left the band, and a new line-up was formed. What I noticed about this band was that the bass guitar was really present. At first, I liked this but later it became a bit annoying because the sound was very dark, round and low. As interesting as the band started it became a bit more of the same near the end of their set. Others might disagree with me, but that is how I experienced them. The folk instruments they use make it stand out, as I sure have not seen a dark, with a doomy touch, metal band using pipes, percussions and a xylophone to create this dark atmosphere while there is enough melody present to keep it interesting and not too dark. |
| Týr a band from the Faroe Islands that play their unique sound. That is what attracts me to their performances, as you can read other reviews on Tempelores. The band mixes old traditional lyrics and melodies with metal but mostly with great guitar solo’s. With the new album out “By the Light of the Norther Star” they play a new set of songs live, letting the audience enjoy their guitar solo’s. But Heri, the singer take the opportunity to talk about believes, and religious views while making a statement. The females in the venue were treated when Heri took off his viking outfit and showed his chest. He made the most funniest comment: “uh I did this so that the ladies would get excited…”. Maybe we did not scream enough. With the new album I have to admit it sounds a bit more rough but still enough room for the melodies from the vocals and the guitars. This time around the drums play a more significant role, they are more out there. That sounds really good live. I think that this is a band you should see live, they do know how to built a party, although completely different than the Finnish guys from Korpiklaani. Týr’s set ended too fast as usual, but guessing they will be around to tour more, promoting their latest album. |
| Korpiklaani is a Finnish band that plays if I have to name it Finnish huumpa-pa with folk melodies. A band that brings you one big party live on stage and ….in front. I have seen the band in Finland at the Tuska Festival and the same feeling I had there came to mind. They have become too big for me. Maybe it is because I have seen them putting a huumpa spell over a small group. It seemed as if they play with a little more ease nowadays. Not that they are not trying to do their best and give away a good show, but it is just something I feel. I mean most of the people in the crowd know all the tracks and sing and shout along and dance and throw their beers around. Like one big party. But the band doesn’t have to perform at their best to get this as reaction from the crowd as well. The temperature rose drastic inside and the people were moshing around. Many people clearly enjoyed the happy tunes while singing drinking songs. Many classics of them, like “Happy Little Boozer” were played but also new ones from their latest album like “Vodka!”. Near the end, it was so hot I had to get outside, the music was really loud as well. Even with my earplugs, that maybe ruins it a little as I saw more people fleeting to the back. But, again a good sweaty Korpiklaani show, voi Helvetti! |
Find more photo’s on Photographic Retentions
Links:
Negura Bunget MySpace
Tyr MySpace
Korpiklaani MySpace
Summer Darkness Official
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