06.08.2011 Children Of Bodom

Wacken Open Air XXII

Wacken (Germany)

(Pentax k-x with Tamron SP AF 17-50mm 2.8 XR Di II LD Asp IF and Sigma AF 50-150mm 2.8 EX DC APO HSM II)

As next to the last act there were the Finnish metaller of Children Of Bodom. This gig should be something special for all senses (unfortunately). During Avantasia there were only sporadic some drips and during Motörhead it rained enduring but only very slightly. What happened now during Children Of Bodom I am really feeling sorry for all the metalheads standing in front of the stage and also for the guys themselves on it.
The first really impressive played songs like the opener "Not My Funural" or "Shovel Knockout" got the crowd already quite good moving. It was really fun hearing Alexi Laiho how he treated his strings and wonderfully intonated the growls. Also the interaction with his keyboarder Janne Viljami Wirman was quite brilliant. The fulminant stage show with pillars of smoke and fire were also contributing to that. But unfortunately higher powers seemed to have something against that and opened around the middle of the concert the gates of heaven. Like many others seeking for shelter I also had to flee with my camera to the roofed gangway towards the press area. Some drips of water were not a problem for my camera but only on the very short way from the stage to the gangway I got completely soaking wet!
Already after a few minutes the shower was luckily over and I went back to the stage. Many unfortunately did not return and so the numbers dwindled. But Children Of Bodom were giving everything on stage to get people back as the set was really good and all band members really in very good spirits. In my point of view it was also one of the highlights of the day. The atmosphere was genious despite the rain and slow generation of puddles of mud in front of the stage the show was also gorgeous. Now only one band remained and then this year's Wacken would be history.