03.08.2018 Clawfinger

Wacken Open Air XXIX

Wacken (Germany)

(Pentax K-5 with Sigma AF 70-200mm 2.8 EX DC APO HSM II)

There it was! The band that was the starting point for listening to metal more than 20 years ago: Clawfinger. 1993 they released their debut album “Deaf Dumb Blind” and matching to that 25 years jubilee the album cover decorated the banner at the background of the stage.
Already during the intro (the Bond classic “Goldfinger” rephrased to “Clawfinger”) goosebumps were already running down my back and when the guys stormed onto the stage hell broke loose. Already directly with their first song “Nigger” a breathtaking travel through the history of the band began, on this evening mainly affected by their firstling. They were one of the pioneers of crossover metal and are still really one of the best. Singer Zak Tell was standing at the edge of the stage dressed in a loud colored flamingo suit, dashing one line after the other into the wildly partying audience. Bassist André Skaug swirled like a dervish across the stage letting his wild thatch fly. Besides that, he had enough time to encourage the crowd to give even more. Also, keyboarder Jocke Skog was quite funny as he was not able to stay with his instrument. Again and again he left it (partially a piece of paper was used to lock the keys so that he did not have to push it down all the time) to fool around with Tell or the others, or to support Tell vocally on the hook lines. The last two members should not be forgotten here as guitarist Bård Torstensen was shredding one staccato riff after the other and drummer Micke Dahlén was spreading good atmosphere behind his drum set as far as he was able to.
Between the songs the band was celebrated with loud “Clawfinger” chants so that the guys on stage could not suppress a smile. The atmosphere was permanently at the boiling point and could only be increased by their greatest hit of their second album “Use Your Brain”. When the first chords of “Do What I Say” were intonated it was getting really loud in front of the Louder Stage and latest when the child is singing the famous words during the chorus, really everybody was able to sing it along loudly. Unbelievable what was happening here!
The last years it got more quite around the band that got really famous because of their first albums and many remixes amongst others for the Krupps or Rammstein during the 90s and the beginning of the 2000s. But, from my point of view, completely wrong. Even today they are getting so much energy and fun across to the audience, that one can simply not escape. Not for no reason it was completely filled in front of the stage and just like me many wanted to finally watch this band of their childhood live. They were not disappointing in the least so that I can only advise everybody to watch this elemental force in each case live on stage once. That was really big entertainment!