12.06.2015 Lord Of The Lost

Blackfield Festival

Amphitheater Gelsenkirchen (Germany)

(Pentax K-5 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)

I had previously known the guys around frontman Chris Harms mainly for the calm and classically acoustic “Swan Songs”. Today, it was to be shown that they could also strike harder tones. The amphitheater was now quite well-filled, and the weather was getting somewhat better. With the opener “Kill It With Fire”, the direction for the set was immediately set, and the audience was immediately involved.
Again and again, Harms doused himself with water and sought close contact with the people in front of the stage. His comrades: Klaas Helmecke on bass, Gerrit Heinemann on synthesizer (as well as guitar and percussion), Tobias Mertens on drums, and Borislav Crnogorac on guitar were no less active. With dark paint on their arms and Joker-like face paint trimmed to a dark look, there was a lively up and down with more powerful songs like “Fists Up In The Air” from the 2014 album “From the Flame Into the Fire” or quieter ones like “Six Feet Underground”. It wasn't their premiere at Blackfield, as they had already been guests two years earlier. By now, they had more material available, but there were also several pieces from the older works, such as “Sex On Legs” from the 2011 album “Antagony” or “Die Tomorrow” from the album of the same name from 2012 before closing with “La Bomba” after about 40 minutes.
After all the electronic bands, which were by no means bad, it finally came back to more familiar territory for me. The guys from Hamburg offered a truly convincing performance that not only impressed me but also the other people in the crowd. I think they will make their way, especially because of their musical versatility and their energetic stage show is definitely worth a visit! For me, it was the highlight of the day.