Monday 13 June 2016

Sweden Rock Festival 2016

At 7.30 am on Tuesday morning me, Toni, R and F packed ourselves into R's car and started moving south. At around 2pm we arrived at Sweden Rock Festival and about 2.45 our camp was up and running. Same spot as previous years, but this year we were originally four people short. That changed during the second day when three new people moved in with us - so next year we will be the original four we were missing, plus the new three from this year, plus, hopefully, a friend of mine. Already looking forward to next year xD

Wednesday was mostly spent in the camp, until midnight when we went inside the festival area to see Blind Guardian. I don't know many of their songs, and most of the time they sounded like power metal. Bland, straight-up power metal where every song sounded the same. All I wanted to hear was Valhalla and Bard's Song. And of course they were among the final three songs xD The audience worked their hardest to match the video of Valhalla. I don't think we quite succeeded, but it felt epic. After the concert we went to bed, and tried to sleep, while we heard F running around the entire camp screamingly coaxing everyone into fights.

Thursday was a really cool day :D At 12 we went inside to see Lordi. It was amazing, just as I expected. I even started crying when they started playing Blood Red Sandman, and I have no friggin idea why xD I missed the fake blood and the pyrotechnics from the previous two times that I've seen them. But pyrotechnics wouldn't have made much of an impact during a concert in the middle of broad daylight (why would you set Lordi up to play at noon?! ffs). Immediately after Lordi we moved across the area to the smallest outdoor stage to see The Struts. They are very new, but so very very very promising. Their live was amazing. And immediately after The Struts we went back across the area to see Sixx:A.M.. They were incredible. (And their guitarist made for good eye candy). And just as we expected we were in for more tears when they played Skin. But that's more due to the song, than anything else. I can't listen to Skin without crying. Impossible. After Sixx:A.M. we went back to the camp and spent the evening there. At 10pm we went back to the area to see Queen. I was sort of out of it by then. I remember us getting there, and I remember us leaving, but I don't remember Queen. Amazing job, me! I was looking forward to Queen! -.-' I had originally planned to see Soilwork after Queen, but it was freezing cold out and I was too out of it. (And I had seen them three or four times before). So instead we had some food and then went to sleep.

On Friday I only had two definite concerts planned, and two maybes. In the end I decided to skip the maybes and focus on the definite one; Twisted Sister and Avantasia. Problem was that Twisted Sister played at the same time as Satyricon, and Toni would rather watch Satyricon than Sister. I wouldn't miss Sister for the world. Their farewell tour? No way I'd miss it! I planned on going with one of the new members of the camp, but she hooked up with one of the guys and I really didn't feel like third-wheeling them all night :P So instead I went with F to Twisted Sister. It was amazing! Dee Snider is a fantastic front man. We laughed so much at his MCing antics, and the hit songs were epic. We're not gonna take it, most of all. The Twisted Sister concert ended with a 25th anniversary celebration for the festival. Afterwards we went to see Avantasia, but we only stayed for four songs. The freezing night in combination with really having to pee made us leave the concert early. Tobi was amazing as per usual though ♥ I was told later that the concert was cut short, and that they didn't get to play their last song, and that the sound was all over the place. I noticed the sound a bit before we left. It was very jumpy. One thing that really stood out to me, though, was how the other singers looked like they might explode when they tried to sing really hard. While Tobi just effortlessly waltzed around and still singing explosively. Tobi, Tobi, Tobi ♥

On Saturday it was only one concert that interested me, and it was once again after 10pm. Our designated driver left early in the day. F was supposed to drive us home on Sunday, but he got an alternate way home and took it (understandably since he had work on Monday and wanted to spend some time at home before going away for work). The rest of us continued on. In the evening we went to see Sabaton, which was really cool, especially En livstid i krig. I don't listen much to Sabaton, but I feel like it's time to start. Usually a concert of a band from which you only know one or two songs takes an eternity, but with Sabaton it went by so very quickly. You guys are amazing, why didn't I see that before? :o

On Sunday we packed up camp and packed us into the car. Then R went to blow inside a breathalyzer, which proved he wouldn't be fit to drive for another 12 hours at least. Which made me our last hope of getting home. So I went to do the same. Came back with a 0, so let's get on the road. I was incredibly tired though, and after about halfway I noticed my reactions started getting sluggish. Damn. We stopped at a tavern and had dinner. It was next to a gas station with a shop where I bought coffee, energy drink, and sweets. Food, caffeine, and sugar! That ought to keep me awake for the last two hours. And it did. The last two hours went really well. When we got home we showered (best thing ever after not showering for a week) and unpacked. Then I went to bed. It was around 10.30pm by then, and then I woke up around 1pm today.

Evolution of the camp this year:

See you next year! ♥

4 comments:

  1. Twisted Sister <33 I saw them four years ago in Trondheim, it was amazing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I saw them two years ago as well. This time was sad, though. AJ, their drummer, died last year, and I guess that's why they decided to retire.

      Delete
    2. Yes, I should think so. They made a big point out of the fact that they still had the original line-up after all these years back when I saw them, compared to a lot of other bands that wouldn't even have a single original member still with them.

      Delete
    3. Yeah, they said that when I saw them two years ago that they didn't want to be one of those bands who just continued with new members and sort of lost their soul along the way.

      Delete

What's the first thought in your head after reading this? Let me know!