[Dajana] To say it straight away: This show was pure awesomeness! Incredible! Mind-boggling! Just one week ago we had such kind of fantastic concert, including three awesome bands serving great performances. At this point we were philosophizing how seldom it happens these days to see a tour package so smartly put together with exclusively interesting and worthwhile bands. And now, just one week later such rare occasion happens again. That scares me and makes me wonder what to expect from the upcoming weeks and months live on stage...
[BRT] Stop meeting trouble halfway! Yes, the show last week raised the bar high but I still expect something great to listen to and to see live on stage this year. And yes, tonight’s show was phenomenal, which mainly was due to the unbelievably positive music…

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[Dajana] However, also tonight I was afraid of the number of people showing up. BIGELF is for sure an exceptional live band yet none that automatically fills clubs to the full. And there were two unknown support bands on the bill. Luckily, my fears went up in smoke ;) A quick fiery dinner, a short stroll towards the • FZW • club and now, let the magic begin…

[Dajana] Well… with delays, at the door and on stage. As already mentioned, I did not know the support bands, neither had I the time to get a quick info before. That gave me the opportunity to experience those bands completely unbiased.
[BRT] I already have seen :: JOLLY :: playing live as support for the fabulous Riverside. And they have been great but tonight JOLLY were crispier and gruffer as I remember them from the show in Cologne. The mix of modern New Art Rock and Alternative works excellent to get the crowd on fire. And the guys definitely enjoyed playing...
[Dajana] I agree. And yes, it was kinda gruff, with a slight touch of a Devin kind of madness. I liked them. Cool show, but nothing that could you prepare for what was coming next…

[Dajana] Because right after… my jaw dropped strongly. And I wasn’t the only one. It actually was quite funny looking around and seeing people’s eyes getting bigger and bigger and their jaw dropping *laughs*. It’s obvious, a band like :: BEND SINISTER :: no one of the attendees so far has experienced. To describe this Canadian quartet and this phenomenon is… impossible… Help! BRT please take over…
[BRT] Oha, hehe… I’d say… it’s a racy low-level flight through the 70s. A danceable cocktail of Queen, Rocky Horror Picture Show, a bit Funkadelic and Parliament, plus a proper portion of Hard Rock and a dash Prog that downright explodes live on stage and hits the crowd. Not to mention the exorbitant outfit… an outfit that fills your eyes with tears. Here groove got defined and in a twinkling of an eye the whole audience was moving. Happy faces and waggling bums everywhere. BEND SINISTER is surely one kind of a band and the best support bands seen in ages. So, colleague Arne said too.
[Dajana] The outfit! Yes! That’s how I think Canadian trapper looked in the last century. And the music is kinda fitting ;) Musically the band played songs mostly from their current album Animals and the predecessor Small Fame. Unbelievable! I’m blown away! Stunning… I have no words…
Setlist: Thunder And Lightning, Hot Blooded Man, Don’t You Know, Man Of Faith And Virtue, Things Will Get Better, Teacher, Black Magic Woman, It Will Never End, Best Of You

[Dajana] Okay, it surely was not the easiest task for :: BIGELF :: to keep THAT level up. Not even with trumps such as Mike Portnoy on drums and John Wesley on guitar. BIGELF kicked off with The Evils Of Rock’n’Roll (from Cheat The Gallows) and it was going to be… tough. This might have been due to the sound/technique problems in Damon Fox’ machinery (probably the reason for the delay too). Additionally the band seemed not too well-rehearsed. Damon Fox was looking around all the time to keep the band together, to give them orientation for cues while singing and playing on two pianos. But bit by bit BIGELF gained momentum and started to thrill the audience. Mike Portnoy got frenetically adored, while John Wesley was almost invisible in his dark corner. A touching moment appeared when Damon Fox’ son Baron took over the drums during Money Machine, without any fear of the huge footsteps left by Mike Portnoy. Baron did an awesome job, made his dad visibly proud and is actually a spitting image of his dad.
[BRT] Woah! It surely was not easy at first, but after a short heating-up phase BIGELF started to rock the house while grooving through the 70s. Damon Fox seems to be a bit uptight but the rest of the band and most of all, the crowd, had a blast. A fan of 70s prog/rock/hard rock music can hardly elude BIGELF. Great show, great music, great songs and a lot of charisma… Perfect night!!!
Setlist: The Evils Of Rock’n’Roll, Madhatter, Pain Killer, Hypersleep, Alien Frequency, Vertigod, Money Machine, Edge Of Oblivion, ITM, Money It’s Pure Evil, Counting Sheep // Incredible Time Machine, Blackball

Story © BRT & Dajana • pics © Dajana & Dajana Winkel • Photography