Ok, inside! 10.45 am and HATESPHERE stay on the Devilstage trying something like soundcheck and already should have started 15 minutes ago. Delay. Increased to a half hour. Then Silvia „Superstar“ Lopez, known from the Killer Barbies, enters the stage and is supposed to lead through the entire festival. But she looks so terrible and embarrassing, doesn’t speak any German or even has to say anything in what language ever. She’s a total flop. Her pay they could have used for water toilets. Really! At least she realizes and gives up soon…

However :: HATESPHERE :: kick off the festival with an half hour delay and without breakfast as they say. Though they look awake and are in good mood ;) Only the sound is bad. Assuming that ANTHRAX play on time (coz they have to leave afterwards for another show at another festival) we hurry to get our pics and leave towards the Hellstage with some sound frazzles blowing behind us… what stressful beginning.

Darn! Dream on! Seems like the :: ANTHRAX :: crew just got up. The drum kit is not build up yet, micros still need to be wired, not to mention the soundcheck. Gee, that's going to be fun. Not. There is a hum creeping in, driving the sound man mad while searching for the right channel or circuit to get rid of it. It must be like a pain in the ass via the monitor speakers. ANTHRAX add another half hour to the delay, while the bath-robed band members stand offside the stage and... wait. At least this situation gives some additional time at the entrance to guide the people through their scrupulous control. Half past 11 and finally the show begins in front of… well… approx. 5000 fans I’d say. ANTHRAX strike up in their white bath robes perfectly matching the „Sunday Matinee From Hell“. Yeah! Rob Caggiano was also wearing a woolen hat, looked utmost cute *lol* Very likeable band playing a great show! Sound… well, bygones! This show was real fun though. And despite the fact that the band arrived at 7am in the morning coming over from the Serengeti Festival (as The Bloodhound Gang did too) there was a lot of action onstage :)

Next up were the :: THE CARBURETORS :: a fast forward Rock’n’Roll act hailing from Norway. And these guys were absolutely def. Axe-man Kai Kidd prefers to play in the photo pit or among the band’s fans and keeps the security on the go ;) Fans go wild and so the band goes too. However, enthusiasm on DEVIL SIDE FESTIVAL is huge, from the first band on.

Though, following Dutch trio :: PETER PAN SPEEDROCK :: can’t keep up that high level of energy and action. The guys get someway lost on this huge stage and lack of dynamics, power and drive. Not really my cup of tea.

Luckily :: NEAERA :: from my hometown Muenster make it up again. The boys fill in for Five Finger Death Punch who had to cancel their part at short notice. NEAERA have just released a new album entitled Omnicide – Creation Unleashed, which is a raving success. No Death Metal/Core show without a Wall Of Death. Singer Benny made short work of it, announced the wall, and in no time fans were colliding. As Benny said: the earliest Wall Of Death they ever had ;) It’s right after noon…

Perfect time for the first beer I’d say. Hernan Hermida does it right and appears with a liter of beer onstage opening the show for :: ALL SHALL PERISH :: and leaves nothing but scorched earth afterwards. Well, doesn’t work to his satisfaction. Audience is somewhat tired from the sun and quite lame, what again pisses Hernan Hermida off.

Next band called :: ELVIS JACKSON :: I decided to leave aside. I first need something to drink and that takes a lot of time. I don’t like Ska Punk and use reaming time to write down first notices.

Halfway refreshed and rested I pilgrimage back to the Hellstage and enjoy Swedish Punk rockers :: MILLENCOLIN :: Another great and much likeable band. They try it with some German and win, have a blast and infect everybody watching them ;)

Next surprise comes with :: DISCO ENSEMBLE :: I already heard of them, friends recommended to catch them and so I did for the first time. Hardly to describe what they are doing musically, a mix of Rock, Indie and Punk with this special and unique kind of Finnish craziness ;) Insane! What a hell of fun. Really an awesome band!

The festival goes on with the local Hardcore heroes :: HAMMERHEAD :: who welcome the audience with “Hello you assholes” Hm, well, if my name would be “Tobias Scheiße” (shit) I’d act the same way probably ;) If I’m right this band is actually disbanded. But it seems they earn some extra money with re-releases and the one and the other show. Crowd was moshing, but no riots or fisticuffs. Same onstage, the rowdies acted pretty tame. Seems like they are getting older too ;)

Afterwards real New York Hardcore classic veterans enter the stage :: CRO-MAGS :: After a short intro (Clockwork Orange theme) Mr. Joseph makes it quick, says: „You know us“ and starts jumping. Does the band still exist? Officially I mean? Nobody knows… What attract my attention are the drawn up white socks. Stylish! NOT. *laughs* Erm… you know… ;)

It’s hot, it’s sticky. At 6 beverage carts you can’t buy anything anymore. To queue up is hopeless. It is still crowded and we have only 3 songs left to get a band to see. But we are very happy that we are allowed to buy ice cream on the backside of this stall while shuttling backstage and Gisela of Spiderrock Promotions even organizes a box of water. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

Finally some metal is on the bill again :: SODOM :: kick asses and serve a full Thrash attack. Tom Angelripper is much enthused about a festival “back home” and Bernemann can’t even stop smiling. Second track is already a classic: Outbreak Of Evil and crowd is freaking out ;) The next songs gets dedicated to Michael Jackson and is entitled Ausgebombt (bombed out) *g* Ok, such kind of joke I expected sooner or later. And Tom Angelripper wasn’t the only one doing so ;) Yeah! Thumbs up!

I have to confess, when it comes to :: DISCIPLINE :: I’m very skeptic, since they belong more to the skinhead/hooligan scene than to the Hardcore scene… with corresponding side effects, as appearing Nazis make it clear. Musically it was ok, visually these heavy weighted guys looked more than anabolic-contaminated bodybuilding victims. Help! I bet these guys don’t find normal clothes in stores. Otherwise I heard that the Dutch guys cleared a dispute with an overwhelming Nazi quick and solid at a beverage cart…

However… the next highlight was announced with legendary :: MISFITS :: Under the spell of the Halloween movie theme Jerry Only, Dez Cadena and Robo get on stage, whereas latter one disappears in the width of the huge stage. Jerry Only most time stands like nailed behind his micro, chewing gum and tries to look somewhat of evil ;) Doesn’t work really *lol* Also Dez stays courtly in the background. Only the stage crew goes wild, sings along every song and steals the show. Seems like that the MISFITS guys get old, huh? What impressed was the make.-up, coz I saw the guys walking around “corpse-painted” at least one hour ago. The weather is keeping up, the make-up too ;) Nothing blends or smudges. What hell are the guys using?

And back again to the Devilstage. And it got to rock! Properly. The Swedish way. :: THE BONES :: rock the DEVIL SIDE FESTIVAL and the crowd goes mad. Yes, it was a real pleasure. Enough said!

Pure Thrash Metal the second. And juicy… It’s the very first time that :: SEPULTURA :: AND Soulfly share stage at the same festival. As it’s said, the Soulfly mates were watching the SEPULTURA gig, except for Max. Anyways, it’s my first SEPULTURA show with giant frontman Derrick Green and I’d like to attest that he did a really awesome job! Also when drumming ;) Sound was great and I have to say SEPULTURA still got the groove. Though, the old spirit of the Brazilians is lost. Maybe intended…

Ladies and Gentlemen... time has come for :: BLOODHOUND GANG :: This is one of these bands I probably would never ever have seen live without such festival. Of course I know the crazy Americans and knew that a show of them is at least a highlight for every photographer. But a stage tech I don’t wanna be for them ;) The BLOODHOUND GANG doesn’t leave anything how it was, run riot and deliver one joke after another. One worse than the other *laughs* Not to forget some disgusting issues… Ok, it’s always the same old story, same jokes and way too routinely. Never mind! The fans love it and freak completely out, real tumults and dramas happen, while the first rows get sloshed with Jagermeister by Q-Ball and Hasselhoff. Too bad that we only could stay for the 3 songs in the pit. I would have loved to see the entire show… *sighs*

Next band I also was much looking for :: CLAWFINGER :: Latest album Life Will Kill You finally made it back to the roots and now the Swedes had to prove that they can still rock a festival. Oh yes, they can! :) Zak and bass-man Andre were running around and climbing on speakers. Also drummer Jocke came to the frontstage every now and then. Audience has thinned out and wasn’t lively anymore. Seems like CLAWFINGER have to put again some effort in their live appearances. I heard something about a planned tour? ;)

Brazil the second… I was tried to say ;) With :: SOULFLY :: the first headliner entered the stage. Night was closing in but did not animate light-tech for some more lights. Or he was off? Dunno. The mates around Max Cavalera did not act much motivated and made this show quite boring. Too routinely, too spiritless…

Mainstage and the final headliner. The festivals draws to a close and sees :: MOTÖRHEAD :: kicking off when they already were supposed to leave the stage. Sound was great and Lemmy, Phil and Mikkey in best mood. They loved to play and loved to electrify the fans. Again these three men got lost on this huge stage, but hey, who cares, it was a hell of a show! For us only three songs again, than we had to leave… the festival. No prob, I was tired and feet and back hurt so I went directly to my car and went back home.

Ok, that’s that. The first DEVIL SIDE FESTIVAL. There were a lot of negative things, but also some good ones. I’m much curious how the organizers will respond on all the shortcomings, if there will be a new one next year and if so, how they will approach the next try.

story & pics © Dajana