"Well, what now? I actually don't care, so you two can sort it out." You can already tell: It was a fine line between two possible concerts. Either the "Kultopia" in Hagen (North Rhine-Westphalia) was an option, where Kafkas were supposed to perform with support, or the festival in Oettersdorf (Thuringia), where the Rostock punk rock combo Dritte Wahl would be performing among others. Since I could enjoy both bands, I didn't care what my two bandmates would negotiate. After a brief exchange of words and possibilities, I was finally informed: Off to Oettersdorf! This was a nice idea since I hadn't experienced festival vibes since Force Attack 2008. We can only be there for that one Friday evening, but at least it's better than nothing. The bands are definitely worth it. So let's go, I want to sniff that familiar smell again! Onward, you brave knights of rock!!
It smelled of gasoline and heat. Damn! Why do we, the brave knights of rock, have to be stuck in traffic now? We had to endure the heat in the car for a whole 1 ½ hours following the "stop-and-go" principle. The beer in my hand is slowly but surely getting warmer, and I keep recalling today's program to avoid losing my mind: At 20:00, "The Customers" will play, who are stepping in for Zaunpfahl. From 21:00, "Pothead" will honor us with their presence for a full two hours. At 23:00, we would then have our fun with "Kurz & Lang", who were supposed to bridge the time until 24:00, when the main act "Dritte Wahl" would finally take the stage. Hopefully, we arrive on time...
After all the struggles we faced in traffic, we were even more surprised that we could stand on the grounds by 19:30. That was cutting it close, but at least we wouldn't have to wait long for the first band. The venue reminded me a bit of Force Attack, only it was significantly smaller. The tent and main stage were set up with some merch shops within a fenced-off area. Next door was the camping site for all those who stayed over the weekend. For us, that was relatively uninteresting since we would be leaving again at night. But it was still nice to see a familiar atmosphere. Wonderful, just like in the old days! Unfortunately, I also realize at this point that I'm getting old.
Finally, it was time! The first band took the stage. "The Customers" are – according to their own words – a small band from Thuringia that hasn't been around for long. But how do these four guys present themselves? I must unfortunately say: Not particularly striking. Or let's put it better: They do present themselves, but without much memorable or recognizable value. In the one hour, maybe one or two songs were played that were actually fun, but the rest somehow faded away. Between strange musical interludes that didn't fit at all (aside from some solos), only small girls and boys (who were inexplicably also at this festival) could really get excited. Otherwise, the instruments were blocking each other, as it didn't really sound "harmonious". Lyrically, there was somehow nothing to understand, except when the quiet songs were played. Otherwise, it wasn't really impressive. Speaking of "quiet songs": There were quite a few of those. The singer really "sang" under the meager use of the instruments, which somehow didn't sound great either. It's nice because there’s hardly anything like it, but it could have been executed better. The "atmosphere" simply couldn't be built up. It sounded like completely ordinary 0815 rock, which in this case was only good enough for warming up. That might not be bad, but giving the guys a whole hour was probably a bit too much. A little less time might have given the band a slightly better judgment. But one must be fair: The band played as a substitute for Zaunpfahl. They were given a heavy burden that they couldn't really meet, which isn't a bad thing. Although the band didn't personally appeal to me much, I have to respect them for "daring" to step in for the posts. Maybe they'll make a name for themselves in the future; they certainly have potential.
Holy moly!! What is happening here? Deep tones, real singing, and extremely fitting instruments are pouring down on us. I can't stop being amazed. The band "Pothead" from Berlin has started playing and stands in stark contrast to "The Customers". Every single note, every single sound, and every line of their lyrics fits perfectly with the mood. The drums hammer impressively, the bass uses almost only the very low tones, and the guitar adds spice to the trio, expressed in the form of hard riffs or grand solos. Despite the heavy music character, the singer ensures that it doesn't get too intense. Instead of growling and shouting, there's the finest singing to be heard. This made me wonder how best to categorize this band. Personally, I would say: A healthy mix of punk rock and classic rock’n’roll! Alongside all the crashing stuff this band has to offer, there are also beautiful and quiet songs that were completely different but still fit very well into this band's repertoire. Everything just works perfectly here. At this point, I also want to give a big shout-out to those involved in the stage show. The lights were perfectly used and emphasized the acoustics even more. If Dritte Wahl hadn't been there that evening, it would definitely have been "Pothead"! It was clear to me that I would get one or two records from this band. Perhaps there will also be a little review about it. My conclusion: GREAT BAND! Anyone who really loves fantastic rock and wants to experience something live can join other Pothead fans (who also created a very good atmosphere) and have a great evening. The band is a blast in the truest sense of the word!
Now the band "Kurz & Lang" is on the agenda, which differs once again from the two bands before. Here, rock and blues are offered in a way that gets your dancing feet moving! This band has been around for about 20 years (and somehow completely passed me by), which is why it was probably a good idea to invite them to the 20 Years Oettersdorf Festival. The five gentlemen from Thuringia also had a lot to offer, even though we only caught half of their set. However, the overall impression up to that point was completely sufficient: If you like ska or blues, you will also like this band. It's pure dance music! In the first 30 minutes, I could hardly hear any lyrics and was instead bombarded with instruments. Two guitars, a drum set, a melodic bass, and even a harmonica were used. The people in the tent stage danced, drank, and celebrated until their legs were sore. I couldn't resist at times and used my dancing feet as well. It was a successful mix of classic rock and blues that can extraordinarily lift your spirits. We spent the rest of the time consuming various drinks and chatting with some nice people. That went quite well with the music in the background. Not bad! Anyone who enjoys this kind of music will definitely find joy with this band.
But what would such an evening be without a truly explosive fireworks display of entertainment? 15 minutes before the start of the fourth band "Dritte Wahl", we eagerly waited and watched the band members set up their instruments and go through their soundcheck. I felt transported back to other DW concerts, especially the one at Force Attack. It was unusual to have grass beneath me and the open sky above me again. I'm already mentally at the point where the grass turns into an undefined patch of brown and becomes a mush with an indefinable consistency. Ah, how wonderful that will be! Especially beautifully dirty and painful.
Among people of all kinds, I waited eagerly for it to finally start. And hardly had that thought come to an end, it kicked off with a bang! Unlike last time in Salzwedel, this pogo mob from start to finish was not only large but also quite intense. Whether punks, skins, "normal folks", or even the occasional "hippie" could be found among all the people dancing in a circle, hitting and kicking. Hell yeah, the atmosphere is building up! No wonder that to this day, all my limbs and other attachments still hurt.
But even after the umpteenth time, the Rostock rockers come up with something new. Because that evening, the gentlemen were even temporarily five on stage. With a bearded man on keyboards, accompanying songs like "Störung" or "Auf der Flucht", and an additional guitarist, the evening was musically turned up a notch. The variety with which the punk rockers performed left hardly any wishes unfulfilled. It was still "Dritte Wahl", but with a few experiments that didn't end in total disaster. Quite the opposite! The sounds blended well into the familiar songs and added a few small nuances. Old hands will also appreciate that their favorite band still has ink in the pen.
The good mood even went so far that even technical flaws couldn't dampen the atmosphere. Because during the song "Hash", the band's microphones suddenly went out, and for a good quarter of an hour, no sound of their lovely voices could be heard. But thanks to the excited fans who had warmed them up properly beforehand, the song could continue through choruses and chants until the Wahl could rejoin. Now that's fun!
I was particularly pleased that they played both old and new songs. The song "Das sieht gut aus" or "Ich bin's" was beautifully delivered with the keyboard and prompted singing along from the audience. It sounds just as great as on the record. Excellent! Also, "Bad K." was finally played again after (for me) a long time and turned the angry crowd into a partly dancing mob. You can see what crossover elements can bring in terms of power! Long live the sound!!
But after a good 2 hours (although only 1 ½ were planned) and several encores, it was now time for the Wahl to say goodbye. With the song "Kein Wort", everyone knew that the time for farewell had come. So we made ourselves comfortable once again to catch our breath. We could have seen "Kurz & Lang" again, who strangely played a second set after Dritte Wahl, but since we were already familiar with the band and the night was deep, we decided to leave. After all, we still had three hours of driving ahead of us... we finally reached our destination at half past four in the morning.
Wow, what a brilliant evening! A wonderful combination of nostalgia, alcohol, great bands, and fantastic people made this night a very special one. I'm sure I'll feel the pain for the next few days... those who weren't there are to blame themselves! But the bands are still actively playing their concerts, so everyone still has a chance to check out the colleagues from the scene. I can only highly recommend it!
In that sense, I say it with the words of Dritte Wahl: "Thank you for this moment, thank you for this little happiness...".