Just before the turn of the year, there was something for the friends of the heavier faction in Berlin. The guys from TYSON from Kiel and the guys from C.O.R. from Rügen performed together at Wild at Heart in Kreuzberg.
Although some other concerts that day made the choice difficult, there were about eighty people at Wild at Heart when we arrived around 10:00 PM.
The audience was a colorful mix and the atmosphere was good, promising a great evening ahead.
C.O.R. were also in high spirits, having played two good concerts in Dresden and Halle in the previous two days. You could tell the band was looking forward to their performance, with two good gigs behind them. They were eager to play.
However, the trio from Kiel took the stage before the guys from East Germany.
When TYSON stepped onto the stage, there were about 100 people in Wild at Heart. The majority of them stood in front of the stage, already anticipating the combo.
TYSON played a varied mix of hardcore and metalcore. A powerful drum, aggressive string instruments, and convincing vocals appealed to many present. The time the Kielers had, they used to have a good time with the audience.
When the Kielers finished, there were around 170 people in Wild at Heart. While it could have been a bit more for a Friday night, the number was decent given the other concerts taking place. And exactly this number of people gradually made their way back in front of the stage.
The Rügens took the stage without singer Friedemann and played a small intro, where you could already hear that there would be a good sound that evening. The audience's excitement grew second by second until finally, singer Friedemann stepped onto the stage. C.O.R. then blasted the first songs into the audience. They responded with plenty of movement and great vocal participation.
Although the stage at Wild at Heart is not particularly large, the band, led by singer Friedemann, managed to make perfect use of the available space. You could see how well the band knew each other, as without this intuitive understanding, the musicians would surely have collided a few times.
Friedemann gave it his all and was completely into the songs. The moments when Friedemann held the microphone out to the audience were enthusiastically received, and they sang along with great fervor. The atmosphere between the band and the audience was emotional and enthusiastic. The singer of the band from the island made fewer announcements compared to the last concerts in Berlin, but still gladly picked up on the audience's cues. For instance, a tattoo of the three monkeys (see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil) was shown in the front row when Friedemann made a comment about the silent, ignorant mass that behaves like the three monkeys.
About halfway through the set, Friedemann took off his sweaty shirt.
Then it continued without a shirt. The band continued to give their all, and so did the audience. The subsequent songs like “Bastard“, “Körpereinsatz“, “Antipop“ or “Gott“ were celebrated with full commitment by both the band and the audience.
In front of the stage, it was hot, sweaty, and incredibly awesome. The way the audience and the band became one was wonderful. Even though the band always has a strong live presence, it was particularly strong that evening. The band was incredibly present on stage and captivated everyone present. I have only experienced something similar in this club with Born To Lose from Austin, Texas.
It was a damn good concert. When the band finished, everyone happily headed towards the bar or home.
After the setbacks the band had to endure in 2011, this evening showed that the guys still love what they do just as much as before, maybe even more. The concert was the third gig in a row that showed the band that they have not been forgotten despite some canceled concerts. Rather, both the band and the fans have grown from it.
All the best for 2012 goes to Rügen in the hope of seeing the trash rock crew back on stage soon.