Reggae, Dubstep, Metal, Punk, HipHop and Electronica melting down? Sure! That’s what we call crossover ;) How to do it best SKINDRED once again will prove in support of the band’s fifth record, entitled Kill The Power, which was released on January 27. Let’s see what it means to be awarded several times as best live act. I expect burning stages…

:: pics ::

Tonight’s show, the first one of the tour, is full of wow-effects as I have not seen any of the bands live so far and it is quite a thrilling potpourri musically. I - as usual - arrive extra early at • Zeche Bochum • just to wait and spend time with a clear amount of fans till the show gets kicked off.

And it takes unusually long. Greek modern metallers :: MAPLERUN :: indeed hit the stage on announced time at 8pm. The Zeche Bochum is actually known to let support bands start way earlier as their announced time due to the early curfew. It seems things have changed and immediate neighbors became deaf over the years and don’t feel bothered by loud Rock after 11pm music anymore ;) However, MAPLERUN played a solid and lively show but only scored light applause.
Setlist: Buried Alive, Pills, Bombs, Toxicity (Cover), Screamout, For You, Lack Of Words

Mood totally changed when Chicago-based rockers :: SOIL :: entered the stage. Suddenly the venue is packed and band and fans start to rock out enthusiastically. Wow wow wow. Singer Ryan McCombs has such intensive presence and acts very emotional. Deeply touched he thanks the audience for their support and points out that no band would be successful without its fans and pleads to go on buying music, instead of illegal downloading, and to go to the shows and to buy merchandise. SOIL play an asskicking mix of Southern Rock, Groove and heavy alternative Metal. I can’t stand still any second anymore. Songs such as Halo, Shine On and Loaded Gun get me crazy :) Woohoo, awesome!
Setlist: Breaking Me Down, Loaded Gun, My Own, Shine On, Redefine, Hate Song, Unreal, Black Betty, Halo

Phew. Breathing. Now I’m relay excited what’s coming next. :: SKINDRED :: don’t take long. With the thundering (sic) Thunderstruck and The Imperial March Mr. Benji Webbe and his gents find their way onto stage and open with Rat Race. Benji Webbe masters the crowd from the first second on. He’s the born entertainer. He’s like a master of puppets, fans follow every order, no matter if waving hands or to take shirts off ;) The charismatic frontman every now and then interrupts his performance to animate the audience, to jam or improvise or to tell a story, always having the laugh on his side. Too bad that the crowd was so lame with an English response. Sound is heavy and brutal, like a punch in the guts. Low tuned Nu Metal guitars and bass-driven grooves make the ground vibrate. All the Funk-, Dub and Reggae parts as well as the various singing performance by Webbe make this show a crazy roller coaster. Also Benji thanks the crowd addressing a rousing speech to go on supporting bands, before it’s time to bounce again. Yes, SKINDRED are highly energetic, powerful, stirring. Now I understand why SKINDRED got those awards. Once in a lifetime one should have seen them playing live! It’s an event. An experience. And SKINDRED are great to take photos ;) What a fantastic concert evening!
Setlist: Ratrace, Stand For Something, Doom Riff, Ninja, Cut Dem, Babylon/Bruises, Kill The Power, World’s On Fire, Trouble, Pressure, Saturday, Nobody, We Live, Warning

story & pics © Dajana