Summer Breeze
After evolving the festival area last year the SB organizers didn’t rest to continue developping the live options. The (two stages of the) twisting stage, which is unique in the Metal scene, got renamed from Main Stage and Pain Stage to just Main Stage. Next to the T-Stage that had become from a tent to an open air stage the Camel Stage got improved a lot by enlargement as getting a tent roof besides staying open to all three left sides. Inside the camping area the Ficken Party Stage took care about a party area especially close to the fans.
The billing attracted by its headliners Papa Roach, Trivium, Behemoth, Arch Enemy, W.A.S.P., Powerwolf as especially by its balance on a remarkable high level. Besides that the mentioned Summer Breeze areas offered a good food as beverage variety and self-entertainment offers like a wooden skittle alley as a couple of drinking games. And as nearly every year the Summer Breeze described the weather conditions by its name. It became another weekend full of sun and joy. At this year’s Summer Breeze 130 bands appeared on 5 stages in four days for about 40000 visitors (Sold out!).
Wednesday
T-Stage
Any Given Day In the afternoon sun the German Metalcore fivepiece was the right start into this year’s open air program. A variable voice and a tight band entertained from the opener „Endurance“ until their debut classic „Home Is Where The Heart Is“ and the Rihanna cover „Diamonds“.
The Night Flight Orchestra The Hardrock project of Arch Enemy bassist Sharlee D’Angelo and Soilwork vocalist Björn „Speed“ Strid, who wondered about his purple suit, didn’t attract such an audience than the starter before as the following act. So the Bond-reminding title „Sometimes The World Ain’t Enough“ described the situation pretty well.
Farmer Boys Much nostalgia followed by the return of the still fresh sounding quintet from the pretty close city of Stuttgart. Besides the new compositions „You And Me“ as „Revolt“ the band achieved the most applause and motion for classics like the opener „When Pigs Fly“, „The Other Side“, „We Sow The Storm“, „Like Jesus Wept“ and the final hit „Here Comes The Pain“.
Kataklysm Tight as fuck became for another time the following 60 minutes of the self-titled northern hyperblast. By „Narcissist“ and „Outsider“ the Canadiens considered tracks from the brand new album „Meditations“. The most headbangers got counted while „As I Slither“, „At The Edge Of The World“, „In Shadows And Dust“ as „Crippled And Broken“. Fronter Maurizio Iaconi animated the crowd to move and initiated the security stress test inspiring lots of crowdsurfers.
Sepultura Derrick Green celebrated his 20th anniversary being the voice of the Thrash Metal icon from Brasil. The chemistry between band as audience reached a special level resulting in much headbanging as pit support for the title track of their recent release „Machine Messiah“ as for the classics „Territory“, „Refuse/Resist“, „Arise“, „Ratamahatta“ and „Roots Bloody Roots“.
Paradise Lost By their opener „No Hope In Sight“ the quintet from the UK set the rhythm for the following hour. Their groove and heaviness got represented by a best of set containing „Forever Failure“, „Requiem“, „Erased“ and the rare played „Shadowkings“. Their fans celebrated the professional performance, just vocalist Nick Holmes didn’t seem to have one of hist best days while his sense of humor worked well announcing „Mouth“ as a song not to deal with the issue of oral hygiene. Anyway, this hour rocked and finished by „As I Die“ and „Say Just Words“.
Thursday
Main Stage
Sirenia After eight albums (and the ninth one follows within two months) and several female singers Morten Veland’s band is still alive. Only negative aspect in my opinion: Their former incomparable as individual Gothic Metal style had turned to a usual Symphonic Metal sound. The appearance worked well as their new French female vocalist Emanuelle Zoldan did. After the encores „My Mind’s Eye“ and „The Other Side“ the Symphonic Metal fans got their expectations fulfilled, in contrast to me.
Pro-Pain The Hardcore fourpiece around mainman Gary Meskill spread more straightness and groove onto the festival area. „Three Minutes Hate“, „Un-American“ as „Deathwish“ left no doubt about it, and the pits of the day started. So they left their supporters happy after „Make War Not Love“.
Backyard Babies Time for the Rock ‘n’ Roll commando from Sweden: „Dysfunctional Professional“ as „Brand New Hate“ left no choice not to move. By „Shovin’ Rocks“ they even introduced a track from their forthcoming output while most people didn’t seem to recognize that fact during the party.
Orden Organ Because of a broken thumb their fronter was forced not to play guitar, so the band had decided to let the bassist play the second guitar and relinguishing the bass. The singalongs with the supporters while „We Are Pirates“ and „The Things We Believe In“ showed Power Metal works at Summer Breeze.
Jasta The following hour showed the Hatebreed shouter Jamey Jasta besides playing own songs including the Hatebreed smasher „Destroy Everything“ inviting a few old friends to perform together. The live collaborations with Fear Factory guitarist Dino Cazares for „Body Hammer“, „Edgecrusher“ and „Replica“ as with with Crowbar / ex-Down guitarist Kirk Windstein for „Enlightened Extinction“, „Lead The Ghosts Astray“, „Buried In Black“, „All I Had (I Gave)“ and „Bury Me In Smoke“ became the main part of the show getting upgraded by far.
Schandmaul The Folk Rock sixpack knew how to entertain and kept the audience jumping and singing. Even technical problems couldn’t stop them as the positive atmosphere. So „Der Teufel Hat Den Schnaps Gemacht“, „Walpurgisnacht“ and the final „Dein Anblick“ got celebrated a lot.
Alestorm Time for the Scottish party attack: Their Folk Metal as their too wannabe-funny attitude bored me, but amused their fans. Those ones partied to „The Sunk’n Norwegian“, „No Grave By The Sea“ and „Captain Morgan’s Revenge“ although they didn’t start an orgy to the last named one as not seriously demanded by mainman Christopher Bowes.
Eisbrecher The bit Rammstein-reminding sound didn’t attract as much spectators as the party band before. Anyway „Fehler Machen Leute“, the title contrast to the present climatic conditions „Eiszeit“ and „This Is Deutsch“ caused applause. Alexx Wesselsky showed respect to all the volunteers making this festival happen by handshakes to each security person in the photo pit. The unavoidable hit „Miststück“ of his former band Megaherz marked the end of this gig.
Behemoth Ten years ago the quartet from Gdansk appeared in the sunny afternoon. After evolving over the years they performed in this headliner position while the sound suiting sundown in front of a filled festival area. By „God = Dog“ and „Wolves Ov Siberia“ they introduced two new tracks from their forthcoming album. The opener „Ov Fire And The Void“, „Demigod“, „Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer“, „Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel“ and „At The Left Hand Ov God“ reached maximum support by the motivated fans, the atmosphere was optimal by the mentioned sundown and several pyros. So in the end there was just the question why they finished after „Chant For Eschaton 2000“ and „O Father O Satan O Sun!“ about twenty minutes too early.
Powerwolf For the German Power Metal vampires it’s always like a home game to appear in Dinkelsbühl, so it turned to another one this year. Supported by many pyros the wolves started by „Blessed & Possessed“ and „Army Of The Night“ into their set. By „Incence & Iron“, „Demons Are A Girls Best Friend“ and „Fire & Forgive“ they considered three songs from their brand new album „The Sacred Sacrament“ causing much applause. Thousands of fans celebrated „Amen & Attack“, „All We Need Is Blood“, „Werewolves Of Armenia“, „Resurrection By Errection“, „Sanctified With Dynamite“ and „We Drink Your Blood“ resulting in a huge singalong area.
Suicidal Tendencies Time was up for the bandana band: The fivepiece played one of their rare festival shows, and the following hour became definitely intense. From the strong start „You Can’t Bring Me Down“ on fronter Mike Muir ran the stage up and down while his musicians impressed by their individual skills, especially the rhythm section. Mike held a speech about tough life and the band rocked by „Freedumb“, „War Inside My Head“, „Possessed To Skate“ and „Send Me Your Money“. Before the end of the show they assembled numerous fans on the stage performing together the band hymn „Pledge Your Allegiance“. Awesome!
Die Apokalyptischen Reiter In contrast to this international blast before the German fivepiece seemed a bit provincial while beginning with „Wir Sind Zurück“ and „Es Wird Schlimmer“. Anyway, many fans waited for the last Main Stage dance of the day/night. And so they supported „Reitermania“, „Friede Sei Mit Dir“ as material from the recent „Der Rote Reiter“ like the mentioned opener, „Auf Und Nieder“, the title track, „Hört Mich An“, Franz Weiss“ and „Herz In Flammen“.
T-Stage
Exhorder It was astonishing just seeing a small crowd waiting for the Thrash Metal icon. But those ones got happy to see their heroes again. And from „Death In Vain“ on it became very intense. Classics like „Legions Of Death“ or Slaughter In The Vatican“ didn’t need to be explained, they need to be experienced live.
Obscura The Technical Death Metal quartet in best Death tradition from Munich performed another strong show. They considered by „Mortification Of The Vulgar Sun“ and the title song their new masterpiece „Diluvium“. As instrumentally high-skilled they also played the more well-known tracks like the opener „Ten Sepiroth“, „Akroasis“ and the phenomenal „The Anticosmic Overload“, „Ode To The Sun“ and the final „Centric Flow“ caused several headbangers.
Comeback Kid Lead by the enormously agile fronter Andrew Neufeld the fivepiece from Winnipeg started by „GM Vincent & I“ in an inspiring show. From then on most of the T-Stage area kept jumping to „False Idols Fall“, „Do Yourself A Favor“, „Broadcasting …“, „Talk Is Cheap“ as „Die Knowing“. Andrew didn’t hesitate to do a crodsurfing trip. So by their hit „Wake The Dead“ the band set the final point after a sweat as amazing show.
Friday
Main Stage
Annisokay Years ago horrible Symphonic Metal sirens opened each morning, nowadays it starts with good live bands like Annisokay. Presenting by „Coma Blue“ and „Unaware“ two songs from their strong new album „Arms“ turned out a bit like a release show, being released on this day. Little fun fact became the situation when fronter Dave Grunewald did some crowdsurfing, ran behind the stage to enter it from there again, and he spoke through the microphone he’d be searching the entrance. Besides that their fans celebrated „Thumbs Up Thumbs Down“, „Carry Me Away“ as „What’s Wrong“ of this early first live highlight of the day.
Megaherz Another Rammstein-soundalike after the formation of their ex-vocalist the day before performend on friday noon. By the opener „Vorhang Auf“, the title track and „Nicht Genug“ the combo played songs from their new output „Komet“. And like the other mentioned band they finished by by their hit „Miststück“.
Northlane While intensively hot conditions the quintet from Sidney entered the stage. They seemed to be used to it dealing with the situation without losing live quality. Lead by the variable voice of singer Marcus Bridge compositions like „Rot“, „Colourwave“, „Citizen“ and the final „Quantum Flux“ convinced completely. The fans didn’t move too much while those temperatures, but their jubilating support was clear. An excellent concert which just left the question why they didn’t play „Heartmachine“. But that’s a question on a high luxury level.
Amaranthe Lead by the vocalists Nils Molin and the beautiful Elize Ryd the sixpiece opened with „Maximize“ and „On The Rocks“. It seemed a bit like their variable Modern Metal wasn’t everone’s case, but maybe the weather was the reason for the loss of visitors during the show. The band itself played a solid gig and bid farewell by „Nexus“.
Danko Jones The best good mood medicine against tropic weather is the trio from Toronto. „Sugar Chocolate“, „First Date“ as „Gonna Be A Fight Tonight“ left no other spectator’s option than to move, rock and dance. Danko Jones himself showed for another time his entertainer qualities by several funny comments as by animating the crowd. Cool concert!
J.B.O. From then on everything seemingly turned to pink. Of course, the Comedy Metal combo from the close town of Erlangen started another home game. The area was completely populated celebrating the opener „Alles Nur Geklaut“ and „Du Hast Dein Smartphone Vergessen“ from the new release „Deutsche Vita“ as the older „I Don’t Like Metal“, „Bolle“, „Ein Guter Tag Zum Sterben“, „Verteidiger Des Blödsinns“ and the final „Ein Fest“. Another complete success for the fourpiece.
Saltatio Mortis When the sevenpiece entered the stage the first rain drops fell. But that didn’t stop them as their fans. They were witnesses of the live premier of „Grobe Träume“, „Dorn Im Ohr“ and „Brunhild“ of the just the same day released new output „Brot Und Spiele“. Their supporters applauded to those ones as to the more well-known „Wo Sind Die Clowns“, „Prometheus“, „Rattenfänger“ and the final „Spielmannsschwur“.
Doro The following 75 minutes mainly consisted of a flashback to the Warlock era. Afte a strong rain and technical problems classics like „I Rule The Ruins“, „Burning The Witches“, „Für Immer“ as „Hellbound“ got much support by the audience. A bit strange felt the choice to perform the Wacken-hymn „We Are The Metalheads“ at the Summer Breeze. Anyway, the metal queen performed another successful show which found its end by the Judas Priest cover „Breaking The Law“ and the singalong-animating Doro hit „All We Are“.
Trivium Wow, what a start: After the Iron Maiden intro the quartet from Orlando opened by „The Sin And The Sentence“ and „Throes Of Perdition“. After the rain the festival area got re-populated, so numerous fans jumped, headbanged and sang along to „Until The World Goes Cold“, „Down From The Sky“ as „Like Light To The Flies“. The performance was a very tight one, and Matt Heafy entertained through the set. In a few moments everything felt a bit too planned and too professional. Heafy’s many animations to jump could have been done a bit less. But this is critissism on a high level. By the encores „Strife“ and „In Waves“ they finished a jubilated show.
Arch Enemy Another band with the little danger of acting too routined professional entered the stage, this time without guitarist Jeff Loomis due to familiar reasons. And they started phenomenal as well by the smashers „The World Is Yours“, „Ravenous“, „War Eternal“ and „My Apocalypse“ let nobody think too long about taking part in. And the number of headbangers even incrased while „You Will Know My Name“. Alissa White-Gluz showed for another time her stage qualitiy. The band played tight as usual. So after the encores „Avalanche“, „Snow Bound“ and „Nemesis“ the Swedes left a happy crowd.
Satyricon Time was up for one of the biggest Black Metal bands from Oslo. The newer „Midnight Serpent“ and „Our World, It Rumbles Tonight“ began somehow a bit retained. But from the following „Black Crow On A Tombstone“ this show became magic around midnight. The upright acting fronter Satyr motivated the fans for several times, so those ones headbanged to „Now, Diabaolical“, „Mother North“, „The Pentagram Burns“, „Fuel For Hatred“ and the finisher „K.I.N.G.“. A tight band, the mainman Satyr throning over everything and a curious crowd resulted in an exellent show.
Turisas The latest release had been 5 years ago, but the Pagan group was still ready to appear live in Dinkelsbühl. Their supporters didn’t care and celebrated them from „The March Of The Varangian Guard“ to the encores „Stand Up And Fight“ and the Boney M cover „Rasputin“
T-Stage
At The Gates After the rain the founders of Gothenburg Melodic Death Metal entered the stage. The many fans reacted hungry celebrating the title song, „A Stare Bound In Stone“ and „The Chasm“ of their new album „To Drink From The Night Itself“ as to „Slaughter Of The Soul“, „At War With Reality“, „Nausea“ and „Suicide Nation“. Fronter Tompa seemed very happy about the reactions. He and his tight band fellows marked the phenomenal end of this show by „Blinded By Fear“ and „The Night Eternal“.
Saturday
Main Stage
Parasite Inc. The last day of this year’s Summer Breeze started with Melodic Death Metal from the close town of Aalen. The quartet released their new album „Dead And Alive“ and considered by the opener „Countershock“, „Once And For All“, „This World“, Flesh Decadence“ as the title track several new songs from it and gained the first headbangers of the day.
Betraying The Martyrs The sixpiece from Paris continued and evolved this by their grooving sound. The opener „Lost For Words“, „Liberate Me Ex Inferis“, „The Resilient“ and the finisher „The Gread Disillusion“ rocked, the band performed agile as tight and the supporters started the first pit of the day.
Carnifex And there were more up to follow: The Deathcore commando from San Diego set their brutal highspeed sound from „Drown Me In Blood“ to „Lie To My Face“ while the crowd got in intensive motion.
Bannkreis The side-project of Eric Fish and three more members of Subway To Sally with the blind singer and multi-instrumentalist Johanna Krins set a more silent accent than the acts before. Their set of course mainly consisted of material from their dabut „Sakrament“. A surprise became the live interpretation of „Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)“.
Phil Campbell & The Bastard Sons The ex-Motörhead guitarist brought his threes sons on guitar, bass and drums as vocalist Neil Starr to Wacken to rock. Their set contained material from their debut release „The Age Of Absurdity“ and covers of Phils ex-band. Of course „Rock Out“, „Going To Brazil“, „Born To Raise Hell“ and „The Ace Of Spades“ got the loudest reactions.
Feuerschwanz The sixpack from the close town of Erlangen had some kind of a home game. But probably they would have succeeded anyway: From „Hexenjagd“ and „Blöde Frage, Saufgelage“ to the encores „Zuckerbrot Und Peitsche“ and „Das Niemals Endende Gelage“ they played party songs numerous fans had been longing for.
Korpiklaani Another Pagan party group entered the stage. The six Finns from Lahti introduced by „Aallon Alla“, „Harmaja“ and „Kotikonnut“ material from their forthcoming output „Kulkija“. Their supporters celebrated everything, especially the known final party songs „Beer Beer“ and „Vodka“.
Dirkschneider Mainman Udo, his sidekick Stefan Kaufmann and their band presented a complete Accept nostalgia setlist. From the opener „Metal Heart“ over „Breaker“, „Princess Of The Dawn“, „Restless And Wild“, „ Son Of A Bitch“, „I’m A Rebel“ to the encores Fast As A Shark“ and „Balls To The Wall“ the two ex-Accept-members as their colleges performed these classics well and made several fans very happy.
Papa Roach Many visitors were curious about the appearance of the quartet from Sacramento. They opened by the title song from their current album „Crooked Teeth“ into an energetic set. It didn’t take long letting the crowd freak out when they played the hits „Getting Away With Murder“ and „Between Angels And Insects“ which seemingly everyone knew. Same procedure happened with the former MTV-hit „Broken Home“ and the Blur cover „Song 2“. Fronter Jacoby Shaddix and his three comrades showed a performance with much motion and emotion. So he held a speech about fighting depression. Later on they included into „Forever“ a part of Linkin Park’s „In The End“ dedicated to the passed singer Chester Bennington. The rest of the show had a happy atmosphere and ended with the encores „Scars“, „None Of The Above“ and the top-hit „Last Resort“.
W.A.S.P. A bit sad was the aspect most of the people left the festival area after a strong Papa Roach show. So the Metal legend from Los Angeles had to appear in front of a much smaller audience in comparison to before. But those fans who had stayed shouldn’t regret their decision when mainman Blackie Lawless & Co started furious by „On Your Knees“, „Inside The Electric Circus“, „The Real Me“ and „L.O.V.E. Machine“. A special highlight became the magic „The Idol“. The band got celebrated by their loyal fans and finished their jubilated show with „Chainsaw Charlie (Murders In The New Morgue)“, „Wild Child“ and „I Wanna Be Somebody“.
Bloodbath The Death Metal machine from Stockholm consisting of artists well-known from Katatonia and Opeth as fronter Nick Holmes from the British Paradise Lost, who seemed in much better voice condition than he had been three days before with his main band, returned to smash the fans into the last night. And so they did from the strong beginning by „Let The Stillborn Come“, „Cry My Name“, „So You Die“ and „Breeding Death“ on. Their fans astonished by their motivation as fitness right after four days as midnight. So „Cancer Of The Soul“, „Outnumbering The Day“ and the final „Eaten“ became a real pleasure between hundreds of headbangers.
Carpenter Brut This year the organizers got a new concept to finish the Main Stage program of this edition: The Electro Metal trio from France animated by their sound for the final dance ending in its highlight, the „Maniac“ cover sung by several after-midnight-partyheads.
T-Stage
Napoleon Time for Djent: I had never seen the quartet from the UK, but this show turned out to one of the unexpected highlights of this weekend. From the opener „Afterlife“ on they showed very variable songs combined with an agile performance during which especially Samuel Osborn impressed by his guitar skills. So the place got more and more filled. Hopefully the next live option will happen soon!
Wolfheart In front of the beautiful stage set consisting of trees in winter the band from Lahti around mainman Tuomas Saukkonen entered the stage. In the late afternoon the quartet inspired by their dark sound including „The Hunt“, the previously unreleased „Breakwater“ from their forthcoming album and the final „Boneyard“.
Omnium Gatherum Another Melodic Death Metal formation from Finland was supposed to follow: And they presented by the opener „The Burning“, „Refining Fire“ and „Gods Go First“ three new songs from their forthcoming new album „The Burning Cold“ to be released two weeks later. Besides that the fans headbanged to the well-known „Frontiers“, „The Unknowing“, „New Dynamic“ and „New World Shadows“. Animated by the never resting vocalist Jukka Pelkonen there was no option left than to participate.
Conclusion:
The organization ran well as known. Different water stations for free helped the visitors a lot to stay comfortable while these hot temperatures. The technical problems after the strong rain were solved fast. And what we really need to mention: The Summer Breeze 2019 offered most of the time as for most bands a phenomenal sound. Besides that the food mile offered the well-known variety while most of the prices for food and beverages stayed constand (e.g. 4 € for 0,4 l can of beer or softdrink).
So we are looking forward to Summer Breeze 2019!!! Special thankts go out to David Gregori and the SB-team!!!!! On the airfield of Dinkelsbühl / Sinnbronn rocked, drank and partied Tobi Wan Kenobi, Wirwa, Fleiter, Nina, Paganola & Michael!!!!!