Being a quarter Swede myself, I found it quite awesome to spend my first day ever in the Motherland playing one of the first days of her biggest Rock and Roll festival. We blasted the stage right after our own favorite Swedish glam-rockers Crashdiet, who watch our set along with Tim Yeung and David Vincent of Morbid Angel as well as a member of GWAR, destroyed the stage across from us with their pyrotechnics just moments before. The show was captured in these amazing photos by Hans B of frantiQstudios:
7Jun2011 - The “Rock” - Copenhagen, Denmark
… was AWESOME. None of us had ever set foot in this country before, and it was a sold out show with some of the most insane, over-zealous BVB fans we had ever seen. The “Rock” was a smaller venue and stage than we had grown used to playing as of recent, but it didn’t matter. The crowd made it feel like a huge festival, circle-pit and all. There was no barricade to the stage either, so we were constantly being grabbed at throughout our performance.
Here is a video someone caught from that night:
Black Veil Brides performing “Perfect Weapon” at The Rock in Copenhagen, Denmark
6Jun2011 - The Tempest
The day following our delightful weekend in Germany saw us embarking on a treacherous journey aboard a ferry boat across the stormy Baltic Sea to Copenhagen, Denmark. Here is the trip, as depicted in a woodcut by 16th Century sea-farers:
…. and here’s a perhaps more accurate depiction taken by a modern photographer. There was a lot more lightning and thunder however. It was indeed epic.
…you can’t see the giant sea monster in the photo either. But it was there.
Late that night we arrived in Copenhagen, greeted by beautiful, Amazonic women in the doorways of buildings lining the street to our luxurious hotel…
….as we adjusted our weary eyes, it turned out that these buildings were brothels, and these beautiful women… were not actually women at all. Goodnight, Copenhagen!
“Knives and Pens” live at Rock Im Park 05Jun2011
3-5Jun2011 - Rock Am Ring und Rock Im Park, Germany
Our first day at Rock Am Ring at Nurburgring racetrack was intense. With an attendance of 80,000 plus, it was literally like looking out into a sea of people. Our sound on stage that day was a little left to be desired and we couldn’t hear ourselves, but of course that didn’t phase us, and we played our hearts out in the blazing German sun to our Army.
After our set, we retired back to our dressing room to join our comrades in Asking Alexandria and All That Remains and engaged in the usual backstage shenanigans. Drinks flowed and good conversations were had. Adam Dutkiewicz of Killswitch Engage was also hanging around, as he was there with his other band Times of Grace. He’s a funny dude. As the sun set, I wandered out and got lost in the multitude to take some blurry night time photos of the crowds:
Sunday at Rock Im Park in Nuremberg was especially fun for me because of where the festival was located: the Zeppelinfeld where all of Hitler’s famous speeches and rallies were held from 1933 to 1938. Being the history nut that I am, it was intriguing to be standing where the fervor one of the World’s most changing events unfurled. It was also magical for me to see so many people gather for something so positive and peaceful where so many had once gathered for something so negative and hateful. After our set, Ashley and I were allowed to get rather close to the tribune platform where Hitler spoke, and snapped some pictures.
I swear I’m not seig-heiling in that last photo lol.
The Zeppelinfeld as it looked in the 1930’s during a rally:
Disposing of the swastika atop the tribune in 1945 after the war had ended:
Ashley and I then met with some fans and found our way to the main stage to catch Social Distortion’s set. God damn they are great live.
I then wandered back to our dressing room and discovered the artist lounge nearby where everyone was chatting it up with mojitos. I spotted Taylor Momsen sitting with her band Pretty Reckless and went over to say hello to them. More drinks flowed and I had some great conversation with the band, all super nice peeps. We’ll be seeing them again at Download this weekend.
All in all I had a blast in Germany and can’t wait to do it again. Now to go somewhere I have never been before: Copenhagen, Denmark, where we have a sold out headliner show awaiting us…
Stay tuned!
04Jun2011
Rock Am Ring was a blast yesterday! Looking forward to Rock Im Park tomorrow.
I will post a more in depth coverage of both shows tomorrow night with more photos, possibly some video.
Until then, I’m going to enjoy the rest of this sweltering hot day off in Nuremburg with a cold shower and a cold beer…
For now, enjoy these latest write-ups from Guitar World and Guitar International ;)
Wide awake again at 4am DST. Don’t think I’ll ever adapt to this jetlag.
Time for some local Pinot Noir, a window to watch the sunrise, and some more photos :)
Today I decided to venture out of the cottage to see what was around here….
Found out that we are in a very small country village and I stand out like a clown at a funeral! Found the only one-stop convenience store in town and purchased some rad petrol station-grade cognac and a nice chianti for some reason… perhaps it was the serial killer in me…
Now for the sweat, the blood, the warpaint…
Next stop: ROCK AM RING!!!
01Jun2011 - Germany
Germany does not suck. Fine wine, fine dine, good cheer and great beer.
Our board for the next few days is a secluded cottage in the countryside near where the festival is held. It’s the kind of place where a couple may go to renew their vows, or where a writer may come to get some inspirational piece and quiet….
….or to kill oneself. Either way, this place is rad, live chickens and all.
31may2011
Didn’t sleep a wink. Next stop: LAX.
Check in. Sign some autographs, take some pictures. My life does not suck.
