Pallets and Extremes

Nova Rock Festival 2018

Pannonia Fields II, Nickelsdorf, Austria 20180614-17

The rainclouds are moving fast over the country, the wind whistles through every mouse hole – Burgenland lives up to its reputation for nasty storms. Especially when you’re outside, at the biggest rock event around: the Nova Rock Festival.

Only the tents rust in the rain…

Despite the mediocre weather and temperatures many arrive on Wednesday and as the main area opens on Thursday a motivated crowd is waiting at the entrance. All Them Witches from Tennessee and Ego Kill Talent from Brazil then start the four days full of music and high spirits. Black Stone Cherry from Kentucky follow, beginning with the big hits from their first three records, plus they recently released their sixth LP. Dead Cross, Meshuggah and later Stone Sour and Thy Art Is Murder as well as Parkway Drive make the Hardcore hearts beat faster, while Kraftklub and Seiler & Speer present the melodies to sing along. Due to the short-term cancellation of Die Toten Hosen, Marilyn Manson is headliner of the day and persuades with classics like “Coma White”.

On Friday the weather is better, as delicacies like Fyn, Sam Chalcraft and JackTheBusch play the Singer-Songwriter-Stage. The Brandwagen-Stage presents local insider tips like Black Cage and Jugo Ürdens as well as international ones like Crazy Town, who announce a new record for December. On the Red Stage Krautschädl, Anti-Flag, Mad Caddies, OK Kid and Gentleman are the revolutionaries from the genres Punk, Hip-Hop and Reggae while on the Blue Stage Arch Enemy are roistering amongst others. Headliners are Avenged Sevenfold and The Prodigy, before Late Night Special Otto Waalkes sings classics with habitually funny lyrics and is revealed as the actual main act for some.

… in the sun the crowd dances

The perfect festival weather arrives on Saturday, cloudy, neither too warm nor too cold. The Donots – Turbobier Punk Rock Hiking Day moves a considerable crowd over the area. It gets more laid back with Baroness, before Body Count releases their latest record “Bloodlust” on the audience. Ice-T uses clear words as usual and presents his family and Sen Dog (Cypress Hill, Powerflo). Brian Fallon & The Howling Weather follow on the Red Stage, before another cult Punk band, Wizo plays their first gig since two years. A brilliant show with nice comments like “Condolences to your government!” At the same time Limp Bizkit delivers their brutal fun as they are known and loved, right before Volbeat and another cult act: Billy Idol.

What was the Warm-Up-Day the last two years, is 2018 the Sunday: the main stage stays closed until the evening, the Brandwagen-Stage doesn’t open at all. On the Red Stage, Wendi’s Böhmische Blasmusik starts followed by Less Than Jake, Enter Shikari and Passenger. Billy Talent has the biggest audience. No wonder as they got lots of sing-along tunes. The Raven Age then can’t win against the fans of Sunrise Avenue, but while Killswitch Engage more and more are moving to the Blue Stage to celebrate the final act Iron Maiden, who welcome the audience to the “Legacy of the Beast”-Tour. Bruce Dickinson jumps as if he’d be half his age maximum – a great finish of four days Nova Rock madness!