Fantastic shows and Catastrophes

Nova Rock Festival 2024 – Day 3

Pannonia Fields II, Nickelsdorf, Austria 20240615

Every year, the Nova Rock in the very far east of Austria beckons with the biggest names. So this time we travel there for one day on Saturday. Unfortunately, there are no chartered trains anymore to get there. So the regular one is completely crowded at Vienna main station already and in Parndorf, there is no way to get in anymore. Still the real fun is waiting after the festival.. 

Get into the mood..

Green Day, Alien Weaponry, Kerry King, Long Distance Calling, Wargasm, Of Mice & Men, Igorrr, Thy Art Is Murder, Machine Head and Avenged Sevenfold are just few acts, that played the days before already. On the weekend, We Blame The Empire, Kontrust and Against The Current are the ones to open on Red Stage. On Blue Stage, the signs are on Indie Pop first with Blond, Granada bringing the „Summerfieber“ from Graz and Sportfreunde Stiller „Applaus, Applaus“ like at Szene Openair. 

Saltatio Mortis were guests there too already and welcome Ice Tracy Marrow Jr. and his sister on stage during „Valhalla Calling“ and „Für immer jung“. Then the Nu Metal action starts with P.O.D. like at Flex, performing classics like „Boom“ next to brand-new songs from „Veritas“. „When Angels & Serpents Dance“, „Youth of the Nation“ and „Southtown“ are highlights, before Sonny Sandoval does a romantic marriage on stage for two fans to „Alive“. 

..For the personal headliners

Then it is time to say goodbye to Sum 41, who play their final show in Austria after the Arena Open Air. One last time „The Hell Song“, „In Too Deep“, „Pieces“ and „Fatlip“ live. Meanwhile Steel Panther is the kind of band, that you always happen to see waiting for the next act, listening to „Party Like Tomorrow Is The End Of The World“, „Community Property“, „17 Girls in a Row“ and „Party All Day (Fuck All Night)“. 

Finally, Body Count featuring Ice-T are back, while most watch Avril Lavigne. Since 2018, they released „Carnivore“ and „Merciless“ is in the making. Their tour brought them to Mystic Festival, Rock im Park and Rock For People. „Body Count’s in the House“ is followed by their Slayer medley. „There Goes The Neighborhood“ leads to „The Purge“, another new one like „Psychopath“. The fantastic set also features „No Lives Matter“, „Cop Killer“ and „Born Dead“. 

The aftermath 

Unfortunately, it starts to rain during this show and it gets heavier during Måneskin with „Zitti E Buoni“ and the beautiful „Coraline“. While the whole area is flooding, Alice Cooper can keep a group of fans with „Poison“ and „Ballad Of Dwight Fry“ amongst others. And then the real fun begins. Apparently, the organizers didn’t book enough shuttle buses to the train station. 

So we walk through the rain and even make it on time somehow. But as it is the last train as well, it waits about 1,5 hours longer for more people who are on their way and would be stuck otherwise. Hopefully they will learn from this fiasco so fans can come and watch likes of Mudfight, Arklight, Glazed Curtains, Dropkick Murphys and Black Stone Cherry on Sunday and Slipknot or Wanda next year and get home again.