Summertime Madness Blurs In Haze

Ryte, Toxic Men

Arena Beisl Bierwoche Open Air, Arena Wien, Austria 20230802

It is the most wonderful time of the year: Bierwoche. Be outside inside the sacred walls of the Arena, enjoy the atmosphere, the drinks and the music. One whole week, each day fabolous bands perform and another beer is presented and for a free donation, that is fed to a box with a fork. 

So the line-up the year before featured for example The Röad Crew, Lurch, Great Rift and Vulvarine. This year started with the Punkmonday including Die Böslinge and Onkel Gusta. Throughout the week Six-Score, Grim Justice, Lowbau and Mortal Strike follow, and on Saturday, Mothers Of The Land and Liquid Earth will play next to OFF! before the final with Los Flixs and Go! Go! Gorillo on Sunday. 

Due to bad misplanning, the Wednesday is the only day this year, but the weather and bands make it a perfect one. The Toxic Men describe their music as ‚a fusion of Rock n‘ Roll, Donau-Stoner and Trash’. Probably influenced by the big names from Black Sabbath to Iggy Pop, they get you up your feet with a massive sound and neat voices. The lyrics talk about slaves and monsters or ‚sounds like Scorpions‘ as they joke before they ring in the „Wings of Chains“. 

The well attended place between the administration building and Beisl is crowded more and more continuously, as the visitors gather in front of the stage for Ryte (Heavy Psych Sounds). They were part of the phenomenal Roadtrip To Outta Space Odyssey in the beginning of the year with Avalanche amongst others. 

They don’t need much words or lyrics as they jam their songs like from the self-titled debut. The string wizards enchant even the kids sitting on the floor with their ear protectors on. And in the haze, the vision blurs and sound and mood fade to the atmosphere, that make the Arena (Beisl) (Bierwoche) so wonderful it is.