Zita Rock Festival 2012


In the beginning fans coming to the sixth edition of Zita Rock Festival didn’t have reasons to feel great excitement. Bands that were announced firstly were well known and pleasent to hear, but as my friend claimed: "the same ones are playing on the same place as usual". Something changed at the beginning of a year. Next festival day was added and lineout was filled with the really cult bands.

FRIDAY

Lord of the Lost
The musicians of Hamburg Lord of the Lost debuting on Berlin festival couldn’t make complains at their warming up role. Despite early time in front of the stage gathered quite big crowd of the fans that welcomed a performance of young, energetic rockers with significant enthusiasm. The musicians led by Chris Harms, gave vital and full of energy show. Attention was paid to their scenic outfits, perfect make up, stylizations. Even though set was short and it was early they showed all of their skills. An audience definitely appreciated their efforts, people were singing together with Chris and were clapping their hands each time. "Lollies" played flagships songs and few tracks from the forthcoming album "Die Tomorrow".



OOMPH!
After the youngers came time for the veterans. OOMPH! that appeared on ZRF for the third time, was for sure the most awaited by the majority of the fans.
I was curious of their performance, because the album "Des Wahnsinns fette Beute", promoted at the same time, gets extreme opinion among the fans and the reviewers. As Dero stated intention of the album is to be 'autoironic’. It is... unusual. What more did OOMPH! show us that evening?
It’s clearly visible that there are more musicians on the stage - extra automatic drums and keys. Layout - maritime. The musicians grab their instruments and start powerfully with "Unzerstörbar". Dero Goi run up the stage - like crazy boatswain. Strong, grotesque make up a’la Joker, sailor’s clothes. As always he charms with vocal abilities, sings clearly without mistakes. He strikes rhythm on a drum standing next to a tripod. Audience is following him with clapping, noone seems to be bored, noone is wondering would it be better to go right now and eat some chips. New songs mix together with older ones. However, in my opinion, the older ones seem to be more powerful. Especially, when I see pogo in front of the stage during "Mitten ins Herz" and Dero jumps on the fans’ stretched hands.
Among the new songs original ’shanty’ ""Seemansrose" stands out. The most important instrument here is suprisingly accordion and the clasped fans’ hands remind of sea waves. At the end, traditionally the bands serves us a cover - this time it is "Always look on the bright side of life". I used that advice and stopped thinking about my doubts relating to the new album. I wait to see how O! will surprise me at the Autumn tour.



The time has come to wander around the festival’s area. Everything is traditionally on its place - wide choice of food and drinks, stores with 'dark’ clothes, gadgets and festival merch. The new thing was the real occasion for the football lovers - because of EURO 2012, taking place at the same time, large telebim was placed under the trees allowing to follow the sport emotions. There was also a tent where musicinas were giving autographs on the CD’s, shirts, bags or... fans’ bodies. Oficially it was the day when Lord of the Lost were suppossed to give autographs, but OOMPH! had appeared there first unexpectedly. Unfortunately, information about it didn’t appear anywhere official (and if it was just too late) so many fans lost the chance to meet the musicians eye to eye.

Evanescence
It was geting darker above a citadel and the time came for headliner’s performance. It’s nice to notice that finally the frontman was a woman. American singer without any troubles took the hearts of the fans and her voice made rock rhythms much more... delicate. Rest of the band seemed to be constantly hidden behind her back.
I was watching the performance from the distance, so I had a chance to observe nice lightning that was fully visible after dusk. I believe that nobody was regretting while walking out of the citadel, even if only three bands played at the first day.



SATURDAY

I started the festival’s Saturday with a visit at "Fledermaus Keller". This bats’ cellar is a room used as a museum and 'minizoo’ for bats. You have to know that usually about 11.000 bats stay in the citadel during Winter! This is one of the most important places of their residence in Europe. Admission is payable and money, of course, are spent on taking care after these unusual residents. In the museum besides possibility of taking a look at sleeping bats there are exhibition rooms, where you can get some information about their species, customs or superstitions connected with them. And if we talk about superstitions I was amused to tears by 'Dracula’s hall’ with horrible statues of a famous vampire and vamp lying in a coffin. Unfortunately, I weren’t able to spend as much time as I would like to in the museum, because the musicians appeared on the stage.

Staubkind
A bit of rain didn’t make anyone running away outside the stage. Also I, with pleasure, watched the performance of local project Staubkind, whose mastermind is Terminal Choice’s guitar player Louis Manke. Year 2012 is undoubtedly fortunate for him - soon the new album is going to be released and the band has a chance to play as support during the tour of becoming more and more popular Unheilig. It is hard to find revolution in their performance, as usual they went for simplicity and scenic minimalism. They also played the tracks from the forthcoming album, I liked especially "Rette mich".



Zeraphine, Mono Inc.
Next two bands played during last years’ edition of the festival as well. That’s why I would like to send all of the interested to my last years’ report - there are no changes, which doesn’t mean of course that I didn’t like the concerts. However, there is no revolution. Each of the bands shows the same, formed style, no changes during the show. Noone "invented a wheel" last year, so I won’t be wasting the time to write the same things as last time.

Saltatio Mortis
I will just mention that the concert took place. Unfortunately, even the editors have to eat and drink sometimes, not mentioning catching up the popular musicians among the audience. This time Alex from Eisbrecher and Chris L. from Agonoize were present - they didn’t appear on the stage, but came privately to have some fun. So unfortunately, I didn’t watch SM’s performance this year, but judging by the dancing fans and the crowd in front of the stage the show had to be successful.



The 69 Eyes
Firstly, I need to admit that for me that was the best concert during the festival. Next veterans of the stage were consequent at the sound and image. They didn’t disappoint that evening - you could see that they are in good mood and at the highest shape.They served the set of well known hits and made Saturday evening the real Goth’n’Roll feast. Traditionally they played "Feel Berlin", cult in this city. As for me, they left the stage definitely too early.



ASP
Fortunately, after Finns’ great performance there was no decrease of power and tension. Again Alexander "ASP' Spreng (he has performed few times during ZRF so far) started to play with the audience and he left them totally exhausted. Recently, the fans felt grief after receiving the information that guitarist Matze had left the band, but I must admit that his successor is doing fine. As always ASP was skillful "dance leader" that was able to take the audience to the extraordinary world, where Black Butterflies live and reality is covered with ice. For the first time I had a chance to listen to the song standing 'back to back’ with the singer - during "Rücken an Rücken" ASP turned back to the fans and they turned back to the stage. There were a lot of special effects as well - pyrotechnics ("Ich will brennen"), CO2 cannons ("Eisige wirklichkeit"), snow faking foam ("Ungeschickte Liebesbriefe") Impressions – unforgetable.



After the concert we glanced at the telebim, where Polish football players were bitten by Czechs and we went to Spandau brewery located nearby to 'celebrate’ eliminating our team from the tournament, farewelled by the fireworks above the citadel.
Luckily, the concerts during the festival were so good that they sweetened our football "eagles" deeds.