Legends of Rock festival (Bloodgood, Whitecross...)

Joined : 06 Mar 2007 Posts : 145

Woohoo...I have to tell you about it! cheers

On Saturday I went to the Legends of Rock festival here in Germany a few miles from my home - it was one of the best concerts I've been to!
The setlist was already promising:

Bloodgood - Bloodgood was one of the first christian metal bands I listened to in the late eighties and still is in my Top3 of christian metal bands! The last time they were in Germany was 15 years ago when they recorded "To Germany with love". I haven't been to that concert and thereafter never had the chance to see them live in the good old days - and I didn't expect to get this chance ever again.
Whitecross - same as for Bloodgood (except the Top3 part, but I still like them a lot)
The Rex Carroll sessions
Glenn Kaiser Band
Narnia
Seventh Avenue
Stavesacre
Blindside

Since my tinnitus increased at last year's Legends of Rock I didn't really plan to go to the concert...until I heard that Bloodgood would be there! And Whitecross! I had to go! So I got a pair of good ear protection for musicians and went to Legends of Rock! But I decided to pass some of the bands to spare my ears. So I didn't go in when Stavesacre (saw them several times before, good live band), Blindside and Glenn Kaiser Band (also a Legend of Rock though, but not my favorite) played. Of the Rex Carroll sessions I've seen/heard 2 songs - blues is not my thing, but of course cool guitar solos. I saw most of the songs by Narnia - very energetic! I have seen them several times before though.
Seventh Avenue started the festival. Me and my brother were a little bit late, so we missed the first one or two songs. As usual Seventh Avenue did a very good live job! Herbie Langhans was a bit croaky though. This time they left out the keys and added a third guitar player (yes, three guitars + bass guitar). They played one song of the new album "Terium" - it sounded good! I've now ordered the album.

But now to the main reasons I came to the concert:
Whitecross entered the stage and Rocked! It was so great to see and hear them playing the old tunes! Rex Carroll on guitar - wow! On the first songs Scott Wenzel sounded as good as ever. During the ballad "You will find it there" he got some problems with his voice but he managed to go through all following songs very well. I tip my hat to the guys of Whitecross (including Mike Feighan on drums)!

Here's what they played:

Who will you follow
Down
Good Enough
Drum solo
Guitar solo
You will find it there
Enough is enough
No way I'm going down
In the Kingdom

...and I think 2 songs I'm not sure about (I shout? We know what's right?) - man, I get old...

The headliner and last band of the festival was Bloodgood!
Before Michael Bloodgood, Les Carlsen, Mark Welling, Paul Jackson and Oz Fox gave an interview on a side stage. These guys are very very nice, authentic, humorous and on fire for Jesus! That's the case with Whitecross as well - they also did a very nice and interesting interview. Bloodgood are writing new material and hope to be able to release a new album already this year!

Their set on stage was amazing! Full of energy, joy (you could see it that they really enjoyed it), double guitars by Jackson and Oz Fox, and a Les Carlsen... Shocked

my brother and me didn't expect that he still would sound THAT great! They couldn't have done it much better 15 years ago! We had a big grin on our faces - nostalgic feelings came up - this concert could have gone on for hours... KISS

Bloodgood's setlist (not in accurate order):

Anguish and Pain
S.O.S
Heaven on Earth
Holy Fire
Out of the Darkness
Soon and very soon (we're going to see the King) - A traditional from Michael's worship album - sounded good!
Eat the Flesh
Crucify
The Messiah
Seven
Man in the middle - A new song! I'm not sure how to classify it. It is a rocker for sure, but not pure 80s metal. Nothing I got excited about, but not bad either. We'll see...
Never be the same
Out of Love
Black Snake
All stand together

Overall this festival was a blast!

Age : 34 Joined : 06 Mar 2007 Posts : 3777

Awesome!!!
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Joined : 06 Apr 2007 Posts : 167

Sounds like a great show. This guy recorded from the back and the sound is pretty good.

http://www.youtube.com/user/kerrylives
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Joined : 07 Apr 2007 Posts : 285

It was a great show.
So cool to see Whitecross, Narnia and Bloodgood live.

Joined : 02 Oct 2007 Posts : 30

I do agree with Snert, the festival was awesome! Especially to see Bloodgood and Whitecross play live was fantastic! I am a metalhead since the late 80s but never got the chance to see both bands live until that gig!

What I do have to state is that the sound, for all of the bands, has never been that good as it was that night. Usually on Christmas Rock Night, the sound is not very good honestly, but this time it was done professionally, except for the fact that during the Whitecross gig the bass guitar was a little bit too loud and you could hardly hear Rex's guitar solos. But I stood in first row in front of the stage, maybe it sounded better from afar.

I think Les Carlsen surprised us all with his voice! Nobody expected such a phenomenous voice after so many years of "silence" and nobody expected such a perfect performance from all of the guys! Paul Jackson and Oz Fox fit together very well! When warming up, Oz played the famous chords of "Soldiers under command"! And in between the whole band played the chorus of "To Hell with the devil" with Les singing along to it! So cool, man!

As I had backstage access I was able to talk to the guys from Whitecross and Bloodgood after the show and the guys were really amazed of the overwhelming response of the audience. Especially Whitecross did not expect this!

I also received some information on the new Stryper album, I guess it will be way better than "Reborn".

Moreover I had the chance to see Les Carlsen sharing his testimony and how he came to Christ, on Tuesday morning at our local Calvary Chapel! He was there because his daughter is currently on the Bible College which belongs to the Chapel! So that was awesome too, to listen to him.

I much appreciated all bands' efforts on the festival and I think it was really worth being there! Seventh Avenue did a great job (it was their second gig with the new guitar player), The Rex Carroll Sessions was just cool blues rock all the way, with Oz Fox steppin' in for one song, Glenn Kaiser Band was also amazing, Narnia were great as always (the drum tracks for the new album have already been recorded!) and Bloodgood and Whitecross have been mentioned before.

I can't say anything about Blindside and Stavesacre as this is not my kind of music!

I can truly say that this was the very best festival I ever attended!

Man in Morph Age : 40 Joined : 08 Apr 2007 Posts : 8525

Sounds great guys.
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Joined : 07 Apr 2007 Posts : 285

It was great.
Now I hope the response of the audience told Whitecross they still rock and I hope God will give them inspiration for maybe an other album.

I was impressed of the show of Bloodgood too.
Listened years ago to a Bloodgood CD and they still rock.
It shows me good rock is for ever.

I wish they would do something like this here...

By the way, on a related note, I have heard this is the last (or one of the last) performances by Whitecross. Any truth to that?

Arttie
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Joined : 06 Mar 2007 Posts : 145

Joined : 02 Oct 2007 Posts : 30

@Snert: My honest opinion about "Man in the middle"? Frankly speaking, this song seemed to be a bit too modern for Bloodgood! Especially these "uh, ah" parts sounded weird to my ears. And Les could not use the full range of his voice on that song.

If this one is not representative for the new Bloodgood album, but is only an "experiment", then it's alright. Otherwise, I would be, let's say, "unhappy"!

Joined : 07 Apr 2007 Posts : 285

I have to tell that what I heard, the old Bloodgood songs sounds much better in my ears.
I love modern rock but I think Bloodgood has to stay in the vein of old rock.

Snert, what are your thoughts about "Man In The Middle"?

Joined : 06 Mar 2007 Posts : 145

I feel pretty much the same. I love some modern rock as well...but Bloodgood should stay with they style we love them for. The song wasn't bad, but if the CD will be like "Man in the middle" it won't be what I hope it to be: classic hard rock/metal.

Joined : 07 Apr 2007 Posts : 285

That's what I hope too snert.