Frei.Wild - Aschaffenburg 2009

Written by Katrin Renner Wednesday, 06 January 2010 17:32

Colos-Saal, Aschaffenburg, Germany
29th December 2009
Frei.Wild, Serum 114, Engel in Zivil

Actually, I should have been well prepared for the huge crowd waiting for admission in front of the Colos-Saal. According to the venue’s website, the FREI.WILD concert was sold out and it was the week after Christmas and shortly before New Years Eve which means that many people had enough time to spend an evening at Aschaffenburg’s popular alternative music club. Nevertheless, I was speechless when I turned the corner and was faced with a large queue as well as beer crates some attendees had brought to be warmed up in several respects.

The folks were in a great party mood and started to chant FREI.WILD songs while they were waiting. As the Colos-Saal is located in Aschaffenburg’s downtown area, the club’s security people regulated the constant flow of guests in their friendly and competent manner as usual. As it was raining, I was very glad when it was my turn to enter the foyer. At this point, I would like to particularly thank club owner Claus Berninger who allowed me to take photos in the pit which was actually reserved for the security crew that evening. Two bands should support the host FREI.WILD: ENGEL IN ZIVIL from the Erzgebirge and the Frankfurt-based band SERUM 114.

Engel in Zivil

ENGEL IN ZIVIL is Dirk Wölfl (vocals, guitar), Holger Rockstroh (bass, vocals, keys, management), Mario Heinecke (drums), Frank Barthel (bass) and Christian Bös (guitar, vocals). The guys formed the DIE BÖHSEN ONKELZ tribute band about five years ago. Besides intonating and performing cover version of their idols´ songs, ENGEL IN ZIVIL have also written own stuff, for example the most recent EP `Stadionzeit´ or the album `Uns gehört die Welt´ that can be purchased on their website. http://www.myspace.com/engelinzivileiz / http://www.engelinzivil.de/

Music & Performance
When ENGEL IN ZIVIL entered the stage, there had already been a great concert atmosphere among the listeners. The Colos-Saal was completely filled up; it was hot and crowded, but everyone seemed to be in high spirits and the beer was flowing like water. I guess that not that many attendees had heard about the Saxon tribute band before, but the guys were welcomed frenetically. Therefore, ENGEL IN ZIVIL easily found the right way to communicate with the audience who obviously enjoyed the powerful show. The band mainly focussed on playing own songs taken from their releases. Their pieces are pretty similar to the musical style of DIE BÖHSEN ONKELZ and were acknowledged with lots of applause. Though the formation is from the federal state of Saxony, many listeners sang along the stadium anthem `Stadionzeit´ ENGEL IN ZIVIL had recorded for the football club Aue.

Setlist
01. Uns gehört die Welt
02. Leben und Rocken
03. Engel in Zivil
04. Dia de los Muertos
05. In der Hölle sollst du schmoren
06. Ein Arschtritt von mir
07. Ein Teil von mir
08. StadionZeit
09. Danket dem Herrn
10. Ich lieb mich

Rating
Music: 7
Performance: 8
Sound: 8
Light: 8
Total: 7.6 / 10

Serum 114

The punk band from Frankfurt named itself after a substance being used in Stanley Kubrick´s `A Clockwork Orange´. If you have already read the book, you will know that this serum fails in the end. Contrary to the tragic and anarchic-poetic story, SERUM 114 is on the upgrade. Consisting of Esche (vocals, guitar), Thorsten Glatte (guitar), Nils Lang (drums) and Markus Stein (bass), the formation has released two EPs, `Seid Ihr bereit?´ and `V8 Wankers / Serum 114´ (2008), as well as the long-player `Serum 114´ up to now. In 2008, they went on tour with VOLBEAT and MILLENCOLIN. http://www.myspace.com/serum114punkrock

Music & Performance
I hadn’t known the band before and I didn’t have any expectations regarding the appearance. However, I should be pleasantly surprised when the guys were finally raging across the stage. Lead singer Esche, who reminded me a bit of the young Johnny Rotten due to his striking facial expressions, turned out to be an excellent front man who instinctively seemed to know what the listeners were waiting for: Punchy and forceful punk rock songs combined with an animalistic performance. The band members appeared like a practised team and they were absolutely into what they did. Though they didn’t reinvent the wheel with regard to their sound and their poses, they delivered an as energizing as exhausting show. Well done!

Setlist
01. Krawall
02. 114
03. Feinde sein
04. Wo wir zuhause sind
05. Alphatier
06. Adrenalin
07. Zu fett
08. Dummer Junge
09. Durch diese Augen
10. Seid ihr bereit
11. Las Vegas
12. Ich mag dich nicht
13. Viel zu lange hier

Rating
Music: 8
Performance: 9
Sound: 8
Light: 7
Total: 8.2 / 10

Frei.Wild

Philipp (vocals, guitar), Föhre (drums), Zegga (bass) and Jonas (guitar) are FREI.WILD. The South Tyrolean guys from Brixen have just released their sixth long-player `Hart am Wind´ that hit the stores in October 2009. FREI.WILD connects genuine German lyrics to guitar-driven rock with punk-influences and some local colour. Formed in 2001, the band has been able to build up a loyal fan base over the years. At the beginning, they also played cover versions of well-known German language punk and rock representatives such as WIZO, DIE BÖHSEN ONKELZ, DIE TOTEN HOSEN and DIMPLE MINDS. In 2002, FREI.WILD released the debut album `Eines Tages´ which was followed up by `Wo die Sonne wieder lacht´ (2003), `Mensch oder Gott´ (2005), `Mitten ins Herz´ (2006), the live DVD `Von Nah und Fern´ (2007) and `Gegen Alles gegen Nichts´ (2008). http://www.myspace.com/freiwild / http://www.frei-wild.net/

Music & Performance
The venue was filled to capacity and I noticed the first “victims” of beer and heat who needed to have a rest away from the partying crowd that tirelessly chanted the main act’s songs even before FREI.WILD had entered the stage. After an extensive change over, it was finally time for the host’s performance. In October 2009, I wrote a review about the most recent long-player `Hart am Wind´ and while I was listening to the album, I had already guessed what to come when FREI.WILD would be in town. That evening, I experienced a rousing and sweaty concert provided by four young guys who interacted quite naturally with a really devoted audience that made hell breaking loose.

With regard to the performance and the special interludes, FREI.WILD can be compared to a mix of DIE TOTEN HOSEN and DIE BÖHSEN ONKELZ as well. It was obvious that the four-piece has got punk rock rules, although their current musical style is better described with rock than with punk. Their catchy and simple pieces such as `Das Land der Vollidioten´ and `Irgendwer steht dir zur Seite´ own an unique and coarse charm as well as the band itself that even invited some attendees to join them on stage. The jumping, chanting and moshing listeners were celebrating themselves and the band; each and every song was sung along and in the end - after 20 songs - everyone left the Colos-Saal with a big smile on the face.

Setlist
01. Frei.Wild
02. Irgendwer steht dir zur Seite
03. Der Tod er holt uns alle
04. Niemand
05. Südtirol
07. Stück für Stück
08. Arschtritt
09. Wahr oder gelogen
10. Schwarz und Weiß
11. Ich bleib daheim
12. Halt deine Schnauze
13. Gebt mir die Pappe wieder
14. Diesen Schuh musst du dir nicht anziehen
15. Das Land der Vollidioten
16. Feuer, Erde, Wasser, Luft
17. Sieger stehen da auf, wo...
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18. Eines Tages
19. Brixen
20. Wie oft soll´n wir´s dir noch sagen?

Rating
Music: 8
Performance: 8
Sound: 8
Light: 8
Total: 8 / 10