Schloßplatz, Stuttgart, Germany
11th August 2011
Placebo, 30 Seconds to Mars, The Words
With a 5-day event programme under the name 'Stuttgarter Sternstunden’ the automobile manufacturer Mercedes-Benz from Swabia has thanked Stuttgart's population for 125 years of manufacturing cars. Among a lot of other events, the international football match between Germany and Brazil in the beginning and quite a special event on the 11th of August, a concert evening with the bands THE WORDS, 30 SECONDS TO MARS and PLACEBO on Stuttgart's Schloßplatz, belonged to the overall celebration.
The Words
Already five years ago, Indie band THE WORDS was founded in Manchester / Great Britain. After the band has played at countless festivals and nearly 100 concerts since the last year, they'll now publish in November 2011 their debut album ‘Truth & Faith’. For some months, THE WORDS are also present with the mixed tape project of Mercedes-Benz which is a platform for new talents. www.thewordsmusic.co.uk
Music & Performance
Already at 4:00 PM, admittance was allowed on Stuttgart's Schloßplatz where in delightfully summery weather approx. 32,000 spectators were expected. Then at 5:20 PM, it was time and the SWR3 (regional radio station) presenter Anneta Politi welcomed the already present spectators and announced the first band of the evening, THE WORDS. Shortly after singer and guitarist Steven Draper, Graeme “Stuart” Smith (drums/percussion), Neil Rowbotham (lead guitar/backing vocals) and Tom Jackson (bass) entered the stage. The band delivered a good start for the evening and the audience rocked during about half an hour. Unfortunately, the sound reached only the listeners of the front area really good - further behind it was almost already too quiet…
Rating
Music: 7
Performance: 7
Sound: 7
Light: - (daylight)
Total: 7 / 10
30 Seconds to Mars
US American Alternative Rock band 30 SECONDS TO MARS (30STM) was founded in 1998 in Los Angeles. Founders were the actor and current singer of the band Jared Leto and his brother Shannon Leto. During the past years the band received already some honouring worldwide as for example at the MTV Europe Music Awards, Italian TRL Awards and CMA Wild and Young Awards. Their latest album‚ 'This Is War‘, was published on the 4th of December, 2009. www.30secondstomars.com
Music & Performance
After the rebuilding break, Anneta Politi announced first the German tennis legend Boris Becker. As member of the board of directors of “Laureus sport for Good foundation”, he received a 25,000 euros of donation cheque from Dr. Joachim Schmidt, a member of the Mercedes-Benz management.
Then from 6:20 PM on, the stage belonged only to 30STM! With them the probably - I think not only for me - most disappointing part of the evening began: The sound did not reach - as already happened with THE WORDS - not the further behind standing fans. Moreover, singer Jared Leto talked between the single songs quite a lot and above all after every song longer what led to the fact that less and less fans listened. Even hits like 'Hurricane' or 'Closer To The Edge‘ helped nothing. Really good mood arose merely in the front third of the Schloßplatz. The singer dealt with the fans in this area so well that he got even some men, women and children on the stage. Besides that, it was very disappointing that the photographers were not allowed to take photos of 30STM. What is this new stardom behaviour? Don’t need any press anymore? After approx. 1 ½ hours their show was over and the stage was altered the last time for this evening…
Setlist
01. Escape
02. A Beautiful Lie
03. Attack
04. Search And Destroy
05. Vox Populi
06. This Is War
07. L490
08. Hurricane (Acoustic)
09. The Kill (Acoustic)
10. Closer To The Edge
11. Night Of The Hunter
12. Kings And Queens
Rating
Music: 7
Performance: 5
Sound: 6
Light: - (daylight)
Total: 6 / 10
Placebo
British Alternative Rock band PLACEBO was founded in 1994 in London. With their sixth and up to now most successful album 'Battle for the of Sun', which appeared on 5th of June 2009 and which reached in Germany as well as in Austria and the Swiss place one of the charts, something changed for the band: In 2008 the band separated from long year drummer Steve Hewitt and was replaced by former EVALINE drummer Steven Forrest, quite a youngster compared to the rest of the band. Furthermore, they changed from major label Virgin Records to Indie label PIAS. www.placeboworld.co.uk/
Music & Performance
Then finally, at 8:30 PM, Anneta Politi announced the highlight of the evening: PLACEBO! The audience was totally carried away by the band’s performance. In the upcoming darkness, the lightshow on the stage, the gigantic LED-screens on the area and the lighting of the surrounding old buildings looked absolutely beautiful. Also the sound was better than before: Even louder, harder and more exact. The mood could not have been better. Primarily, PLACEBO played their big hits and not so many songs of the last album since this was their only Open-air concert this year. From 'Follow The Cops Back Home'‚ 'Every You Every Me' and 'Bitter End‘ everything was present and after 1 ½ hours and some additions, unfortunately, everything was already over. Once more a great concert of Brian Molko (voice/guitar), Stefan Olsdal (bass) and Steven Forrest (drums)
Setlist
01. For What It‘s Worth
02. Ashtray Heart
03. Soulmates Never Die
04. Bright Lights
05. Follow The Cops Back Home
06. Every You Every Me
07. Special Needs
08. Breathe Underwater
09. All Apologies (Nirvana Cover)
10. Meds
11. Teenage Angst
12. Song To Say Goodbye
13. The Bitter End
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14. Running Up That Hill (Kate Bush Cover)
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15. Trigger Happy Hands
16. Post Blue
17. Infra-Red
18. Taste In Men
Rating
Music: 9
Performance: 9
Sound: 8
Light: 8
Total: 8.8 / 10
Finally we can say that it was a really nice thank you of Mercedes-Benz, although PLACEBO could properly persuade as the only band of the evening, namely not only the many fans on the Schloßplatz but also the many people who had appeared on the steps of the Königsbau and those to the Kleinen Schloßplatz to get some impressions of the event!
All pictures by Erika Knepper (
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