Kulturpark, Deutzen, Germany
7th - 9th September 2012
Nocturnal Culture Night 7 Day 3: S.P.O.C.K, Agonoize, Pink Turns Blue, Clan Of Xymox, Angelspit, In Legend, Tying Tiffany, Rummelsnuff, Cronos Titan, The Flood, Substaat
The third and last of this cosy festival had broke and at the same time it became the hottest of them all in terms of temperature. A later summer day that we were planning to enjoy with all the bands playing on this day, peaking with the performance of S.P.O.C.K.
Substaat (Main Stage)
I had the pleasure of seeing SUBSTAAT live already a while ago and I was wondering about if it would be a little more exciting than the last time. Everything's been set pretty fast and the show started with one performing at the front and doing the vocals while the other one handled the synth work. Not that that I would really believe they thing was actually plugged in but it looks definitely better than just one person on stage. I thought that maybe on a second try they would grow on me. It just didn't happen, really. It still is too cold to really touch something or someone, even though the vocals aren't bad. // Rating: 3 / 10 // http://substaatofficial.blogspot.com/ / http://www.facebook.com/substaat
The Flood (Small Stage)
THE FLOOD grew from an initially progressive rock project to an all-electronic outfit. Usually, that doesn't mean you're getting to hear anything close to progressive on the new incarnation. Not so with THE FLOOD. Though from a technical point of view the songs were flawless, they used identical patterns from progressive rock on the electronic music. The breaks came too sudden and random. It didn't seem to make any sense . The melodies however were a fluid unity and so were the vocals. // Setlist: 01. Solemn / 02. Never Wanted / 03. High Above / 04. Don't Miss You / 05. Don't Speak So Loud // Rating: 5 / 10 // http://www.the-flood.de / https://www.facebook.com/floodmusic
Cronos Titan (Main Stage)
Well, since it's been over 17 years since CRONOS TITAN have been founded to provide the world with a hard dark electro sound encompassing industrial influences and religious incursions. I do have to say that my first reaction to the performance I was attending was a raised eyebrow. Seldom have I seen something like that. The two guys with their quirky stage outfit presented the aforementioned old-school industrial, but there was nothing extraordinary to it. In fact, contrary to the information I read they looked like amateurs on stage and didn't create anything resembling a spark that could sprig over to the audience. // Rating: 3 / 10 // http://www.myspace.com/cronostitannorway / https://www.facebook.com/CronosTitan
Rummelsnuff (Small Stage)
Already a lot of people were gathering at the small stage to see the show of curiosities that is RUMMELSNUFF. As for me, I didn't really know what was coming my way. Never got around checking them out. I don't really know if he's serious about what he does there on stage or if it's just mockery of a certain genre mixed with sarcasm. It was a mix of seaman lullabies drowned in electronics and comedy, coined by the deep voice of Roger Baptist. The crowd was entertained a lot during a very special shows and had lots of reason to laugh hard with the funny lyrics. As for me, I didn't get it and watched everything with a certain sense of scepticism. // Rating: 4 / 10 // http://www.rummelsnuff.de/ / https://www.facebook.com/Rummelsnuff/info
Tying Tiffany (Main Stage)
Italian TYING TIFFANY is the outlet of a girlish-looking little lady who purposely aims to fool you with her looks. She's working under that moniker for over 7 years already and according to what I got to see I can't help but thinking those were very successful years. She counterparts her looks with the unbridled energy of punk and industrial mixed and blended to an explosive cocktail. That goes for both the music and the stage performance. One time it's a hardly recognizable voice amidst a string of instruments, other times she's going all mental and acting like a rebel. She was able to keep up that level for the entirety of the show which became THE highlight I was looking for the whole day. // Setlist: 01. New Colony / 02. Dark Days White Nights / 03. Storycide / 04. Drownin' / 05. Borderline / 06. 3 Circle / 07. Miracle / 08. Still In My Head / 09. Universe / 10. One Breath (Rmx) / 11. Show Me What You Got // Rating: 8 / 10 // http://www.tyingtiffany.com/ / https://www.facebook.com/tyingtiffanyofficial
In Legend (Small Stage)
IN LEGEND were laurelled and praised already long before the show started and short before it actually did you could see how many fans, even from a fan club, they brought with them. Unlike all other metal bands I know of, IN LEGEND do not build their music primarily around heavy guitar riffs. Their favoured piece of equipment is the piano and all the song 's structures revolve around its encompassing melodies. From the very first minute, the guys could make the passion they play with and the fun that keeps spreading palpable. In return the audience was as responsive as never before today and were rocking out with the German guys as they deserve it. An extremely talented and sympathetic bunch of people. I had never seen them live before, but I'm looking forward seeing them again already. // Setlist: 01. Heya / 02. Prestinate / 03. Healer / 04. Soul Apart / 05. A Hanging Matter / 06. Pandemonium / 07. Elekbö / 08. Vortex // Rating: 8 / 10 // http://www.inlegend.de/ / http://www.facebook.com/inlegend
Angelspit (Main Stage)
I knew hardly a handful of songs of the Australian outfit ANGELSPIT but it's been more then enough to get an idea of how they sound like, their sonic attitude if you like. The main ingredient of it all was aggression it seemed. Ever pushing forward the music and also the band with their performance were taking no prisoners. They were mixing the rebellious elements of punk with the raging surge of hard electronics and rock music. Good mixture to make something very unique out of it, which ANGELSPIT filed to deliver live at NCN in my opinion. After a while the music started to sound alike and at least I could hardly spot the differences. On the other hand I was obviously being more critical than most people who were just watching and enjoying themselves to it. Then again, it's my job being critical. // Rating: 4 / 10 // http://www.angelspit.net/ / http://www.facebook.com/angelspitmusic
Clan Of Xymox (Small Stage)
Something much more enjoyable was coming up next with CLAN OF XYMOX. Even if you have to admit that many songs you were going to hear, you have heard already a dozen times doesn't make them less intriguing. This is something inexplicable about their music. It's never losing its depth and fascination. That's the reason why so many people came to the little stage to see Ronny Moorings and band playing. 'Stranger' opened the set as usual in a very spherical way and with enough danceablity as always. That's the other part of the concept on stage most of the time. To keep the balance between the club and the moody. With their journey through the discography they once again succeeded in making an audience dream and dance at the same time and were applauded long and loud. // Setlist: 01. Stranger / 02. Love Got Lost / 03. She Didn't Answer / 04. In Love We Trust / 05. Hail Mary / 06. Emily / 07. Louise / 08. Jasmine & Rose / 09. Farewell / 10. Delete / 11. My Chicane / Encore: 12. A Day / 13. Venus / 14. Heroes // Rating: 8 / 10 // http://www.clanofxymox.com / http://www.facebook.com/pages/clan-of-xymox/111769160178
Pink Turns Blue (Main Stage)
The story of PINK TURNS BLUE began back in 1985, when Thomas Elbern and Mic Jogwer due to an advertisement of Thomas, who was looking for fellow musicians, found together. Mic answered and soon the two had some minor performances under the name PINK TURNS BLUE. A long time ago and many things have changed ever since. The music is still as captivating as ever though. When the German Wave-Rock legend started their set there luckily were enough fans in place to attend the show age clocking in around 30. So how was the band's performance then? Excellent, actually. Very focused though never lacking bringing across emotion to the people watching. Having a history like that, spanning several decades you get a lot of material to choose from. PINK TURN Blue picked something of every chapter, including their greatest hit 'Michelle' and such beautiful songs as 'Missing You'. Still very recommended! // Setlist: 01. Can't Be Love / 02. Last Day O Earth / 03. Walk Away / 04. Coldly Stare Out / 05. Walking On Both Sides / 06. After All / 07. Break It / 08. Moon / 09. The First / 10. Touch The Skies / 11. Ghosts / 12. Master's Calling / 13. Michelle / Encore: 14. When It Rains / 15. Catholic Sunday / 16. Missing You / 17. If Two Worlds Collide // Rating: 7 / 10 // http://www.pinkturnsblue.com/ / http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pink-Turns-Blue/107765249288610
Agonoize (Small Stage)
AGONOIZE could've played the main stage easily looking at the attendance count at the small stage. There was only one minor problem preventing this from happening. The artificial blood and stuff that they like to spread so much couldn't have been cleaned up so ease and thus could've become very expensive. Same difference for AGONOIZE. The people came in masses and the photographers already had prepared their protections for the cameras. Couldn't say anything different about the music than I already did. Mind-numbing harsh and technoid beats coupled with splinters of melody and distorted vocals. The blood and sperms and the occasional acting actually is the only thing distracting from the mediocrity of the music. It still is beyond me why they're so popular but each to their own. // Setlist: 01. Intro - A King Returns / 02. Seelenbrecher V.3 / 03. Blut, Sex, Tod / 04. Nekropolis / 05. Gottlos / 06. Schaufensterpuppenarsch / 07. Staatsfeind / 08. Wahre Liebe / 09. Pavillon 5 / 10. Sacrifice / 11. Dafür (Version) / 12. Femme Fatale / 13. Koprolalie / 14. Alarmstufe Rot / 15. Glaubenskrieger / 16. Paranoid Destruction / 17. Death, Murder, Kill (Upgraded) / 18. Bis das Blut gefriert // Rating: 2 / 10 // http://www.agonoize.com/ / http://www.facebook.com/pages/AGONOIZE/275733936009
S.P.O.C.K (Main Stage)
One band to go before the festival was over already. The organizers intended it to end with a bang and which band could be better to end the festival as S.P.O.C.K? Right, no band! The setup's been made quickly and it seemed the entire festival attendees had come to keep them company on their journey into space, starting with new stuff, 'Borg', it kind of set something in motion because no matter where you looked you could see faces wearing a happy smile while dancing around and all were singing along when it was time for 'E.T Phone Home'. There's something irresistible about the S.P.O.C.K way of doing things on stage. Once you've seen it you become addicted and you always want more. My guess is they're putting out a future virus that lasts the exact time of the performance. Amongst all the classics fired at you there was also another completely new song with 'Cabdriver Dreams' and it's a promising harbinger for a supposedly upcoming album. Had to wait a little for on of my S.P.O.C.K and an audience favourite called 'E-lectric'. Always a pleasure to experience the audience participating before the Astrogirl's shocking secret was revealed ;-) A little but astonishing Elvis imitation led the way to the final round that was filled with the classics 'Star Pilot On Channel K' and most of all 'Never Trust A Klingon' which became the biggest celebration of all. 
// Setlist: 01. Borg / 02. Mr. Spock's Brain / 03. E.T. Phone Home / 04. Queen of Space / 05. Dr. McCoy / 06. Trouble with Tribbles / 07. Astrogirl / 08. Cabdriver Dreams (I'm in Space) [New] / 09. Astrogirl's Secret (She's an Alien) / 10. E-lectric / 11. Back on Mars / 12. All E.T:s aren't Nice / 13. Not Human / 14. In Space No One Can Hear You Scream / 15. Speed of Light / 16. Out There / 17. Don't be Cruel (Elvis Presley) / 18. Star Pilot On Channel K / 19. Never Trust a Klingon // Rating: 9 / 10 // http://www.subspace.se/spock/ / https://www.facebook.com/StarPilotOnChannelK
The story didn't end there yet. The festival host Manja entered after the show to thank everyone for helping making this the great festival it was including the press people, which is a rare occurrence. Oh, and let's not forget about the on-stage marriage proposal which was gladly accepted. Thus, another great, familiar festival that also had its highs and lows ended once again. Rest assured, there will be another one next year and if nothing gets in the way we'll be there again.
All pictures by Daniela Vorndran (http://www.vorndranphotography.com / http://www.black-cat-net.de/ / http://www.myspace.com/vorndranphotography / http://www.facebook.com/blackcatnet)
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