Eichenring, Scheeßel, Germany21st to 23rd June 2019
Hurricane Festival 2019 Day 3 with SWMRS, Mavi Phoenix, Grossstadtgeflüster, Skinny Lister, You Me At Six, Bear’s Den, Royal Republic, The Streets, Wolfmother, Interpol, Christine And The Queens, The Cure, Foo Fighters
After the exhausting Saturday, which probably lasted until the early morning for many, and in view of the merciless sun, the festival Sunday started quietly. One also had the impression that many wanted to save their energy for the two mega gigs of the evening with THE CURE and the FOO FIGHTERS. But it was positively noticed that the setlist of the day was very feminine and so the otherwise so often lamented imbalance was better balanced.
SWMRS
The festival day was opened by the American Punk Rock band SWMRS. This band, founded in 2004, consists of the brothers Cole Becker (guitar) and Max Becker (guitar), Joey Armstrong (drums) and Seb Mueller (bass). Drummer Joey Armstrong is the son of Billie Joe Armstrong, lead singer and lead guitarist of Punk Rock band GREEN DAY. Cole Becker was a real eye-catcher with his green hair and his green clothes and was able to animate the audience to a small wall of death at this early hour. We think there’s a lot of potential in this band, especially if the venue is smaller and more intimate and the contact to the band is more direct. https://www.facebook.com/SWMRS/
With MAVI PHOENIX and GROSSSTADTGEFLÜSTER followed two bands with female singers and both had something to fight with the tired audience, GROSSSTADTGEFLÜSTER with singer Jen (Jennifer) Bender additionally with difficulties right at the beginning.
Mavi Phoenix
Grossstadtgeflüster
Skinny Lister
On the Forest Stage SKINNY LISTER with singer Lorna Thomas could spread more verve. SKINNY LISTER consists of six band members and plays refreshing English Folk music. The band played a total of 15 songs with great joy and with an enthusiastic Lorna Thomas in their midst. Their new album ‘The Story is…’ was released on March 2019. https://www.facebook.com/skinnylister
Setlist
01. 38 Minutes
02. My Distraction
03. Tragedy in A Minor
04. What Can I Say?
05. Cathy
06. Geordie Lad
07. My Life, My Architecture
08. Second Amendment
09. Bold as Brass
10. John Kanaka
11. Rollin’ Over
12. Wanted
13. Hamburg Drunk
14. This Is War
15. Trouble on Oxford Street
With YOU ME AT SIX and BEAR’S DEN two bands followed at noon with calmer and softer music, actually fitting to the general mood. Many spectators sat down and listened to the music, some fed themselves with food and drinks.
You Me At Six
Bear’s Den
Royal Republic
At the Forest Stage ROYAL REPUBLIC from Sweden could wake up the tired spirits again. ROYAL REPUBLIC band members are Adam Grahn (vocals, rhythm guitar), Hannes Irengård (lead guitar), Jonas Almén (bass) and Per Andreasson (drums). Well dressed as always, they opened their performance with the song ‘Fireman & Dancer’ and performed a perfect show full of energy. They also played some tracks from their new album, ‘Club Majesty’, which they just released. ROYAL REPUBLIC are simply a strong appearance at every festival and could also convince at the Hurricane completely. https://www.royalrepublic.net/
The Streets
THE STREETS are an English alternative Hip Hop music group from England, led by the vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Mike Skinner. If it weren’t so sunny and the minds weren’t so tired, under normal circumstances this band would certainly be more off the hook. But today Skinner had to leave the stage and stand directly at the balustrade to the audience to arouse the enthusiasm. And indeed, slowly the crowd awakens and Mike Skinner and Kevin Mark Trail got what they deserved. https://www.thestreetsmusic.com/
There are still three bands left until the big performance of the heroes of music history. Of these three: WOLFMOTHER, INTERPOL and CHRISTINE AND THE QUEENS and we were really surprised and thrilled by the performance of CHRISTINE AND THE QUEENS.
Wolfmother
Interpol
Christine And The Queens
Héloïse Adelaide Letissier, known as CHRISTINE AND THE QUEENS or simply Chris, is a French singer, songwriter and producer. In France she is already a star, so she played live last year on two evenings in front of 18,000 fans in the Paris Accor Hotels Arena. In an interview Letissier had once said that Michael Jackson and Pina Bausch had influenced their way of dancing. And indeed, much of her performance was a reminiscent of ‘Thriller’ by Michael Jackson. But it was certainly not a copy but a creative interpretation with extraordinary dancers. A lot of things seemed to be very coordinated with each other and yet also freely dissolved and improvised. It was certainly not the taste of everyone and many in front of the stage had probably already taken their place for the upcoming performance of the FOO FIGHTERS but it was already a very special and attractive performance in the context of a festival. Hats off! http://www.christineandthequeens.com/
But now it was time for the special moment of the evening and there are probably only festivals that make such events possible. With THE CURE and the FOO FIGHTERS, two of the greats of music history were on stage and there was a noticeable excitement in the air. Both bands have written their own history but we don’t want to go into it today. It was simply interesting to see how both celebrated the evening in their own way.
The Cure
THE CURE were the beginning. The sun was setting and the last rays of light were shining on stage. Up there stood Robert Smith with his band mates, Smith lightly made up with curly hair. Many of his also older fans had waited a long time for this moment and it seemed as if both fans and musicians were in a special harmony. Smith radiated a strange tranquillity as he forgot all the ups and downs of his long career. Sometimes he almost lovingly embraced his guitar and seemed to be out of the world. There were no speeches to the fans, just someone who seemed pure with himself and the world.
Incredible 29 songs will be played by THE CURE this evening, eight in the encore alone. And the story will go on: Smith had said that he and the band had just recorded new songs in a studio. https://www.thecure.com
Setlist
01. Shake Dog Shake
02. From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea
03. Pictures of You
04. High
05. Just One Kiss
06. Lovesong
07. Last Dance
08. A Night Like This
09. Just Like Heaven
10. Burn
11. Fascination Street
12. Never Enough
13. Wendy Time
14. Push
15. In Between Days
16. Play for Today
17. A Forest
18. Primary
19. Want
20. 39
21. One Hundred Years
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22. Lullaby
23. The Caterpillar
24. The Walk
25. Doing the Unstuck
26. Friday I’m in Love
27. Close to Me
28. Why Can’t I Be You?
29. Boys Don’t Cry
Foo Fighters
As the last band of the day and the festival ever, the FOO FIGHTERS played on the Forest Stage and it seemed that all festival visitors had gathered in front of the stage. Where Robert Smith embodied peace in himself, frontman Dave Grohl is the exact opposite. Already at the time of NIRVANA Grohl was the energetic power on drums and now as guitarist and singer at the FOO FIGHTERS he was already radiating an unbelievable force from the very first moment. In quick steps he measured the width of the stage and constantly animated the audience to join in. “Are you fucking ready?” he asked rather symbolically, because of course everyone was ready for the big end of the evening. With ‘The Pretender’ and ‘Learn To Fly’ it goes straight to the top until it doesn’t keep the last one in place anymore.
The program is well-known, but never boring - and above all always uncompromising, the band simply plays two hours, without encore. They conclude the festival with the hit ‘Everlong’ and an almost endless guitar feedback. It was the worthy end of a day that will be one of the great moments in the history of Hurricane. https://foofighters.com
Setlist
01. The Pretender
02. Learn to Fly
03. The Sky Is a Neighborhood
04. Times Like These
05. Rope
06. Drum-Solo
07. Sunday Rain
08. My Hero
09. These Days
10. La Dee Da
11. Walk
12. Just Like Heaven / Another One Bites the Dust / Keyboard Solo / Blitzkrieg Bop
13. Under Pressure (Queen-Cover)
14. All My Life
15. Run
16. Wheels
17. Monkey Wrench
18. Make It Right
19. Best of You
20. Everlong
Hurricane 2019 was certainly a successful festival with a satisfied organizer and security forces. The music offer was outstanding and Stephan Thanscheidt from the organizer FKP Scorpio himself said: “For the first time this year we got everything we wanted”. Sunday evening in particular will certainly continue to write the glorious story of the Hurricane. The local “Kreiszeitung”, which has faithfully accompanied the festival for years, also poses the critical question “Quo vadis, Hurricane?” and believes that the Hurricane must reinvent itself. We also see the danger that the actual music and the bands will move more and more into the background and the party mood and the ambience in general will be more important. But despite this critical question, one thing is for sure: the next Hurricane Festival will take place from 19 to 21 June 2020. The first already announced band is SEED.
All Pictures by Chris W. Braunschweiger
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