Around 25,000 music fans once again made Hildesheim the centre of the international black scene, and the euphoria about seeing each other again after two editions that had been cancelled due to the corona virus was palpable in front of, on and behind the stages. Led by acts such as ASP FT. THE LITTLE BIG MEN, EISBRECHER and THE SISTERS OF MERCY, music greats from home and abroad provided intense concert moments. On the last day of the festival, which was once again sold out, the organizer also announced the first acts for M’era Luna 2023 - advance sales for this start on Monday, August 8 at 6 p.m.Even before the start of the concert program, the authors Isa Theobald and Markus Heitz provided exciting readings on Friday, while criminal psychologist Lydia Benecke gave a lecture on the psychology of manipulation. Saturday was dedicated to ASP, who gave their own cover band in a special show and, together with the euphoric audience, embarked on a journey through around 25 years of band history. Other highlights included COVENANT with captivating Future Pop, THE LORD OF THE LOST ENSEMBLE with a special symphonic production, THE MISSION with Dark Rock, BLUTENGEL with rousing synth sounds and NITZER EBB with an intense EBM show that was danceable from start to finish.
Sunday had two highlights: The Rock icons from THE SISTERS OF MERCY proved on the main stage that their legendary status is still justified. After that, the EISBRECHER show captivated the masses in front of the main stage: with massive riffs, pulsating electronic sounds and hypnotic harmonies, the Neue Deutsche Härte formation once again demonstrated that their considerable and enduring success is anything but a coincidence. FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY also gave their audience no choice but to dance. VNV NATION CLASSICAL, on the other hand, wrapped their anthems in a classic robe in a show that was as elegiac as it was intense, while SCHANDMAUL’s Medieval Rock again guaranteed a lavish party.
As always, the M’era Luna not only offered its guests music, but also a diverse supporting program that was intended to reflect as many cultural facets of the black scene as possible. Therefore, the guests enjoyed fashion shows, strolled through the medieval market and an extensive retail mile, turned night into day in the disco or took advantage of other workshops and offers from the M’era Luna Academy. Including the “Crypt Talk” between Chris Harms from LORD OF THE LOST and Stephan Thanscheidt, chief booker of the M’era Luna, in which both interlocutors spoke honestly and emotionally about a particularly difficult time for the music industry and the restart after the pandemic.
“For everyone involved, this M’era Luna was an emotional and euphoric reunion after a two-year break caused by the pandemic,” says Stephan Thanscheidt, who is also CEO of the organizer FKP Scorpio. “We are grateful and proud that with this edition not only the music, but also human cohesion was celebrated. Musicians, guests and organizers have remained true to themselves in a difficult time, because the line-up of the festival originally announced for 2020 has hardly changed and the overwhelming majority of the guests have kept their tickets. This is no matter of course. But with the new open-air stage, which replaces the Hangar Stage, we didn’t leave everything as it was: The new Club Stage passed its baptism of fire and was the setting for countless great concert moments.”
With August 12 and 13, 2023, the date of the next edition has already been set. The organizer announced the first acts on the Sunday of the festival: IN EXTREMO, PROJECT PITCHFORK, SUBWAY TO SALLY, JOACHIM WITT, THE 69 EYES, SOLAR FAKE, LAST INSTANCE, GOTHMINISTER and BLITZ UNION. Presale started this Monday at 6 p.m. on the M’era Luna website.
The current line-up for the M’era Luna 2023 at a glance: In Extremo | Project Pitchfork | Subway To Sally | Joachim Witt | The 69 Eyes | Solar Fake | Letzte Instanz | Gothminister | Blitz Union
Source: Newsletter
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