Slipknot
Uncompromising, intense, chaotic, unforgiving, cathartic, destructive, dominant. Thos often used adjectives still don’t get to the core of things when trying to describe the platin rewarded Grammy winners and hard rockers of SLIPKNOT. Sure is: This isn’t a band, this is a way of life. This visionary band from the wastelands around Des Moines in Iowa has sold over 10 million albums worldwide. The last CD of these masked metal heads is already some days old and the community of the Maggots is impatiently waiting for the new material, which they will hopefully bring to their exclusive festival performance in Germany 2008. (Planned release is 11th August).
Millencolin
Punk rock, which is fun and just rocks like hell. This is what brought the Swedish guys of MILLENCOLIN – besides some gold albums – the reputation as one of the biggest punk bands in Europe over the last 16 years. A reputation, they can easily defend. Their last album ‘Klingwood’ was considered by many people as their best so far. The band sounded more matured but still rebellious, rocking, snoddy. No they’re back to present their current album ‘Machine 15’. The bunch around fronter Nikola Sarcevic relies on old values here to present plain, rocking power riffs with ear-friendly melodies in a powerful and fast-paced way.
Serj Tankian
..is not the one, you used to know [He’s better]. The born in Lebanon, grown wild, Armenian- American poet rose far above his voice and his hair length and has transformed to real fire and sulphur. A melodic visionary, sitting on a cannonball, travelling through the skies at the speed of light and bashing a chord out of every cloud. His first solo album “Elect the Dead (2007)”, where the SYSTEM OF A DOWN founding member practically plays every instrument himself has a much bigger reach than the US Rocket Defence System and it blows up all current parameters of ‘political’ and ‘intellectual’ music.
Gogol Bordello
‘Super Taranta’, the name of the current GOGOL BORDELLO album sounds like swirling gypsies, dizzy violin play, coloured costumes and a big portion of fun. The group around Eugene Hütz has built up a reputation with their wild stage performances. “GOGOL BORDELLO is the genesis of a new aesthetic, building a bridge between the Sinti and Roma culture, orient and occident.” Or simpler: Politically correct Gypsy Punk
Plain White T’s
Inspired by the atmosphere at the legendary Metro in Chicago, where i.e. Smashing Pumpkins, Ramones, Sonic Youth or New Order were very successful, the teenager Tom Higgensen wants to become a musician himself and gives birth to the band PLAIN WHITE T’s in 1997. They’re singing to catchy Pop-Rock about everything touching American High school kids and already sell their self-produced debut “Stop” quite successful in 2002. Record labels become aware of the five guys: They go on tour with JIMMY EAT WORLD and AFI and in 2007, the new album “Every Second Counts” is released. With the single “Hey there Delilah” comes the international breakthrough in the same year for the PLAIN WHITE T’s
The Subways
…are damn young and damn successful. Praised by NME and Q before their debut ‘Young For Eternity’ was even released, they supported some veritable bands like GRAHAM COXON, THE VON BONDIES, THE DATSUNS, CHARLOTTE HATHERLEY, THE (INTERNATIONAL) NOISE CONSPIRACY etc. Michael Evins invited them to the other stage of the Glastonbury Festival, where they won the New Band Competition. Shortly after that, they played the Reading and Leeds festivals. Not bad for a band with an average age of 20 years, coming from the geographical nowhere. THE SUBWAYS fabricate a wonderful mixture of song writing maturity and teenage eagerness, which is full of a hormone driven soul with juvenile ruthlessness.
Louis XIV
As support for i.e. THE KILLERS with the established formula: Sex, Drugs and Rock’n’Roll = Success, they quickly made their narks. Musically there’s always a shimmer of 70s Glam Rock, just like the early Stones, T-REX and THE FALL or on the best Art Brut Tradition. The second album “Slick Dogs & Ponies” is in stores since February. The boys didn’t loose their dirty humour in the lyrics and therefore the “Explicit Lyrics” button. We recommend you to have a closer look at the detailed melodies and arrangements too.
Current Billing
DIE ÄRZTE * SLIPKNOT * APOCALYPTICA * MILLENCOLIN * SERJ TANKIAN * MADSEN * PENNYWISE * PLAIN WHITE T’s * GOGOL BORDELLO * LESS THAN JAKE * THE SUBWAYS * KILIANS * LOUIS XIV
Additional Festival Info
Tickets for the Area4 are available for 84 EUR incl. charges + 5 EUR garbage pledge
Ticket Hotline: +49(0)1805-853853
Tickets are also available online at: http://www.eventim.de/ as well as at every known booking office.
Festival Homepage: http://www.fkpscorpio.com/area4
Source: Press Release
