English original version

In 1992, the seed was sown for what would become Sweden Rock. Over the years, the festival has gradually developed from a small local music festival to an international event, that attracts around 30,000 Rock lovers from over 60 countries. This year’s Sweden Rock contained a wonderful atmosphere, and above all, lots of incredibly good and memorable concerts. I want to pay tribute to all the staff on Sweden Rock, who in one way or another gave us a fantastic experience once again.

Intro 

The day before the festival started, I woke up two hours before I needed to get up. It was probably mostly because of my longing for Sweden Rock. After the drive there, I was welcomed by the wonderful host couple I always stay with, who poured us each a glass of Cava. It was a nice and relaxed chat in lovely summer weather. After that, I walked away to the Sweden Rock area, ate food, walked around and looked at people, as well as let myself be overwhelmed by the familiar atmosphere. Unfortunately, my colleague Manuela could not come along this year, but I met other friends and acquaintances and spent time with them. In the evening there was a pre-listening of EVERGREY’s new album “Theories Of Emptiness” which was released three days later, in “Hårdrockshallen (The Hard Rock hall)” where both LPs and CDs of a lot of different Rock and Metal artists were sold throughout the week. Even though the band did not play at the festival this year, three of the members were there (the singer, the guitarist and the keyboardist). I bought their new LP and got it signed. The album sounded great, so it’s highly recommended.

On the first day of the festival, I was early at the main entrance and stood first in the Media queue. Do you think I was impatient? Ha ha! Well, I was full of longing anyway. Inside the Press tent, I met more friends and acquaintances. It was so much fun to see everyone again, even though you may not had the time to hang out.

There is no better place than Sweden Rock to celebrate Sweden’s National Day, at least I and a lot of other hard rockers think so. Began the second day of the festival with breakfast outside in the sunshine, together with everyone else who lived in the same big house as me. From someone’s portable stereo system, Sweden’s national anthem was played with SABATON, a recording from another year at Sweden Rock Festival. Towards the evening, between all the concerts, I celebrated the National Day by eating a 3-course dinner at “Krogen (the Tavern)” inside the VIP area. The dessert with strawberries was super delicious. It was absolutely wonderful to be able to sit at a table in a cozy, restaurant-like environment as a change at a festival. After a day and evening filled with many fantastic concerts, I walked home to my accommodation. Even though it was dark, I sat outside with a couple of other rockers until the middle of the night. We listened to music and talked. It was a very pleasant end to the national day.

Began the third festival day with the only concert I saw and at the same time was off work at, but just have to mention it anyway, because it was incredibly much better than expected. It was the Swedish Hard Rock group TREAT. I saw them live for the first time as a teenager in 1986. The second time was at Sweden Rock seven years ago. The stage size and the audience have been bigger each time. On the festival this year, they played on one of the biggest stages and it was kind of interesting to see if the members could fill it properly. The answer is yes! They could. Even though the troup has many years behind it now, it has continued to develop. The band put on a great show! Here there was energy, skilled musicians and the audience often sang along, especially in “Get You On The Run”. Definitely the best performance I have seen with them. After several other fantastic concerts, I ate food from one of this year’s new food places, “Harvest by Mannerström”. They offered well-prepared food with wonderful flavors. I can reveal that I ate there several times, because their food was simply the tastiest and best I have eaten at Sweden Rock ever!

Early on the last evening of the festival, I ate at “Mannerströms” again. The place was in the new area “Skogen (The Forest)”, between Rock Stage and Festival Stage. “Skogen” was very good, because I could stand at a high table and eat, while watching half the concert with BRUCE DICKINSON on Festival Stage. Admittedly from a long distance, but with the help of the big screens and good sound, it worked well. In the spring, his new solo album “The Mandrake Project” was released. There had been some speculation as to whether Dickinson would come or not, as the days before he had canceled other concerts due to illness and he wanted to save his voice. It might not have been quite a hundred percent recovered, but for the most part he sounded as good as usual. Except the musicians, there was a large choir on stage, so even if it wasn’t the massive props and show, if you compare to IRON MAIDEN, it was still a memorable experience. Very well done Bruce!

Since I was the only one from Neckbreaker this year, there were not as many concerts covered as in previous years, but hope that you as a reader will find pleasure in reading the article anyway. Have fun! (Anna) 

TALISMAN (Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Rock Stage)

This Melodic Hard Rock group was formed in Sweden in 1989 by the bassist and songwriter Marcel Jacob (1964-2009), together with the American singer Jeff Scott Soto (S.O.T.O., W.E.T.), who first met when they were both in YNGWIE MALMSTEEN’s band RISING FORCE. From 1990 to 2006 TALISMAN released seven studio albums, before going on a farewell tour in 2007. On the self-titled debut record, there are classics like “Break Your Chains”, “Dangerous” and their biggest hit “I’ll Be Waiting”. Their third material “Humanimal” (1994) was greeted with great enthusiasm thanks to a successful combination of Metal, Funk and Pop influences. The reason the group hasn’t been that active, made any new albums or played live that often in the last seventeen years is because it feels strange to the members themselves to play without Marcel. The band has only reunited three times for single festival gigs, held in 2014, 2016 and 2017. At Sweden Rock 2024 it was time again.

In 2019, to mark a ten-year anniversary of Jacob’s passing, the group reunited once again to record and release the commemorative song “Never Die”. In January 2024, the band released another newly recorded track, as a way to raise awareness of mental health. “Save Our Love” celebrated the TALISMAN legacy and what would have been Marcel Jacob’s 60th birthday. The members now performed a concert in his honor at the festival. In addition to Soto behind the microphone, we also saw drummer Jamie Borger (TREAT) and returning guitarist Fredrik Åkesson (OPETH). Just like the last reunion gigs, bassist Johan Niemann (EVERGREY) completed the lineup. Guest musician on keyboard was, as usual, the guy known as BJ (S.O.T.O., DANGER ANGEL, SPEKTRA).

When the first, special tones of “Break Your Chains” were heard, it tingled with expectation inside me. Smoke came over the stage, guitar tones were heard and onto the stage they came, one by one. Then the song kicked off and the show was on. It’s one of their best songs and my personal favorite with this group, which also fits perfectly as an opening number and certainly attracted more spectators, early on the first day of the festival. The band had wondered to themselves if there would be any people coming as early as one o’clock. To their delight, of course, it did. Jeff Scott Soto proved again what a fantastic voice he has, not only in this piece, but throughout the whole gig. Together with the following “Dangerous”, it was a strong start of the concert.

During “Humanimal”, Åkesson showed his skills in a wonderful, exuberant guitar solo. In “Mysterious (This Time It’s Serious)” he played an incredible solo, which was varied and melodious. Niemann delivered fantastically lovely bass tones. “All Or Nothing”, from their second album “Genesis” (1993) had a heavy rhythm and a lot of energy. Fredrik’s nimble fingers conjured exquisite guitar tones that impressed.

The singer had a natural charisma, joking easily with the fans at the front and creating a pleasant atmosphere. Then there was a sing-along to “I’ll Be Waiting”. Everyone’s faces lit up. The warmth and community increased. We sang the chorus over and over, louder and louder, while Jeff nodded gratefully with a big smile. “Standin’ On Fire” ended the gig with a great Hard Rock vibe. The audience was treated to a bass solo with bounce, followed by an excellent guitar solo. Both drums and guitar increased in intensity. A couple of great Hard Rock screams on top of it all made me extra happy. When the band said thank you and goodbye, a short cavalcade of pictures of Marcel Jacob was shown on all the screens.

I don’t know why, but the very good concert ended already after 45 minutes and not a full hour, which is the only negative thing I have to say. Apart from that, the festival-goers could enjoy skilled musicians and an amazingly good singer. The rhythm section did a great job. Borger was a steady anchor, who gave a swinging groove to the band’s sound. The group’s Melodic Hard Rock had much more power and energy on stage than what is heard on the records. Everyone had a good time, both on stage and in the audience. (Anna)

RIOT V (Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Rock Stage)

The American Heavy Metal band RIOT V, formerly known as RIOT, was formed in 1975 by guitarist Mark Reale. Achieving peak success and popularity during the early 1980s, the group has continued a long-running successful career. From the start they played straightforward Heavy Metal, but since these guys sixth record “Thundersteel” (1988), their musical style shifted a little towards Power Metal. In 2012, the founder Reale died of complications resulting from Crohn’s disease at the age of 56. After a year, the other members re-formed the band and added the letter V, alluding to the addition of Todd Michael Hall as the fifth official singer.

RIOT has had a number of member changes over the years. Some have returned, sometimes more than once. Guitarist Mike Flyntz has been a member of the group for 35 years, bassist Don Van Stavern has played with the band for a total of 20 years, and drummer Frank Gilchriest has been one in the troup during about 15 years. The two newest guys, vocalist Hall and rhythm guitarist Nick Lee, are not exactly new either, but have been in RIOT V for the past 10 years. Just over a month ago, the new and seventeenth album “Mean Streets” was released.

The concert opened with “Fight Or Fall”. The singer had an incredibly powerful and penetrating voice throughout the whole gig. It was almost like you were blown over and thought it was a bit too much. However, Hall is a good vocalist, who can sing out and hold the tones for an impressively long time. To rise up in high notes is something that Todd always finds fun and it often happens during a gig with RIOT. A few songs later, “Johnny’s Back” was performed. The music was full of power and energy. I and many others cheered. The music rumbled forward in “Magic Maker”, while there were also lovely melodies and variations. It was an impressive performance, where the members showed both skill and joy of playing.

The fantastic “Love Beyond The Grave” from the new record had an enormously nice, heavy swinging of Metal. The music swept over us and the rhythm made our bodies move. Then Gilchriest hammered with his drum sticks and “Flight Of The Warrior” began. Drums and bass thundered on, causing the ground to shake. The vibrations were felt through the feet and all the way up into the chest in a positive way. The song itself was phenomenally good.

The show ended as usual with “Thundersteel”, a song that the fans really love and therefore the band always finds it fun to play. The sound of thunder was heard and the music then took off at full speed. It was loud and thunderous. Smoke effectively blew across the stage. The frontman had a strong and clear Power Metal voice. The number also featured persistent pounding on the drums and melodious playing with fast fingers on all the string instruments. Flyntz impressed again with his guitar playing, which was equally masterful throughout the whole terrific concert. The rhythm section did a very good job. The bass player seemed to be in a particularly good mood and was full of playfulness. You really noticed that the group loves to be on stage and play live. There was a good connection with the audience and after the last tone the entire sea of people erupted into a huge cheer. (Anna)

THE GEMS (Thursday, June 6, 2024, Blåkläder Stage)

Sweden’s National Day started with the Swedish Hard Rock band THE GEMS, which was formed about a year ago by three former members from THUNDERMOTHER. The group consists of singer Guernica Mancini, guitarist and bassist Mona “Demona” Lindgren, and drummer Emlee Johansson. Musically, they have taken inspiration from QUEEN and VAN HALEN. The first single “Like A Phoenix” was an immediate success, especially in Germany. At the end of January this year, the debut album, with the shorter title “Phoenix”, was released. On the band’s Sweden Rock debut, we also saw bassist Mia Karlsson (ex-CRUCIFIED BARBARA).

THE GEMS have of course been compared to THUNDERMOTHER, but the sound of the two groups is actually a bit different. THUNDERMOTHER’s raw style is similar to AC/DC and MOTÖRHEAD. THE GEMS leans more towards Melodic Hard Rock, like KISS and DEF LEPPARD. One does not exclude the other and no one is better than the other. In other words, both bands are good.

Johansson suddenly appeared on stage, stepped up behind her drum set and looked out over the sea of people. With a smile, she blew a kiss to all the fans and spread her arms as if in a big hug before sitting down. The crowd cheered. Lindgren and Karlsson also entered, closely followed by Mancini. The awesome “Queens” set the concert off to a flying start. Rock’n’Roll at high speed warmed up the spectators in no time. The following outstanding composition “Send Me To The Wolves” swung heavy and lovely with its 70’s groovy style. Several smoke machines in a row, up front at the edge of the stage, fired cloud streaks of smoke many times during the gig, which gave a cool visual impression.

There was a very nice guitarplaying from Mona in the intro to the fantastic Rock piece “Domino”. Emlee and Mia got the rhythm pumping really hard from the drums and bass. We became filled with positive energy and our spirits were high. A little further on in the concert, the tempo slowed down for a while in the calm, but powerful “Ease Your Pain”, in which Demona delivered an incredibly good solo. The song barely ended before the next one began. The faster Heavy Metal pace in “Running” was a contrast to the previous number and there was a good pressure in the music. Just like the attitude of their previous band THUNDERMOTHER, there was both a slight cockiness, but also warmth in THE GEMS’ image on stage. The bassist Mia was very cool. She was relaxed and a super skilled musician.

The group was like on fire in “P.S.Y.C.H.O”, which contained playful Rock’n’Roll that seemed to shoot out in all directions. A few songs later came the superb “Fruits Of My Labor”, where Guernica had a touch of Blues in her fantastic voice. The woman behind the microphone hit with extra energy time and time again throughout the show, with a scratchy finish to the words here and there. Her lovely voice is clear, but with wonderfully raspy edges. Guernica Mancini has the capacity to sing both strong and high. She has developed an ability to sing with a lot of bottom and at the same time in a high pitch. She introduced the action-packed and superb “Like A Phoenix” by a combination of talking and singing the title, which turned into a Rock scream. The music kicked off at full speed and the audience cheered. It was the final number, which ended the gig with a strong energy and a catchy chorus.

It rocked and swinged from the music. The concert rolled on at a brisk pace, with one good song after another. The entire album was played from start to finish, except that the title track was saved for last, which was a perfect choice. It was noticeable that the members were no rookies. The performance was professional and they created a fellowship with the audience. Playing live is something the band is passionate about. THE GEMS moved all over the stage, even on the narrow side edges, to get closer to more fans. That was appreciated and also created a greater variety in the visual impression of the show. Some people were pleasantly surprised or astonished that the group was so good, which I heard a few say afterwards, but just like me, many probably knew that it would be an excellent concert. (Anna)

Setlist THE GEMS:
Queens
Send Me To The Wolves
Domino
Silver Tongue
Undiscovered Paths
Ease Yor Pain
Running
P.S.Y.C.H.O
Kiss It Goodbye
Force Of Nature
Fruits Of My Labor
Like A Phoenix

IRON SAVIOR (Thursday, June 6, 2024, Blåkläder Stage)

The German Power Metal band IRON SAVIOR was formed in Hamburg in 1996 by multi-instrumentalist, singer and producer Piet Sielck, together with guitarist Kai Hansen (HELLOWEEN) and drummer Thomen Stauch (BLIND GUARDIAN). Their self titled debut record introduced a science fiction story, that would be told over the course of multiple albums, featuring a spacecraft called the Iron Savior and the mythical lost civilization of Atlantis. Studio album number twelve was released last year and is called “Firestar”.

Hansen and Stauch is no longer in the band. Guitarist Joachim “Piesel” Küstner and bassist Jan-Sören Eckert have been a part of IRON SAVIOR for many, many years. However, Küstner could not come to Sweden Rock Festival 2024 and was instead replaced by guitarist Jan Bertram (PARAGON). Newest in the troupe is drummer Patrick Klose, who started in 2017, which isn’t yesterday either. When Kai was a member, then of course the group’s style was very inspired by GAMMA RAY and HELLOWEEN. Their sound has also been compared with JUDAS PRIEST and IRON MAIDEN. However, I think that IRON SAVIOR have found their own style.

One of the first songs the band played at the festival was the incomparably good “Souleater” (from “Skycrest”, 2020). The singing, even the background vocals and the melody in the chorus were breathtakingly good. This superb piece is one of their absolute best. The group also captured the audience with “In The Realm Of Heavy Metal” from the latest disc. I saw many clapping hands in the air.

The singer not only had a nice V-shaped guitar, but he was extremely good at playing. In “Hall Of The Heroes” (from “The Landing”, 2011) Sielck performed a superb solo. It was playful, exuberant and varied. The riff that ended the song was also brilliant. The music had an energetic tempo in “Together As One”, which also featured a lively guitar solo. This fantastic composition from the latest album was partly rushing away at full speed, but at the same time there was a wonderful melody on top, which made me almost lift and float away with happiness. There were many of us who sang along in the catchy chorus. This lovely tune already felt like a classic.

“Condition Red” contained a longer guitar solo, where Piet later ended up standing opposite the bassist, while playing. The song rolled forward, rumbling with bass and drums as a nice foundation. The frontman played a great solo in “Heavy Metal Never Dies”. Long before that, the spectators had spontaneously started clapping their hands to this awesome piece. The band were happy to see that and there was a sing-along, where the audience was divided into two halves, who competed for who sang best and loudest. It was a very even contest, which resulted in a draw and then ended with everyone screaming together. A feeling of fellowship and joy was in the air.

Naturally, they rounded off with “Atlantis Falling” (from the debut album, 1997). It’s a must to play that song, because the fans always want to hear it. The music thundered out over the grass slope and all the spectators. The drummer did a phenomenal job. We felt good in the sunshine to this superb concert, which was filled with joy of playing and everyone was having fun. Afterwards I was completely lyrical and could have seen more. (Anna)

Setlist IRON SAVIOR:
Roaring Thunder
Starlight
Souleater
In The Realm Of Heavy Metal
Hall Of The Heroes
Together As One
Coming Home
Condition Red
Heavy Metal Never Dies
Atlantis Falling

DEWOLFF (Thursday, June 6, 2024, Blåkläder Stage)

This trio is a young Alternative or Retro Rock band, influenced by old American Southern Rock- and Soul- music. You will also find a touch of Psychedelic Blues Rock. They are known for their great songwriting, some of the grooviest drumplaying and a fantastic vocal performance. Among other things, they have made eight studio albums and several live materials. The latest record “Love, Death & In Between” was released last year. This interesting group comes from the Netherlands and was formed in 2007 by the van de Poel-brothers, together with their friend Robin Piso on Hammond organ. We find one of the brothers, Luka, behind the drums. The other brother, Pablo, is the singer and guitarist. In 2022 they were the support act for THE BLACK CROWES, on their European tour, who also played on Sweden Rock this year. I think I hear many similarities, so the boys have probably been inspired by the older gentlemen, which makes me happy. DEWOLFF has nevertheless managed to create their own style.

When their Psychedelic yet Hard rocking, self-titled EP was released in 2008 it immediately conquered the hearts of Rock music lovers all across their home country and later that year the band played their first show at Paradiso, a legendary venue in Amsterdam. Their debut album “Strange Fruits And Undiscovered Plants” was released in 2009. In 2010, when these talented boys were only 15, 18 and 19 years old, DEWOLFF played in front of an audience of 10,000 at Europe’s oldest music festival Pinkpop. A couple of years later they played in front of 30,000 people at the Dutch Lowlands festival. This band’s live reputation grew bigger and bigger and their highly energetic concerts took them to France, Switzerland, Italy, Spain and even Australia. The group is considered to be one of the best and wildest live acts within their genre.

They captivated me and the entire Sweden Rock audience right from the first tone. The singer literally kicked off the concert, by kicking with one foot, high in the air. He said: “Are you ready for some Rock’n’Roll?” The spectators cheered in response. It was full action right away with the opening “Night Train” (from the latest record). Their entire performance was charismatic.

In “Treasure City Moonchild” Pablo slipped into falsetto quite often. In the middle of the song, Luka surprised the audience by taking over the singing behind the drums, something he did a few times during the concert. Personally, I don’t like it when it gets too psychedelic and fuzzy diffuse, with long instrumental parts. Part way into the show, such jamming between guitar and organ unfortunately dragged on a bit too long for a festival audience, in my opinion. Although the fans cheered, so here are probably well-divided opinions. However, I was fascinated by a bluesy guitar solo. Clear tones meandered forward and many whistled with delight.

The final number “Rosita” from the latest album has already become a classic. On the record the track is about 16 minutes long, but live it was over 20 minutes. If you don’t know this piece, you would think it was a medley that contained several songs, because it has a very variable tempo and consists of several different parts. Part way into the song, Pablo slowed down and sang “I can see you”, walked up to the fans in the front rows and sang it to them, looked up and looked out over the rest of the crowd, assuring us that we were seen too. Further along in this piece, the energy spurted out and gave a rush of joy. The music was played at a furious pace, which set the whole sea of people in movement. Then the pace was reduced again. The drummer sang and created a very powerful moment. Then the speed increased again in this brilliant composition.

Even though DEWOLFF only consists of three people, they managed to create a rich sound. Throughout the whole show there was a lovely rhythm and intensity, regardless of whether it was calmer or faster songs. Energy and joy spread to everyone. If it hadn’t been a festival concert with a tight time schedule to keep, then they would have had to play encores, because the audience hardly wanted to let them go. Afterwards, I heard several people say that this group was better than many big artists. (Anna)

THE BLACK CROWES (Thursday, June 6, 2024, Festival Stage)

THE BLACK CROWES is an American, legendary Rock band that was formed in 1984, debuted on record in 1990 and has since sold over 30 million albums. Over the years they have split up and reunited a couple of times. The last reunion was in 2019 and they soon began celebrating the 30th anniversary of their breakthrough debut album “Shake Your Money Maker” (1990). A record that is among the best ever made, in my opinion. They have toured the world since then and in June 2024 it was time for Sweden Rock Festival.

The Robinson brothers, in other words singer Chris and guitarist Rich, as well as longtime bassist Sven Pipien, went into the studio with producer Jay Joyce early last year. Fifteen years after their last record, the band’s tenth studio album was finally released in the spring of 2024, which was named “Happiness Bastards”. The new material was received with open arms. It was praised by both critics and fans. Their current lineup also includes the new members Nico Bereciartua on guitar, drummer Cully Symington and keyboardist Erik Deutsch.

I did not expect to see this group on Sweden Rock, so it was a pleasant surprise. I didn’t even think I would ever get to see them live at all and was therefore extra happy when the festival previously announced that this particular band would be coming. Among other things, we were treated to “Rats And Clowns” from the new disc, which contained Rock’n’Roll in a fast, lovely rhythm and fantastic guitar playing. As soon as the first, fat, swinging riffs in “Twice As Hard” (from the debut album) were heard, an even bigger smile spread across my face and more warmth inside my body. Before the concert started I was a bit frozen, but already after a few songs I had danced myself warm again to THE BLACK CROWE’s super delightful music.

Chris not only has a characteristic voice, but also a completely unique way of moving on stage. The frontman was full of exuberant energy and was very expressive. He performed with passion and sang with feeling. His brother was the opposite, very calm and hardly changed his facial expression, but he played amazingly well. Skillfully, Rich produced a vibrating Slide technique with one of his little fingers, for example in “Bedside Manners” (from the new record). You couldn’t help but be in a good mood.

The bluesy Rock rhythm was super lovely in the classic “Hard To Handle”. The OTIS REDDING cover has long since become just as famous in THE BLACK CROWES’ version. In the latter there is more Rock energy. The way Chris bounced on certain letters in the song was both funny and cool. Seeing and hearing this song live with the group brought tears of joy to my eyes. It was indescribably great! After that, the tempo of the concert slowed down with the wonderful “She Talks To Angels”, in which acoustic guitar was played. Although the piece was slow, it still swung incredibly well.

People’s faces shone of joy to the band’s groovy, happy music. I saw a lot of nice dance moves in the audience. In “Thorn In My Pride”, the singer took out a harmonica and played a solo, in which the drummer contributed with an incredibly lovely rhythm. The wonderful atmosphere continued in “Jealous Again”, which was dynamic and lively, with a varied tempo. The frontman bounced on the stage and didn’t seem to get tired or out of breath at all. He flapped or gestured with his arms and the microphone stand was raised in various positions throughout the show. During the closing “Remedy”, the energy in the music, among those on stage and of course in the audience rose to unimagined heights. The whole sea of people rocked. I wanted the concert to last as long as possible and afterwards the fans continued to sing on the chorus of the last song.

The brothers’ love to the music brought the group back together. With the new material “Happiness Bastards” they found their way back to their roots. It is an absolutely superb album. On the stage were also a couple of background singers, who enhanced the experience of the songs, just like on the records. Also, I just have to mention that Nico was an incredibly skilled guitarist. Otherwise, of course, it was mostly the singer who caught our attention. Chris sang with a lovely, slight raspiness, but occasionally slipped into bright, clear tones. In his voice we found both vulnerability and strength.

Their music is ear candy that gives you a boost of energy. The ingredients include Blues Rock and groovy 70s Rock, seasoned with a bit of Southern Rock. The rhythm of their performance made it bubble in our bodies and there was probably no one who could stand completely still, not even in their calmer songs. It was, as you have understood, a great experience for me to finally see the band live. Despite sky-high expectations, it turned out better than I could have ever imagined. It was an absolutely magical concert with feel-good music. (Anna)

Setlist THE BLACK CROWES:
No Speak No Slave
Rats And Clowns
Twice as Hard
Thick n' Thin
Sometimes Salvation
White Light/White Heat (The Velvet Underground cover)
Wanting and Waiting
Horsehead
Bedside Manners
Hard To Handle (Otis Redding cover)
She Talks To Angels
Thorn In My Pride
Sting Me
Jealous Again
Remedy

EBBA BERGKVIST & THE FLAT TIRE BAND (Thursday, June 6, 2024, Pistonhead Stage)

EBBA BERGKVIST & THE FLAT TIRE BAND is a Swedish Blues Rock band who freely moves between heavy guitar riffs, raw Garage Rock and Blues. The group consists of singer, guitarist, songwriter, producer and the Junior Blues Prize of 2023 winner Ebba Bergkvist, bassist Björn Björnehult Korning, drummer Adam Randolph and Finnish guitarist Jonas Skeppar. With her powerful voice, Bergkvist make a bond between the Rock of the 70s and a modern soundscape, with a lot of energy in the music. For those of you who like LISA LYSTAM FAMILY BAND, this is something you will also like.

What started as a solo project at a music school in northern Sweden 2017 soon culminated in the EP “Alright” 2019, which after moving back to the hometown of Stockholm was followed up by the acclaimed debut album “Spilt Milk” (2020). In 2023 the group played on a few festivals around Sweden and also worked on their second record. The new material called “Four Wings” was released the week before Sweden Rock Festival this year. Perfect timing, I would say. There was no better way to celebrate it.

Strong, heavy drumming opened the concert, followed by guitar and bass riffs. The music swinged and rocked very nice. Ebba had a warm, clear and fantastic voice. “Seasick” from the new disc offered a good old Blues sound with stomping rhythm and slide guitar. The song “Maverick” got rockier and had more energy when they played it live. “Better Off This Way” was delivered with a really heavy swinging, so that you could not stand still, but we swung in pace with the music. The song also featured a splendid guitar solo.

They are a young, new group on the way up and therefore had a shorter time to play of 40 minutes. In any case, Bergkvist and her band got to show off their skills and attracted a large number of interested or curious people. I had hoped for an extra song, but instead they jammed for a very long time in the last piece. It sounded progressive, with a touch of Stoner Rock and unfortunately maybe not so in sync with each other. Apart from that, all the members were very talented. Towards the end, Adam played a drum solo and he caught the attention of the entire audience, which was great to see.

EBBA BERGKVIST & THE FLAT TIRE BAND’s lovely, bluesy Garage Rock had the spectators cheering and shouting: “One more time, one more time...” This is a band to count on in the future. (Anna)

Setlist EBBA BERGKVIST & THE FLAT TIRE BAND:
Four Wings
Vice Versa
Seasick
Maverick
Better Off This Way
Princess Of The Tower

NESTOR (Friday, June 7, 2024, Festival Stage)

Swedish NESTOR was formed in 1989 by five childhood friends. Although, as with so many bands of buddies, the Rock star dreams eventually ran out into the sand, but the friendship persisted, as did the interest in music. The singer, songwriter and producer Tobias “Tobbe” Gustavsson continued with music and has worked with several big artists over the years. In 2021, the group reunited and later that year their debut album “Kids In A Ghost Town” was released, which got a fantastic welcome. Musically, they manage true 80s influences with the roots in radio-friendly Rock, twinkle in the eye and a lot of heart. The members have been inspired by, among others, KISS, to whom the guys have been a support act, and EUROPE, with whom they are touring this summer. In 2022, NESTOR performed an acclaimed concert at Sweden Rock Festival and broke the audience record at Sweden Stage. A couple of months later, the band arranged their own event, “Nestor Fest”, in their hometown of Falköping, with several invited artists. It was so appreciated that Nestor Fest 2023 also took place, where, for example, ALPHAVILLE, ELECTRIC BOYS and NIK KERSHAW performed. A few days before Sweden Rock 2024, their long-awaited sequel “Teenage Rebel” came and that was celebrated by playing at Sweden’s biggest festival again, this time on the very largest stage.

I can reveal right away that you were happy to hear such good music. They opened with “We Come Alive” from the new record, which of course was the first time it was played live. Jonny Wemmenstedt delivered a masterful guitar playing. A few songs later, the title track “Teenage Rebel” also made its live debut. The music rolled on and gave a lovely feeling.

To “Victorious”, a whole group of cheerleaders suddenly appeared and took the stage at the beginning and end of the song. They called themselves “Black Diamonds” and made the show a little extra festive. Then everything calmed down in the ballad “It Ain’t Me”. Bass and drums pumped like heartbeats and made everyone’s hearts pounding with a few extra beats of joy.

There were slightly heavier tones in one of their best songs “Firesign”. The audience clapped along to the pumping rhythm. Of course, this number was spiced with pyrotechnics in the form of fire, which was even more cool than two years ago, perhaps due to the fact that it was a bigger stage and therefore more fire. Large flames shot up along the edge of the stage and sometimes they were fired in different directions, so that narrow flames crossed each other at a rapid pace. Sometimes the flames moved slowly and looked like plumes of fire.

“1989”, which was the first song the group wrote, finished the concert. Wonderful guitar tones floated through the sea of people in blazing sunshine and I fully enjoyed it. The crowd sang along to the chorus. Black Diamonds re-entered the stage. Rhythmically, they strengthened the visual impression and had extra glittery pompoms. When the show with NESTOR ended, a deafening cheer rose to the sky and the band thanked us from the bottom of their hearts.

The Sweden Rock gig two years ago is clearly hard to beat, but this was almost as good. As if in a time machine, we were transported back in time, to the happy 80s with its carefree, warm atmosphere. I was once again fascinated over what a fantastic voice Tobias has and what skilled musicians they are. The record company thought that the band’s well-polished image should be roughened up a bit, and of course they had become more rough and cool since last time, but not too much, thank God. After all, their kind, humble style was what strongly contributed to their star status, attracted a larger audience and their fans loving them. I hope they stand their ground and stick to it. And yes, for those who can’t get enough of NESTOR, there will be a Nestor Fest 2024, which will be held August 9th – 10th. Announced so far are HARDCORE SUPERSTAR, THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA, SATOR and THE GEMS. (Anna)

Setlist NESTOR:
We Come Alive
Kids In A Ghost Town
Stone Cold Eyes
Teenage Rebel
Perfect 10 (Eyes Like Demi Moore)
Signed In Blood
Victorious
It Ain’t Me
Caroline
Firesign
On The Run
1989

BLACK STONE CHERRY (Friday, June 7, 2024, Rock Stage)

Four American guys from Kentucky started playing together back in 2001 and the group BLACK STONE CHERRY was born. There has only been one change in the lineup and that was a few years ago when bassist Jon Lawhon decided to quit. Nowadays we find Steve Jewell JR in the band. Over the years, they have released eight studio albums, two EPs and one live material, all of which have been more or less praised. Latest “Screamin’ At The Sky” which was released last year is incredibly good. Both Blues and Heavy Metal can be heard in their Hard Rock. I was so happy to see them live again. It’s been a while since the last time, which made me extra happy and expectant. I had been looking forward to this concert so much and I was not disappointed.

They opened with the blues-rocking “Me And Mary Jane”, which all fans recognized immediately from the first tones. The piece contains wonderfully heavy swinging and lots of energy, not only in the music, but also among the members on stage. From Chris Robertson with his charismatic voice to the headbanging bassist and from the bouncing guitarist Ben Wells to the unique drummer John Fred Young, who played with so much passion that he sometimes stood up.

“Again” is a strong Rock song with a melodious chorus. Robertson and Wells offered a thick and rich guitar sound, which is characteristic for this group. The singer is not only a fantastic guitarist, but also has a magnificent voice. The whole audience clapped along to “Like I Roll”. In the background was the group’s drum technician Jeff “Bongo” Boggs, who often participates on stage. Except bongo drums, he sometimes played with two tambourines. During “Cheaper To Drink Alone”, Boggs played a solo with Young. John Fred was as wonderfully wild behind the drums as always.

The band and their music were absolutely wild on stage towards the end of the concert, for example in “Blind Man”. Ben ran like a whirlwind across the stage as usual and there was plenty of action from Steve too. Joy bubbled up inside me. The tones from Chris’ guitar sounded awesome and felt inside the body. The cheering from us fans knew no limits and it continued to “White Trash Millionaire”. Young threw up a drumstick, which whirled around in the air and quickly caught it again. A moment later he bounced up and continued to play standing up. I think the adrenaline was rushing through everyone’s veins, especially when “Blame It On The Boom Boom” was performed. Everyone’s hands were streched up and the fat rocking guitar sound was fantastic.

“Lonely Train” provided a total discharge and an explosive end to the concert. The song contained Heavy Metal and Blues Rock in a cool mix. Here there were calm, melodious parts with lovely singing and more rough parts with an enormous amount of energy. Robertson’s guitar solo was superb. BLACK STONE CHERRY is one of the world’s best live bands. It was clearly noticeable that they had fun together and it rubbed off on the spectators. We were shining like the sun. The Hard Rock songs were performed in the group’s typical bluesy, American Southern Rock style. Even in the calmer parts there was a huge dynamic.

The bassist Steve has grown into the group in a natural way. “Screamin’ At The Sky” became Jewell’s first studio album as a member of BLACK STONE CHERRY. His playing impressed not only on record, but also live. John Fred created a big drum sound with a wonderful rhythm. Chris Robertson’s clear voice with a raspy edge was fantastic. Ben did high kicks with one foot and various Rock poses throughout the concert. He is always bursting with energy, while of course he is also good at playing the guitar. A plastic tube was attached to his microphone, which he sometimes put in his mouth to strengthen the sound of the electric guitar in a special way, called a talkbox. That, too, is a characteristic detail in the guys’ music.

BLACK STONE CHERRY loves to play live. Anyone who has seen this group knows that. Their music is awesome to listen to and on stage it was an absolutely outstanding experience, almost magical. We fans were filled with energy and got really exhilarated. They gave it all on stage and I loved it. (Anna)

Setlist BLACK STONE CHERRY:
Me And Mary Jane
Burnin’
Again
When The Pain Comes
Like I Roll
Cheaper To Drink Alone
In My Blood
Nervous
Blind Man
White Trash Millionaire
Blame It On The Boom Boom
Lonely Train

BATTLE BEAST (Friday, June 7, 2024, Rock Stage)

The Finnish Heavy Metal band was formed in 2008 by guitarists Anton Kabanen and Juuso Soinio, together with drummer Pyry Vikki. They chose bassist Eero Sipilä, keyboardist Janne Björkroth and vocalist Nitte Valo to complete the group. The debut album “Steel” came in 2011 and then they toured in Europe, as the support act to NIGHTWISH. The following year, Valo quit and Noora Louhimo entered behind the microphone. BATTLE BEAST went on a European tour again, then as the opening act for SONATA ARCTICA. Immediately after the tour they entered the studio and in 2013 their self-titled second record was released. It easily topped sales compared to its predecessor and was on many lists around Europe. The band hit the road again, this time with POWERWOLF and U.D.O. After the group’s third material, “Unholy Savior” (2015), Kabanen left the band. The brother of keyboardist Janne, Joona Björkroth, became the new guitarist. In connection with their fourth album, “Bringer Of Pain” (2017), they toured for the first time in both USA and Japan. Two more records have been released since then, the latest one in 2022. The acclaimed album “Circus Of Doom” is considered by many to be their absolute best and after a couple of years the touring is still going on.

They opened the concert with strong songs such as the title track “Circus Of Doom” and “Straight To The Heart”. A bit into the show, the first tones were enough and the fans immediately understood that it was the superb “Eye Of The Storm” that began. A sea of outstretched hands suddenly clapped rapidly in time. Louhimo had a sensationally good voice and was, as usual, very charismatic. She was also wearing a special stage outfit and had her horns on her head.

The bassist later said to the crowd: “Put your viking horns up in the air”, whereupon he sang the intro to “Bastard Son Of Odin” in a very rough voice. The musicians were in a playful mood. The energy seemed to ooze out of both the spectators and those on stage. It was impossible to stand still. Joona impressed with his vibrant guitar playing in, for example, “Wings Of Light”, a song which incidentally has strong influences from NIGHTWISH, at least in the melody of the chorus.

All the members in BATTLE BEAST exuded a huge joy of playing, especially when they performed “King For A Day”. The audience also went crazy with joy and pumped their fists in the air, and screamed along to the catchy chorus. Noora sang everything from rough Metal tones to clear Opera tones. She was, as always, very expressive, which really made the concert a grand show. The closing “Beyond The Burning Skies” contained an incredible amount of action in the music and a brilliant guitar solo.

I had only seen this band live once before and then I dropped my jaw in positive surprise at how amazingly good they were. It was now at least the same uplifting experience and as good as I had expected. BATTLE BEAST once again gave a colorful and absolutely phenomenal concert, which made me long to see them again soon. (Anna)

Setlist BATTLE BEAST:
Circus Of Doom
Straight To The Heart
Familiar Hell
No More Hollywood Endings
Eye Of The Storm
Where Angels Fear To Fly
Bastard Son Of Odin
Wings Of Light
Eden
Master Of Illusion
King For A Day
Beyond The Burning Skies

JUDAS PRIEST (Friday, June 7, 2024, Festival Stage)

The British Heavy Metal icons JUDAS PRIEST were formed over 50 years ago. The third album “Sin After Sin” (1977) was their major label debut, but it was with the album “British Steel” (1980) that the group really had their break through. Here were the hit singles “Breakin’ the Law” and “Living After Midnight”. The band has been one of the most influential in their genre, earning them the nickname “The Metal Gods”, after their song with the same name from the just mentioned material. They have sold more than 55 million discs worldwide and have released 11 records in a row that were certified gold or platinum in the US. In 2022, JUDAS PRIEST were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as they received the Musical Excellence Award. The latest fantastic and acclaimed disc “Invincible Shield” is their nineteenth studio album, which was released three months ago.

Rob Halford is over 70 years old, which makes one perhaps worry or wonder if the voice still holds. Happily, it was found to hold up very well. And yes, he sang for real and did not mime to pre-recorded vocals. I recognized the tones in the music from the opening “Panic Attack” immediately. Even though it’s a new material, it’s stuck in my brain and already feels like an established JUDAS PRIEST song. Richie Faulkner played a fantastic guitar solo. Halford’s voice impressed. During “Breaking The Law”, the audience sang along to the chorus. Faulkner’s finger work was outstanding.

“Devils Child” has been performed live for the first time during this tour. It featured a brilliant guitar playing by Richie and an effectful echo of Rob’s voice. Later, many strong keyboard tones from the 80s slided in and you immediately recognized “Turbo Lover”. There was probably no one who didn’t sing along to that chorus. Faulkner went into a wide-legged position, which he often stood in, dropping to his knees and rising again while playing. The bass player stayed in the background as usual. With squinting eyes, the singer often wandered diligently across the whole stage.

During the song “Invincible Shield”, a huge “Judas Priest cross” was hoisted down onto the stage. On this sat several spotlights. After a dazzling guitar solo, “the Devil’s Tuning Fork” was hoisted up again. Halford showed evidence of his vocal capacity, skillfully switching between different tones. He let himself be swept away by the music and at some point he played air guitar. After that, the frontman had vocal exercises with us, which was a fun moment with good audience contact and fellowship. There was a good interplay between him and all the others on stage. Rob seemed to gain more and more energy during the concert. In “Painkiller” I and surely everyone else was once again fascinated by Richie’s guitar playing, which was both technically skilled, but also performed with feeling and passion.

Motorcycle sounds were heard, a large cloud of smoke appeared and the singer came in to the stage riding his Harley Davidson. It’s something that belongs to their show and that you somehow always long to see. He stopped in the middle of the stage and hit the gas many times, turned off the engine, but sat there for a while as he began to sing the song “Hell Bent For Leather”. The closing “Living After Midnight” gave a party feeling and made the joy bubble up inside me. There was a sing-along in a sea of dancing people and afterwards a deafening cheer. Despite a longer gig of an hour and a half, you wanted to see and hear more. It was an insanely good concert. (Anna)

Setlist JUDAS PRIEST:
Panic Attack
You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’
Rapid Fire
Breaking The Law
Lightning Strike
Devil’s Child
Riding On The Wind
Sinner
Turbo Lover
Invincible Shield
The Green Manalishi (With The Two Prong Crown) (Fleetwood Mac cover)
Painkiller
Electric Eye
Hell Bent For Leather
Living After Midnight

AVANTASIA (Saturday, June 8, 2024, Rock Stage)

The music can sometimes perhaps be described as a Rock musical, but is considerably heavier than that at times. Most of the time the group’s sound has been called Metal Opera, but nowadays it is so much more. The band has landed in a style of its own. The singer, musician and songwriter Tobias “Tobi” Sammet (EDGUY) founded AVANTASIA 25 years ago. Since then, nine studio material has been released and more than three million records have been sold. The latest disc was the superb “A Paranormal Evening With The Moonflower Society” (2022). The frontman has imagination and many ideas. Sammet is working on a new album, but he has currently a pause and is focusing on touring for a while. One Saturday in June 2024, it was time to play at Sweden Rock Festival again, to my and many others delight.

The light of the spotlights circulated. Suddenly pyrotechnics went off and the concert got off to a flying start. The audience immediately started clapping their hands. On stage were three background singers; Herbie Langhans (FIREWIND), Chiara Tricarico (MOONLIGHT HAZE, RAVENWORD) and Adrienne Cowan. In the second song “Reach Out For The Light” we got to hear the young Metal singer Cowan’s brilliant capacity, which grew stronger towards the end. Tobias Sammet and guesting Ronnie Atkins (solo, PRETTY MAIDS, NORDIC UNION) entertained us in the fantastic “The Scarecrow”. Sascha Paeth played a long part of a wonderful guitar solo, which the other guitarist Arne Wiegand finished.

It was an amazing scenography as usual. Not only a big background screen that changed content to fit each song, but also physical props. It consisted, among other things, of tall stone pillars with lanterns on them, as well as a large iron gate. These things were probably made in other materials, of course, but it looked real. Even though it was raining, the area in front of the stage was packed with people. No one wanted to miss the evening’s headliner on the last day of the festival. One of my favorite moments was when Sammet and guest artist Geoff Tate (ex-QUEENSRŸCHE) sang “Alchemy”, from the fantastic “Moonglow” (2019). It was a mighty experience to hear their voices together. Geoff’s charismatic, outstanding voice has always fascinated me and impressed me with its strength, intensity, dynamics and power.

I had heard that a Swedish singer would participate in the concert with AVANTASIA and got the answer to who in “Dying For An Angel”, when Tommy Karevik (KAMELOT) stepped onto the stage. It was a positive surprise. He was as good and skilled like always. Together, Tommy and Tobias made an excellent number. The following “Let The Storm Descend Upon You” involved three vocalists. Apart from Tobi, Langhans came into the limelight and later also Atkins again. It was a grand, powerful part of the show with this trio of strong singers. Chiara also sang a duet a couple of times during the evening, among other things she came in at the end of “The Story Ain’t Over”, in which Bob Catley (MAGNUM) was a guest singer. Bob was so full of energy that at one point he even jumped for a while. Unfortunately, not a single piece from the latest material “A Paranormal Evening...” was performed, but of course it is difficult to put together a setlist, which also depends on which other artists can come along.

When it was time for encores, a grand piano appeared on stage. Sammet said he was no piano player, but that he would do his best. Tobias played very nicely and sang emotionally in the calm beginning of “Lucifer”. Then flames of fire suddenly erupted from the grand piano as the song thundered into action. During cheers and applause, Tobi stood up, grabbed the microphone and left the keys. The last song was “Sign Of The Cross”, which at the end changed to “The Seven Angels”. All the guest artists entered in front of the audience in a grand finale and immediately afterwards lots of fireworks were set off above the stage. Everyone’s eyes were turned up towards the sky to see this crackling spectacle, signed by Sweden Rock. AVANTASIA was an absolutely perfect and magical end to this year’s festival. (Anna)

Setlist AVANTASIA:
Spectres
Reach Out For The Light (with Adrienne Cowan)
The Scarecrow (with Ronnie Atkins)
Farewell (with Chiara Tricarico)
Alchemy (with Geoff Tate)
Dying For An Angel (with Tommy Karevik)
Let The Storm Descend Upon You (with Herbie Langhans and Ronnie Atkins)
The Story Ain’t Over (with Bob Catley and Chiara Tricarico)
Lost in Space

Encores:
Lucifer
Sign Of The Cross / The Seven Angels (with everyone) 

Outro

There were many lovely outdoor breakfasts and pleasant conversations together with other Sweden Rockers. I probably introduced most people to BLACK STONE CHERRY’s music in particular, since the band also played at this year’s festival.

One of all the positive things, apart from new food places, was that this year it was not as crowded. With the new expansion of the festival area, it felt more airy and wonderfully relaxed. It was well organized as usual. Unfortunately, however, the storage lockers were far too small, at least the ones intended for us who would be working. Did not even get my thick sweater-jacket in and especially not the backpack or the camera bag.

After the last concert of the year, I walked satisfied and happy, in the company of 30,000 others, slowly through the night towards the exit. I turned and looked out over the partially lit festival area. In my head I said “Thanks for this year!” The next day I drove home, while the thoughts swirled around in the head of all the festival impressions and new, wonderful Sweden Rock memories.

A fantastic festival is over for this time. Although of course I missed my colleague, it was one of the best Sweden Rock Festivals I have been to. (Anna)

Best concert:
01. Black Stone Cherry
02. The Black Crowes
03. Avantasia
04. Iron Savior
05. Judas Priest

Biggest surprise: There were many positive surprises for me this year, both in terms of accommodation and food, concerts and the festival area, plus other things that gilded my Sweden Rock 2024. Hard to choose, so I will leave it unsaid.

Biggest disappointment: The storage lockers

Best festival feeling: When I ate inside the new, small area “Skogen” and at the same time saw a good concert on the biggest stage. To walk around and look at festival goers, to meet friends and acquaintances I might never meet otherwise, as well as all these moments when you talk to unknown, but like-minded people, who also love Hard Rock and Metal.

Best stage show: Avantasia and Judas Priest

Best food: For those of you who are tired of hamburgers, pizza and other fast food, I can really recommend “Harvest by Mannerströms” - They had the absolute tastiest food this year! Professional, well-prepared food with rich flavors. A bonus was that they had set out a plate of each dish, so you could see exactly what you were going to get and it was easier to choose. My favorite was their Pork Schnitzel, with Ham & Cheese inside, served with Potatoes and Bearnaise sauce.

Bands I wish to see at next year’s festival:
Greta Van Fleet
Firewind
Sarayasign

All photos from Sweden Rock 2024 can be found here: https://neckbreaker.de/de/live/galerie/festivals/2024-632/sweden-rock-festival-2024