05.08.2011 Airbourne

Wacken Open Air XXII

Wacken (Germany)

(Pentax k-x with Tamron SP AF 17-50mm 2.8 XR Di II LD Asp IF and Sigma AF 50-150mm 2.8 EX DC APO HSM II)

After a long festival day I needed a break and so after Judas Priest I first went over to the press area to take a seat for some minutes and fill up with new energy for the final. Thinking that Airbourne would start as scheduled at 0:45 I started 15 minutes before that towards the True Metal Stage. But when I went out the press area at 0:30 I already heard the first sounds of "Raise The Flag" waving towards me. Why was that not announced anywhere? I was not the only one that got surprised by that.
The short anger about that flew away quickly as the Australian around front men Joel O’Keeffe presented a terrific show. Directly from the start one cracker after the other was played. Additionally Joel swirled across the stage like a hurricane and seemed to be bursting with energy. Live, you can't beat that man. Be it him waving his mane of curly hair through the air or spotting on different persons in the crowd from the background of the stage with a big spotlight. Inbetween there is a can of beer opened with his head. The absolutely climax was reached when he spontaneously decided to put his guitar on his back during "Black Jack" and directly afterwards he climbed via the stage skeleton to the roof of it playing there a solo in dizzy height without smoke and mirrors. The man is simply crazy in a positive way of meaning.
The stage was a huge ocean of spotlights and there was nothing more needed. The music was speaking for itself. There was nothing special what the four Australian played. It was simple straight classic hard rock at AC/DC style but due to the catchy lyrics that simply invite you to roar with them and the energetic performance it was something very special. The crowd cheered, it was loudly sang along at classics like "Too Much, Too Young, Too Fast". Was somebody angry about the too early point of beginning the was rewarded by the fact that Airbourne could play 15 minutes longer that originally planned and so only after 75 minutes and "Runnin' Wild" everything was over.
Already great on CD but live terrific. For me this gig was one of the top-3 of the festival and really remained in my mind. All that do have the possibility to watch them once live: just do it! It is really worth it!