03.08.2012 In Flames

Wacken Open Air XXIII

Wacken (Germany)

(Pentax K-5 with Sigma AF 70-200mm 2.8 EX DC APO HSM II)

Meanwhile it got completely dark and a huge crowd gathered in front of the True-Metal stage which was covered with a black cloth and they were waiting imnpatient for the Swedish melodic death metaller of In Flames. They entered the stage on time which means the intro started on time and with it the black cloth was enlightened by strong spotlights so that you were able to see many cubes. One cube was enlightened from the back so that you were able to recognize front men Anders Friden behind the cloth who seemed to be sitting on a piano. Shortly afterwards the intro stopped to be restarted once more and now all musicians were behind the cloth on stage although they could partially only be seen shadowy.
Overall the semipermeable cloth was a great idea and was further used during the first songs as projection surface what was looking awesome. The band was really keen on playing and the people in front of them were feeling in a party mood. Good conditions to directly really demand the neck musculature during "Trigger". Just like The Boss Hoss also Anders had a great idea when he told the people before "Only For The Weak" that it would look gorgeous iff everybody in front of the band until back to the entrances would jump around. Jump around? Normally a self-evidence during that song but then the scared view towards camera and ground. Never mind, hand in front of the lense should do! It did and the camera afterwards was also not that much covered with mud. But now not only on stage it was going like a train but also in front of it. On stage just like their name already says there was a flaming inferno and compared to that the already quite fiery show of Kamelot looked like a small campfire. Flamethrowers everywhere firing all they could. Also the bullhead between the stages as well as the flamethrowers on the spotlight towers were running in full-automatic fire mode. In front of the stage even a pit opened and the people were giving it everything.
Again and again Anders integrated the audience in his short announcements between the songs and generated by that little calm anchors where you shortly were able to take a breath just to go crazy dirctly when the next song started. But also the Wacken crew was heavily roped in as Anders let himself hand over a camera to take a picture of the really impressive audience and afterwards additionally just like Biff of Saxon did the day before take a ride on a camera along the crowd. But also the security should not be unemployed so he asked for crowd surfing. That was followed not with overwhelming enthusiasm and so numerous like the years before (what may be the reason for this... :-) ) but quickly the first persons were up in the air.
You did not recognize how time flew by. On stunner after the other and on stage not only Ander but also his fellows Björn Gelotte and Niclas Engelin on guitars, as well as Peter Iwers on bass and Daniel Svensson on drums gave everything they could. Way too fast by "My Sweet Shadow" the last song was announced before the band was leaving the stage and left behind a completely satisfied audience. An incredible gig which could of course not be compared to the one at November last year at the Turbinenhalle Oberhausen. If you absolutely want to find a point of criticism than it may be that Anders seemed to have some issues with his voice and due to that was not fully able to optimally get his shouts and screams across but in case that he was healthwise stricken so you could not see that (although he was a little bit more reserved on stage and did not swirl around that much) and then his performance would have to be rated even higher.