Full gallery at the end of the article.
A Greek Extravaganza
It was the first time I attended this festival and it was unmissable since it was so close to
Thessaloniki. The second day of Rockwave had a very special lineup. My biggest anticipation was
to see the first band that would play, Hail Spirit Noir, one of the few widely traveled Greek
bands I had heard so much about in the past, but had never had the chance to see, even though
we live in the same city.
So I arrived at this field, which was also the venue, in the middle of nowhere.
The first thing I noticed, regardless of what was said about the space, was that it had a
wonderful large stage, with amazing lights and sound, which stood in stark contrast with the
surroundings you could see around you. (A big field)
Under the blazing sun, Hail Spirit Noir come out. They are a mix of progressive, psychedelic black
metal. To someone unfamiliar with them, they might have been grouped alongside DHG. A
unique band, made up of excellent musicians, seasoned by the many miles they’ve traveled.
They knew exactly how to play the game.
I ended up watching almost the entire show, because as mentioned, I had wanted to see them
for many years.
Shortly before the end, I left to find Alan Averill, just before he went on stage with Primordial. I really wanted to capture some shots of him with his awesome presence – hood, gallows, corpse paint.
We took some quick shots and he immediately went up on stage.
I love Primordial. I love them because on stage they are just as good as they are on record, but
live they are simply unbeatable. Alan and his band give so much energy up there that even if you
are not into this kind of music, you’re left stunned. Alan Averill takes you on a journey
throughout the whole set – there’s no way you won’t feel like he’s singing right in front of your
face. There’s something very unique about this artist, this whole thing with the eye contact that
anyone can feel, no matter where they stand during a Primordial show.
Every time someone sees them, it’s a 10/10.
Two more bands remained, and the crowd was getting ready for circle pits. People wanted the
pushing and shoving; it’s Greece after all. Next up were Sacred Reich. A band that needs no
introduction or description. They came up pumped, and from the moment they got on until they
finished, the crowd was just making circles, relentless moshing. Thrash till death. They even
played Motörhead; no comments needed. Incredible.
And now we get to the highlight: Rotting Christ on Greek soil.
But the weather started turning bad very suddenly. Sakis was very concerned about lightning
striking this place, which I remind you was forgotten by human eyes. The tallest structure
around was none other than the stage itself.
Just before they went on, we took some behind-the-scenes shots with them too.
Rotting Christ begin, first song, second song; and then rain, and then heavy rain.
The band’s concern was evident. Sakis suddenly tells the crowd that never in the band’s 35 years
had one of their shows been interrupted, and he urged the crowd to wait for a while for the rain
to stop so the concert could continue. The venue was emptying, but nobody really left. Everyone
was just looking for a place to cover themselves. Some die-hards would not leave the front row
for any reason. At this point, Sakis goes into the photo pit and shakes hands to thank one by one
the fans who stayed despite the downpour.
Time passed and the rain wouldn’t stop. After quite a while, the rain began to ease up and Alan
Averill was encouraging Rotting Christ to get back on stage.
I should note that while in central Europe rain at an open-air festival is expected and there are
infrastructures in place, in Greece it’s not like that. Everything is exposed, especially the
electrical equipment. That’s why it was a big safety issue. Nevertheless, although the show had
started with visuals, lights, etc., it ended up being just music, two spotlights, and Hellenic Black
Metal at its finest.
Soaked, the crowd kept moshing. Crowdsurfing, too. It was one of the most special times I’ve
seen Rotting Christ on stage. The weather ruined the vibe a little, but so be it.
That was Rockwave, with a tribute to black metal somewhere in northern Greece.
Your concert plans
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