Northern Rockmusic

Review of the Open Flair Festival 2007 in Eschwege 11.+ 12.08.2007

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I arrive Eschwege at 10 in the morning and try to find someone to help me getting my Press-pass. At 11 o‘ clock I enter the festival area and look around. There are two stages and a tent wih a stage for the comedians and artists. A lot of merch and snackbars are behind the stage in the tree circle. Next to the HR3 mainstage there is the backstage and press area. The first band to play on the 2nd stage is Eiszeitklub, a young band with german lyrics and a rocking sound. It is kinda quiet on the festival area, most of the people are still at the camping place, the day before the last concert ended very late. But a few people listening to the first bands and sitting in the straw that was pulled over the mood in front of the stage.
The next band plays on the mainstage and I was really looking forward to see them, some friends gave me a hint that these guys from Hamburg really rock
.

Montreal are 3 guys and a lot of fans as it seems to me, suddenly there is a big crowd at the mainstage and two fans enter the stage and dance while Montreal rocks the Open Flair. The crowd is loud and enthusiastic in singing and dancing but very peacful.
I have to say that the sound of both stages is very good, the whole technic seems to be the best you can have, I have heard much worse things on other festivals before.
Cause of the cold weather I enter the tent to check the Comedian Nils Heinrich and I hardly find a seat to sit down, the mood ist great and Nils Heinrich entertains his crowd perfectly.
The I go on to the second stage, the people are still relaxed and the next band is Roman Fischer. They play very calm rock music but with an unique sound. I listen to a few songs and went back to the press area to have a little break.
After lunch I go and check out Kapartenhund a band that you can compare with bands like Sibermond or Wir sind Helden but they are a little softer and to me very sympathic.

The lyrics are intelligent and deep and they seem to have a lot of fans. The singer receives a lot of hot views of the male public. In front of the stage are a lot of people and for the first time the security is present.
He last gig for me today is H-Blockx at the main stage and there’s no need to say that this gig and the mood was gigantic. Even that people are dancing pogo noone seems agressive and the security just get out some stage divers because it is too dangerous in such a big crowd.

I decide to leave Eschwege to be fit on sunday.

The next day starts early and I arrive the festival area at 10 o‘ clock. The sun shines very hot and it seems that summer will come back today. I sit down in the press area and talk to several people there. Everyone looks sleepy and calm. I wander over the place and get myself the best latte macchatoeverand I listen to some bands the won a contest. They all play german rockmusic and well the still need to lear but to play on such a big festival is ofcourse a big chance for them. The I await Monta and get Benzin, ok I forgot that Monta cancelled their gig, but they foun a great alternative for them. Benzin is not just a name it rulez. The Open Flair starts to party.
And meanwhile it is as hot as hell, I go back into the Press area and try to find some shadow, sometimes I walk over to the second stage to visit some friends waiting there for Negative. Then I go and watch the Emo-Rockband Lost Alone.

They are really goodand for me the first big Highlight today. At the End of the concert I get a call of one of the OF managers if I wanna do an interview with Sir Christus and Jay of Negative. Sure I wanna do that so I try to find some good questions in five minutes and wait until the Girls of Finnjoys finish their interview with the guys. Then we sit down, talk a little and you can read the whole Interview later on the website.
After that I walk over to the second stage where Fiddler’s Green play. They replace Sunris Avenue cause Samu is ill and cannot sing. Fiddler’s Green do what they always do, the rock the crowd and everyone dances to the irish folk-rock sounds.

Right after that Mando Diao play at mainstage and you can see just people all over the place, feels like it is fuller than the day before. Around 14 000 people are on the festival area.
Meanwhile the backline of Negative is build up and they start to play right after Mando Diao finished their gig. Negative plays one of the best concerts I have ever seen and a lot of people that did not know them before clapping their hands now. I think the finnish band gets a lot of new fans there. The show is powerfull as usual and the whole band seems much healthier than a year ago. The fans celebrate the guys as frenetic as ever.
Negative ends with a last bow and then gentleman start to play at mainstage. Time to dance to the soft and groovie rythm of the headliners.

Let’s resume that the Open Flair had a great line up this year, the whole crowd was peaceful, relaxed and in a good mood and the organisation was almost perfect. Very friendly security and managers and a lot of fun. I am looking forward to the OF Festival 2008, you should do so!