Tag: HellFest (Page 1 of 2)
SURVIVING HELLFEST XV
I’m not going to write a classic review like everyone always does, and certainly like we do here too.
Instead, I’m gonna write you a short story, probably me talking gibberish but… this is what you get.
I’m writing you a brief description of another dimension where you can have the time of your life. The goal is for these words to move you and make you join us next year in HELL.
The Imagination
Have you ever felt like you need to break out of this world? Your daily routine and all the horrible things that are happening around you.
Have you ever wished to have the portal gun of Rick and the liberty to teleport away from all of this?
This is me and my portal is the gates of Hellfest…
This is the place where people from around the globe gather to break out, be ourselves and forget about whatever is outside the gates of music. We gather for the same passion… MUSIC.
We forget where we came from, our differences, and our colors with everything else that divides us. None of that matters because we are in another dimension, remember! A dimension where hate doesn’t exist. Doesn’t that make Music the only God that should be worshiped?
The Imagination: Existence
As soon as you’re inside the gates of Hell, you realise that this recurring dream actually exists, and you’re just in it.
As it is your first visit, you start wandering around like someone completely lost, but in fact, it’s quite the opposite, you’re observing what’s going around you.
It’d take you a few moments before you stop, you smile and you’re awake to this reality and it is happening.
Freak Show
One show after another, running from one stage to another, trying to catch the train of photographers.
So many childhood heroes are now in front of your lens, such a heavy pressure to make sure the shot will kick-fucking-ass.
Crossing paths with all the beautiful freaks who are exactly just like you, you feel that we belong but not only that, we should be ruling too!
One stage and you’re in the fame, the huge set-up, the rock stars’ presence, the place where the huge acts play.
Then you move to another stage and you’re in a completely different atmosphere, you’re a Viking fighter, fighting to keep the music alive, swimming on the backs of your fellow fighters.
Your next adventure is more intimate, up close, and personal with your favorite artists, under the tents of HELL.
When The Crowds Are Gone
When we used to pass three days in (let’s call it) dimension Hellfest, we enter the phase of so many officially calls today: “post-Hellfest depression”
This year that phase was longer. The seven days of Hellest were just incredible, we are lucky to be part of such an EPIC event that’d never be forgotten. We did survive seven days in Hellfest but not only that, I’m sure that so many of us wished for Hellfest to go on.
Now we cannot wait for the news to come and what kind of surprise the team of Hellfest is preparing for us, we are used to BIG FAT HEAVY news so… Bring It On
I hope those experiences will encourage you to join me, join us next year, and if you do, don’t hesitate to contact me, I promise we will share a beer together
I’ll leave you now with some bad-ass shots taken by the team of Metal Bell Magazine.
And don’t hesitate to share if you liked what you read
HELLFEST: “Beyond This Road”
“Beyond This Road”
« Si tu ne viens pas au Hellfest, le Hellfest viendra à toi ! »
La désormais célèbre tournée Hellfest Warm-Up est de retour après 2 ans de silence. À quelques mois de sa plus grande édition jamais organisée, l’équipe du Hellfest reprend la route au printemps 2022 pour vous replonger dans l’ambiance unique du festival et vous préparer à une édition anniversaire qui s’annonce exceptionnelle !
Au programme 21 dates pour 21 soirées uniques dans tout l’Hexagone en compagnie des patrons du Punk français, Tagada Jones et des Thrasheurs espagnols de Crisix.
Retrouvez aussi un tas d’animations à chaque étape : scénographie, projections, Air Guitar, photocall interactif, merch exclusif et sans oublier des pass Hellfest 2022 à gagner chaque soir !
CONCERTS
– Tagada Jones (Punk Metal – Fr)
Plus d’un quart de siècle que les TAGADA JONES tirent méthodiquement à boulets rouges
avec une hargne invétérée sur tout ce qui les énerve : les dérives capitalistes, les inégalités
sociales, le sexisme, le nucléaire et les cons ! Le tout sur fond de punk rock sautillant, avec
des refrains fédérateurs (la marque du groupe) et un propos musical durci par une influence
metal davantage affirmée qu’à ses débuts. Tout un programme en attendant de les voir sur
la MS 2 en juin prochain !
– Crisix (Thrash Metal – Espagne)
Depuis 2009, CRISIX jouit d’une progression exponentielle qui ne doit rien au hasard tant le
thrash speedé et survolté proposé par les Hispaniques fait honneur aux classiques du
genre. Après un set sans public au Hellfest From Home 2021 qui a quand même calmé tout
le monde, les pizzaïolos du Thrash vont profiter de cette Warm-Up pour remettre les
pendules à l’heure pour une distribution générale de tartes dont ils ont le secret !
ANIMATIONS 🎉
🎸GRAND CONCOURS DE AIR GUITAR 🎸
Rendez-vous chaque soir pour le grand concours de “Air Guitar » animé par Jimmy Clisson
( MC officiel de la Fédération Française de Air Guitar ) et à travers deux vagues de
compétition où s’affrontent 2 X 10 candidats. Les gagnants repartiront avec un Pass pour le
Hellfest 2022 ! (Les inscriptions se font directement sur place, sur notre stand de air guitar –
premier arrivé, premier inscrit !)
Tous les gagnants seront conviés à participer à la grande finale de air guitar qui aura lieu sur
la Hellstage le jeudi 16 juin 2022. Le grand gagnant sera sacré champion Hellfest et sera
récompensé par un pass 2023 !
📸 PHOTOBOOTH INTERACTIF by ImmortalizR 📸
Faites vous tirer le portrait par notre photographe Immortalizer sur notre photocall interactif.
En plus d’une photo souvenir, vous repartirez peut-être avec un Pass pour le Hellfest 2022 !
🎥 PROJECTION VIDEO HELLFEST 🎥
Replongez dans l’ambiance du festival à travers une vidéo inédite tournée lors de l’édition
2019 … quelques minutes d’immersion pour vous préparer à l’édition 2022
🧢 MERCHANDISING EXCLUSIF 🧢
Un nouveau stand de merchandising exclusif est disponible sur place avec une multitude de
produits Hellfest.
🎁 SURPRISES 🎁
Tous les participants sont invités à récupérer quelques cadeaux de bienvenue pendant la
soirée (gobelets collector & goodies de nos partenaires)
🤝 RENCONTRE AVEC L’ÉQUIPE 🤝
Une partie de l’équipe de production du festival sera sur place, n’hésitez pas à les solliciter
et à les interroger. Ils se feront une joie de pouvoir capturer vos témoignages et réclamations
et de répondre à toutes vos questions durant la soirée !
1 – 2 – 3 AVRIL : “FIRE & ICE” – FLAINE – Ski Resort (+ HELLBANGERZ / Sans Tagada
Jones & Get The Shot)
Pour son tour de chauffe, la tournée Warm-up s’installe sur la station de ski de Flaine, pour
une “FIRE & ICE” party de 3 jours avec le groupe HELLBANGERZ (pour un set de reprises
des classiques du rock / metal), mais aussi du air guitar, dj set, merch spécial et d’autres
surprises au pied des pistes.
20 AVRIL : RENNES – L’Étage
21 AVRIL : PARIS – Le Bataclan (+ AS THEY BURN)
22 AVRIL : NANCY – L’Autre Canal
23 AVRIL : BESANÇON – La Rodia
24 AVRIL : LENS – La Scène – Musée du Louvre-Lens
25 AVRIL : REIMS – La Cartonnerie
26 AVRIL : LYON – Ninkasi
27 AVRIL : ISTRES – L’Usine
28 AVRIL : NÎMES – Paloma
29 AVRIL : LIMOGES – CCM
30 AVRIL : CALAIS – Centre Gérard Philipe
1er MAI : CHÂTEAUROUX – Firemaster Convention (Sans Tagada Jones & Get The Shot)
2 MAI : CLERMONT-FERRAND – La Coopérative de Mai
3 MAI : TOULOUSE – Metronum
4 MAI : BORDEAUX – Rock School Barbey
5 MAI : ORLÉANS – L’Astrolabe
6 MAI : BREST – La Carène
7 MAI : NANTES – La Cité des Congrés (+ HANGMAN’S CHAIR + HELLBANGERZ)
——
See you on the road !
Merci à tous nos partenaires de nous aider dans cette nouvelle aventure itinérante :
RTL2, Sacem, CSTAR, Greetings From Hell, Dr. Martens France, Cartel Concerts, HYRAW
clothing, Flibustier Paris, PLP publicité, Flaine Ski Resort, Geek Me More, Crève, La Cité des Congrés Nantes
HELL’TOUR
As you know, this year, Hellfest extends over 2 weekends of festivities with a break from Monday 21 to Wednesday 23 June.
For the marathon runners who are going to chain the two editions (or those who want to extend / start the festivities), Le Vignoble de Nantes has prepared a tailor-made and special “Hell’Tour” guide for you (which has nothing to envy to the famous ” Guide du Routard”) to help you discover our magnificent vineyards and the Nantes region between the two weekends with various activities:
📸 – Visits: Château de Clisson, Domaine de la Garenne Lemot, guided tour of Clisson special Hellfest…
🍷 – Gastronomy: Hellfest Wine Tour, Antipasti Tasting, Trip to the Vineyard…
🥾 – Sport: Hiking in the vineyard, Canoe-Kayak on the Sèvre…
🚌 – Discovery Days with transport to Nantes, on the Atlantic Coast, to Bluebeard’s castle in Tiffauge…
The guide can be found here ➡️ https://bit.ly/36zCshg
Other activities and events are being programmed and will be added as they go on the Office’s website: https://www.levignobledenantes-tourisme.com/…/hellfest/
HELLFEST… It’s Happening Again
In the title of this article, we are simply stating that Hellfest is finally happening again after two years being left-out without our precious HELL. Two years without Hellfest, no thanks to you Covid and all your ugly relatives.
In four months we’ll be back in our favorite spot in the world, Hellfest Open Air.
We have so much to look forward to, two years is way too long and since Hellfest started in 2006, it has been a nonstop roller coster and getting bigger each year. If there’s anything we’ve learned over the years, it’s that this amazing festival is not going anywhere no matter the circumstances.
Ben and his team never fail to impress their loyal fans, and I say loyal fans because they never fail when the festival needs them, they kept their tickets for two years without asking for a refund and the moment has come to enjoy this ride one more time.
Fans held onto their tickets like they were lottery tickets, that’s how important they are to each of us
This only demonstrates the love and support the heavy-metal community and fans of Hellfest have for this haven
Not only is this anniversary special because it’s happening again, but:
-
It’s a return after two years, which is why I titled it “it is happening again” Two years seems so very long, and also, it’s a nice reference. Let us know if you catch it.
- It is going to be massive, like real massive not just like every other year because usually Hellfest is expanding year after another, but this year it’s gonna be a double bill, Hellfest is set to return and run throughout two consecutive weekends , a complete 7 days of HELL with over 350 bans, isn’t that beyond amazing?
For Ben and his team to pull-off such an organization after two years of no income, no government support, and being turned down by their insurer, is just beyond incredible. It’ll be a 15th anniversary edition to go down in history and we are fortunate to be a part of Hellfest.
It sounds crazy when we say 15th anniversary. In truth, it should have been the 17th, but time surely stood still for us.
Here are the complete line-up wit the official running order:
Ticket Information:
Hellfest 2020… It is the 15th anniversary for the biggest festival in the world and Hellfest is promising a lineup that is no less than any other year.
Just like the previous years, Hellfest tickets were sold out in few hours, the lineup was not revealed but that was never a problem for Hellfest loyal crowd.
It is like people are confirming year after year that we will go no matter what, Hellfest for life
Here is the official poster, We will let you enjoy going through the bands.
Just like every year, we will be there to cover this legendary festival.
Remember! If you want to get your hands on some tickets, use only the official platform for reselling the tickets
Here we go, it’s that time of the year where all Metal enthusiasts from France and all over the world gathers in the beautiful Clisson, to visit their own version of Disney Land for a full weekend, HELLFEST.
The special bonus this year was a fourth day, the weekend kicked of on Thursday this year with Knotfest embracing the French meal world.
I personally stopped talking about how big Hellfest is each year, Ben and his team got enough creativity to surprise us each year.
Come Hellfest 2020, I can only guarantee you, it’ll be your best Metal experience.
The lineup this year was massive, maybe too massive.
This edition of Hellfest was probably the 1969 Woodstock of our time.
It had everything, legends bidding farewell to their fans, old school rock stars, new emerging bands, Tool after 13 years away from their fans.
So many highlights that would go down in the history,
Only this year there were stories to tell, on a positive notes and a negative one.
The opening day of Hellfest was busy, really busy, Hellfest dedicated a main stage just for French bands which was really awesome.
Imagine, in one day, you have the chance to see, Gojira, King Diamond, Mass Hysteria, Dagoba, SUM41, Godsmack, Demons & Wizards, and Dream Theater… etc.
And finally, to close out the day, the almighty Manowar was set to headline.
Remember our story from last year? Where after the last band on the third day, Hellfest came up with a huge surprise, Lights were out for few minutes, then Joey from MANOWAR was live on stage to announce the return of MANOWAR to Hellfest after 10 years, their last performance was back in 2009. I was there.
People were looking forward to this, but don’t get too attached, this story does not have a happy ending.
In the afternoon of Friday, around 80,000 people were notified that MANOWAR wouldn’t be playing tonight anymore, no further explanations.
Few hours later, the story started to go out, MANOWAR were on site the night before, as per Hellfest, they just decided to leave the site and not to play the show.
Then an official statement from MANOWAR blaming Hellfest for this cancelation, I mean it’s MANOWAR, of course they’re gonna blame Hellfest.
The fans were really disappointed and furious, a band like MANOWAR should care and respect their fans.
No matter the reason that led to an argument between the band and the organizer, your MANOWAR, you were on site and ready to play, you deliver to your fans, the show must go on, you perform, then you go to solve your issues with the promoter.
Let’s not give MANOWAR too much attention here, they let down their fans, Hellfest were proactive and on the spot, replaced them by Sabaton.
Long story short, it was a dramatic day, but nobody cared, Hellfest ruled and people had a blast.
Day tow was no less, it was the day where you go on a trip back in time, the real legends of rock and metal ruled, not MANOWAR!
The biggest act that everyone was waiting for was KISS, another legends bidding farewell to the world.
We also had, Whitesnake, Def Leppard, ZZ Top, Within Temptation and many others.
But for me, the highlight of this year was without a doubt KISS.
These guys, after all this years, they put on a show that bands in there twenties wouldn’t have the stamina to do.
They gave it all, a rock show on the highest level, they had raisers on the stage for each musician, at some point, Paul surfed over the crowd with a zip-line and plaid two songs in the middle of the ground, not to mention the flames, the smoke, the explosions and finally the fireworks.
KISS presents the real meaning of the term ROCK STARS.
Days three is usually sad, because you come to realize that it is almost the end for this year, but was way more emotional as SLAYER were also bidding farewell to the world, Tom said few touching words at the end and had tears in his eyes.
On the bill were also, Lamb Of God, Slash, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Anthrax, Trivium, Testament, Death Angel and Philip Anselmo who plaid so many Pantera hits and many other bands.
I will leave with our photo gallery so you can live or re-live some of the best moments of Hellfest 14
Keep an eye on our page and also Hellfest pages, as tickets will go out on sale very soon.
Next year Hellfest celebrates 15 years of greatness, be ready to get blasted as I guess something really extraordinary is in the works…
Until then… Stay Metal \m/
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Dream Theater, Def Leppard, Lamb of God, Stone Temple Pilots, Gojira, Slayer, King Diamond, ZZ Top, and Whitesnake among other notable acts.
Hellfest has earned the reputation of being the biggest metal festival in the past few years, and believe me it is for many good reasons.
The French festival introduces a massive lineup each year, spanning over six stages, each one is dedicated to a specific subgenre.
On Monday 26th of November, Hellfest announced the lineup for its 14th edition, headlining the three days are Manowar, KISS, and Tool with many co-headlining acts such as ZZ Top, Def Leppard, Dream Theater, Slayer (Final show in France), Slash, Mass Hysteria, King Diamond, and many many more.
Hellfest 2K19 will take place as usual in Clisson, France on the 21st, 22nd, and 23rd of June.
Tickets for the festival are sold out, this is the second year that tickets are out way before announcing the lineup, this only shows how blind faith the metal world has for Hellfest, it also shows a great confidence from the founder Ben Barbaud and his team.
Just like any other musical events, it is possible to find tickets but we advise you not to buy anywhere un-trusted, here is a link to the official website for re-selling the tickets, keep an eye on a regular basis
I will leave you here with the complete lineup, also with a great short film created for Hellfest.
Just like every year, we will be there to cover and share with you this heavy experience.
Stay Metal \m/
During Hellfest, we had the chance to sit down and talk to Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal from Sons Of Apollo about the current tour, the new album, and so many other things, you can read the whole conversation below and view the photos from their performance.
Metal Bell: Thank you so much for this opportunity to chat during the first show in Europe, it was a great show, congratulations.
Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal: Thank you so much.
Metal Bell: So how does it feel to play your first show at Hellfest?
Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal: Oh it is a great way to start a European tour, that’s for sure, no better way to start so we are very happy, to start a tour in front of 30,000 people I guess it’s ok (laughs).
Metal Bell: Have you ever played Hellfest before?
Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal: Yeah six years ago with Guns, we headlined it, it is nice to be here doing it with people that are close to you, friends with whom we wrote together, we recorded together, and it’s great.
Metal Bell: Your tour started in February, how is the reception so far?
Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal: Oh it is wonderful, this is our 42nd show I believe, it’s been great. We started off on the cruise to the edge, and then from there we went to the east coast and did like a week and a half of shows. And then April and May we did a big US tour, actually, we did South America, Mexico, Canada, and all around in the US. Nothing beats getting on the road, that’s what every band used to do to become who they are, being together every night and do it.
Metal Bell: How do I put this question, tell me how did
you come up or assemble The Avengers of Prog?
Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal: (laughs) That was very easy, we all knew each other and played together over the years.
Me and Billy were playing for years doing these jams with Ray Luzier from KORN and with Mike. Me, Mike, and Billy would be this core band and we’d play like big events in New York, with guys from Anthrax and Kiss joining us. I laid guest solos on Metal Allegiance’s first album with Mike and another album that Billy produced for Madame Mayhem, a great artist that I laid 4 guitar solos for her album.
Me, Mike, Derek, and Billy played together at Prog Nation 4 years ago, so we all have this background and we’ve done things together, so it was a no-brainer. When Mike wanted to do this band, he sent me an email, it was January 2017, he said: hey, how we always talked about putting a band together! Well me and Derek have this idea and we want to go into the studio in March and just write on the spot, record on the spot, we all play together and mark it, record it the way bands used to do it, the right way, it’s the real thing. And we’ve written spontaneously, we did that, we spent 10 days at the studio, we wrote, recorded and made the album in 10 days.
So it was me, Mike, and Derek in the studio, and then Billy cut off his Mr. Big’s tour halfway through and joined us, then we all just recorded. Jeff finished his touring, then he recorded his vocals at my studio where I laid my
guitar solos on everything, and that was it. And then we just waited for the right moment to go out and announce the band and put out the album. The label is wonderful (Inside Out), they’ve been a fantastic record label, so supportive and really a good team.
Metal Bell: So basically You, Mike, and Derek wrote the majority of the album?
Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal: Yeah it started with us and then Billy joined, then Jeff wrote everything you hear sung, that’s Jeff, he was really the key ingredient to turn it from a cold prog album to songs, things you can sing along you know, melodies that stick, that’s what Jeff does, he’s the guy.
Metal Bell: Today the band is less than a year old, considering all of your projects and involvements, will Sons Of Apollo be a long-term project?
Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal: That’s the question everyone has, is this another quick project or is it a band that’s gonna be around.
Our intentions are for it to be a band that’s gonna be around, but at the same time, we can’t completely neglect everything else we have, we can’t do that. It is also not fair for the other people in our life that are waiting for us so we still have to do other things. This year we’ll do a lot of Sons Of Apollo, next year we’re gonna have to do some other things, but you know we are already writing for the second album, it really goes down to business, not amongst each other, but we can’t just afford to be in a start-up band, put everything else aside, and get this off the ground. We are not 20-year old kids in a van you know, so it’s tough, but we are giving it our best and our intentions are to be a band that puts out a lot of albums and keeps on going and going. So as long as everyone on our team does the right thing, you know we are depending on managers, the label and on each other, all it takes is one person to fuck it all up and then we are all screwed, it could be anybody that we are depending on if they don’t do the right thing.
What we want for this band is to continue and we are doing everything possible to keep that going even when odds are against us, we want to keep going, we do.
Metal Bell: We do hope so too, you know how prog fans are so attached.
Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal: Sure yeah, and we made a pact with them, we said this is a band, we are obligated to keep our words to them and to ourselves.
Metal Bell: The history between Derek, Mike, and Dream Theater, would you ever consider a tour with them?
Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal: I would love to do it, I have such tremendous respect for Dream Theater as a band and individuals. I love John Petrucci, we’ve met before, we’ve chatted, he’s a wonderful guy. I also played on Jordan’s solo record in 2009, he was just incredible. That would be a wonderful thing.
And honestly I feel like there would be no Sons Of Apollo if there was no Dream Theater, you know you have to respect where this came from and everything that leads up to it, the influences and the history, and I do, I tremendously do.
It’d be wonderful to play together, I doubt it would ever happen, that would be really something interesting to the fans to see that. I would love it to be taken not as a competition in any way, we are all branches of Dream Theater’s tree and I’m grateful to them, I respect and admire them.
Metal Bell: Your second album is called Sophomore, is there already a date in mind?
Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal: Well I mean Derek has written things, he sends me videos and things like hey check out this riff I came up with, and we’ve talked to the label about it but nothing is definite yet. Right now, it’s just let us finish up what we have here and once it’s all clear and done, everything goes ok, we will then think about the next step. Even though now is the time to think about it, we are just staying focused and looking ahead, so we are thinking about this leg of the tour, then the next leg, and the leg after that so there’s no definitive time. We’ve talked about November going into the studio but I know Mike has something to do in November so it might be January, but hopefully not too far too long.
Metal Bell: Well thank you very much for the chat, it’s been wonderful talking to you and the best of luck for the rest of the tour.
Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal: Thank you very much. It was an absolute pleasure.
Interview and Photos by Sharbel Kanoun
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