Sadly, I missed the first day, as I had to
pick up the guys from Black Moon Circle
who were flying in from Norway on Thursday night. The Thursday had Giobia from Italy as the headline band
and people said they were really excellent. I met them the next day and they
were really cool people. The Sensational
Psycho Poppers, a Diff side project also played. I had seen them at least
once or twice at the festival before. Sonic
Dawn, Dead Pan Interference, Orcas and Love Coffin all played as well. People said it was a cool evening
but many really drunk people late at night.
We had a lot of complications with the
rental car, crazy stuff on the highways etc.. but we managed to arrive around
14 after leaving CPH about 11:15… I had hoped to see Gaia but we were too late. While I was setting up my tent, I could
hear Late Night Venture play. This
was pretty heavy at times. Skifting was a real surprise. They were
supposed to play last year but had to cancel due to the health of one of the
guitar players (who actually died this year). I thought the band was no more
but Kasper from Måneskjold/CPH Psych fest organizer, was filling in now. They
were much more heavy and aggressive punky psych rock with Danish lyrics than I
had remembered from seeing them back in 1999! There were not a lot of people
about.
Elevatorfører (Elevator Driver) have played the festival many times in the last
years and usually have a late nightspot and put on fun shows. This show as a
bit different in the late afternoon but I really enjoyed it a lot. The new
songs seem to be longer with more solo parts while the band grooves. Some
really cool stuff and a great vibe. Someone said they were a bit like the Black
Angels, a band I don’t know. People were having fun, the 60 or so that were
watching. They had a new album and 12” out but I have not heard them.
De
Forbandede (The Cursed) is a totally new Danish
band for me. Around this time the Yuri Gagarin guys had arrived and they asked
me if I would play with them again. I was not really expected to play with them
and their synth guy Robin was there but they convinced me. Anyway, the Cursed, are a 4 piece band with
organ, guitar (he also sings), bass and drums. A young band playing melodic
hard rock with a edge at times and some cool ripping guitar solos and organ
solos. All the songs are sung in Danish. They rocked for sure but did not do
much to take me to the next level.
It was now time for some food and this year
they had a great Indian place called Paprika, a Peruvian food van and the
people making pancakes were back as well.
Turquoise
Sun (used to be Ancient Monument) played the 1st
CPH Psych fest and I had not seen them since. They have grown and it was a
really mixed set for me. Sometimes it was just too mainstream rock music a bit
to slick and commercial orienting vocals but then they do weird and strange
stuff and have intense solos and lots of great ideas. I really loved some of it
and really didn’t like some of it. Hum???
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| Turquoise Sun |
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| Spez |
Yuri
Gagarin, some how got people to come out of the
forest as it was by far the most people I had seen at the festival so far
(still probably only 120..). I was set up on one side and Robin the other synth
on the other side. Sound was great on the stage for me but no one except myself
and maybe the audience heard anything that I played. Funny…. IT was a super powerful set and at least one
or two different songs from what I played with the band in Feb. People were really into it and we had a lot
of fun. Cool guys to play with.
Set List: Cluster, New Order, Zakosmosom,
At the Center, Sea of Dust, Psych Disco, Oblivion, Sonic Invasion 2910
Hodja, was a band that I was recommending to the guys in Black Moon
Circle. I think I have seen the twice and they were so great both times. They
have a black and very good and charismatic singer, drummer and guitar player.
They play a mix of intense soul, rock and blues with killer singing and cool
powerful music as well. You really can get sucked into it. Just fucking
awesome. The BMC guys and myself ended up right in the front by the guitar
player. Really captivating… I wonder
what their records are like??? Great live band!
Fribytterdrømme (Pirate Dreams) I had not seen since last year at the festival but
they have been having great success with their album, which was one of my faves
last year and they played a lot of shows all over Denmark and recently were
opening the big stage in Den Grå Hall at the CPH Psych festival. I had been
hearing rumors that they had given up drinking before the shows and they were
too boring now and not really very exciting. Well, Lau, the leader of the band
who sings and plays guitar, was on amazing form and the band were awesome. The
sound was not very good for the first 30mins, with way too much bass and drums
and a high compressed sound but by the end it was really amazing and all the details
of their psychedelic sound were clear. They played two new songs, both of which
I thought were pretty good. It was great to hear the long Fribytterdrømen song
but it seems shorter tonight. Fun
concert and one of the best of the day. Great band…
Set List: Ørken, 18.09.1986, Himmellegemer, Seer, De Konstruerede, Kosmonauten, Fribytterdrømmen, Fem er det Magiske nummer
Day 2
I slept until 9 but felt pretty good after
a short shower. It began to rain soon after I showered so I just lay in the
tent and relax. The BMC guys were staying at a B&B 9km away but I wanted to
stay on site. The music started really
early with some band that was not listed as playing already at 10:45. They were
great. Three guitars, most instrumental songs but a few with Danish lyrics.
Great playing. I wish I had got a picture of them. Tidebound, a duo lead by Dave Müller, he used to go to Roadburn
with the Danish crew, and a woman who plays keyboards and flute, etc.. Dave
sings and plays guitar. Not sure how many people were watching as there is no
shelter near the small stage but I could hear from my tent some people
clapping. It was very nice music to start the day off.
Lolou is a new Danish 4 piece band with a female singer, who has one of
the voices that sounds like she is 8 years old. She sings well but sounds like
a small child. They have two guitars and drums. All the bass and a lot of the
music was pre-recorded and they play over it. The singer also occasionally
played the keyboard as well. The opening instrumental track was really cool and
the best piece they played. They had a few really good build ups but got
intense at times but a bit too slick and dreamy post rock like stuff. Sound
could have been better, the lead guitar player you could hardly hear him most
of the show unless you were right in front of the stage in the middle. Nothing
in the PA hardly. They even had their own sound person!
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| Do not Settle |
Doublestone
was next up on the main stage. Really cool guys.
Their drummer was insanely drunk the night before but seemed ok today. I was
setting up to play with Black Moon Circle so I could only hear but not see
them. They are moving a bit away from their stoner rock roots to a more 70s
sound, which is cool. Super nice guys..
Måneskjold (Moon Shield) had to switch places with LA Sued as they were delayed
by traffic coming from Hannover (took them 9 hrs in what should have been
4hrs). Anyway, Måneskjold played a really intense show. Going wild in the sand
and just having a hell of a good time. They played nearly all of the songs from
their Debut album, which they keep promising to give me a copy but never do. I
don’t expect to get one and will probably have to buy it. I would give them
some press if they did. Anyway, they kicked ass and played two new songs, both
uptempo punky psych stuff.. A bit of a one dynamic kick your ass approach to
psych space rock but it works for them. In the future they will need some more
diverse songs to mix things up. 
Polyfeen, a Danish band who I recently saw and reviews from the CPH Psych
Festival, played next on the main stage. This band just gets better each time I
see them. They were around from 1972-1975 and then about 10 years ago Orpheus
Records released their unreleased record on vinyl. Anyway, they are up and playing again and
having a good time. They played good 70s hard rock like Uriah Heep or something
with a lot of organ. Singer still sounds excellent. They have a young drummer
and also play some new tracks. Great show again. People really liked it as
well. Set List: Leve Livet, Pigen i Skoven, Campingturen, Nattens Nar, Drømmen, Vesterhavet, Kaj, Håvet, Silhouetter
LA
Sued was an improvised quartet based in Germany.
Chris and Steve were here playing last year as a duo but those were Chris’s
songs. This was a lot of cool synths, lap steel, guitar, bass and drums… Really
cool stuff and a lot of variety in what they tried to do. They were having a
great time and really love this festival. I really enjoyed it.
Grusom, a local Fyn band were next on the main stage and the young people
were stoned and drunk by now and ready for some organ driven 70s hard rock with
Grusom. The singer is really charismatic and great, despite not having an
amazing range but he works with what he has and does a great job. Reminds me of
Danzig at times. It was a bit longer set than when I saw them earlier this year
but BMC guys and me were up front for the full show and really enjoyed it. I
hope they learn to relax a bit more and jam out some of their stuff in the
future. Cool band.
Tales
of Murder and Dust was the last band on the small
stage. I had only seen a few songs at the CPH Psych Fest last month and did not
get the full show like today, where the band really played intense, especially
the end. Not sure how to describe this but maybe like a more dark, intense post
rock goth rock??? Hum…. They had a core
audience right up in their face that was totally into it. The Grusom singer was
lying down in the sand in front of the stage at the end!! Blow away…
Papir, closed the festival with a killer 75min set. They were great at the
CPH psych fest, where I only saw some of their set but again, the Black Moon
Circle guys and I stood in the middle front and just got mesmerized by they great
drum, bass and guitar playing of this underrated Danish instrumental rock
group. I really love this new song called Acid Rock, which I think was the last one of the set! This was just awesome and a great way to end the festival.
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| Papir |
Spoke to Jan, the main organizer as I was
leaving today and it seems they will do one more festival next year and then he
will leave the helm and maybe some other people will keep it going or maybe it
will die. We will see. Would be a pity as it is one of the nicest small
festivals in the world with a cool focus on the Danish bands but also a few
international ones.
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