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Queensrÿche, Three Days Grace & Secrets of the Moon: The Week NRW Burns From Prog-Metal to Black Metal
The second week of June fills NRW to the brim: more than 40 shows between Essen, Cologne, Oberhausen, Münster and the smaller towns, plus three open airs over the weekend and a few sold-out club nights. Prog-metal icons, black-metal reunions, hardcore legends from New York, '90s emo pioneers and a whole pile of local heroes – the range this week is brutal. Here are the highlights.
The Week's Heavy Hitters
The heaviest slab lands on Friday: Queensrÿche hit the Essigfabrik in Cologne. The prog- and heavy-metal veterans make one of only five German club stops on their European summer tour – with US progressive death-metallers Rivers Of Nihil in tow as special guest. One of the rare chances to catch this band up close.
Wednesday already gets tight at the Turbinenhalle in Oberhausen: Three Days Grace bring their Alienation tour to the Pott – and it's sold out. With Adam Gontier back alongside Matt Walst, the dual-frontman line-up runs again for the first time in years; support comes from Catch Your Breath. A day later, on Thursday, Skunk Anansie take over Turbinenhalle 2 with frontwoman Skin – one of just four German shows for the band.
For the grind faction: Escuela Grind batter their way through the Pitcher in Düsseldorf on Wednesday, with Duisburg deathcore crew Call of Charon opening – NRW support at its finest.
The weekend belongs to black metal. Capped at 600 heads, the ZappenDuster Open Air runs Friday and Saturday at the Sputnikhalle in Münster. Friday headliners Secrets of the Moon play a rare reunion, performing their album "Antithesis" in full for its 20th anniversary, original drummer Thelemnar included – before them Hulder, Moonlight Sorcery and Abigail Williams. Saturday, black-thrash legends Desaster from Koblenz close the night, preceded by Kampfar with their only German show of the year, Heretoir and Midnight Odyssey.
Also Friday, also Münster, but free and under open skies: Imperial Age headline the free open air "Das Schloss Rockt" on the Schlossplatz. Symphonic metal with Motel Transylvania, Ghosts of Atlantis and opener Fairytale – admission free.
Local Heroes and Underground Gems
On Thursday the Sonic Ballroom in Cologne is shared between Melbourne heavy-rock outfit Seedy Jeezus and Wasteland Haze – the instrumental stoner-doom trio from Düsseldorf. Riffs, reverb and 18+, cash only, exactly as it should be.
On Saturday Ghosther bring their first own headline tour, the "Orange Blackout Tour", to Don't Panic in Essen. Modern metal from the Rhineland fronted by Jenny Gaube, with Invoke and Terradown opening – a must for anyone after NRW heaviness away from the big halls.
Saturday too, over in Lünen: Wucan bring their flute-driven '70s heavy rock to the "Heavy Rock & Psychedelic Night" at the Lükaz. Joining them: Seedy Jeezus (out causing trouble across NRW twice this week), Dortmund stoner crew Stargo and instrumental doom project Kardeathian from the same city. Four bands, one long night.
In Bochum on Tuesday, Blitzkid mix horrorpunk and psychobilly at the Matrix – the US veterans from West Virginia follow up Saturday in Münster at Gleis 22.
Punk, Emo & Alternative
Monday opens with two heavyweights at once. In Essen, hardcore legend Judge around Mike Ferraro play the Turock – New York hardcore first-hand, one of only a handful of German club shows, with Strength supporting. In Cologne, at the same time, post-punk pioneers Public Image Ltd. around John Lydon bring their show to Die Kantine.
Tuesday gets emotional: influential '90s emocore pioneers Texas Is The Reason play Cologne's Club Volta – part of their short reunion run around their debut "Do You Know Who You Are?".
Wednesday in Cologne is grunge day: Bush around Gavin Rossdale play Carlswerk Victoria, one of only four intimate club shows on their German tour. In parallel, Hayley Williams – the Paramore frontwoman going solo – kicks off the first of two consecutive nights at the Live Music Hall (Wed and Thu), both with support from Snuggle.
Thursday the pop-punk camp follows up: As It Is bring their reunion tour "Ruin My Life In Europe" to the MTC in Cologne, supported by Catapults.
Friday, Cologne goes all in. At Die Kantine, Californian post-hardcore heroes Touché Amoré play their "Stage Four" anniversary tour marking ten years of the album. At the Bürgerhaus Stollwerck, Brighton alt-rock band Yonaka deliver, with Overgrown supporting. And at Helios 37, Melbourne folk-punk crew The Smith Street Band bring their big-hearted racket, Captain Kaiser in tow.
Saturday turns political in Bielefeld: Kai Sichtermann and Funky K. Götzner carry Ton Steine Scherben, with singer Birte Volta, and the "75 Jahre Rio Reiser & R.P.S. Lanrue Tour" into the Cantine – aftershow party included.
Sunday's closing note comes from aurorawave at the Skaters Palace Café in Münster: heavy music soaked in reggae and alternative rock. Fresh noise to round off the week.
