Kloemprock 2013 report : friday july 12th 2013

For weeks, no mónths, had there been a ‘buzz’ around and about this year’s Kloemprock bill.  Then the Implants had to cancel.  Bummer…

So The Setup got added as replacement, and the running order got rearranged.  Aight.
Another stroke of bad luck when longtime punk icon Kevin Seconds injures himself, causing 7 Seconds to have to cancel too.
Finding another replacement band at such short notice turns out to be impossible.  So the Kloemprock crew decides to offer both Mute and Strike Anywhere a bigger slot, as they will be this year’s headliners.  And they combine this measure with a decrease in beverage prices, as to offer some compensation for those who had bought their tickets in advance.  A truly heroic gesture it turned out to be!!

I myself couldn’t arrive really early, so sadly enough I had to miss a couple of performances.

The Fellows got the honour of opening the festival, so I only heard about their stand-in drummer in the shape of an adult blow-up doll later that evening.  As a matter of fact, I spotted her at the merchandise tables that night, but when I asked her for her thoughts on the festival and her performance, she failed to utter anything, besides a long, yet silent ‘Oooooooo’…

I also just didn’t make it in time for Antwerp’s In Clear Sight…  The first gig I díd attend, was Orange Apple.  I had never heard of them, but I found out they’ve been around since 2006.  What I remember from their show is a really powerful duo of vocalists, and I’m looking forward to seeing them again.

Face The Fax themselves arrived at Kloemprock after an exhuasting trip from Germany, where they supported Mute the night before, ánd they had to make sure to leave Kloemprock in time to get to Slovenia for a show at some little festival over there!  I indeed have seen them deliver fresher performances, but for showing such dedication alone, they deserve a huge thumbs up!

Then it’s F.O.D.-time, the band that, after receiving great critics for their album ‘Ontario’, and recently even booking a short tour in that part of Canada, must be over the moon right now.  It’s exactly that feeling they send out into the crowd today, it’s absolutely obvious they’re enjoying their time on stage.  Their shows are getting tighter every time I see them, people are getting familiar with a couple of songs, there are a decent amount of singalongs, and even a bit of dancing!  And it wasn’t just me alone…

It’s common knowledge that Australia’s Frenzal Rhomb were truly flattered by the fact that the song ‘Frenzal Records’ is dedicated to them.  But have they heard F.O.D. covering their song 5000 Cigarettes yet?  Oh boy that sounds just like heaven every time I hear it!
Than all of a sudden, I find myself in the spotlight…  To make a long story short, they play a really successful cover of Holland’s legends Undeclinable (Ambuscade, whatever…), and Kloemprock can (partly…) thank me for that.  Sorry, you are saying?  Ah, thank you…  You’re welcome!

(I’d like some more of that Hans!  And about those high notes in their other songs : have you tried tighter pants?)

When that party was over, my thirst, combined with the sunshine, made me miss out on The Setup’s show, which I’ll make up for soon, hopefully!

Is it OK to call Skin Of Tears one of this year’s main crowd-attracters?  I think so.  It was the new, and this time very much wanted, German invasion on Belgian soil.  And they celebrated it with a supercool show, Toto’s voice is outstanding, and that’s a relief, because at the end of their ‘first career’, that sometimes was a little bit of a problem.

None of that at Kloemprock though!  They treat us to favorite classic tracks such as ‘Joking Apart’ and ‘Up The Cups’, so I felt obliged to go apeshit for a while.  They also play a short (orchestrated?) encore with ‘Boys Of Summer’.  It all was mighty fine by me, and I for one cannot wait until Funtime Fest in september!

Gino’s Eyeball were summoned to continue the party, and they do pull that off, in great style, too!  I’ve only seen two or three of their shows, but even if it’s the first time around, you’ll have a hard time standing still.  Their set is stuffed with humour, handstands, tumbling, polonaises, partycovers, punkrockcovers, singalong anthems and great own material.  Any festival in this niche could benefit from inserting this band in their roster.  I think I’ll have it stated in my will, that they have to come and perform after my funeral service.  Along with hamburgers and beer, instead of sandwiches and coffee, I don’t believe anyone will be left sitting on their chairs mourning over me!

After Panique d’O, I’m at my second Mute-gig this summer, and they sure live up to all my expectations.  Drummer/Vocalist Etienne Dionne is even more awesome than I recall him being at their gig in Sojo club two years ago.  He already was awesome then, but he’s really taken it a step further since!  Also the global band’s image and performance is 100% correct now, they truly are a well-oiled blistering skate-punk machine.  Should there still be nitwits out there, saying punkrock guitarplayers can do with three chords, or punkrock bassplayers only need one string, let them come and witness a Mute-show from up front.  My bet is that jaws will need to be picked up from the floor afterwards…

Then it’s up to Strike Anywhere to play the final notes, and close the Kloemprock party.  The entire crowd is in a great punkrock-mood, and I do believe expectations regarding this show were skyhigh.  Does Strike Anywhere deliver?  Boy do they ever!!  Thomas Barnett, short figure, great voice and abundant energy.  How he’s able to do that, for over an hour, out of such a fragile body, fed with fruits and vegetables only, is a mystery to me.

We were treated to a tight as fuck set, stuffed with songs covering the entire Strike Anywhere catalogue, and everyone screamed them along at the tops of their lungs.  It was raw, pure and entertaining at the same time, first song to the last.  Lovely also to witness such a show, where the band gives it their all, song after song, and ends without an encore.  You get your time appointed for your set, and you fill it right up onto the last second, that’s Strike Anywhere.  Dedication to the bone!
Without a doubt they’ll have enjoyed themselves getting such a response to their performance, and I’m quite sure, having been away for so long, they will get similar reactions from crowds all over Europe.  And don’t we all hope they won’t wait that long to get back over here…

To sum up this edition : BRILLIANT!  The venue was a way better location compared to the tent the years before, and without a doubt the rescheduled date was also a good idea…

Keep it coming Kloemprock!  And I for one hope you’ll get to organize next year’s edition without cancels (Voodoo Glow Skulls, Left Alone, Implants, 7seconds) and without bigger festivals waving dollars in front of bands, luring them away from Kloemprock, demanding exclusivity! (No Use For A Name L, Bouncing Souls, …)

Werner Pauwels.