[kj] [KJ] HellFest's Report

[drunk wish]

Nice report - thanks! 

T.

From: frenchyfrenzy at killingjoke.fr
To: gathering at misera.net
Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:33:10 +0200
Subject: [kj] [KJ] HellFest's Report

























Hi all,

 

Last week
I’ve spent one of my best moments with the Joke.

Arrived early by
plane, I had time to check in at The Mercure Hotel close to the south railroad
central station of Nantes
city.

 

Immediately,
I’ve noticed some full tattoed boys (unusual for this kind of places) and
recognised in the lounge area the singer of the Misfits Jerry Only (very
friendly)

I said to myself
that other artists should have reservations by the organization in the same
hotel and ask the lady at the front desk “if Mister Coleman had already
checked in ?”

 

She answered :
“not yet ;o))) Bingo

 

Last time in Paris sept 08, I was
already in the same hotel as all the boys (The Mercure at Porte de Pantin) and
bumped into Youth coming out the breakfast room…and the front desk man
took a photo of both of us…

 

Arrived in
Clisson by train, a very nice little village, I was about to get a pass at the
VIP/ Guests tent but the young lady at the desk told me that the group
hadn’t arrived yet and that she didn’t got any list from the group.

She added that
last night “Mötley Crüe gave his list 5 minutes before their gig at
1AM…

 

That was 3:30 PM
and I couldn’t even pay my ticket (as I do everytime to support the
group) because I needed an AAA
 Pass to use my
videocameras….

 

It took me 20
minutes to go to the Artists entrance where all the tour buses and trucks are
parked.

 

Of course there
were many security controls and began to speak with one of the guardian when 200 meters away from me
I just noticed Jaz and Youth walking to their bus.

I just began to
shout “JAAAAAAAAZZZZZ as loud as I could because that was my only chance
to get heared considering the loudness of the death metal gig at the moment
very near.

 

By chance, they
both heared my shouts and that was the 1st good point of the day…

 

As the guardian
couldn’t let me in without the famous bracelet, Jaz had to go back to the
Artist /VIP area and came back running (yes running like I had never seen him
before ha ha ha ) and gave me the precious yellow Artist Bracelet’s which
allowed me to go everywhere with my videocameras.

 

Would you ever
imagine on single second Marilyn Manson doing the same thing for one of his
long time follower ?

 

Sure not :
that’swhy they are awesome and unique !!

 

We spent some
time in the Bus tour where I picked up from my bag the “brand new
Gathering 2008 boxset 4cds” just arrived by post the week before and was
surprised that they were astonished it had been released….

Youth began to
calculate the estimated royalties and finally signed on the booklet
“Where is the cash Matt ?,o)))

 

No comment, but
it’s just incredible that the group is NOT informed of the
“official” release.

 

We went to the
backstage area (in fact a big Sport Arena (surrounded by the 2 main stages and
the rest of the site) very calm considering the loudness outside.

 

I would say very
well organized with many guardians checking all the famous bracelets in 6
colours with different authorizations…

Of course the
yellow one is the ultimate ha ha ha …

 

Jaz & Youth
proposed me to follow them for an interview for french TV and it was funny to
see them with shorts and cigars like 2 cool tourists answering the questions
during ½ hour.

 

The sun was
shining and the temperature was perfect, no rain predicted.

 

A wonderful
atmosphere with the 2 main stages only separated with a big screen; so every 5
minutes a group is playing and no wait between the groups.

 

Everybody is on
time and better has to, because the running order contains 107 groups in 3 days
and no extended delay is allowed except for Motley, Marilyn Manson and Manowar.

 

Saw a little bit
of Soulfly (a lot of stage diving ;))) Amebix ( good rhythmic groove) and
Misfits (took some photos with Jerry backstage (a very funny guy and easy to
approach) and went eating  before the second main act of the day The Joke

 

I’ve found
the best place to film the gig with my tripod, just in front of the stage
between Geordie & Jaz in the bouncers area. 

 

As the stage was
wide maybe 12 or 15 bouncers took place behind the barriers and protected me
from the potential stage divers.

OK there were
less than for Soulfly or Gojira (a French Group who Big Paul was enthusiastic
about the rhythm section we saw together on the side of the stage)

 

The weather was
perfect and the light show was one of the best they got (except for the
Sheph’s in 2005) and they played a classical but perfect gig for all the
audience who acclaimed all the titles including Love Loke Blood ( which they
didn’t want to play in the afternoon and maybe as I remembered them that
it was “their” hit in France and people were certainly expecting
it) Eighties , the Wait.

 

Everybody was in
a good shape and Geordie played as if he was caressing his guitar as usual and
the groove injected by BPF and Youth is more and more perfect.

 

Madness was very
well acclaimed too and was not supposed to be played.

I said to them
that I had “rediscovered” this track live on stage and maybe they
have listened to me.

 

Next time I will ask
for my personal tracks list including Twilight Of the Mortal which Jaz sang a
little bit during the soundcheck at the Forum 08, Slipstream, Universe B,
Implant etc…;o)

 

I must say that
the footages I got were the best ones I ever filmed because there were closed
to me and the lightshow was powerful and the result delights me.

 

I must add here
one thing : during the Heaven’s gig I gave a full hard disk drive to the
management containing all the 16 gigs and backstage & soundchecks
I’ve filmed and they “should” release some DVD’s

 

After the show I
decided to have a look for 2 songs of Marilyn Manson (that was enough ha ha ha)
and got back inside for sharing all those delicious cheeses and wines brought
from my home town Lyon city.

 

In fact, I think
that the boys during the day were a little bit focused on their evening show
and intended to deliver the best show they could.

 

I saw the
difference after the show when they were much more relaxed and ready for
savouring Comté, Saint Marcellin and Saint Félicien, Saint Joseph etc…

 

Of course we had
some fresh bread from the VIP Restaurant too…

 

Everything was
simply perfect and we were all delighted with all these different saveurs.

 

Sharing this with
them was like the time was suspended for 1 H ½…..All the 5 guys and
myself with nobody else

 

After all,
something very simple but a REAL moment with a lot of laughs.

 

For example, at
one moment Vincent Raven came with the guys of Amebix and he was…..I
would say…stoned.

I said to Jaz :
“Hey here is your driver who will drive you at your hotel ha ha ha 
and we had a great laugh

Jaz said to
Vincent : It’s like your father: you’ve got it in your DNA ;o)))

 

The room finally
got some new invited people and I would say that the guys from Amebix were very
nice and they felt very honoured to be he Joke’s guests and I saw
”gratitude and respect “in their eyes.

 

As It was 3 AM,
we had to leave the Festival and an official small shuttle drove us (Jaz &
Me) to our hotel in Nantes.

 

In fact during 25
mins, there were so many roundabouts that Jaz was very close to be ill in the
car and me too ha ha ha !! 

 

The day after I
phoned Jaz in room 201 (I was in 211) at 10 AM and we went to the breakfast
room to get forces again…

 

It was again a
simple moment but unusual with Jaz as you can imagine.

 

We spoke about
the gig, the happiness they all had playing again together and the projects:

 


 Jaz is about to be honoured by France and will receive
     the Medal of Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres in sept /oct 09 and they
     should play an acoustic gig at Les Bains Douches where they played at
     their beginning(25th of June 80)
 In fact he gave me a photo where he already has the
     famous medal but ceremony will take place after


 

This info has
been confirmed to me one week after by one of my friend who works at the METRO
newspaper.

 

Raven and him
were reconciled before his death and he was about to come back in the Joke, but
there were no project with Atkins at all.

“Raven was
from the family not him “

 

There are
apparently 8 or 9 new songs written….

 

They should
record before end of year 200….9  ;o))

 

One of his
daughter has a restaurant in Geneva.

 

His cousin plays
in the French group from Lyon
 City Le Peuple de
l’Herbe (people from the weed)

 

Of course the
awaited gig in 2012….

 

He is going to
live in Paris
soon and has another project concerning his private life…

 

Finally after a
great shower (in our separate rooms of course ha ha ah ) we met again and I
helped him at the railroad station to get his electronic ticket …

 

Jaz and
computers….

 

It’s funny
because his name was printed on the ticket much more unusual as a
signature…

 

We said goodbye
on the platform till our next “meeting” on the 31 th of july 2009 in Venice
Italy
and certainly a longer gig as they’ll play at the Airport Festival as
Headliner with only one group before.

 

So simply the
best moments with the reunited Joke since some unforgettable moments in Milano
2005 with Raven….

 

Stephane
“Frenchy Frenzy”

 

PS : Nantes is a beautiful city
full of welcoming people too

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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