[kj] [KJ] HellFest's Report

[Stephen Lawrence]

tres bien ,merci beaucoup 

fantastic report frenchy 
 


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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