TONS OF ROCK 2024 – Day 2 Review

Review of Day 1 can be found here https://eternal-terror.com/2024/07/04/tons-of-rock-2024-day-1/

The transport logistics have now been fixed and it was a really smooth ride to the festival. No queue for the bus, we got there in under 30 mins after leaving the downtown hotel. Really nice. As soon as we reached the area, Doro began her show but I didn’t get the chance to unpack everything and go and photograph her. However, her presence is radiant as always, she was simply amazing and sounded like the metal queen she is known to be. Hats off to how she keeps delivering with both raging force and humbleness at the same time. Once she was done, I relocated myself to the Moonlight stage to see the impossible-to-describe Igorrr. If anyone has a good and simple word to picture the mix of extreme metal genres, opera, Djing, baroque, core, industrial and maybe some Balkan rhythms, please get in touch. The extra level of cool was added by a superb light show and a great sound. I’d just watch this act every month and not get bored. And their female singer, who does impressive opera pieces among heavy head banging session is just out of this world.

A bit of a calmer times were had while watching and listening to the beautiful gothic and dark tunes of Katatonia. In the sun. Which always takes a bit away of the fascination that I have with this band. But Jonas Renske’s voice is so soothing and emotional, loved getting the chance to hear it again and I certainly have to update myself with the recent release as the couple of times I got to hear it prior to the show sounded very promising.

Up next on the main stage it was time for another Swedish act, Opeth, with a by request set which ended up to contain some of their longest songs (it’s been a week now and I honestly cannot remember if the setlist.fm list of 5 songs is correct or they played more). But the crowd was simply ecstatic. Long time since I have seen such smiles and intense feelings radiating from the first rows – and even those in the back. I think you could have charged all the electric cars in the city. I’ll never forget those happy smiles. As for the band, tight and impeccable as always, with Åkerfeldt’s growling working wonders. The gig should have lasted few more hours but I guess the band was boiling and gained some shades of pink by the end of the show. Well, just like any bands playing on the two main stages during sunny hours.

Back to Vampire Stage to photograph and watch a bit of Extreme. I honestly had no idea what kind of music Extreme plays. I know the two songs they had as hits on MTV back in the 90s and I was just waiting for those to sing along and see what memories they trigger. But hell, what a performance this band delivered. Whatta show and such good energy and musicianship. The guitar skills of Nuno Bettencourt were such a delightful discovery on my side and I couldn’t leave until the show was almost ready. I am a new fan and I promise to listen to their discography once I get home. More of such nice surprises at the concerts I’ll attend in the future, please!

Seems like my fascination with Extreme’s show made me lose the fact that Palaye Royale surfed, in a boat, over the crowd attending their concert inside the tent. That must have been cool to watch. I also kinda missed W.A.S.P.. I didn’t have the energy to go and photograph – I also found a quelueess food area – so I had a glimpse at a few minutes of their performance before going back in the press tent where we had shade and cold water. The heat was getting to me at this point and I also wanted to enjoy my Illegal burger – which was actually very nice. Anyway, on W.A.S.P. performance, a band who has replaced the initially announced Heart, I can say I was rather impressed by how well Blackie controls his voice and how he delivered songs in almost the same fashion as many years ago. It was a very enjoyable listen.

Mr.Bungle up on Vampire stage. Heh, how does one describe their weirdness…I don’t know. I am glad I gave them a listen few weeks before the festival and fell in love with how out of the place it is. It’s thrashy, but there’s some ska parts and some cozy dancy rhythms, and some abrupt endings. And weird outfits. And tons of fun on stage. Plus Mike Patton, Dave Lombardo, Ian Scott, together with Trevor Dunn and Trey Spruance. I giggled so much at their show and I can only thank the organizers for managing to bring this madness in front of my eyes.

The final piece of madness for the day was delivered by the masters of odd rhythms, aka TOOL. As there was a photo contract and Norwegian press usually doesn’t sign those – except when there’s no backbone and a hunger for material at all costs – I watched the show from outside the photopit from the very beginning. Initially, my friends and I stood on the side and the art displayed on the side screen didn’t make much sense. Once we moved at a more central place, and got to see the whole stage, that’s when it all came together and the grandeur of the whole image concept came to life. It’s such an impressive combo of music and visuals. Maynard adjusts his voice to slightly remix the songs but I guess mainly to give him the chance to hold a high level during the whole set and not lose breath after the first song. Drumming is always something out of this world and it was rather sad to leave mid show. Especially as the smoke has settled by now and the laser show started to be a very cool display.

However, not being in the queue with most people who leave at the end of the last show is worth it. Not even five minutes wait time for the bus was quite nice.

The evening ended with lots of warnings in the festival app as a storm was approaching Oslo. The festival area and all serving closed right after TOOL ended their show and everyone was asked to leave the area at once. Luckily, the storm didn’t seem to hit the Oslo area that badly. There was a lot of rain, indeed, but I don’t think there were extreme thunders and a lot of damage. Everyone seemed safe and happy the next day.

Full photo galleries here:

TONS OF ROCK 2024 – Day 2