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Well, dear reader, I hope you have a lot of free time to read this review because it's going to look like a novel. There is so much I want to write down, mostly positive things, obviously. I'm not going to downgrade this review to the bare essentials. I'm not going to limit myself to just writing about the bands who played at this epic festival because there has been so much going on in the past three days, all adding a lot to the overall atmosphere of Europe's finest post-rock festival. Yes, it is Europe's finest post-rock festival and at this time I'm actually thinking about omitting the 'post-rock' word in that previous sentence. So let's start with a statement and a very, very short abbreviation of this whole writing:
Dunk! Festival is Europe's finest festival, period. It's more than a festival, it's a family reunion and everyone is welcome to join in on the fun.
Dunk! Festival is Europe's finest festival, period. It's more than a festival, it's a family reunion and everyone is welcome to join in on the fun.
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Before I go open the doors to my memories of the past few days, I want to thank a few people for making this the wonderful experience it has become. I also like to start with a little shout-out to Andy, whose weekend was ruined by the flu and the passing of his beloved cat, Koen. The sad news reached me through facebook and I really felt bad for Andy. I know how much he loves this festival and I know how much he cared for the little feline. Get well soon, Andy, and hopefully next year will be better.
A big 'thank you' goes out to the nice people from the bed & breakfast we were staying at. For the second year in a row we were treated so nice, even including a daily ride to the festival area (and back if we wanted, but we did that on foot). They were volunteers in the kitchen, so they had to be there too, but nonetheless. It was nice meeting them again and it was lovely to feel so welcome at their home. I also want to thank Eric from our colleagues of Snoozecontrol. I'm sure he'll come up with a great review too. Thanks for introducing me to Dirk Serries and Stratosphere and thanks for the beers. Next time they're on me.
A big 'thank you' goes out to the nice people from the bed & breakfast we were staying at. For the second year in a row we were treated so nice, even including a daily ride to the festival area (and back if we wanted, but we did that on foot). They were volunteers in the kitchen, so they had to be there too, but nonetheless. It was nice meeting them again and it was lovely to feel so welcome at their home. I also want to thank Eric from our colleagues of Snoozecontrol. I'm sure he'll come up with a great review too. Thanks for introducing me to Dirk Serries and Stratosphere and thanks for the beers. Next time they're on me.
Thursday - The Polish Party
For us, each Dunk-day starts with a little stroll to warm up our legs. This year was no different, and right after that we delivered a forgotten cellphone to the guys from Spoiwo, we headed for the woods and ponds surrounding the festival area. Besides a music lover, I'm also a bit of a hobby photographer who prefers making pictures of birds and other animals. If you like to see those pictures, you can check out our Tsu profile (click here). However, I quickly noticed that the animals in Zottegem are a lot more shy than those in and around Antwerp. All I could make, was one blurry picture of a blackbird and a few pictures of a tree in which two squirrels were testing my patience. So no bird- & squirrel pictures. Except, here's a picturesque photo of some cute ducklings.
A little disappointed in Zottegem's fauna we headed back to the festival area where Fall Of Messiah were about to kick off, which they did great. With their blend of post-rock and post-metal/screamo, these French guys woke up the audience and banged them into a coma again. Opening a festival is not an easy task but Fall Of Messiah provided us with a nice taste of things to come. It looked like the audience were quite pleased with this kick-off too.
Slowrun opened the second stage with their ambient-post-rock and I was quite charmed by their performance. Their album has been playing a lot in this household, so much that I almost felt like doing some household chores during their set. Luckily I simply decided to sit down and enjoy these nice tunes. Again, a decent taste of things to come and a nice example of how satisfying post-rock can actually be.
But both bands would soon fade into the background because of what was going on in the big tent. Mutiny On The Bounty had cancelled, which lead to Spoiwo being moved to the mainstage and Inwolves being added to the bill. After a hesitant start, Spoiwo did exactly what I have predicted in our preview (read). Suddenly this Polish band became the first absolute highlight of the festival, aided by the massive crowd reaction which moved them to tears. I too was moved to tears by their brilliant performance. Even now, three days and many bands later, I still regard these guys as one of the best performers on this festival. I remember thinking 'Spoiwo better get used to mainstages because they'll be seeing a lot of those from now on'.
At first, Environments seemed to become another victim of Spoiwo's success as I was still too much blown away to be able to enjoy the next gig. However, gradually I got charmed by their set. Their ambient post-rock felt just right at that moment so I decided to close my eyes and enjoy the whole thing before I made a trip to the fries-guys.
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At the mainstage, it was time for utter violence when Obscure Sphinx climbed on stage. They sounded massive, harsh and relentless, a huge contrast with the nice and relaxed atmosphere outside of the big blue tent. The audience seemed to like their show but it was not really my cup of tea. I guess I'm not that much into sludge metal, even though the band presented some awesome doom passages.
Inwolves definitely was my cup of tea so I was very glad that they were added to the bill. This band around drummer Karen Willems was probably one of the most adventurous acts on the bill. Obviously, I already knew their music since I reviewed their album some weeks ago (read) so I decided to try a little dance. I failed. I'm not really a dancer and this music simply is too complicated to dance to, I think. But still, this was a great performance, making me smile all the way through.
Tides From Nebula kicked off their European tour on Dunk festival, much to the delight of an almost packed tent. I didn't know they were this popular, until I heard what they got out of their equipment: decent post-rock, perhaps even classic or vintage post-rock. No wonder the audience was loud with this one. We enjoyed the show from outside, while sipping from a cold beer and getting a bit of a tan.
'Hm', I thought, 'a violin and a loop station, that might become something nice and relaxing'. But when Nils Gröndahl kicked off, things got damn intense. This guy is a beast, coming up with what I could call 'industrial classical music'. Of course, with that many effect pedals, you can make a shitload of noise but what this solo-act brought was comparable to an act like Author & Punisher, for example. This was the first true surprise for me and a damn good one too. If you ever get the chance to see him live, don't hesitate, you'll be amazed.
The headliner on day one, was the massively popular 65daysofstatic. What can I say about them, except for the fact that they're really good at what they do? I watched them for a few songs before we started walking to our beds and I certainly liked it. Yet, as always, I was more pleased by the newer bands than with the headliners and this day was no different. In my opinion, Spoiwo won on Thursday, probably because of the emotional connection. Don't get me wrong, 65DOS did a good job, they always do, but perhaps that was the problem, they always do...
Friday - The Consouling Clan
After our usual walk, we dragged ourselves into the main tent to witness Illuminine and enjoy his (or in this case their) modern classical music. It was a beautiful show, maybe a bit too gentle to be an opening act but that's not their problem. Again, we enjoyed the majority of this show from outside, as we did with most of the bands in the big blue tent on that day. With our eyes closed and parts of our bodies exposed to the sun, we couldn't imagine a better start for this second day.
They were followed by Sounds Like the End Of The World, another brilliant act from Poland. This was vintage heavy post-rock, ideal for an early afternoon show. Once again, the sound was perfect and the whole thing was pretty damn immersive. This was about to become a great day.
They were followed by Sounds Like the End Of The World, another brilliant act from Poland. This was vintage heavy post-rock, ideal for an early afternoon show. Once again, the sound was perfect and the whole thing was pretty damn immersive. This was about to become a great day.
At the Stargazer stage, for this day transformed into the Consouling stage, Monnik was about to start. He didn't know, but he would be kicking off a massive win for Consouling Sounds. From the moment he started his drones and ambient, this stage would exceed the mainstage in quality, all day long. I've seen Monnik before, several years ago and he seems to get better at what he does, each time he climbs on, or in front of, the stage.
At the main stage, Baikonur were about to make their European debut, and, much like every other band at that stage, they did a very decent job. Their narrative post-rock sounded familiar and adventurous and a lot of people seemed to enjoy the show. I don't need to tell you that we enjoyed them from outside again, do I?
At every festival there is at least one band we miss, and this year we missed Eleanora. Why? Well, post-hardcore simply isn't my dada. So I decided that this gig would be a great opportunity to socialize a bit, something every reviewer needs to do once in awhile. I'm sure I'll catch these guys later and I promise to give them the exposure they deserve. A review for their new album will be on this website soon, perhaps that review will be the debut of our newest writer, but more about that soon.
At the main stage, Baikonur were about to make their European debut, and, much like every other band at that stage, they did a very decent job. Their narrative post-rock sounded familiar and adventurous and a lot of people seemed to enjoy the show. I don't need to tell you that we enjoyed them from outside again, do I?
At every festival there is at least one band we miss, and this year we missed Eleanora. Why? Well, post-hardcore simply isn't my dada. So I decided that this gig would be a great opportunity to socialize a bit, something every reviewer needs to do once in awhile. I'm sure I'll catch these guys later and I promise to give them the exposure they deserve. A review for their new album will be on this website soon, perhaps that review will be the debut of our newest writer, but more about that soon.
The socializing made us miss a big part of Kokomo's performance too. Dark post-rock definitely is my dada so we tried to catch as much as we could. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to feed my musical appetite. I sure hope I can see them again soon. Actually, I did catch them again. The next day, they played a great surprise set in the woods, something I was hoping for since that magical Thisquietarmy gig. Hurray.
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Another brilliant performance came from another Consouling Sounds member, Barst this time. This trio blended everything atmospheric they could find into one delightful yet intense set of ambient. They even brought some beats, making people dance. Not me, I was still very weary about my earlier dance performance so I kept to nodding my head.
I could say that Her Name Is Calla was one of the worst acts on Dunk festival this year but that would be way too negative. After all, they weren't bad, no band on Dunk festival is bad. Perhaps it was that middle-of-the-festival fatigue that was coming up or perhaps it was the fact that the mainstage felt a bit one-sided on Friday, but this gig was not the blast I expected. It could also have been the heat.
In the other tent, Yodok III rolled over the audience like a massive bulldozer, delivering nothing less than an eargasm. Not bad for an act which is described as jazz, right? Then again, would you expect any less from Dirk Serries? I know I wouldn't. We'll be back on Dirk soon.
I could say that Her Name Is Calla was one of the worst acts on Dunk festival this year but that would be way too negative. After all, they weren't bad, no band on Dunk festival is bad. Perhaps it was that middle-of-the-festival fatigue that was coming up or perhaps it was the fact that the mainstage felt a bit one-sided on Friday, but this gig was not the blast I expected. It could also have been the heat.
In the other tent, Yodok III rolled over the audience like a massive bulldozer, delivering nothing less than an eargasm. Not bad for an act which is described as jazz, right? Then again, would you expect any less from Dirk Serries? I know I wouldn't. We'll be back on Dirk soon.
If there was one band on the mainstage that could fully satisfy my appetite, it would be My Sleeping Karma. With their psychedelic stoner rock, they quickly gained the appreciation of the whole audience, and with good reason too. This rocked, 'finally' dare I say. Their performance was tight, heavy and intense. I really enjoyed this immersive set. When I went outside after a few songs, I saw that I surely wasn't the only one.
Yet, once again, the stargazer stage would top that, this time by the absolute highlight of this day. Josh Graham, a.k.a. IIVII was about to embark on a cosmic mission, inviting everyone to go with him. And what a beautiful set is was too, both musically and visually. I've witnessed this trip once before, then with some technical issues but today, IIVII was perfect. Top-shelf ambient and a stunning experience...
Yet, once again, the stargazer stage would top that, this time by the absolute highlight of this day. Josh Graham, a.k.a. IIVII was about to embark on a cosmic mission, inviting everyone to go with him. And what a beautiful set is was too, both musically and visually. I've witnessed this trip once before, then with some technical issues but today, IIVII was perfect. Top-shelf ambient and a stunning experience...
From what I could hear from outside, Pelican delivered a great set again. We however had a little socializing to do. I'm actually glad that I didn't schedule any interviews on this year's edition of Dunk festival. They would consume way too much time for me to be able to give you a proper review. We did manage to get some artists to write their 'Songs With Stories' for us, which will be coming up in the next few weeks.
One of these artists is CHVE, who dragged a few hundred people on to a dark, mystical ritual. To me, it felt real enough to picture something magical and ancient. This was another brilliant performance by AmenRa's frontman. Armed only by his voice and a hurdy-gurdy, plus obviously the necessary effects, CHVE enchanted the whole tent, putting the icing on the cake for the entire Consouling Clan.
This Will Destroy You could not top that anymore, even though they delivered a solid set. We only watched a small part of their show, since there was not a lot to see on stage. While we went back to our bed, we could still hear most of it, becoming a nice soundtrack for a night walk.
This Will Destroy You could not top that anymore, even though they delivered a solid set. We only watched a small part of their show, since there was not a lot to see on stage. While we went back to our bed, we could still hear most of it, becoming a nice soundtrack for a night walk.
Saturday - Highfliers and highlights
In the heat of this beautiful Saturday afternoon, we went searching for a bit of a cooldown, which again means walking. I remember telling Eline that it was a shame that my initial idea for this review was ruined because of those pesky little birds, hiding away. I wanted more nice pictures to be able to make a nice representation of the entire Dunk! Festival experience, because there really is more to that than just the music. There is the neverending friendliness of the crew, the beautiful surroundings, the approachability of the artists. We couldn't catch all that in pictures of course, but here is a picture of a horse.
Flies Are Spies From Hell had the opportunity to open this day, kicking off with some nice atmospheric, piano-led post rock. I think, of all three days, this was the best opener, gently waking up the people on the camp site. We enjoyed their gig, right before we suddenly were trapped into socializing again, making us miss most of The Hirsch Effekt, Herbstlaub and Upcdownc concerts. Again, we heard most of these from outside and all of them sounded real solid but up till now, this was the only highflier we saw...
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...until Wyatt E. began. I knew they would be good, I even predicted it (read) but I never knew they would smash themselves right into this year's top-5 edition, even surpassing some of the Consouling acts from the day before. Before Wyatt E's concert, I overheard two guys laughing with the description, saying 'how could you possibly mix doom, drone and post-rock'? Well, I hope those two have been listening real close to what Wyatt E presented. This was an absolute highlight, heavy, repetitive, immersive and massive. Too many people missed this.
Nordic Giants delivered another touch of magic, in the form of dreamy post-rock with loads of samples and loads of atmosphere. We obviously listened from outside again while having a chat with Wyatt E. at the merchandise tent. Soon after, we checked out Thank U For Smoking and their musical destruction derby. That sure was a lot of noise.
Another highlight came from I Am Waiting For You Last Summer, a Russian act that blends post rock with breakbeats and drum & bass. 'Is that possible', you might ask and believe me, it is and it sounds pretty damn awesome. Lots of people were dancing to this highly energetic blend of styles. I'm sure some of them imagined themselves being protagonists in some wild action movie. This was surely the most surprising act on this festival.
Another highlight came from I Am Waiting For You Last Summer, a Russian act that blends post rock with breakbeats and drum & bass. 'Is that possible', you might ask and believe me, it is and it sounds pretty damn awesome. Lots of people were dancing to this highly energetic blend of styles. I'm sure some of them imagined themselves being protagonists in some wild action movie. This was surely the most surprising act on this festival.
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I've seen Syndrome a few times, so today I decided to just listen while I enjoy a nice meal (meatballs in tomato sauce). This was the second AmenRa side-project on this festival, delivering massive drones which made my trouser legs flutter. Yes, even from outside. With this act, the recipe is always similar and so is the result: music you can feel. Yes, it felt good... The same goes for Dirk Serries' Microphonics by the way. He too delivered a massive set, all by himself. I actually recorded a bit of his set, but I recorded it from outside, far into the woods where birds were singing. The result is pretty nice, perhaps I'll post it later. For now however, all you need to know is that both acts were brilliant.
In between it was time for a stage debut, the very first performance from Collapse Under The Empire. Of course, everybody already knew that these guys made great music so the tent was quite filled. After all, this act has been around since 2009, they just didn't perform before. So how was their set? Well, it was simply great, exactly what you would expect from a band of this caliber. I think they have been practicing for this...
In between it was time for a stage debut, the very first performance from Collapse Under The Empire. Of course, everybody already knew that these guys made great music so the tent was quite filled. After all, this act has been around since 2009, they just didn't perform before. So how was their set? Well, it was simply great, exactly what you would expect from a band of this caliber. I think they have been practicing for this...
Yndi Halda gave me a bit of a double feeling. Some parts of their set were pure bliss, others were less interesting for us. There even were moments when we weren't sure if it was the same band playing. Nonetheless, I'm sure most of the audience members were enchanted by this violin driven post rock.
In the stargazer tent, Arms And Sleepers played their ten year anniversary show (or in their own words: "ten years of not getting famous") and plenty of people got on their feet to start a little dance. I tried too but my legs started laughing at me, telling me I shouldn't be dancing after three days of festivalling.
In the stargazer tent, Arms And Sleepers played their ten year anniversary show (or in their own words: "ten years of not getting famous") and plenty of people got on their feet to start a little dance. I tried too but my legs started laughing at me, telling me I shouldn't be dancing after three days of festivalling.
I also started to realize that this whole thing was almost over, there was only one more band to check and it was one of the headliners. I said it before, I'm not really a headliners guy. Then again, this was Russian Circles, and there's a reason why this guys are on top of the bill. They certainly won in the t-shirt department, which means that I have seen more Russian Circles shirts than any other on these three days (strangely, Joy Division came in second).
So it's not really a miracle that the tent was packed to capacity for this final explosion, and an explosion it was. This American trio rammed their massive riffs through our skulls with deadly precision and pummeling intensity. I'm sure this was the absolute highlight for most people in attendance. For me it surely was one of the highlights and a perfect apotheosis for another epic festival.
So it's not really a miracle that the tent was packed to capacity for this final explosion, and an explosion it was. This American trio rammed their massive riffs through our skulls with deadly precision and pummeling intensity. I'm sure this was the absolute highlight for most people in attendance. For me it surely was one of the highlights and a perfect apotheosis for another epic festival.
