So a couple of us at Hit The Floor are heading out to one of the best alternative music festivals out there in the wide world right now. We are travelling to a lovely rural town called Meerhout in Belgium, to attend the quite frankly, bloody amazing Groezrock Festival!
After last year’s much celebrated blog from one of our writers, we could not help but head back out there once again. But with a lineup as cracking as this, what can you expect but have a cheeky little preview of some of the bands that our writers who are attending, recommend you should check out! So without further ado in part one of two, here is our writer JPM’s top ten recommendations for the weekend :
MODERN LIFE IS WAR — ETNIES STAGE -@ 21:05 – 22:05pm — SATURDAY
This is without a doubt going to be THE most talked about set of the weekend. Modern Life Is War reunited only but last year, and released the relentless new studio album that was ‘Fever Hunting’ in the process. Only having played a handful of shows, their first reunion show being at This Is Hardcore 2013, expect a heroes welcome back as they play their first European show since their reformation. If you want to know who the band are that influenced the likes of bands such as Touche Amore, La Dispute, and many more, then you better not look no further. Bow down to the princes of modern melodic hardcore punk, for they are about to reclaim their throne!
CRO-MAGS — ETNIES STAGE @ 19:45 – 20:35pm — SATURDAY
Cro-Mags are one of the most important bands in hardcore music, that is a fact! Their 1985 debut album ‘The Age Of Quarrel’ is a landmark in the crossover of metal and hardcore, and has often been touted as one of the top ten hardcore albums of all time. Expect to see a LOT of stagedives during this set, and a hell of a lot of old school moves in that pit, for Cro-Mags will show up every band on the bill with their unparalleled energy and high octane set. Witness one of the most important hardcore bands of all time tear the hell out of the Etnies Stage!
INVSN — MACBETH STAGE @ 19:05 – 19:45pm — FRIDAY
INVSN are a brilliant alternative rock band from Umea, Sweden – who are also fronted by the ever-influential Dennis Lyxzen, who if you are not good with names, is the frontman for the highly regarded Swedish hardcore band Refused, as well as other bands such as The International Noise Conspiracy, and AC4.
INVSN will play an intimate set of the Macbeth Stage, and will surely provide a musically diverse range of songs that will no doubt break the cycle of the typical genres of bands that play at Groezrock. If you want something a little different yet truly rewarding to listen to, then make sure you check out INVSN. You will not regret it!
H2O — ETNIES STAGE @ 22:35 – 23:35pm — FRIDAY
PMA ALL DAY! You know the drill, everyone’s favourite positive hardcore punk band H2O are due to headline the Etnies Stage on the Friday. If there is anything that will be guaranteed, it will be a lot of anthemic singalongs, a lot of stagedives, and an unlimited amount of good, clean fun!
Having already been going hard for 19 years, H2O still remain as vital and as refreshing as ever. So if you want to end your Friday with a shit-eating grin on your face after an excessive amount of unifying partying, then good grief…. do NOT miss out on H2O!
JUDGE — ETNIES STAGE @ 22:35 – 23:35pm — SATURDAY
FINALLY… The majorly overlooked princes of straight edge hardcore finally make their way over to Europe! Judge are a heavily influential hardcore band who formed in 1987 with members from such bands Youth Of Today, and Warzone, they had a rather short lived uprise in the underground circuit up until 1991.
However, after reforming last year for This Is Hardcore 2013, the response to have these guys over this side of the Atlantic has been astonishing. This could be your only chance to witness one of the most important bands in straight edge hardcore. THERE WILL BE QUIET! AFTER THE STORM…..
ALL — MONSTER MAIN STAGE @ 18:30 – 19:20pm — SATURDAY
With drummer Bill Stevenson already playing this weekend with Descendents later on on the Saturday, you cannot help but rejoice to the fact that he is also bringing his other band ALL to play a rare festival show in Europe as well! We are a lucky bunch of so-and-so’s!
ALL are once again one of the more overlooked punk bands of recent decades, but they may well be a little diamond in the rough for any punk fan who does not know about these lot! Educate yourselves.
RED CITY RADIO — ETNIES STAGE @ 15:05 – 15:45pm — FRIDAY
Red City Radio are awesome. They are a lot of fun, and they kick ass. With a whole case of catchy riffs and singalongs, these guys are like an even more infectious combination of bands like Hot Water Music, and Call Off The Search.
If you fancy something with a bit more of an upbeat post-hardcore edge whilst maintaining an almost pop-punk like alternative rock sensibility, then why not head on over and check Red City Radio out. Their latest album ‘The Dangers Of Standing Still’ is awesome, so get the chance to witness live just how even more awesome they truly are!
QUICKSAND — IMPERICON STAGE @ 23:05 – 00:05am — FRIDAY
Walter Schriefels is a man of many talents. He has been in bands such as Gorilla Biscuits, Rival Schools, Youth Of Today, Warzone, the list goes on. But none have been more commercially accessible and as influential as the brilliant Quicksand. An alternative rock band at the core, Quicksand are arguably one of the first ever post-hardcore bands to have ever emerged.
Having influenced the likes of bands such as Glassjaw, At The Drive-In, Deftones, and many more, these guys are the godfathers – the Don Corleone’s at what they do. Those with an untrained knowledge may also notice that bassist Sergio Vega is in this band (you know, the ‘new’ bassist from Deftones, right?), well guess what champ – this was his first band!
Miss Quicksand at your own peril. Enough said.
PAINT IT BLACK — ETNIES STAGE @ 21:05 – 22:05pm — FRIDAY
Playing an exclusive one off European show especially for Groezrock, American hardcore punk crew Paint It Black are as rowdy, raucous, and as life affirming as you could ever imagine. This is harcdore punk how it should be played, with heart, soul, short song times, and a whole lot of venom!
Expect Paint It Black to be showcasing a whole range of their best hits from their back catalogue, but who knows… we may even get some new material in the process! Seeming though their last album ‘New Lexicon’ came out in 2008, it is about time we were treated to some new tunes as well…. what do you guys think? Bring on the mosh!!!
MADBALL — IMPERICON STAGE @ 19:05 – 19:55pm — FRIDAY
One of the godfathers of modern hardcore music, and undoubtedly one of the kings of NYHC, Madball are coming back to Europe to kick Groezrock up the ass with their full-on hardcore assault. If you are a self-respecting fan of hardcore music and have no idea who these guys are then please, PLEASE sort this out immediately!
Frontman Freddy Cricien, who’s brother is also Roger Miret of Agnostic Front, is one of the most charismatic and enigmatic frontmen in hardcore music today. And representing the DMS, performing some of the most hard-hitting anthems in hardcore (Pride (Times Are Changing) anyone?), this is going to be a set you will not want to miss. Do not be surprised in that pit turns in to a warzone.
