I’ve started off my last three festival articles in the same manner. Discussion of my shock and surprise upon realizing that my summer festival season was abruptly upon me! Yet, here it is and despite its sudden arrival, I’m ready to rock!
Sweden Rock Festival is “the big one” for me! The largest event that I attend each year. As I think back, it was in 2012 that I decided “I had to visit a European Festival“! Europe just treats music differently than we do here in North America. That’s how I feel anyway. There are some larger festival events in the USA, but the lineups contain mostly modern-sounding bands. Glam, sleaze, melodic rock even traditional metal really has no place at many of these events. Oh, sometimes they’ll book a band like an 80s Hard Rock/Hair Metal type band or even old school thrash but mostly it’s stuff like Five Finger Death Punch. And I just don’t really care overly for that sound. The lower bands on those bills are of the same persuasion with few exceptions. And it just don’t work for the ole Meister!
When I was scouring the internet in late 2012 for a possible target for my proclaimed Euro event to attend, I found SRF (Sweden Rock Festival). The SRF lineup for June of 2013 boasted almost too many bands that I loved and were right in my wheelhouse. Many of them I’d never seen live before. Bands like Bullet, The Scams, Sister Sin, Wolf, UFO, Krokus, Doro, Saxon, Accept, Demon, Axxis, Hardline, Crazy Lixx, Satan, and more…. Plus the headliners KISS, Rush and Europe weren’t too bad! Over 70 bands in total.
SWEDEN ROCK 2024
Now as we look at the Sweden Rock lineup for 2024 they clearly have these same style bands booked. Just look at FFDP. (Who was mid-list then and now a headliner🤷🏻♂️)….etc. My perception each year, especially since Live Nation bought out SRF, is that the lineups have gotten away from what I want. As I compare 2013’s roster to 2024, that’s not really the case. I never realized it so much until now. I may have unintentionally done SRF dirty!
Granted the 2022 and 2023 lineups featured less for me, but 2024 is brimming with bands I want to see. Many, however, I’ve now seen before but always happy to see them again! Bands such as: Bullet, Primal Fear, Spiders, Velveteen Queen and The Cruel Intentions. Then there’s the never-before-seen group like Iron Savior, The Gems, Southern River Band, Scarlet, Swedish Erotica and Orden Ogan. Of course, there’s always W.A.S.P., Bruce Dickinson, Judas Priest, Megadeth, MSG, Riot V, Vicious Rumors, Alice Cooper, Hammerfall, The Darkness, Battle Beast, Heavy Load, Treat, Winger, and Extreme that I’ve all seen before! And more as well…..don’t threaten me with a good time right?
So, considering I had originally not planned to go. I was struggling to receive the OK from work to have the time off. Late in the game, work gave the good word (basically a work shortage so I’m temporarily laid off) and thankfully tickets were still available. Hopefully, I’m not homeless for the festival. I’ll have a tent with me, but I’m not excited to camp especially after I will have just done that (by no other options) the previous two weeks. I’m a crotchety old man (“Get off my lawn!“) and I need my creature comforts🤣. Either way, it’s off to SRF, my ninth time. Not bad for a “Once in a lifetime” thing, eh? So, if you feel like buying a beer and having a chat with a Canadian and you can’t find me in front of a stage, check the bar or Casey’s Fish & Chips😁🍻🤘🇨🇦
Past CGCM Rock Radio/Website coverage of SWEDEN ROCK FESTIVAL
Cheers,
The Meister
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