JUNE 28th, 2024
TONS OF ROCK FESTIVAL
DAY 3

Review & Photo Gallery By: Polina Kulikovskikh
Day 3 - http://www.metaltitans.com/concertpics/tons-of-rock-2024-day-3/

Despite the previous evening's weather warning, the third day of Tons of Rock began with good, albeit windy, weather. Luckily, the storm passing by during the night didn't create any problems or accidents, so the festival continued as planned.

The first band to play this day was Health on the Moonlight stage, shortly followed by SKYND at the Vampire stage. SKYND is a relatively new industrial rock band (their first record was released in 2018), but they are quickly growing in popularity. The band consists of lead singer Skynd and multi-instrumentalist Father, with a drummer joining them for live shows. Their music applies the grim aesthetic of true crime, with songs largely based on disturbing deaths and murders. Despite playing early, they gathered a sizable crowd and likely gained many new fans with their great performance.

Next up on the Scream stage was Norwegian band Valentourettes, a tribute band to vocalist Joachim “Jokke” Nielsen. Meanwhile, on the Moonlight stage, Nova Twins were preparing to start their set. An English rock duo formed in 2014, their debut album, Who Are the Girls?, was released in February 2020, followed by their most recent album, Supernova, in June 2022. Supernova was shortlisted for the 2022 Mercury Prize and earned the band two nominations at the 2023 BRIT Awards. Despite some technical issues at the beginning, vocalist/guitarist Amy Love, bassist Georgia South, and drummer Jake Woodward gave an energetic performance that made the crowd go crazy.

Back at the Vampire stage, Empire State Bastard took over. Officially a duo consisting of Simon Neil (also known for his participation in Biffy Clyro) and Mike Vennart, they are joined by a drummer and a bass player for live performances. Their debut album, Rivers of Heresy, was released in September 2023. Neil describes their music as "grindcore extreme metal," and despite mixed opinions about their sound, they gathered quite a crowd.

At the Scream stage, it was time for Uriah Heep. This legendary band has been active for an astonishing 54 years and is still rocking strong. They have influenced and inspired multiple generations of musicians and fans worldwide. Despite having loads of hits from their musical past, the band continues to create new material. They opened their set with a new song, "Save Me Tonight," from their latest album, Chaos & Colour, followed by "Grazed by Heaven" from the 2018 album Living the Dream, and then "Rainbow Demon" from the 1972 album Demons and Wizards.

Abbath, who has played at Tons of Rock before on the Vampire stage, performed only Immortal material this time, much to the excitement of black metal fans. The setlist consisted of ten songs, including "Sons of Northern Darkness," "Damned in Black," and "At the Heart of Winter", closing with "Blashyrkh (Mighty Ravendark)." Despite strong winds causing less-than-ideal sound quality, fans enthusiastically crowd-surfed throughout the entire set.

Aside from the great music, Tons of Rock offered more attractions. Next to the Moonlight stage was the Tons of Art tent, where several artists presented their works, sold prints, and other merchandise — a highly recommended spot for any art lover. Nearby, a variety of food and drink options were available, including burgers, noodles, and gyros, with prices around 200 NOK (roughly 16 EUR or 18 USD). Beers, cider, and even mead were on offer, though quite costly. Meals could be enjoyed in a large tent with tables (though seating was scarce) or simply on the grass nearby.

The festival aimes to be ecological, introducing garbage sorting; however, it was placed a tad too far, attracting seagulls eager for leftovers. While the food and drinks were decent, Tons of Rock could be considered pricey compared to many other European festivals, affecting both tourists and locals.
Next to the "food corner" was an official merchandise store and a Carlings shop. Additionally, a few tents near the Vampire stage offered typical metal merchandise such as patches, pins, and jewelry.

After a good meal, I went to see I Am Morbid at the Moonlight stage. David Vincent, Pete “Commando” Sandoval, Richie Brown, and Bill Hudson played some of the best Morbid Angel songs, including "Rapture," "Visions from the Dark Side," and "God of Emptiness." It was an energetic performance with lots of crowd surfing.

The main headliner of the day was Judas Priest. True metal gods from Britain, their career has spanned since 1969. In addition to the legendary Rob Halford, the current lineup includes Richie Faulkner, Ian Hill, Andy Sneap, and Glenn Tipton. They opened their set with "Panic Attack" from their latest album Invincible Shield, continuing strong with "You've Got Another Thing Comin'" from Screaming for Vengeance and "Rapid Fire" from British Steel. Fans' favorite "Breaking the Law" followed, with a massive crowd singalong in front of the Scream stage. The show was visually vibrant, with a huge screen and the band's emblem hanging over the stage. In my opinion, Judas Priest gave the best performance of all the headliners at Tons of Rock this year.

Judas Priest setlist:

Panic Attack
You've Got Another Thing Comin'
Rapid Fire
Breaking the Law
Riding on the Wind
Devil's Child
Sinner
Turbo Lover
Invincible Shield
Victim of Changes
The Green Manalishi (With the Two Prong Crown) (Fleetwood Mac cover)
Painkiller
The Hellion
Electric Eye
Hell Bent for Leather
Living After Midnight