Metal Roadtrip: The Agonist in Düsseldorf!

So in the end of September I went on another adventure to see a band I absolutely love: The Agonist!

Actually, I had fallen in love with their music last September! I did know them since some when in 2012, I think, after browsing youtube and stumbling from one video to another. And it was the same like it is with so many bands I love: I heard one or two songs and thought "That's cool! I need to look into them a bit more!" and then I never did. In their case I did check them out after their change of singers took place in early 2014, but I honestly started really listening to them only in 2015 when Eye of Providence came out. I had bought the album the same day I saw them live in Graz, so I didn't know any song other than Gates of Horn and Ivory and Panophobia. The concert wasn't very convincing though because the sound really sucked and Vicky was sick. She actually couldn't play the show the next day. And the show took place on the same day that I discovered the Jonne project from Jonne Järvelä of Korpiklaani and... I fell in love with that album immediately and so everything else I did that day was pushed into the background... sorry, The Agonist!

I had Eye of Providence on my mp3player and listened to it from time to time over the summer 2015. I had a very hard time in late summer and found a lot of solace in their music. For some days at a time it was the only music I could tolerate. Everything else made me just sad and huddle in on myself. The Agonist made me fight though.

 

So, this year the wait was finally over. They announced a new album coming this fall and a show in Tilburg at Epic Metal Fest. I had no idea how I would eventually end up in the fucking Netherlands (it's a 12hr drive for me and none of my usual concert buddies were up for the trip!), but I was hyped as soon as I saw the band's name on the festival's Facebook. I started to make plans immediately, only to change them 3x over the summer. But I was sure I would go there. Then some more tourdates around EMF were announced and that made it easier for me, because I would go to Düsseldorf a day before EMF. Actually it was the only date in Germany (I pondered doing a roadtrip through Spain and Portugal for a minute), so they left me no choice! 

Düsseldorf is still a 10hr train ride from Vienna, but I did go to Bochum to drink with friends at an amorphis show (nobody believes me anyway but I went for my friends on not the show) and so I said I'd do it again for a band I love just as much. The train was a little overbooked so I ended up sitting in the bistro for most of the time, but I met friends on the train, so I had someone to chat with. 

Good thing I have a friend in Düsseldorf  who agreed to pick me up, bring me to my hostel and then go to the show with me. if you read this, Kay, you rock!

I do like shredding shirts and wearing them!

The show was in The Tube, which is a very small venue in the old town of Düsseldorf. I don't think I've ever seen a stage this small. I also hoped that no moshpit would happen because there was a pretty large pole in the middle of the room. I also met Jessie, the girl behind Magna Femina there who had agreed via facebook to give me a ride to Tilburg the next day.  

I can't even say much about the show, it was so perfect. I had secured my front row spot and constantly had Vicky's and Chris' hair in my face, but that's part of the fun, isn't it? So here are some pictures from the night:

I do like shredded shirts.

Vicky is worth it

Danny is such a photo model! He posed a little for me so I could get a nice picture! Thanks, Danny :)

It's great to be at shows were the band enjoy themselves. And they really did have a lot of fun.

 I didn't blow this picture up, I actually was THIS close.

20minutes into The Agonist and rock out and she gives you THIS look...

The stage was kind of crowded...^^

Yeah, the pictures are far from perfect, but I made them with my shitty phone and I am surprised by how good they turned out to be for that.

After the show I went straight to the merch and bought the bands shots. I had to, because I wanted to give a little love back. That's also why I gave Vicky a shirt I made.

Thanks to whoever took my phone and took a decent photo.

We stayed until the band packed up their stuff and left and I got to get my brand new copy of Five (what actually came out that day) signed, took pictures with three of them (I was so drunk I completely forgot about who I had took a blurry selfie with and who not). Not eating anything but a mozarella ciabatta all day (because I wasn't hungry and stressed out because of the train ride and everything) wasn't such a great part to the plan of getting drunk after the show. And it's not like I never had that plan. I ALWAYS have that plan :p (so I could have eaten accordingly during the day)

In this case I guess I was an okay-ish drunk person. I stole a beer, talked way too much, way too fast and way too personal stuff and then took a cab home because I couldn't have found my hostel if my life depended on it.  

I had a room in a 6 bed dorm and was greeted with shouts of "Close the door!" "Do you know how late it is?!" and "Lights off!" I guess I'm too old for this shit.

What, metal concert and endless trainrides? Never! I just started with that crazy behavior this year :D

But 6 bed dorm rooms? Yeah, I think I'm over that.

Stay tuned for my next blog entry to read what I was up to in Tilburg. ;)