Event:	Flippaut Festival
Written by:
Published:	02.09.2004

After last week Gods Of Metal, it's again the "Arena Parco Nord" in Bologna to host one of the most popular Festivals of this year 2004: Flippaut Festival. We were there the first day, Saturday 12th June, and everything was put on fire by artists which have made this day unforgettable for the audience.

As usual, important names appeared on the bulletin of the day. Amongst them: Ill Nino, Brides Of Destruction, Soulfly and Korn. To give an hint to the good result of the whole manifestation the weather had a main role, in fact sunshine spread high in the sky, making artists and fans sweating under the sun!

The first group is an Italian band called Guilty Method which gained outstanding attention from the general metal scene thanks to the introduction of a violin -played by Rob- amongst the instruments we all are used to listen to during this kind of gigs. As experimentation and innovations are always welcomed, this peculiar characteristic helped the band to be recognised amongst the crowded scene and get a further chance in being admired from the public.







First change and it's time to assist to Extrema gig. This is another Italian band but with a strong fame and consistent experience at their back. Everyone can notice this thanks to their aggressive and self-confident approach. And it's the singer Gianluca himself who, more than his band mates, was able to show these elements during his performance.

Who said Americans are more advance than us??? The third band going on stage, but the first American one, are Life Of Agony. Singer Caputo looked more like a little chick popped out from out of nowhere! With his horrible air-cut, unshaved beard and such a weak live performance it was kind of disappointing show. For sure they tried to appear as angry as they could but - by the way, for the kind of shows we were expecting today- if artists wouldn't have been fucking angry, aggressive or -at least- particular, they even wouldn't have being performing here, in such a Festival! As power, roughness, high personality are some of the essential elements to give a kick-in-the-ass show? but exceptions are everywhere, and we've already found ours!

To follow are Mistonocivo, with the hard aim to entertain the crowd before the first big event of today. Resulting, in this way, in a very low consideration from the audience as everyone couldn't wait to acclaim Ill Nino.







It's now late afternoon and the crowd is well warmed-up. A loud roar from the Arena welcomed the band and front-man Cristian Machado entertained the fans as a few can really do it-adding some good, catchy statements to the audience both in Spanish and in English. The youngest ones and the most restless ones are so tight in the front rows that it's almost scaring to stay there and they just became crazy with the first big hit the band sang. A very intense half an hour show to propose their best songs, one after another, because Ill Nino have so much experience they'd have probably deserved much more time for their gig. From the sing-along choruses of hundreds of fans we can understand that their two albums are going to put them in a relevant position of this new era of metal. So, jumping and scream, we passed through hits like "How Can I Live", "This Time's For Real", and with the long-lasting successful songs as"Unreal", "What Comes Around" and "God Save Us".







But it's this one the real moment every rocker has been waiting for. After few minutes after 6p.m. were the super acclaimed Californian boys Brides Of Destruction to jump on stage for their first Italian performance. This has been also the coming back, in a fuckin' heavy band, of two super rock stars which did the big difference in the 80s: Mr. Tracii Guns (ex L.A.Guns) and Mr. Nikki Sixx (ex Motley Crue). Not to forget the youngest ones of the band London LeGrand (singer) and Scot Coogan (drummer). Sounds were not yet as loud as they were supposed to be at that time (late afteroon!) in fact was very hard even to listen the intro of "Shut The Fuck Up", first single of the band. But, good God! An earthquake seemed to occur as soon as bass guitarist showed up: Nikki Sixx, the real one (!) was there with us. A second roar broke up in the Arena. Everyone could clearly notice those guys had still the real class that made them such a big artists in the past: style, passion, attitude at the highest levels was shown during their gig. Tracii showed his powerful guitar again and again during the concert and, as he wasn't expected to deliver such a huge performance, almost everyone was enthusiastic, almost worshipping his ability. Not to talk when he'd been playing his solo: unforgettable! I would say they did go for a mystic front man but to say the whole truth the role of London was partially darkened by the presence of Mr. Sixx who didn't waste a single occasion to move, run, jump from a corner to the other of the whole stage.
Powerful drum section too at the back from a very thin boy, who did look like a restless little child all along the 30 minutes of the concert. After "Brace Yourself", "I Don't care", "2 Times Dead", soon arrived the time to revisit the good old times with some kicikng-ass cover songs such as "Never Enough" of L.A.Guns. How knows this groups, knows also that this same song it's a real pearl of the rock group, because it'd been played live very few times? so, you can imagine why so many fans where amazed to listen to such a piece. Also Tracii was smiling in seeing so many astonishing faces! Afterwards, it came the time for the huge Nikki Sixx. Speaking to the public he introduced all the fans and the whole crowd into the 80s? how?! Firing the chords of his bass on the notes of "Live Wire" and "Shout at the Devil" of Motley Crue. Unforgettable!

After the pleasure of Californian rockers, it's now the time to satisfy all the metal-heads. Soulfly and his leader Max Cavalera, showing once again his Italian football team T-shirt! started straightaway playing "Prophecy" and other pieces of their latest album. To say the truth the show of the Brazilian band wasn't that much special, the concerts of their pupils Ill Nino was much more interesting! The resulted no original at all and a bit static. After a stage invasion from percussionists and several instruments added to the usual ones, we saw an appearance on stage also of the son of the lead singer who accompanied the band singing in "Bleed". And that's it! There were some really heavy songs from Sepultura and it looked like the crowd was just waiting for those songs. As soon as "Root Bloody Roots" started, a big mess exploded and waves of metal heads ran right under the stage to sing along the song with Max and the rest of the band. Bad mark to the reggae proposal of the group coz everything was expected here in the Arena? but, for sure, not some reggae rhythmical sections: does anyone remember we are in the mid of a metal festival?

Also the following band was not the fresh and alive on stage, but they're quite famous for this reason too!!! H.I.M. are ready to start their show but, at the only sight of Ville Valo.. I despaired! With that terrible look and moustache, he didn't move at all on the stage and the only one who really cheered up the show -a bit!- was the guitar player Linde.. at least he tried to moved and he was the one trying to get a connection with the crowd. As his usual, very doggy presence for the key-board (and cowboy!) of the band, Mr. Burton. The darkness of the up-coming might came down with them on the notes of their huge successes "Buried Alive by Love", "In Joy and Sorrow", and the earlier songs as "Poison Girl" and "Wicked Game". Two men, hidden in the darkness at one side of the stage, had been listening to HIM gig all the time long?we found out then, that they're were Tracii and Nikki themselves who did just not want to miss the show of the Finnish band. Wierd!







So, at that point of the night, there were just them missing. The crowd was on fire, the sounds were prepared as loud as hell, the night was coming to create the right atmosphere and to welcome the head liners of the first day of Flippaut Festival. In the centre of the stage, covered with a red blanket, the well known micro of Mr.Davis was already there. Lights down and the latest single "Right Now" accompanied the entry of the Californian metal stars Korn. The first one to appear was the guitarist Munky, still in very good form.
To follow Head and Field, while Silveira was already seated on is throne. Still a few seconds and also the singer went on stage with his typical kilt, which didn't take off all night long. They did convince also the most sceptic dudes amongst the audience because they still kick ass, delivering shows at the limits of power and strength. The bass guitar of Fieldy seemed to be the loudest sound I'd been hearing that day, unbelievable! It was so vibrant that also hearts, blood and lungs were obliged to work at its rhythm.
Moments full of emotions were, for sure, the ones when Korn proposed some old songs like the epic "Blind", "Faggot" and "Shoot And Ladders". Also some more recent ones as "ADIDAS" and "Dead Bodies Everywhere" did earn general esteem. Davis drove everyone crazy once again when he appeared on stage with his bagpipes: the atmosphere was amazing and the euphoria was touchable. Incredible version of "One" (Metallica cover song). To end the first day of this Festival, they played the latest kickin' ass single ""Ya'll Want A Single".







This had been the happy ending of a wonderful day - full of strong emotions and satisfying music. Music that, once again, had the leading role of the day. Moreover it had been the only motivation and reason why so many people - a whole generation of both rockers and metalheads- could find themselves altogether in the Arena, enjoying such a beautiful manifestation.