Greenfield Festival 2024, Interlaken 14.06.24 – Day 2

And here we are with Greenfield Day 2. Another awesome lineup of awesome bands:

1. The Baboon Show
2. All To Get Her
3. Palaye Royale
4. Future Palace
5. Guano Apes
6. Imminence
7. Feine Sahne Fischfilet
8. Against The Current
9. Eluveitie
10. Silverstein
11. Dropkick Murphys
12. Kvelertak
13. The Prodigy

And now more photos from Andy…. plus the review of the day’s events:

After the general revelry of the night, it’s time for the audience to slowly return to the concerts. The overall atmosphere is a bit more relaxed than the previous day, with enthusiasm still hidden behind the haze of alcohol consumed by most attendees. Everything is normal. It’s a typical early afternoon for a festival just beginning. If The Baboon Show and their energetic punk rock managed to momentarily awaken the sleepy crowd, the alt-rockers Palaye Royale had a bit more difficulty. Their elegant garage rock, straddling art rock and glam, is much more impactful live but probably not enough to wake the masses from their stupor, except for a few die-hard fans in front of the stage. A shame, because I found the Las Vegas band quite convincing live, especially singer Remington Leith and his raspy voice. Definitely worth seeing in a more appropriate setting.

The Guano Apes undoubtedly have a handful of hits that are still danced to at rock parties across Europe (“Open Your Eyes,” “Lords of the Boards,” anyone?), but for some reason, they have never convinced me live. They are certainly a group of capable musicians, but the energy wanes over the course of a concert, making the performance quite flat overall.

Of a completely different caliber are Imminence, who are much more convincing on the secondary stage. The Swedish band offers metalcore enriched by the use of a violin, played by the singer Eddie Berg. The scenic impact and the atmospheres created have thrilled many people who previously did not know the band. Definitely a great discovery.

The main stage shifts gears completely with the German band Feine Sahne Fischfilet. Their punk rock sung in German with political/social themes definitely captures the masses, and the party under the stage resumes from where it left off the previous evening: singing at the top of their lungs, moshing, and circle pits. Singer Monchi urges the audience, throws beer cans into the crowd, and steps down into the front rows to encourage the fans. The temperature has definitely heated up, at least among the audience, even though the weather is less favorable.

We move back to the secondary stage for Against the Current, a band that has garnered public attention in the States thanks to their covers on YouTube, amassing over 2 million subscribers. Unfortunately, apart from having a good-looking singer, there isn’t much more. They are skilled musicians, and the singer knows how to command the stage, but their pop rock/alternative rock is boring and not at all engaging.

We trot back to the main stage for the local heroes, if we can call them that, Eluveitie, who have been the most successful Swiss metal band for years now. Led by Chrigel Glanzmann, they are now a well-oiled machine thanks to their endless tours that take them around the world every year. Their last LP is a few years old (five, to be exact), so there are no new tracks, but the setlist spans their entire discography, pleasing all the fans. The charming Fabienne Erni has increasingly taken a leading role in the band’s concerts and has now become an experienced frontwoman. Without a doubt, another excellent performance for a band deserving of such a high spot on the main stage!

And now we have an hour of Irish punk with the Dropkick Murphys, and chaos is assured. With the opening “The Boys Are Back” and its chorus (“The boys are back…and they’re looking for trouble”), the band immediately sets the tone, and the audience erupts as if we were at the Temple Bar in Dublin or a port tavern in Boston. There’s no denying it, the DM are fun and lift the spirits with their enthusiasm, whether you like them or not. With the forced absence of singer Al Barr (on hiatus for personal reasons), bassist/singer Ken Casey takes on all the lead vocals, and he does an excellent job as the frontman. With punk anthems and folkloric ballads (“Rose Tattoo”), the party is on, and their most famous song, “I’m Shipping Up to Boston,” closes the set.

Thanks to the long break before The Prodigy, the audience can rest and refresh with a cold beer (or a whiskey, to each their own), but promptly at the arrival of the English electronic duo, the crowd gathers again under the stage. Call it what you want: breakbeat, cyber-punk, alternative dance… the fact is everyone is dancing, whether they’re punks, metallers, or goths. They start without frills with “Breathe” from “Fat Of the Land.” Even though the visual absence of Keith Flint and his obsessive movements is immediately felt, the charismatic frontman Maxim shows all his experience in rousing the crowd. And his “warriors” respond enthusiastically. Even with the following “Omen” and its catchy, obsessive chorus, the intensity remains high. Powerful sound, deep bass. The Prodigy live, thanks also to the session musicians, are a punch in the face. During “Firestarter,” the presence of the late Keith Flint is felt, dedicated through stylized drawings projected on the screens. The setlist includes all the band’s major hits, from “Voodoo People” to “Poison” and “Smack My Bitch Up.” Even though a good part of the setlist is dedicated to more recent releases, even an oldie like “Out of Space” finds its place. Maybe not their best concert, but still a great performance.