Tinitus '04

My foremost thought throughout the trip form Gothenburg to Stockholm was which acts that was about to play throughout the evening, it was about the festival local and the general setting of the place. In my article form the previous Tinitus '03 you can read about the general complaints about the total lack of seating, no playlist anywhere to be seen, the delays and the very tiny second scene that made people that did want to see Fiendflug or Spetsnaz to crowd in the bathroom area because the lack of space. This year there was seating, a projector lit wall with a big playlist, no delays worth to mention and a much better scene structure. The scenes was placed diagonal which made the space much more suitable for an audience. I would like to thank the sound technicians for the over all volume, it was pleasant through the whole evening and made me forget all about ear plugs. A big bravo to the Tinitus crew!

Before I spill it all about the bands, I would like to give a golden star to the crew that placed the so-called DJ-group T&T (from the Gothenburg based nightclub Romo Night) in a corner beside the food area instead of being a total heart attack provoker in the bar area as they were the year before. Furthermore we were a bit puzzled, because it was supposed to be two T:s on the set but we could only see one T. Were was the second T?

However, I wasn't too impressed with the act list this year although it was scattered with big names. I and my better half arrived in good time to see Fixmer/McCharty alike most of Tinitus visitors. In my opinion, Fixmer/McCharty was the best act throughout the evening and I think it was fun to see them again, though I last saw them on the Arvika festival this previous summer. This time there wasn't any stiff arms (think Germany in the 1940-era) or naked white trash, thank God.

A Split Second isn't a band that I have listened to that much, but I can imagine that people was expecting young gentlemen a la their golden era in the 80's was deeply disappointed. Old mans in their late 40's with guitars in true German stile wasn't what most people was hoping for, but some old classics was played and my better half recognized more of the songs than me.

When the only original member Marian Gold from Alphaville stepped on the stage, a sigh travelled through the audience. Was he really the German golden boy that shone a couple of years so far ago, that most of the festival visitors are too young to remember them? Of course it was Marion and we were convinced when the now more inclined to stoutness singer took his first tune. The band played much of their latest material but they never really got the crowd worked up like when they played their greatest hits. You could nearly hear Marion's dejectedness when he once again only could win the audience heart by singing his old classics, like "Forever Young" and "Big in Japan".

In spite of VNV Nations frequent visits to our Swedish festivals in the previous years, people seem not to have grown tired of the two British gentlemen. Yet, the band deserves some credit for not playing the usually songs. They did a successful attempt to make their appearance something extra. You could tell that VNV Nation really like to play in front of Swedish people by their quite attempt to make fun comments. Personally, I enjoyed to hear some of their new material and I think more people with me is starting to long after their new release that will come in spring 2005.

When I and my sweet love took a two minute walk to our sea based hotel in the docks, I think we both ware pleased with the festival experience. Yet, I want to make the statement that more interesting acts are much desired for the next year.

This article was written 2004 and initially published on Neurozine.com