PCP, Blaat, Blood I Bleed, Kriegstanz, Cathode, Skarnspage, Reproach, Discarga, I Shot Cyrus, Visions Of War, Olho De Gato, Krush, S.I.K.A. @ Co-9, Zwolle 24 August 2003

From the bacteria newsletter #1: Third gig within 24 hours. Well we didn’t make it too late last nite with that PCP/RAT PATROL gig so we are prepared. This fest takes place in a relatively new squat in Zwolle, a town 100 km south of Groningen. Lately they are doing tons of concerts there, almost every week and I believe practically all touring bands play there, no matter if it is popular or not. Now that Hoogeveen (only 30 km from Zwolle) has started booking bands like mad again, this area has definitely developed as the heart of hardcore Holland!
We miss the first band BLOOD I BLEED. A pity coz I’d love to see Shantia’s new band. I’ve been told it’s basically MY MIND’S MINE, but more HERESY influenced. They considered the name LOST for their new band but since there’s a popular punkband from Poland with the same name (ex-HOMOMILITIA), they wisely enough decided for a different name. Did they take it from 80’s bay area thrashmetal fave DETENTE?! We enter during BLAAT but I spent the time checking out the place and people. I take some time for KRIEGSTANZ. They have members of CATHODE, BARNHOUSE EFFECT, SEEIN’RED… It’s a wall of noise. This is more pleasing than their gig on Trashfest 3 in Hoogeveen some months ago. The songs are much better played and the structures are clearer than before. Ofcourse you can instantly hear where the influence comes from. Cross WOLFBRIGADE with CATHARSIS or TRAGEDY and there you have it. They’ll get vinyl out sooner or later. KRUSH is good straightforward hardcore with two very moving singers. Reminds me of DISRUPT. SKARNSPAGE is two guys with a drummachine. They go wild in some touching way. Very funny to watch, not quite funny to hear. Time to eat. It’s a great idea the organization put up a foodstand. I usually miss this at the Dutch fests. Besides the fact that everybody becomes hungry at a certain point (especially during these kind of marathons), it’s also a good way to get some extra money in. CATHODE is another wall of sound. Two guitars, and even heavier than KRIEGSTANZ. I prefer the darker midtempo stuff to the quite sloppy fast parts. I SHOT CYRUS with the drummer of RATOS DE PORAO. Hectic fast 80’s retro hardcore. Wouldn’t imagine this was from Brasil. Nice to see Boka in action again but I prefer RATOS anytime. PCP was an ok set I suppose. It is the first time for many people to see us in the new line-up. It’s always good fun to play with this band. Since there is no lighting present, we are swallowed by the dark. During REPROACH I am recovering in our van outside, catching some air as well. DISCARGA I missed as well. For the 2nd time that is. OLHO DE GATO is real good. Fast and hectic hardcore. The Bloedbad song goes to me. Cool. SIKA is really really bad. It’s one of those bands that are so bad, that it is actually great… Very young and enthusiastic band and giving it all. Damn, I watched their complete set. Crazy. VISIONS OF WAR was like yesterday except now they finished the fest instead of opening, and they had some of the crowd moving. MATKA TERESA decided spontaneously they wanted to play as well, but the organizers (as well as most of the crowd) were already too dead to agree. 

PCP (Groningen, The Netherlands)
Blaat (The Netherlands)
Blood I Bleed (The Netherlands)
Kriegstanz (The Netherlands)
Cathode (Rijssen, The Netherlands)
Skarnspage (Norway)
Reproach (Overpelt, Belgium)
Discarga (Brazil)
I Shot Cyrus (São Paulo, Brazil)
Visions Of War (Belgium)
Olho De Gato (The Netherlands)
Krush (Leiden, The Netherlands)
S.I.K.A. aka Subsistence In Kontra Attitude (Bratislava, Slovakia)