Riot City making their debut on Dutch soil in 013 Next. That was what yesterday was all about. So I could write about Roadburn festival, or at least the other two bands of the night but I won't do so very long. First Roadburn, an epic festival which is hugely popular in Portugal I found during my Portuguese years. This four day event always has bands I would love to see on the bill, but split over the days I was so far never bothered to attend. This year Blood Incantation playing one day their ambient album and the other day their prog death would attract me most. But as I said I won't go. Than looking at the other two bands of the Wednesday night Final Gasp would come on too late to keep us bothered to check them out, considering the longish drive home and Sonja was not my thing with their mid tempo rock and not so interesting vocal performance. So it was all about Riot City for Ton and I and that turned out to be more than enough for another very fine evening of live metal.
Before looking at the band one more heads up to Roadburn as their pre-party warm-up show was for free. In times where many shows are discuessed and the American idiocracy of sky high ticket prices is reaching Europe this was a relief. Lately I saw on social media discussions on ticket prices for AC/DC, Priest and Dream Theater, so a free evening of top class Heavy Metal was very welcome. To my luck anyway I do prefer smaller venues with normal prices over mass events anyway, so I myself am not very bothered.
So Riot City finally made it to The Netherlands and let me put my Riot City ballpark out first. I was supposed to see them first in Greece 2020. My first ever Up The Hammers with lots to love on the bill and than Covid cancelled the festival on the day it was supposed to start and I was already in Greece. Two years later my revenge was scheduled as they played Antwerp Belgium with Seven Sisters. Ticket in the pocket, train and hotel booked Antwerp was the place to be. That was until I got a light Covid attack the week before and could not risk contaminating any of the bands, so I stayed home. Last year I finally saw them live for the first time when Ton joined me to Dortmund for an amazing night together with Hellripper and Jag Panzer. That evening Riot City showed their class in full style and I ranked their show as favorite gig of 2023. So no wonder that both Ton and I did not even have to think twice when this show was announced in Tilburg. Somehow the only flaw of Riot City is that when I decide to be the desiganted driver it pisses down from the skies. Not as bad as last year's return from Dortmund, yet the drive down to Tilburg was shitty again. So apart from still being unable to control te weather Riot City were brilliant on all fronts again. Finally those who do follow my blog (all three of you) might wonder why Riot City never appeared among my albums of the year. This because I got both at the begin of the year following it's release so too late to qualify.
At 19:55 an intro tape started and at 20:00 sharp Riot City hit the stage opening with The Hunter. 25 seconds into their set Jordan released his first high pitched scream and many would follow. For those not knowing them yet it quickly became clear what they would bring to the evening. Heavy Speed metal of the highest level, with a band firing on all cilinders. A set-up as it should be with a strong rhytm section, two amazing guitars soloing twin or apart all the time and a voice that screams so high that we were transported straight back to the glory years of speedmetal in the eighties. Steel Rider (whowhoahoawhoahoo) followed and we saw and heard all would be good this evening. Only downside was they only got 45 minutes, so no time to lose along the way. The set visited both Burn The Night and Electric Elite and mentioning highlights makes no sense as all was good. One song shows to me why Riot City represent current Heavy Metal best. That song is Ghost of Reality. First a slow(ish) intro shows Iron Maiden how to start a number at slower speed while still interesting. Than a scream that would make Eric Adams proud is the sign to up the speed and we get a great Heavy Metal Anthem at fast pace. Still was this the highlight, or was it the shouting along with Warrior of Time where "On Our Way" asks for a range that I can reach.In the end we got 45 minutes of pure entertainment again and Riot City showed to me being the future of speed metal. I don't know if this style is popular enough among the younger generations, but anyone who grew up on eighties metal should love these Canadians really. After Sonja showed in a few songs they were not for me, we bumped downstairs into the band and unfortunately as driver I could not accept their "have some beers later on". That will be corrected next time I see them. Looking at the back of their Tour T-shirt I see they return in June to European venues, but I won't be around then. So this was Roadburn 2024 to me and I can say very brave of a festival to put the best band of five days as first one of the pre-party evening on stage. Those who do Roadburn, do enjoy your festival. I myself shall stay in free concert mode as Friday Martyr play De Zwarte Ruiter at home for free (so the ticket price discussion can go to bed for a while).
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