2023-06-20 18:35:07
By Loic Chaslin
Posted yesterday at 6:35 p.m., Updated yesterday at 6:35 p.m.
Kiss in concert at Hellfest, June 15, 2023, for their farewell tour. Loic Chaslin
Always surrounded by a one-of-a-kind atmosphere, the meeting of metalheads shone with a thousand lights and continues to consider the future serenely.
Special envoy to Clisson,
Electric atmosphere. From June 15 to 18, the small town of Clisson became, as every year, the scene of a musical event of unprecedented scale. Renowned as one of the most iconic metal festivals in the world, Hellfest has attracted thousands of fans from all walks of life to celebrate music, friendship and passion for rock. As soon as the doors opened, a tide of festival-goers dressed in black, sporting tattoos and the most daring hairstyles, poured onto the various stages of the festival. The overflowing passion of the fans mixed with the contagious energy of the bands, thus creating a unique atmosphere of its kind.
It is difficult to talk about all the groups and performances as the choices offered are huge and different. Imagine over 180 bands over 3.5 festival days. This year, more than half of the formations performed for the first time on stage. We will note the first and highly anticipated performance of Tenacious D. The rock comedy duo set the main stage on fire with their unique blend of humor and crazy rock. The group Fever333, known for their political commitment and their explosive mixture of musical genres, between rap and metal, unleashed the crowds with their powerful message and their hard-hitting riffs.
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Sum41, for their last concert, unleashed passions with their catchy punk-rock anthems. The Canadian band delivered an energetic performance and reminded fans why they have remained so popular for over two decades. Porcupine Tree formed by the talented Steven Wilson, exceptional drummer Gavin Harisson, back on stage after a long break, transported festival-goers into progressive and captivating soundscapes. The Indian group fusing metal and traditional music, Bloodywood, had the difficult task of heating up the big stage at the start of the morning and the public traveled in a unique and intoxicating musical universe.
The group Architects, in concert on June 15 at Hellfest. Loic Chaslin
We cannot miss the Nantes locals of the group Carpenter Brut who invited on stage Michael Semblello, interpreter of Maniac, in order to close their bubbling concert. Two big favorites for two Metalcore bands, the British from Architects and the Australians from Parkway Drive who knew how to deploy a crazy and communicative energy with the conquered public. Without forgetting the traditional groups with millions of albums. Iron Maiden, Kiss, and Def Leppard delighted their fans with well-rehearsed shows. Lovers of stoner (Clutch) and sludge (Crowbar) among others were able to appreciate the new location of the Valley stage which, after dark, takes its place in this universe and musical park.
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Among the highlights of this edition were the spectacular fireworks that lit up the night sky, the surprise performances of some guest artists and the unexpected encounters between fans from all over the world. Less breathtaking, the group Génération Sex (Billy Idol and two members of the Sex Pistols), only made headlines for their extremely disappointing performance.
The Indians of Bloodywood ensured the show – and the change of scenery – for the festival-goers. Loic Chaslin
A festival in full transformation
For this 2023 edition, Hellfest has displayed a range of novelties and improvements to satisfy festival-goers. The site had been expanded, providing more space to move between the different scenes. In addition, the facilities and infrastructure had been improved to guarantee the comfort and safety of festival-goers. People with reduced mobility have seen an even more suitable layout with larger spaces and specific toilets. All these changes allow and will allow to increase the comfort of the festival-goers also on the meal areas with a further consideration of the ecological impact.
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Despite all of these successes, Hellfest 2023 ran into some issues. Wait times at food and drink stalls were sometimes long, and some festival-goers expressed frustration with this situation. In addition, the mobile phone network was overloaded, making communication on site difficult.
Hellfest is also the festival of excess for its detractors. 5000 volunteers, a budget of 35 million and which continues to grow and with very few subsidies. Major changes are expected in 2024 and 2025. The “Keeper of Darkness” – a monumental sculpture created by the Compagnie de la Machine (cost of 3.8 million euros financed entirely by Hellfest) should be inaugurated next year. Finally, the development of a brasserie as well as a playground for children is on the program. These facilities, financed this time by the region, the department and the urban community, for a total of 7 million, are expected for 2025.
#epic #edition #skies #Clisson