What is Ieperfest? Who is Ieperfest? Why the hack should I go to Ieperfest? All these and more existential questions will be answered in this article. Read more to find your way in festival life. Ieperfest is THE event in the
H8000 scene attracting hardcore fans from all over Europe and way beyond. It is a
tasty vegan hardcore festival organized by
Genet Records and
Vort’n Vis, lending their Flanders Fields stages to the most awesome metal- and hardcore bands from all over the world. Why you should come to Ieper from the 8th until the 10th of August? One: because it’s Ieperfest. Two: Heaven Shall Burn is headlining! Three: the food is just awesome. For those convinced already, tickets can be purchased here:
http://www.ieperfest.com/2014/tickets
Ieperfest isn’t just about music, it’s also about education, participation and also a bit about veganism. Actually a lot about veganism. Vegans are showing up at the festival, just for the delicious burgers, icecream, coffee and stew. Yes, vegan stew. Ieperfest wants to put emphasis on environment, animals and health by keeping the festival vegan ever since it ever started for the first time.
The line-up highlights
On Friday
Ramallah just got back from the Land of Not, straight into Flanders Fields. They describe themselves as hardcore/metal, but if you know that they are from the Bridge Nine family, you should be able to know what they sound like… Pretty awesome. Expect their new album somewhere this year.
Expire signed with Bridge Nine Records and proudly presented their newest album ‘Pretty Low’ to the world earlier this year. In February Expire made a stop in Belgium for a clubshow in Antwerp. Now they are coming back to Europe to stagebreak some festivals AND are dragged into the Ieperfest line-up to give you some white trash hardcore that kicks ass.
Total Chaos choose a bandname to describe themselves to the core. Totally chaotic. Throwing with eggs during the set is allowed, since those punks probably need it to keep up their soaked in sweat mohawks. Just be careful you don’t hit any vegans. At least throw eggs that are from chickens in your garden, not the industrialized supermarket ones. Also use eggs that have expired already and cannot be eaten anymore, to keep your action ecologicaly sustainable. That should do the trick and you don’t get yourself into trouble.
Surge of Fury is the Belgian band of the day that has been around since the 90s and have steady and proud signed with Rucktion records. Suit up for a boogiedownbreakdown.
Dead Kennedys are the godfathers of the hardcore punk scene that grew out to what it looks like today. Anyone calling him- or herself a hardcore kid should at least attend this set while being at Ieperfest on Friday. Note that they play very early, so don’t miss them!
On Saturday
Suffocation is extreme metal and purest brutality that has been around for over 20 years. On Saturday they do a pitstop at Ieperfest to blow your ears into pieces of shit.
Morning Again is crazy 90s shit that is coming to Ieperfest again. Morning Again is very pleased to be on stage again at Flanders Fields. In May, they announced this on their Facebookpage: “Regarding Ieperfest: We're going to ask that nobody sings along when we play, please. No running around or "dancing" either. This is serious shit. And wear ties.” Just so you know what it up.
Turnstile are very young American boys that bring the old skool vibe hardcore back on stage. Stagediving is allowed and might even be obligatory.
Kids Insane. Not sure if they play on Saturday, but they were announced to play Ieperfest! These guys from Israel bring very strong live performances in a pure way, think of acts like Have Heart.
Real MCKenzies. No explanation needed to tell the world who these old fucks are, because who doesn’t know them is simply not from this world. And I guess aliens are not reading this blog. Soooo, a little summit: Folk orchestras and happy dancing (no hardcore dancing on this, sorry guys) while the Real MCKenzies do their thing at Ieperfest.
On Sunday
Strife is a very strong live band, pushing fans to the limits during their shows. It’s so to say impossible to just stand and watch and not go nuts when seeing the band performing. Why? Here is a little anekdote: Last year at Groezrock, there was a pool of blood with the microphone dropped into it that was left after the band left the stage. Prepare and bring bandages to throw on stage. Or to use them yourself.
Kiss The Anus Of A Black Cat. SAY WHAT? Don’t worry, the bandname can be squeezed into the most incognito abbreviation ever for people who don’t feel comfortable pronouncing it in public. The Belgian KTAOABC brings back the ’80s phsychedelic wave sounds. Definitely an outstanding act at the Ieper Hardcore Fest that you shouldn’t miss out on.
Subzero is old skool new York hardcore, standing strong ever since the 80s. A set to attend in case you want to dig into hardcore history and know what Ieperfest actually is all about.
Boysetsfire: after dissapearing for a while, their comeback has striker the scene even harder than they ever did before.
Heaven Shall Burn is the one and only Heaven Shall Burn. With a very long list of albums on their name, their newest 'Veto' is another blast. Prepare for an awesome performance, maybe even with some real fire in there. Definetely a worthy headliner forIeper Hardcore Fest.
Ieperfest official website: http://www.ieperfest.com/2014/
By Glenn Heyse
