After about a week and a bit in the Czech Republic, meeting some very interesting people, going to some incredible gigs, it was finally time for the big one. I slept on the floor for a weekend so this time around I decided to book myself a fancy as fuck hotel on the outskirts of Trutnov. Not that this at all dampened the experience, it made it more of a mission, cause walking there every night was basically an impossible task, especially with all the friends and atmosphere on the campsite, but it happened regardless. Obscene Extreme Festival was so close I could taste it!
We arrived in Trutnov around mid-day on the 16thof July and dropped our stuff off at the hotel. We took our time in walking to the Festival area, as it was an absolute scorcher of a day. Carl, Thiago and myself eventually made it to the festival site and got our tickets and wristbands. There was a bit of confusion to where I was to go for my press pass, which was mostly my own fault, but all went smoothly, as is generally the case at Obscene Extreme. Upon entrance, the freak fest was in full swing as the dumpster racing was as enthralling as it was entertaining. I spent the rest of the afternoon hanging out and going back to my accommodation in order to fetch my voice recording equipment and some jumpers, just in case I got to interview someone.
Italian hardcore night was the theme and I couldn’t be more pumped about some old school hardcore punk if I tried. I was given the heads up by some of my Italian friends and the line up was apparently supposed to be incredible. Well, let’s just say sometimes having friends in different countries, despite language barriers, is still one of the best things ever. The night kicked off with ED bringing forth their own style of hardcore punk that ripped into the unexpected and probably very drunk crowd at that point and well, stage diving and slamming in the pit was the name of the game as we all got stuck in for some incredible hardcore punk.
This was followed by legendary hardcore punk rockers EU’s Arse, brandishing their own filthy style with a lot of d-beat influences. These lads have been around since the early 80’s and man oh man, they were so tight and intense as the Trutnov battlefield raged on for the entirety of their set. It was quite an experience seeing a part of hardcore punk history perform before my very eyes and I enjoyed every minute of it.
The final act of the night was Raw Power and I’ve heard nothing but good things about these guys and as they took the stage I knew we were going to be in for a rollercoaster ride. The longest running hardcore band from Italy started off with their blistering hardcore punk and it was full of aggression, energy and intensity, which really set the atmosphere for the rest of the set. One doesn’t simply get paid homage too by bands like Cripple Bastard, Napalm Death, Kreator and Hellnation amongst others on that very long list. They didn’t disappoint either as they did their thing, as they have been for years and years. It was truly a treat and they were probably my favourite out of the lot.
It was time to take the battered and bruised bodies to be for the night as the party raged into the darkness and beyond. The Italian hardcore night was a massive success in my opinion and I got to see bands I’d never seen before or thought I’d ever get to see in the first place. Massive shout out to all involved in making this possible. This is why Obscene Extreme Festival is one of my favourite festivals worldwide.
