Bloodstock – Saturday 13.08.2011 – Part 2 – Bludvera

 It’s the guy I took a picture of yesterday I thought. Whenever I see a denim jacket with the sleeves cut off, covered in patches proudly declaring that person’s favorite bands, I have to take a picture. This mans cut sleeve denim simply could not be denied the preservation it deserved, covered in thrash flags surrounding a giant Destruction center piece, it was one for the scrap book.

This guy looked as if he had flown in from San Francisco in a time machine, and the lead guitarist really liked Anthrax. He was wearing Bermuda shorts and huge trainers that must have cost a fortune in a vintage shop, but the big giveaway was the Anthrax t-shirt. So we’ve got the San Francisco Bay Area scene covered, and now New York, so let’s see what else we can find. The bass player had long dreadlocks which ordinarily is fine, but when a band seems to be caricaturing themselves (and I’m only saying this because of the Anthrax guy), one has to assume that the dreadlocks represented modern metal, and although I cringe when I say it, maybe even nu-metal. I didn’t know what to think before they hit that first note; their image just didn’t seem to make sense.

They started to play. All of my preconceptions were launched out of the window as well as my ideas of a questionable image - Bludvera were fucking brilliant. I was shocked to say the least, my eyes were wide open hanging out of their sockets, my ears were blissfully being ruined, and then my camera started calling me.

I don’t know how they managed it, but Bludvera were compositionally and instrumentally identical in style to the thrash bands of the 80’s. Their songs are structured in the same way, the singer’s voice is perfectly matched, the Anthrax man shredded the fuck out of his guitar, the drums and bass were locked in, the ryhthm guitarist was tight as fuck, and I felt like I was witnessing something special.

I know what you’re thinking though, if a band is just a carbon copy of a style from the past, then their music isn’t original and can’t be as good as you’re suggesting. I understand your concerns but you couldn’t be more wrong. A band so passionately in love with thrash metal, where every second of their day is relentlessly dedicated to it, deserve much more than the generalization of cliché. I can’t think of many other bands who have been so heavily influenced, that their character and creativity actually lies within somebody else’s music.

The way they talk, think, walk, dress, the way they live, is all because of an ideology and style of music. And one that isn’t exactly mainstream, and never really was to begin with - so realistically speaking they are taking a big risk concerning their chances of success and making any money. But the thrash attitude never considered consequences or financial strife, like postmodern punks, thrashers did what they wanted because they believed in it. It was obvious Bludvera had adopted this same philosophy, and that takes balls.

All of the bands in the New Blood tent have very big balls, because if their band fails, and all of that unpaid work doesn’t equate to anything, and all of that money spent on recordings and self promotion doesn’t recoup, then the people in these bands are all fucked.

On a lighter note though, whenever any journalist hears or sees something undiscovered, with talent and potential, that journalist wants to let the world know before anybody else does. So after realizing I was here to do a job, I ran over to the barricade and started getting some pictures.

Here they are:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/snap-your-neck/sets/72157627445772131/

After a few songs worth of photos, I put my camera away and listened to the remainder of Bludvera’s set. I still felt just as excited and involved as I was fifteen minutes ago. Their sound and stage presence blew me away; everything worked and flowed seamlessly - though I’d still suggest losing those dreads and readdressing that Anthrax style clobber.

For a brief moment, I forgot where I was and felt at one with my surroundings, and not many bands can make me feel like that. Good music is like good fucking, you forget about everything and get lost in the moment:

All your effort and concentration is focused on that fuck, disgusting ideas flowing through your mind are suddenly appealing, and you must make her come.

Adrenalin surges through your veins, your heart beat runs away from you, you're angry, you're happy. Not knowing how to vent this trapped energy you bang your head, you jump up and down, you run around in a circle, you push people over then pick them up, and you must be part of this music.

            They were really good, although I will always choose fucking over music. Going slightly off the point here, listening to good music whilst having good sex, is a beautiful pairing, very tiresome though if it is metal you’re listening to.

            

I heard jealous bands in the crowd shouting unnecessary obscenities directed at Bludvera, probably not enjoying the amount of attention the band was receiving. That’s the funny thing about unsigned metal; there are far too many politics, a lot of bitchiness, and clicks that control the scene. At Bloodstock, it was every man for himself, no one knew or cared about the in crowd, and Bludvera’s music spoke louder than any jealousy ever could.

8.5/10