Another NWOBHM/power metal style band, this time hailing from Gladbeck in Germany, took the stage with a few technical problems. This was a shame really, because the audience members not familiar with the band may have been put off by a seemingly unprofessional opening track, which was all down to unexpected monitor issues. Sound engineers have a lot of say in what we are presented with when we go to watch a band. The monitors are a constant problem; it’s as if the engineers will never be able to understand that the band needs to hear the other instruments in order to play. They can compress the fuck out of that vocal, and take the ring out of those toms, but all of that’s irrelevant if the band can’t hear themselves. Anyway, after a load of abuse was hurled the way of the monitor engineer, Grave Digger settled down and started to enjoy their Bloodstock.
Singer Chris Boltendahl seems like a really happy bouncy character who loves his job, and the music he plays. Axel Ritt, a fantastic guitar player with incredibly long hair, and looks a little bit like a possible stand-in musician for a band like Whitesnake. He pulls some extraordinary faces. I simply couldn’t stop taking pictures of him, half for professional purposes and half for my own amusement. He has a full array of orgasm poses. Here are a few below:
It’s no secret that Grave Digger are getting on a bit, but I thought it was a little bit too much to have the keyboardist hidden in a skeleton outfit - or maybe that’s just his gimmick, I’m not sure. You should never try to hide your age, it just looks pathetic; pretty funny though.
The band were tight, and they played their tunes very well (after getting over the initial monitor crisis that is). The crowd responded positively banging their head to every riff, and applauding graciously after every song.
Grave Digger finished their show with a Megadeth style bow of gratitude, thanking the audience for watching, and for being in some small way, involved in the life of the band. Theirs is a dying breed, and it is up to us to keep them alive.
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