FESTIVAL REVIEW: Dynamo Festival 2024 Part 1 Live in Eindhoven

Dynamo Metalfest, the spiritual successor of the legendary Dynamo Open-Air, is in Eindhoven once again the weekend of the 17th and 18th of august. This year what was usually just the warm-up party turned into a proper half-day festival, marketed under the name Black Friday, and sporting an impressive (mostly) black metal bill with Uada, Watain, and Decapitated on the menu.

As I’m heading over to Eindhoven to start my report, an unfortunate accident on the train tracks just before my destination means me, and several others donned in black and band shirts, have to take a bus adventure to get to the location. This detour means sadly, I missed Helleruin, up-and-coming Dutch Black Metal band, whom I’ve really wanted to see live for a while now. A little bummed out I arrive just as Uada take the stage, and rush to my place in the photo pit for the old 3 songs no flash routine.

The American band started off sounding a lot like Mgla once, but have developed their own sound over the years, with catchier hooks and a more rock ‘n roll vibe. On record something always fell a bit flat for me tho, but live they are much more convincing. Maybe its because the mix us more punchy and bitey, or the general show is just stronger, but the hooded gentlemen really kick ass. The more melodic riffs Uada now favour and more punching drums also come forward well in an outdoor festival setting. While daylight may not be the best setting for black metal, they pull it off well. In general I can say the band are really worth catching live, even if you’re not sure just from the recordings and shine in a festival setting.

After a brief break we get Toxic Holocaust, a lightly Blackened Thrash trio from the USA. They smash on quite well at speed, and give solid performance. Their music is very bass and riff driven, which gives some great momentum. Even when for some reason the mic and PA cut out, they keep playing.The snafu prompts a tech to run about the stage frantically trying to fix it. When the instruments kick back in mid song without vocals, the crowd cheers, and again when the vocals come back on too. A fairly sizeable circle pit is going from early on the entire show, and while the day was billed as mainly black metal, there are plenty of fans of the more thrashy variety around. Especially the youngsters seem to enjoy this performance.

The ice rink Dynamo is held at is half closed off by barriers today, leaving a half field to watch the bands. By the end of Toxic Holocaust, it was filling up fairly nicely, athough it isn’t busy or crowded. Beer is surprisingly reasonably priced for a festival at 3 euros a glass, and cheaper if you get a whole pitcher. You do pay a 1 euro deposit for a hard cup though, but that’s reusable. Just before Decapitated started, the weather turns a little and rain starts to come down. I realise I look a little like an Uada cosplay in my hood and leather jacket getup, but what can you do.

Despite the rain Decapitated gave a killer show, and while half the crowd is sheltering under the awnings, the other half is going fucking nuts. Several crowdsurfers make it into the press pit while we’re shooting, and the moshpit is wild and churning right front and centre. Being deathmetal, they are the odd duck out on this bill, but they do know how to give a show. Powerful growls and nasty guitars riffs, with a chugging bass and drums make for an excellent way to stay awake at this hour as the sun sets during their set. Give a slight nu metal vibe in their song structure/hooks while still being very much death metal. Some of the more exclusive black metal fans look on with a bit of a side eye, but in front of the stage the crowd is having a blast.

Fire and brimstone, blood and bones! Watain are always an excellent live band, and while the days the band toured with progressively more rotten sheep’s heads are over, the stench of death never left them. Taking their ritual performances very seriously I don’t think I have ever seen a bad show of theirs. As the mic issue that plagued Toxic Holocaust reared its ugly head here as well, the band push through after a short break and come back with more fire than before. Apart from this hiccup the band played excellently, the sound remarkably good for outdoors, and the darkness of the settled night really allowing you to appreciate the amount of fire involved. Two torches used to light the set were tossed into the first row, much to their excitement. This row further gets awaited appreciation as frontman Eric Danielsson comes by to anoint people by hand with the cup of blood they have on stage. The entire show, start to finish runs like a well-disciplined wild hunt. Even tho there was a small technical hiccup, there is no bad Watain show in my experience, just avoid the front row if you don’t wish to be covered in blood, lamp oil, or firebrand embers.