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Now I get to a band, which I truly admire for quite a few years because of their great live appearances. But on the other side they make me almost cry. Why? It's very simple. as these Swedes belong to those kind of bands, who work their arses off, make great music, deliver an extrem high energy live show, but just seem not to manage to get really big over here in Germany. Compared to their homecountry, where they fill much bigger venues nowadays. Not so here, where the Hardcore Superstars  still have to play small clubs with aprox. 2 - 300 fans.
But injustice is the usual situation in the musicbusiness. And when I take a look at our hitlists here, and what's included, I often feel more than sick. But it proves: there is nothing more worth then a good promotion and knowing the right people. 

I don't think all you Rockfans out there, I have to introduce this band anymore. 12 years and 7 albums are in their luggage. And the most wellknown song is still '(I Don't)Celebrate Sundays'. Musically the Hardcore Superstar go for a hard, straight line of the so called glamrock. And in addition to the rockin' sound, it's probably singer Jocke's daily fitness training, giving the show the real drive. Jocke said within an interview before the show, that without his daily training he couldn't do all that high energy performance anymore. 

Well, I personally see this band today at least for the fifth time, since 2001. And every time I'm looking forward to a smashing Rock'n'Roll event, which seems to get better every new time. Only change since last time is the new guitarist Vic Zino, who came in for Thomas Silver, and of course another baby named 'Beg For It', which was released past June. 

Our 59:1 club in the heart of Munich is bursting, which means about 250 fans, who have gathered here, some of them showing their hairspray head creations.  



But first of all it's Avatar, who also name Sweden their homecountry. 

These guys ain't that known as their collegues of HSS, but they ain't not here for the first time either.Some of us Metalfans know them from their supportslots for bands like Megadeth, Stone Sour, HSS of course, Evergrey and last but not least InFlames. 

Stilistically Avatar describe their style as Melodic Death Metal, and they keep themselves in a dark shade aura without any coloured rubbish. Over all, Avatar are still a young band, what's up to  personal ages of the musicians, as well as the band project itselves, which got together in 2001. 2 albums 1 EP and 2 singles are out so far, whereby the latest album release 'Schlacht' is already 2 years out now. For this tour, they have just put together one more single 'The Great Pretender'. And that one you can buy here for only 2 Euros. 
Live on Stage Avatar take their Death Metal pretty serious, and singer Johannes Eckerström is trying to persuede the crowd with a mean look. And what a surprise, it really works, and this band gets accepted by the HSS audianced, not too enthusiastic, but they do. Another eyecatcher is the hairstyle  of guitarist Jonas jarlsby, pulling everybody's attention first before that one goes to his guitar playing. . The rest of the group fit well into the frame. Over all, Avatar leave here a decent impression. Let's wait and see, what the future brings....?!

http://www.avatar.net/






And.... here they are again at 10.30 p.m. and yes, they don't seem to have become any older...

No, actually new guitarist Vic Zino brings even more youth into Hardcore Superstar. And immidiately after they have hit the stage, you get the impression that this stage here is definately too small for them,exspecially for Jocke's acrobatic input. Yeah well, he wouldn't do any head standing and roll over's anymore, because he had hurt himself a few times in the past. See:  (Hardcore Superstar anno 2001) 
Nevertheless, his exercise up there is still over dimensional, exhausting his vocal chords at the same time. Other artists, exspecially in popmusic would use a playback technique to make sure it looks and sounds good. Not so our frontman here, who would never accept such a thing. Whereby this band only takes a break after ever second or even third song to take a zip at the waterbottle or to make the next announcement. Glamrock meets LA Garage Rock, or whatever you think of. In the end it's simple hard and fast Rock'n'Roll with a clear structur and a high level fun aspect. And Vic Zino, who maybe doesn't look that glamrocky like the former guitarist, but what's up to his guitar playing he keeps all promises.

One smash song hits the next one, without dot and comma, and the 59:1 club celebrates one whole big RR party, which could easily last the rest of the night. 

But mind me, this would even for these boys up there a little too much, whereby the timeschedule is set pretty late anyway. (but this ain't due to the fact, that the owner of the club wants to increase the drinking consume. It's rather because above the venue is a lawers office,and they often work late. Our owner and boss of a Munich local concert promoter is known for fights and discussions with other's but definately not with a whole bunch of lawers. So what? We open the place later then usual clubs do. And so this show once again ends around midnight. And the firworks ends of course with „(I Don’t Celebrate) Sundays’. - No Hardcore Superstar concert without this song...

The band here also knows, how to set their popularity level even highter and sell a few shirts and CDs more, So they come out aftershow and do a whole hour signing session. One point more for the Swedes. So, in the end, just see and let's hope, that one day Hardcore Superstar hit it bigger, what's up to sales, venues and fans. They honestly deserve if, and this not since yesterday. 

In each case, you can't do anything wrong by attending a concert of the band. There won't be any disappointment, and Jocke is surely still fit for the Ironman on Hawaii :-))) 
2 o'clock in the morning and I say good night - and yes, please come back soon....

http://www.hardcoresuperstar.com/

click Diary for some Pre- and Aftershow Snapshots.