THE ROCK CIRCUS REVIEW: Epica, Lorna Shore, Electric Callboy & More Set The Circus Tent Ablaze

After months of anticipation, the weekend of The Rock Circus was finally here. With a stacked line-up ranging over 3 days, including Electric Callboy, Epica, Powerwolf and many more. But that’s not all that the brand-new festival has to offer. The Rock Circus was more than just music; it was a full-blown extravaganza. The festival fair was a fantastic addition, featuring a wide variety of food stalls, craft vendors, and merchandise booths. The festival grounds were transformed into a rock ‘n’ roll wonderland that genuinely resembled a circus with an astonishing attention to detail. Besides the bands playing the 3 stages, the festival also featured a metal-infused piano bar and many signing sessions. This event was very meticulously organized, with a stunning result. Let’s dive into some of the artists that we saw on Sunday.

Finntroll

Starting off Sunday for us, was Finntroll, a band name so brilliantly simple. They’re from Finland and dressed as trolls – what more do you need to know? It’s a musical fusion of folklore and heavy metal that tells you exactly what you’re in for, and that’s what makes it both charming and catchy. Sometimes, simplicity can be the key to a memorable and iconic band name!

Epica

Next up was EPICA, who were up for a home game since they are from the Netherlands. The stage was set on fire, both literally and metaphorically. With two metallic snakes spewing flames, you’d think that would be the biggest eye-catcher, but frontwoman Simone Simons proved that wrong, rocking a dazzling glitter suit.

Crafting a setlist from over 20 years of a band’s discography is much like choosing the most precious gems from a treasure chest. For a band like EPICA, it’s a daunting task to refine their musical journey into a mere one hour and fifteen minutes. Yet, the mark of a great band lies in their ability to make a setlist that encapsulates their essence, and EPICA has done just that.

Lorna Shore

It seems as though no matter where they go or what bands they are surrounded by on the line-up, Lorna Shore are always a hit. Equipped with pig squeals, breakdowns and lots and lots of fire, the band have the perfect recipe for leaving audiences in awe. Their performance was once again an unforgettable inferno of musical intensity, proving they are a force to be reckoned with in the metal scene.

As the famous pig squeal breakdown from To The Hellfire approached, the first single off of the band’s 2021 EP …And I Return To Nothingness, which marked the official arrival of vocalist Will Ramos, more and more phones went into the air.

Electric Callboy

Metal, techno and German folk music are three things we never thought we’d see working out when combined, but Electric Callboy proved once again it can be done!

Leave it to this band to get people dressing up in neon leotards and other jazzercise attire. The fans who primarily came for the new era, TEKKNO, had an unforgettable night as the band performed 8 songs off of last year’s album. The band also performed their cover from Cascada‘s Everytime We Touch, which got a massive response.

Eva van den Bosch Head Editor, Photographer

Eva van den Bosch combines concert photography with a prominent editorial role at Strife Mag.

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