Jera On Air opened its gates on Thursday June 22nd, under cataclysmic rain. After a prolonged wait in the queue we managed to find shelter from the downpour at the Eagle stage, where Malevolence were about to finish their set. The Sheffield outfit is always a pleasure to watch due to their dynamic performances which never fail to get the kids hyped. On to the Vulture stage, where we got to scratch Code Orange, a band we've been wanting to catch for the longest time, off of our bucket lists. The Pittsburgh noisemakers' high-octane performance was remarkable; even though they didn't have the best sound at the beginning, the issue was thankfully resolved fast and we were able to witness them in all their glory. Incessantly moving, every single member must have been drenched in sweat by the end of the first song, all while giving 101% of their energy. Amazing. Moving to the Buzzard stage, it was time for another Pittsburgh band to raise the flag of political punk. Anti-Flag's set is, in all honesty, still a blur; from the second bassist Chris #2 started yelling "You gotta die for your government", which was met with the crowd singing one voice "die for your country, that's shit", the kids at the front started moving and quickly expanded towards the back. The immersion in the pogo was inevitable and frankly quite welcome. Despite having recently released a new album, the band's 45-minute set was more of a best-of performance, and included fan-favorite hits such as "Hate Conquers All", "American Attraction", "Broken Bones", "Bradenburg Gate", "The Press Corpse" and more. An absolute pleasure to see Anti-Flag again.
Off to the Eagle stage where The Amity Affliction had already started their set with "Death's Hand" and pyros. The Aussies dropped a phenomenal album a few months ago and their show was one we wouldn't miss for the world. While it was great to hear the crowd responding warmly to the new songs ("All My Friends Are Dead", "Show Me Your God", "Hell Down Here") and singing the old ones ("Soak Me In Bleach", "Pittsburgh", "Don't Lean On Me") aloud, Amity's sound was dreadful. Keeping aside the suspicion that some clean singing was pre-recorded, the mix really didn't favor the band. We all feel however that drummer Joe Longobardi deserves special praise for playing so consistently. We took a dinner break for Chelsea Grin and prepared for the (quite literally) explosive Parkway Drive show. On a quick side note, our team consisted of one fan, one who used to like PWD back in the day and one cynical critic. We all agreed, despite our personal views, that Winston McCall and co. are top performers. Opener "Glitch" was introduced with hooded men ascending on stage holding torches and big-ass pyros. It didn't take more than a few moments to get fans singing along and jumping up and down. Our oldschool souls were filled with joy as we heard the melodic guitar on "Carrion" and got immersed in the intense crowd reaction. The setlist was quite expected, with safe choices ("Vice Grip", "Shadow Boxing", "Idols & Anchors", "Darker Still") which allowed fans of all eras to enjoy themselves. It was on "Dedicated" however where the entire tent resounded with our voices on "you can't break me", with the pyros working overtime. We left before the encore, being incredibly tired but happy that the trip was worth it.
We started day 02 by properly exploring the festival grounds and catching bits of bands here and there until our individual preferences took us to different stages. The weather was a lot better on Friday, with the sun shining bright over the muddy infield. We caught glimpses of Japan's Paledusk, who are making quite a buzz currently and we'll definitely keep an eye on, and Distant, who not only had a great crowd turnout, but at some point some guy yielding a sword found his way to the stage. We were curious to see Ghostkid, aka. Sushi the former singer from Electric Callboy, and he definitely didn't disappoint. This set was the first official party of the day; the upbeat heavy music, combined with the band's energy and the kids enjoying themselves made up for a very good start. Dramatic change of scenery and we're off to see END destroy the main stage. The supergroup was phenomenal; their intensity was captivating, as all members destroyed the hell out of their necks while headbanging, and occasionally jumping. The setlist was quite impressive, full of bangers ("Fear Me Now", "Usurper") but the moment we were all waiting for was definitely the callout on "Pariah", and the moshers barking "Your. Fucking. End" to Brendan Murphy before the heavy-ass breakdown was just *chef's kiss*. Quick run to catch Attila celebrating "a decade of arguably the best metalcore album of all time" (their words, not ours), "About That Life". We haven't caught up with the Georgia quartet in quite some time but it was nice to see that they're still keeping it real fun on stage. Their sound was quite good, while Attila themselves appeared to be in a good mood making playful banter.
Quick break in a mental preparation to have our hearts ripped out of our chests, and off to the Vulture tent we go for Touche Amore. The band, which had a full house tent with fans singing along to every song, was exceptional; vocalist Jeremy Bolm was engaging with the crowd, a huge smile on his face, while crowdsurfers made their way to the stage screaming the lyrics back to him. The setlist paid special attention to "Parting The Sea..." and "To The Beat...", keeping a great balance between the older, rough soulcrushers and the new, refined chagrins. Hands down the show we didn't know we needed until we witnessed it. Our beloved Lionheart was next, and about to tear the main stage a new one. Lots of kids pulled up for the show, moshing from the get-go. The Californian trailblazers were still in very good shape, blasting the fan-favorite pit-hits ("Hail Mary", "Love Don't Live Here" "Vultures", and getting warm responses. They even treated us to a new song, titled "Hell On Earth". The set ended with the -quite expected at this point- Beastie Boys cover, "(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party)" and "LHHC".
The Interrupters were the perfect (and much necessary) chill break; their ska-infused punk rock had people dancing and singing along, making this the first actual party of the festival. Moving on to the Buzzard stage, where Random Hand was having an intimate party of their own. The British ska core/punk outfit was really interesting, with a very contagious energy which attracted more and more audience as the set progressed. Back to the main stage for Fever 333. Maybe not a bucket list band but certainly one we were curious about, especially after all the imagery of mainman Jason Aalon Butler jumping off of things. The band was intense, to say the least, performing some of their hardest-hitting songs ("Hunting Season", "Bite Back", "Made In America" among others), constantly thanking the audience for pulling up and for giving them the space to "advocate for the liberation of black and LGBTQ communities". And it wouldn't be a Fever show without Jason jumping off of the drinks station. Quick run to the (very packed) Buzzard stage to catch a glimpse of The Flatliners. Having never had the opportunity to see them before, they were quite impressive; Chris Cresswell was demonstrating his trademark rasp while teasing his bandmates with old tour stories, and thanking people for checking them out, even if they ended up in the tent to avoid the weather conditions. Unfortunately the Canadians were clashing with Sleep Token and we just had to check the hype around them. Arriving at the even more packed Vulture stage, we were only able to sit for a couple of songs before feeling claustrophobic. Their sound was good and their stage presence imposing, but a break was much needed before heading to the Eagle stage for Hollywood Undead.
The Californians got straight to business, letting "CHAOS" unfold, and inviting fans to "start a riot". Their show was immaculate as always, with a carefully curated setlist (we wish some more songs were in there but oh well) and the members taking turns singing and playing all the instruments. The word "party" is an understatement for this performance, as beach balls were flying all over the place and people were dancing and singing along. Moving back to the Vulture stage, Hatebreed was about to destroy everything. And this is a fact, not a cheeky reference to their eponymous song. The tent was full, and with the first notes of "To The Threshold", the pit of hell opened. Jasta and co. were at the top of their game, performing the best show we've seen them playing to this day. "This Is Now" and "Empty Promises" followed, and that's where we saw the first actual casualties of the festival. On "Live For This" you could hear the crowd barking back the lyrics in one voice, the tent resounding with our passion, but it was on "Looking Down The Barrel Of Today" that a second pit formed further back. Suffice to say, Hatebreed was one of the highlights of the festival so far. Unfortunately they were clashing with Trash Boat, who were headlining the small stage so we headed there to catch the second half of that show. The tent was packed and hot, and when we made or way in fans were singing along to vocalist Tobi Duncan on "Alpha Omega". Duncan joked that having TB headline that stage when objectively bigger bands played earlier in the day was humbling -but it also probably meant someone was getting fired. Regardless, the Brits gave their all in the sweaty tent, with "Strangers" and "He's So Good" having kids screaming the lyrics at the top of their lungs. The final stop for the evening was none other than Rancid. The punk veterans had a great turnout, as expected, headlining the main stage and the eagerness of the crowd was overflowing. The setlist was centered around the iconic "...And Out Come The Wolves", making fans moving incessantly as they along to the lyrics and applauded the band's banter. The second day was a rollercoaster but pure fun.
Day 03 started with the anticipation to see a bunch of up-and-coming hardcore bands and the small dismay that they had to be rescheduled later in the day due to being late on the road. After reluctantly roaming for a bit, we settled at the Vulture stage to catch a glimpse of Static Dress. Not really our cup of tea but quite pleasant to kill some time before Cancer Bats went on. Oh boy. We had certainly missed those Canadians. You can always tell that they're passionate about what they do, and this energy is 100% present no matter how early or for how long they get to play. Despite not having a great turnout, they got straight to business, making some people mosh and participate in the spectacle. While it must be challenging to fit the best assets of your career in a 30-minute setlist, especially when you've recently released a new record, we were happy to hear some of our favorite tracks ("Bricks & Mortar", "Gatekeeper", "Sorceress", "Lucifer's Rocking Chair"). We must admit however, it was "Sabotage" and "Hail Destroyer" that rightly took the cake. Excellent band, excellent show. Back to the Vulture stage to see Casey. To be fair, from previous experience with these Brits, we know that you need to be in a certain mood to enjoy their show, and it's a little hard to be in said mood that early in the day. Despite that, nostalgia did hit and we stuck around for a bit to witness their rebirth. The sound wasn't on their side at the beginning but this quickly changed. We weren't able to stay for long, as we couldn't keep up with the heavy ambience, but the show was quite good.
On to the main stage to see Landmvrks. The Frenchies have been on a linear trajectory in the past few years, touring heavily and putting their sound out there. Their combination of different music elements and deep exploration of the metalcore genre was quite fascinating and rightly got fans pumped. By that time, the Buzzard stage was open and the hardcore rising hardcore bands were about to unleash some raw noise. Catching Zulu was one of the goals for the day and their show was a pure revelation. The tent was quite full, with the "black power violence" kids playing a jaw-dropping show. They still have this flame, the desire to play for the sake of playing and sharing their experiences, that you don't get from professional bands and that's truly heart-warming. Unfortunately we sat out for C4, but we made our way back for Restraining Order, who are also about to release a new album. More abrasive than Zulu, the band managed to get people engaged from the beginning of the set, with a pit running constantly in the middle. For about 20' they entertained the eager fans who also sang along to some of the new songs. Time had come for a bucket list of a band; the Dutch street punk legends, Heideroosjes, were about to start a new party at the Eagle stage. It was very refreshing to see people of literally all ages, from older fellas to parents with young kids and teenagers, vibing and singing the songs. Another thing we really got to appreciate was the respect towards crowdsurfers, especially the younger kids who appeared confident in the sense of security while swimming over people's heads. Heideroosjes was hands down one of the highlights of the festival; the setlist was very well-rounded, including a cover of The Ramones' "The KKK Took My Baby Away", "Break the Public Peace", "Nothing Is Wrong" and many more.
We begrudgingly sat out for Pain Of Truth and The Menzingers but truth be told, we where exhausted. We made our way back to the Buzzard stage for Defeater who were definitely another highlight. And by highlight we mean religious experience; the Bostonians performed for a diehard audience; kids piling up at the front of the stage, screaming the lyrics in a cathartic way, stagediving and fighting each other to reach Derek's microphone. The overall experience is still a blur, as the band's nerve and energy seemed to be recharging us, with just mere moments of the songs standing out (in no particular order "Red, White & Blues", "No Shame", "Bastards", "Dear Father", "Stale Smoke", "Cowardice", "The Worst Of Fates", "Spared In Hell", "Empty Glass"). Necessary break and off to see Motionless In White playing in a packed tent. The Scranton, PA outfit compiled a setlist filled with some of their strongest tracks, and were determined to leave us voiceless, kicking the show off with "Disguise". The visuals on the back of the scene reflected the song selection, while the band played a fully immersive show. Chris Motionless was in a good mood and cracking jokes, his performance being top notch, while Justin Morrow seconded him exceptionally well (ed: one of the editors of this piece has been arguing for a while now that Morrow is one of the best things that happened to this band, and every time she sees them her point is further validated). On "Voices" and "Reincarnate" the band got the loudest reactions, but it was "Eternally Yours", with Chris handing out roses to the crowd, that left us all craving for more.
The time we all had been waiting was upon us; The Ghost Inside would be making their grand return to The Netherlands since 2019 and as expected, everyone was beyond excited. As soon as the intro to "Engine 45" resounded, the feeling in the tent was electric. People where going off in every direction, forming pits and climbing on friends to crowdsurf, pouring their hearts and souls into the big singalongs. The band looked ecstatic to be performing for such a responsive crowd, with vocalist Jonathan Vigil stating that this was one of the best shows they've ever played. Regarding the setlist, the selection was perfect, expertly showcasing material from their entire discography ("Dark Horse", "Dear Youth", "Avalanche", "The Great Unknown", "Pressure Point", the very unexpected surprise of "Unspoken"), filling us with happy chemicals in the big choruses and callouts before the breakdowns. After a good 60' on stage, TGI bid us farewell, to our dismay, and retired under a thunderous applaud.
Our last stop for the evening was No Turning Back headlining the small stage, filling in for H2O. Days before the announcement, someone in the team jokingly said that NTB would be the perfect choice for the slot, being from Belgium and having played Jera before. The organizers probably thought so too, and we were able to catch up with this beast of a band after many years. They didn't have the largest crowd of the day but they sure as hell had dedicated fans. Probably the third set where we witnessed casualties, the energy in the pit matched that of the band, and we saw kids jumping on Martijn, who was glad to share the mic. We had really missed seeing NTB in their element and hopefully it won't take us 8 years to see them again.
Overall Jera On Air was an amazing experience. We had the best time, seeing bands we love and admire, and are looking forward to returning next year for the festival's 30th anniversary.
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