Photos and report: Isola Rock 2023

The sun shines in Isola della Scala… oh no, wait, it’s raining! This twist welcomed us at the Palariso, but this minor inconvenience didn’t hurt our mood, and the FemMetal team was ready to enjoy the bill for tonight’s shows. I want to thank once again Angela and the team of Associazione I Butei for another wonderful night. Also, for tonight, the photos are by Silvio Colombo.

The performances were supposed to start at 17:00 with Evequartett, but they didn’t perform, so we waited and got something to drink to kill the time.

The Shameless

Perfectly on time, the first group of the evening appeared on stage, The Shameless. I was absolutely blown away by this band of teenagers who played an impressive prog metal. Their instrumental sections were outstanding, and they showed talent in composition and arrangements. The only fault I could find in the performance was the interaction with the audience, but they will surely get better the more they perform! They had Axel the Frog on stage with them, who had a sheet of paper with all the band’s social network accounts, and it was so cute. What a delightful beginning for this Saturday!

Setlist:

Perspectives
Mind – An Open Window
Mind – Mind stoned
Just Lies

Photo courtesy by Luca Varraso / URM

Motel Transylvania

From the progressive sounds, we move on to more industrial ones thanks to Motel Transylvania, a band active since 2013. I really enjoyed their coordinated outfits, their passion and their energy on stage. Their music has some fascinating influences, from EDM to death metal and for this reason, it appeals to a variety of audiences. Lead singer Toxi during “Generation Lost” took a spontaneous field trip into the photographer’s pit to engage even more with the audience, and it was so special! This festival keeps on getting better and better!

Setlist:

Caligo
To Hell
Taste of You
Plastic World
Behind The Storm
In My Mind
Generation Lost
Another Way To Choose
Firmament
Rise And Fall

Sick N’ Beautiful

It looks like the Palariso has been transported into outer space because it’s time for Sick N’ Beautiful to rock the venue now. And their performances never disappoint, because they employ so many props and costumes, sometimes it’s hard to know where to look! Herma commands the stage like it’s a piece of cake, and Evey, on drums, is smashing everything. This group is solid and is not afraid to show it (sorry for the unwanted rhyme). Another mighty show that builds up the hype!

Setlist:

Tonight We Go To War
This Is Not The End
God of Thunder
Drop It 2 The B
Starstruck
Sick To The Bone
Deep End Dark
New Witch 666
Makin’ Angels

Hell in the Club

The atmosphere is ready to change again in Isola Rock because when Hell in the Club comes on stage, we are back in the 80s with some pure hard rock. This group has such a fresh and sparkling spirit it’s hard to stay still when they are playing! Unfortunately, they have had some technical issues and had to cut some songs from their setlist. Nevertheless, the group gave it all, and the audience was cheering them with no end!

Setlist:

Natural
Monster
Proud
Last of an Undying Kind
Rock Down This Place
Circus
We Are The Ones
We Are On Fire
Devil On My Shoulder

Photo courtesy of Luca Varraso / URM

A New Tomorrow

The clock strikes 22:20, and the only band from abroad is about to bring more rock to Isola. I was so eager to see live A New Tomorrow, and they didn’t disappoint. Their power and enthusiasm on stage is unmatched, and they kept on jumping, walking and playing their hearts out for the whole duration. I really liked their old-style microphones and their scenography on stage with their logo: it is definitely an added value! They know how to entertain, and we can’t wait to see them, hopefully soon, in Italy for another show.

Setlist:

I Wanna
Ignition
Believe
Mother Earth
Like A Rolling
Golden Sands
Intuition
Brighter
A Million Stars
Until The End

Trick or Treat

And if you’re in the mood for some Halloween-ish songs, Trick or Treat is the perfect band. They deliver an incredible performance, with two giant ghosts on the left and right sides of the stage. Perhaps it was just me, but I noticed Alessandro was slightly off with his vocals, but only in some minor instances. The audience kept on wanting more songs, and even though they were supposed to finish at 00:45, they played until 1:00! My favourite track tonight was their rendition of “Ken Il Guerriero“, a Japanese anime theme song (also known as Fist of the North Star). This is a glorious ending to a magical night!

Setlist: