It's been a while since I've visited XXXicken Party. All the time since I have been waiting for pics of myself from the party's photographers.
However, I found nothing in albums. I start to suspect I am a vampire and simply don't appear on the images :D Selfies saved the game!
Nevertheless, I made tons of my own pictures of people on the party and want to share some emotions with you. That will be one hell of a huge post here :D
Well, to those who don't know XXXicken Party is an international death/grind metal festival in Portugal. It's is a pretty new event, but it already faced a lot of social troubles with people opposing extreme music and lifestyle.
Even being a simply good friend of the fest organizers I myself faced hate and personal threats from people who didn't wish the event to happen. It was surprisingly weird for me, as for a person who is still new in Portuguese metal community (and in the country, in general).
However, the dreams of the haters didn't come true, the XXXicken Party had happened and we all, friends and guests of the festival, were able to witness the miracle of fine management in conditions of constant external pressure. Rita Limede and Carlos Guerra (and all their crew of dozens helping people) have shown us a marvel of dedication and power of human will.
I can't be happier they made it because this festival had brought me not only nice weekend time but a huge emotional blast which still impacts me so badly.
I haven't visited all the three days of the event, only the last one. I regret it, of course, but I had no option with staying there longer since I am so not adapted to camping... Yet :D
What can I say about that last day of the fest?
When I came I felt a bit lost. My friends were all busy managing stuff and I knew nobody of guests. Things were exacerbated by the fact I am an actual four-eye and being without my eyeglasses I couldn't see a shit. And people, too :D
Later, the nice place of Rex Club in Cantanhede and some doses of beer in the bar brightened things. I've spent most of the time taking pics of the people and bands' gigs.
I can't describe all bands, since I watched just a few, and headbanging just with a couple.
I will say a couple of words about the bands I enjoyed the most.
Rato Raro (grind-punk). Haven't heard a shit about the guys before. They managed to touch me with their show. I enjoyed the way Toño, the vocalist, performs. Also I was happy to make friends with the guitarist Visy. Right under the skin, dudes, right under the skin!
Party Cannon (death metal/party slam). One of the bands I actually came for, since I am a death/slam metal lover. Guys rock, the band's music made me headbanging in the light mode (since I was taking pics). I've enjoyed the "party part" of the show. Balloons and... love :D
Katalepsy (brutal death metal). To be honest, I wasn't much a listener of the band's music. I liked it, but didn't listen to often. Just because brutal death metal is a kind of "party" music for me. It is hard to listen to it while working without the risk to smash own face over the keyboard :D So I love watching such bands live. And I made it!
Guys, I have never headbanged so hard in my life! My "dancing" on concerts of TEN TONN HAMMER and DISINSANE (back in SPb) were just a light version of what I did in the Rex Club while Katalepsy hit the floor. This music is an intransigent call to rock that mosh pit all around till you lose your forces. They were the absolute soul of the festival's third day. If you ever have them on your local festival - you go on and slam! They absolutely worth it!
As a conclusion... A bit of my overall emotions. XXXicken Party wasn't a simple fest which I had a lot in my life. For the first time in my life, I realized that a metal community can be a family. An international family (there were people from many European countries), with no borders for sincere love to each other. Full of happiness and joy.
So, this seem-to-be extreme festival turned out to be a super friendly with the ambient full of love to each and every, even for the local guests that came for their habitual pastime in the Rex Club. Metalheads dancing letkajenkka with locals? Easy, if it is the XXXicken Party ;)
I love you guys, you can't even imagine how many warm emotions you brought to me and now I just can't wait to meet you all on the next edition of the XXXicken Party, one cool Portuguese Death/Grind Festival ♥
