Backing tracks being used live have caused a bit of a stir over the past year. Folks like Edsel Dope and John Petrucci don't really see the issue with them depending on what the artist is doing, while Deftones keyboardist Frank Delgado prefers not to use them. Then there was the whole ordeal of Falling In Reverse canceling a show due to their laptops failing, and the ensuing flame war on the Internet. Regardless of how you feel about live backing tracks, we can assure you that you'll hear none of them at the upcoming No Playback Festival.
No Playback Festival will take place at the Kulturhalle Remchingen in Remchingen, Germany between April 28 and 29, where they've explicitly banned the use of backing tracks… hence the name of the festival. According to a translated version of the festival's site, they stand for the spirit of rock and everyone have an equally good time devoid of any VIP packages.
"The real LIVE experience, international top bands from the rock and metal scene, who still embody the spirit of rock'n'roll, that's what the No Playback Festival stands for," reads the description.
"Here fans and musicians are still a unit and not separated by barriers or ditches – and certainly not by 'Golden Circle,' 'VIP-Only Areas' and such crap. The experience is correspondingly intense."
Whatever floats your boat, right? If this artists and the festival are happy with these rules and the audience has a good time, then great – mission accomplished. If this is your thing, or you just like heavy metal like the rest of us, the lineup for No Playback Festival is:
- Ross The Boss
- Raven
- Vicious Rumors
- Holy Moses
- Traitor
- Crystal Viper
- Sanhedrin
- Contradiction
- Rezet
- Act Of Creation
- Tarchon Fist
- Savage Existence
- Hell Patröl
Tickets for No Playback Festival are available here.
