On Thursday, July 30, it was once again time to see the ladies of Thundermother at a club show. The day before, the Swedish rockers had performed at the massive Wacken festival in front of roughly 20,000 people. At the Musikbunker in Aachen, just under 300 fans were treated to a rather unique show by the ladies.
Igel vs Shark
But first up was a band I’d never heard of before. Igel vs Shark, this power trio from Austria consists of singer/guitarist Lucas Reichhold, bassist Julia Lorünser, and drummer Lukas Lischinger. I’m convinced that 90% of the audience, just like me, had never heard of the band before, but damn, these three really knew how to captivate the crowd with their incredible energy and rousing hard-rocking garage rock songs.
From the opener “Don’t Steal My Thunder” right through to the final notes of the closing song, this band delivered a compelling performance and got the crowd fired up for the headliner.
Definitely a band I want to see perform again, and one I recommend people check out. Songs like “She’s on Fire,” “Divide & Conquer,” or “Rock ’n’ Roll Bomb” leave nothing to the imagination. Igel vs Shark was indeed a Rock ‘n’ Roll Bomb!!!
back to the club
After a quick stage change, it was Thundermother’s turn to take the stage. Given the small venue, the equipment on stage was limited to the bare essentials. No scaffolding or elaborate stage setup like we’re used to seeing at major festivals—just the bare minimum. Back to the club! Can they still pull it off? ABSOLUTELY, because even though the ladies clearly hadn’t fully recovered from their massive show at Wacken, the energy was through the roof the moment they stepped onto the small stage. The sound was loud, but clear and powerful. And adapting to these intimate conditions seemed to come naturally. It even felt a bit like coming home.
Personally, I think every act that’s used to playing on bigger stages should book a club show every now and then. Just to reconnect with the fans up close, without standing a few meters away from them. That direct energy is something special, and when I saw the big hug at the end of the show—the moment the ladies hugged each other on stage—I think the Thundermother ladies felt it, too.
Songs like “Thunderous,” “The Road Is Ours,” and “Whatever” were expertly blasted out to the crowd with power and precision, and older material like “Cheers” from the debut album ’Rock ‘n’ Roll Disaster’ was dusted off once again. A smoke machine that went haywire during the performance—constantly spewing smoke and briefly creating thick fog—couldn’t dampen the fun. Those are the things that make a club show special. Singer Linnéa Vikström, bassist Majsan Lindberg, drummer Joan Massing, and guitarist Filippa Nässil were ON FIRE once again this evening! This band never seems to disappoint and is a well-oiled rock ’n’ roll machine running at full throttle.
That huge smile
If I had to name one downside, it would be the fact that the show ended after just under an hour and a half. I would have been happy if it had gone on for two hours. But absolutely everyone in the audience went home with a huge smile on their face—and that includes both bands from that special evening at the Musikbunker in Aachen. I’m already looking forward to the next “club” show by these awesome band[s].
Setlist Thundermother:
Thunderous
Loud And Free
The Road Is Ours
Take The Power
Can’t Put Out The Fire
I Don’t Know You
I Left My Licence In The Future
Dog From Hell
Into The Mud
Bright Eyes
Cheers
Whatever
Shoot to Kill
Speaking Of The Devil
Try With Love
Hellevator
Driving In Style
Report & Images by Raymond Helebrand
