A harsh return to reality for the 280,000 people who experienced the hell of the Hellfest festival (from June 19 to 22). This 18th edition, marked by intense heat, delivered exceptional performances, from a much-talked-about Muse show to the highly anticipated performances by Korn, Linkin Park, Scorpions, Turnstile, Cypress Hill, and Electric Callboy. But are they among the most unforgettable concerts in the festival's history? It's difficult to provide an objective ranking, but by gathering the opinions of festival-goers and the press, we can identify 5 memorable performances.
#5 Iron Maiden - 2014
The heavy metal champions' big debut at Hellfest was in 2014. The show was obviously worthy of the event, and the memories are still fresh in the minds of the lucky few who were in Clisson that year. A pyrotechnic show, an old-school setlist, and some great classics, the British band played it classic. But no matter. Seeing the metal legend formed in 1975 and its 100 million albums sold only happens once in a lifetime.
#4 Rammstein - 2016
From the first day of this anniversary marking the 20th anniversary of the festival, the Mainstage was ignited by the arrival of the German band. While some lamented the crowd being too large to appreciate the concert, everyone agrees that the performance and staging were Dantesque. Especially from the intro of the title Ramm-4 while the two guitarists descend onto the stage from raised platforms. Behind it, the ultra-powerful sound ensured the drums and guitars were showcased.
#3 Gojira - 2019
Cocorico, the Landais band from Gojira, blew away the 2019 edition with their hypnotic, off-the-beaten-track performance. Superbly magnified by visuals of whales and others referring to ecology and cosmology, the quartet led by the Duplantier brothers delivered a very homogeneous setlist, drawing from their flagship albums (Ocean Planet as the opening, The heaviest Matter of the Universe or the grand finale The Gift of Guilt). Unanimously, the festival-goers admitted to having spent a timeless moment.
#2 Metallica - 2022
What a closing for an exceptional edition in every way. Metallica's first appearance on the Loire-Atlantique site promised to be memorable. No grandiloquent staging or excessive pyrotechnics, the stage was very sober, to better leave room for the riffs of James Hetfield and his troupe, and his very intimate punchlines. Master of Puppets, Enter Sandman, Nothing Else Matters, One, the crème de la crème of the quartet's repertoire was played, to the delight of fans and neophytes alike.
#1 Nine Inch Nails - 2022
The Mainstage was adorned with big lighting effects to welcome the American band. A very high-quality lineup, enhanced by excellent sound, to play most of the tracks from their 1994 album The Downward Spiral. A great moment for festival-goers (you didn't have to be epileptic, though). The light shows and color variations were an integral part of the industrial rock band's wild music.
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