Garage 8, Olten,  Switzerland – 20.09.2025

Olten is the largest city in canton of Solothurn. A flyer for this concert at the youth cultural center Garage 8 appeared on Facebook some time ago. I don't often find myself in this place, and I was very excited when I saw the event poster. That's why I bought tickets in advance. Two days before the event, we received the bad news that the Swiss band Vicious Rain had to cancel their performance. Mayflower

stepped in as substitute. This was a big surprise, and I was so happy when the long-awaited day arrived. My colleague and I made our way to the venue. The beautiful weather was another plus. After a short stop for food and a walk, we were allowed to enter at 6:45 p.m. Half an hour later, Distortion kicked off the evening. I knew nothing about this band and their name didn't ring a bell. Despite this, I was looking forward to seeing them. After an intro from the Rage Against The Machine song “Bombtrack,” the first song, “Not the Same,” began to play. Singer Giu, with her long hair, took the stage, grabbed the microphone, and began to sing. The average age of the band members was in their early 20s. Giu's voice and singing fit perfectly with the punk rock sound they served up. They put their heart and soul into the performance with a lot of energy and joy. Giu surprised me with her mastery of different pitches and facial expressions to convey emotions. She also radiated positive vibes. Her two musical comrades on bass and guitar made an effort and provided the harshness and catchy melodies. Although most of the songs were punk rock, there were occasional hints of alternative rock influence. Before playing “Waste of Time,” Giu explained that this was the first song they ever recorded and released. Most of the songs were own compositions, but they also played a cover of Paramore's “Misery Business.” The audience clapped along at the singer's instruction. After “Distorted Nightmare,” Giu announced, “Fuck hate! It's very difficult in this crazy world right now,” and the next cover was the Rage Against the Machine classic “Killing in the Name.” That's when the frustration was let out and the realization set in that “Crows” was the finale. The audience clapped along and enjoyed the sound one more time. Then the friendly band from Lenzburg said goodbye and received loud applause. Thirty minutes of playing time was enough to make a good impression. They‘ve been playing together in this constellation since 2022, and I‘m looking forward to more shows. Setlist Distortion Intro (Bombtrack) – Rage Against The Machine Not the same Empire of sand Crash Waste of Time Misery business Distorted nightmare Killing in the name of – Rage Against The Machine Crows There was a short break, which was used to get some drinks and prepare for the next band. It was also good to get some fresh air before continuing. At 8:05 p.m., the lights went out and Sons of Coherence from Winterthur took to the stage. Their musical style was different from the sound of the first band. It's groovecore. That's an explosive mix of old school elements with modern influences. The music was hard, but very varied and enriched with blast beats. There were breakdowns in between, and standing still was unthinkable. Staccato riffs rained down on the audience and a small wall of death formed during “Diazepam.” Then a mosh pit followed. Singer Ammar whispered menacingly in the quiet, short middle section of “Dyke” before it got loud again. The audience showed their enthusiasm with lots of movement and applause. As the icing on the cake, Ammar announced that new songs would be released soon, as the group was in the studio. During the last song, “Obvious Fate,” the audience had to kneel down and jump up on Ammar's command. They did without hesitation, and then their performance was over. Unfortunately, band member Pierre couldn't be there, but they didn't let it get them down and did a good show. Thirty minutes of action with lots of sweat and physical activity. Setlist Sons of Coherence Lost The Hiker Diazepam Peak Dyke Obvious Fate Another interruption occuredd, and the Ophelia's Eye band banner was hung up by roadies and band members. Two small benches were brought on stage and small fog machines were set up. A drum‘n’bass intro with a change of lighting at 8:55 p.m. heralded the start of their performance. The group has had a new lineup since 2024, with Corinne Ryter and bassist Sandro Sutter remaining from the original formation. “Worship Decay” rang out. Although space on stage was limited, the members switched sides in between songs. Upon closer inspection, I was happy to recognize a familiar face. Singer Jan Brasser (Another Approach), with his versatile voice ranging from clear vocals to growls, swung the microphone. The period of change was used to expand the artistic direction, and this was evident throughout their performance. All the musicians performed at a high technical level and played flawlessly. Breakdowns followed, and “Severance” was a brand new song that hasn‘t been released yet. A clever move by the fieve-piece. There was a decent circle pit, and although someone fell down, they were immediately helped up. The music was well received, as reflected in the loud applause. Then the band members left the stage, except for Noé Beivi. He was allowed to kick ass with a drum solo, and the band was complete again for “Letters.” Corinne sang with Jan in this unreleased song. This number was quieter and more atmospheric, becoming louder towards the end. The two brought a lot of emotion to the song. Clouds of fog shot out of the machines time and time again and the lighting effects matched the atmosphere of the songs. During the last song, “Enter The Arena,” the audience got into it again and formed a wall of death. The performance ended after 50 minutes and the members expressed gratitude with happy faces. The outro was “Bye Bye” from the American boy band N'Sync, which gained attention again after a long time thanks to the movie “Deadpool vs. Wolverine.” Setlist Ophelia’s Eye Worship Decay Catharsis Drowning in A Cloud Burn A Wish Stay Close, We’re Dying High Tide Schlagzeug Solo Letters Death AI Disconnected Enter The Arena There was one last welcome break. All the sweat and energy invested in great performances had taken their toll, and it was time to recharge with some air, fluids, and rest. This time, it took longer to prepare the stage, which meant we could recharge our batteries more quickly. It was time for Mayflower from Germany to take the stage at 10:30 p.m. I was really looking forward to their show, as I‘d seen them twice live before and they‘d impressed me both times. Singer Alex's vocals were superb and he looked good. Guitarist and singer Manu supported him with clear vocals. It was apparent immediately this group had stepped their game up musically and technically, and this was evident in their newer songs such as “Heavy Hearts” and “The Ghosts I Left Behind.” A large circle pit formed during “Heavy Hearts.” Second guitarist Johnny appeared confident, immersed in his instrument, and switched positions occasionally with his colleague Manu. However, the bassist was absent. He was unable to play due to a hand injury. It didn’t take away the fun at all. Alex was in motion constantly and interacted with the audience well. “Save Me” and “Misery” were celebrated enthusiastically, and Manu hit every note precisely with his emotional vocals. After the show, they were send-off with loud applause. The band from Freiburg made a great impression. Afterwards, fans could buy T-shirts at the merchandise stand and chat with the band members. Unfortunately, a great evening came to an end too quickly, but the varied program was fantastic from beginning to end. I also got to discover new bands and had a great time with my colleague. Many thanks to the team at the youth cultural center Garage 8 for hosting this event. Livereport by Dominic Latscha