Heavy Weekend - Live Report Day 3
- Jenny / Laurent / Eden
- Jul 10
- 13 min read
Day 3 is starting, and we all know it's the last day, but we're trying not to think about it, to be professional right up to the end, and to make sure we have a great day, starting with the interview with Vanden Plas that I told you about yesterday. A crazy line-up awaits us, enough to delight the little metalheads that are the members of the Earama team.
We arrived and as we had a bit of time, we took advantage of the place and the atmosphere, a few souvenir photos in front of the emblem of Heavy Weekend, a tour of the village for another dose of this perfect atmosphere, a trip to the merch and then... It was the moment when we were no longer professionals at all; we'd had a bit of a meltdown! There's something for everyone, with t-shirts, hoodies, zips and all kinds of goodies from all the bands present, and of course from Heavy Weekend itself. In fact, I'd like to congratulate the festival's merch team, who came away with a Heavy Weekend t-shirt and zip-up - the artistic direction is magnificent and the quality beyond reproach!
Come on, let's catch up with our colleagues one last time, say hello and get ready for the evening. We're about to open with a band whose reputation is already established: Nothing More. As impatient as the crowd, Eden heads for the photo pit and Laurent and I join the pit.
The world of metal, what else? Nothing More !
Photos : Eden Bisiot
The audience is impatient! The pit was packed and the stands had never before welcomed so many people. I wondered how many festival-goers there were on this new day, but when we chatted to Olivier Garnier later on, he told us that today was the biggest day of the festival, with no less than 16,000 people! A success and a bet won for this second edition of the fest!
A loud bass resounds, and the audience reacts immediately... It's the second false start, they're clearly having fun building up the tension, and it's working, we're getting impatient, we're getting into the mood and we're laughing at the teasing. The band arrives and boom! The energy on stage is such that everyone's dancing from the first notes!
The singer moves, jumps around and spoils us with his impeccable singing and screaming voice! The crowd go wild! The fans are there to appreciate the quality of the show unfolding before our very eyes!
What energy on stage! This rock metal band know how to hold their audience, get them moving and react! The circle pits are underway in several sectors of the crowd, the slammers are surfing on the raised hands, Nothing More sets the place alight in 2 songs flat! The only downside was that the bass was so loud it was hard to hear the rest of the music at times, especially the singer's screams...
We take it up a notch, the music is more aggressive although still very melodic, the singer throws his mic stand and proves that the verses sung perfectly take us to much more metal tracks with crazy break downs like Beartooth.
"I love you Heavy Weekend!" And the feeling is clearly mutual!
We're clearly into more biting metal today and the crowd feel right at home!
The flames on stage and in the stands confirm this scorching atmosphere! With tracks that make you soar as much as headbang or jump, Nothing More have found their name - nothing's missing!
There's a lot of gothic make-up in the pit today, and we've gone wild with the look, which is logical given the line-up, and we've even seen fans wearing Slipknot masks! We even came across some pretty demon horns, a small couple of painted demons in disguise, a Jesus Christ and a man dressed entirely like Sid from Slipknot lying in the village, who will be playing with festival-goers all evening!
Photos : Eden Bisiot
"You motherfuckers are crazy" says Jonny. The vocals are perfect, everything is technically perfected, it's a real pleasure and an incredible show! Jonny makes us sing along and it works too, he holds his audience and the smiles of the musicians are also a big part of it, there's a great musical and human uniqueness in this group!
Let's get on with the best song of the show - yes, it's got my name on it, Jenny. Everyone's jumping up and down on stage, the atmosphere is electric, the crowd got their head in the clouds, or a few floors lower, yes, where they're dancing in the flames.
What a performance! The energy is incredible, the vocals never falter and are insanely accurate, and the musicians give us real metal music that's square, perfect and full of emotion and positive vibes, even when the lyrics aren't. The strength of metal is also in its ability to express itself. Metal's strength also lies in its ability to exorcise, transforming the negative into healing screams.
Two technicians bring out two tomes of drums, which the guitarists strike in rhythm. Then the band come right out and play and sing, guitar in hand and drum kit for the lead singer, climbing onto the shoulders of the security guards in the front row of the pit, which really gets the crowd going! Great finale! Great concert!
The set ended to a standing ovation from a delighted crowd to whom Nothing More had given the right mood for the day!
We were lucky enough to interview them too! And... nothing original, they were human, humble, funny and intelligent... I'm repeating myself, aren't I?
I think that answers the question I was asking myself yesterday, do metal musicians share all these characteristics? It's confirmed... we're interviewing Mark Vollelunga and Daniel Oliver, the band's guitarist and bassist. We have a fantastic time with them, feeling like we're among friends. Jonny watches us from the corner of his eye at the other end of the room and, with great kindness, comes over to greet us at the end of the interview, congratulating Eden on her Nothing More hoodie and saying "oh Jenny? Just like my song!". A band whose kindness and goodwill simply shine through.
ROTNS : a wave of hardcore on the Day 3 stage
Photos : Eden Bisiot
It's 6.30pm and the crowd hasn't left the pit. You can tell that on this last day, the metal fans are determined to make the most of it and not waste a second of the slam, pogo and good sound.
As the crowd waits for the band to arrive, they sing System Of A Down's Disorder at the top of their lungs. "It's beautiful to see this union", I say to myself, this big family, if we could just get this ‘we're all one’ message around in this often so individualistic world... A nice thought in front of an audience exuding emotion and happiness.
The band arrive with a hip hop sound. "Rise Of The North Star is in the house", says the singer. The guitars get heavy and they're off! The crowd goes wild immediately.
"Everybody put your hands up! Jump jump jump!"
The crowd responds as the second track begins. It's a mix of rap and metal and the formula is a hit! The crowd dances, jumps and bangs their fists in the air, and no-one is slow to get into the swing of things. The circle pit gets going at a frantic pace.
"France make some noise!"
The energy is high and the crowd goes wild, including in the stands where it's clearly forbidden to remain seated! The atmosphere is such that everyone gets up and joins in this frenetic dance, driven by the music of ROTNS.
A short interlude with someone turning the tuner of an old radio to come across frequencies broadcasting sometimes funk songs and sometimes anime credits.
The audience is in a constant state of slam, the atmosphere is at its best, circle pits and pogos have taken place everywhere, but everyone remains benevolent, all to the frenzied rhythms of the band who never lose their energy!
“Ça se passe Nancy ou quoi ?
En fin d'année devrait y avoir un nouvel album
En fin d'année je vais t'expliquer où j'ai grandi
Certains l'appellent la ville lumière
Certains l'appellent la ville de l'amour
Moi je l'ai baptisée neo-paris”
"Is this Nancy or what?
At the end of the year there should be a new album
At the end of the year I'll tell you where I grew up
Some call it the city of light
Some call it the city of love
I've named it neo-paris".
A short interlude with anime music and we're off again, music blasting out to the public in a permanent slam, the fire never falters on stage or in the pit, it's magic! Bravo for this incredible energy from France, it feels so good! The set ended with a huge ovation from the audience, who went wild and enjoyed themselves immeasurably.
Mass Hysteria : an Incandescent communion at Heavy Weekend !
Photos : Eden Bisiot
It's 8pm and the crowd is not letting up, everyone is there, impatient to welcome the second French band of the day, and not the least! Mass Hysteria!
Nancy's Heavy Weekend vibrated to the beat of Mass Hysteria. Arriving early, the excitement was palpable, and the band soon turned it into a collective meltdown.
The set kicked off with the emblematic Mass Veritas, an opening track which, as charismatic singer Mouss so aptly put it, invites reflection. The atmosphere, already charged with crazy energy, quickly shifted into a moment of pure magic when, carried along by a delirious crowd, a wheelchair-bound spectator slammed his way through the crowd. It was a powerful moment of communion that perfectly summed up the spirit of the evening.
Throughout their performance, Mass Hysteria demonstrated their mastery of the stage and their unbreakable bond with their audience. Mouss, a veritable tribune, constantly harangued the crowd, fervently calling on his ‘furious men and women’. There was constant interaction, both between songs and in the middle of them, with the audience visibly won over, responding to every call with inexhaustible energy. Approval even came from beyond the stage, with a visit from the singer of Vanden Plas, who came to express his admiration to the audience.
The band reminded us of their thirty-year career on stage, an announcement greeted by a resounding ovation that testifies to their special place in the hearts of French metalheads. One track followed another, each one more energetic, powerful and infectious than the last, and all of them carrying Mass Hysteria's signature message of commitment.
The invitation to a circle pit on the classic Chiens de la Casse turned the pit into a jubilant vortex. Then, with Vae Soli ! Mouss hammered home the message of ‘joy as revenge’, a philosophy of life that resonated loud and clear. With 16,000 spectators united in a communion of the same musical momentum, the atmosphere was at its height. A second circle pit soon followed, before the powerful Notre Complot took over.
The concert was peppered with memorable moments and exchanges with the audience. The anecdote of the singer drinking a toast with the crowd, responding to the cry of a "bottoms up" and performing in one go, provoked hilarity and reinforced this very special bond. A song dedicated to ‘strict parents’ struck a more sensitive chord, before a moment of levity when Mouss humorously evoked a ‘hairy erection’ before launching into Se Brûler Sûrement.
The band then paid tribute to the commitment of metalheads from the east of France before kicking off with L'Emotif Impérieux. During the song, Mouss reiterated the importance of being "alive, not in front of [our] fucking screen", a message that resonated throughout the pit. The interlude saw Mouss start his second beer, humorously refusing another "bottoms up" from the audience, explaining that he would "end up burping while singing".
On Arômes Complexes, Mouss explored the full width of the stage, before inviting the pit to a communal jump by crouching down. A moment of pure emotion gripped the audience when the group began L'Enfer Des Dieux, dedicated to the victims of the Bataclan and the conflict in Palestine, supported by a united crowd.
After a beer down the drain this time, Mass Hysteria followed up with Tenace, carried along by a wild crowd, followed by Contraddiction, turning the pit into a general pogo.
The highlight was the call for a wall of death before and during the final track, Plus Que Du Metal, which heated up the already incandescent crowd. Describing the date as one of the best of their tour, Mass Hysteria once again proved their ability to deliver an incredibly catchy performance, setting the scene spectacularly for the Slipknot show. A concert to remember!
Slipknot close the show with an unstoppable performance !
Photos : Grégory Hernandez
For the last time, we take a stroll around the merch, indulging in a few more treats, breathing in this unique atmosphere, letting it soak in and taking a little of it back with us... We smile at the people we meet, as if to say "What an experience ! It was crazy, wasn't it?". We let our memory take possession of the places, the smells, the sounds, so that it can later tell us this story again, the story of a media team that believes in its dreams, that lives in this world, and has the honour of being here today to cover such an event...
It's time, time for the last concert, the one so eagerly awaited by the crowd today, and it shows! It's impossible to get a seat in the packed pit, the terraces are packed, we're waiting for those who will bring this 3-day adventure to a close, and for that we're in for a treat, it's the great Slipknot who will bring the festival to a close.
We find a few seats in the bleachers, watch the crowd, it's totally electric down there, everyone's on the same wavelength : "We can't wait !". Smoke is blown, a green light is switched on on stage, and the fans know that the light is the band's arrival!
A little girl's voice repeats "com'on play with us" over and over again; these are the voices of the little girls from The Shining, then read backwards ‘redrum’ style. At the first notes, the audience screams, the fans are in a trance: their idols are there!
Masked and charismatic, they're there to set the mood, and then it's off to the ultra-steady rhythm of Slipknot's music: "Are you fuckin' ready?" says Corey Taylor, before moving straight on to the next song.
"Here we go again mother fuckers! Do you wanna hear a song we never played in France tonight? Make some fucking noise!"
Then Gematria (The Killing Name) begins, earning a monumental standing ovation from the audience.
"Thank you, my friends! Ça va, c'est bon? It's so fucking good to be back in France tonight! Thank you so fucking much for having us! Clown couldn't be here, he had to stay home to take care of his family, but he wanted us to send some love to you ! Show some love for the clown!"
Even the bleachers are on their feet, the atmosphere has spread to the whole crowd, with everyone headbanging and clapping. The moshpits are multiplying, the slams are non-stop and the pogos are legion! And yet, once again, it's all done in an atmosphere where no-one is put in danger, the metalheads taking care of each other.
Corey Taylor likes to talk to us, often in French, and he gives us a "listen" before attacking "I push my fingers into my eyes" and the audience continues the song with him!
"We love you Heavy Week-End!"
The atmosphere stayed that way throughout the concert, and there's no denying that a Slipknot concert is a unique experience! The crowd knew them by heart and sang along, the band's energy on stage was insane, the technique was perfect, the set design was well thought out, the heavy, gloomy atmosphere of Slipknot was regularly lightened by Corey Taylor, who was benevolent and grateful, it was a unique moment that took hold of our souls and guts.
"Thank you so much, we love you. Take care of yourself. Good night. Goodbye!"
With these words, the band leave the stage, it's 11.10pm and you can hear the audio of a distant discussion in the background, the stage is completely plunged into darkness and the audience can't stop shouting for the encores. We want more! It can't end like this! We're not giving up and we're calling on the band to come back again and again!
The lights come back on and the band finally come back, the crowd is hysterical and it's well deserved!
"GOOD FUCKING NIGHT! You know we can't leave you without saying goodbye ! You want some more ? You want some more ? YOU WANT SOME MORE ?"
Obviously, we're shouting louder and louder to make them feel how much we want to keep them with us, to continue this intense moment with them!
“Before we go any further. One more time make some noise for our brother that's back home ! Secondly, I want y'all to make a lot of fucking noise for every band that came here and made that weekend fucking heavy !
Now without further due, are you ready to go fucking crazy up there ? Are you ready to Spit It Out ? Make some noise for motherfucking Slipknot !”
The encores take place in the same incredible atmosphere established from the start, with an added sense of urgency to get your fix, to show them that you're there and that you're in ecstasy in front of them! Enjoy the last pogos, the last slams...
"Put your middle fingers up! This song is dedicated to the people who tell you what to fucking say, who to fucking be, what to fucking do with your life! And that includes me ! Put your middle fingers up !" Corey has really spoiled us, talking to us non-stop to bring us song after song that have marked the history of Slipknot.
"We have one more song for you. Are you ready to go to a place that's very very dark with us tonight? "
So the band play their last song, whether you like it or not, that's the way it is, so let's deny it a little longer, let's enjoy it thoroughly, we'll suffer afterwards! Each of the musicians takes their time for a solo on this last track...
The band leave the stage, for good this time, the lights go out to reveal only the band's logo here and there while the electro soundtrack continues, it's heavy on our hearts to see them go, we know it's time, but it was too good to be enough... We give them another standing ovation, hoping they'll hear us, that we'll give them back all the emotions they've given us. The technical lights come back on, then it's the turn of the stands, it's time...
The sound of the last song continues to play like that for ten minutes or so, as we try to come to our senses, our eyes blurred, our hearts swelling, it's going to take some time to come down from this cloud and these 3 days...
Then the long-awaited confirmation appeared on stage: Heavy Week-End will be back for a 3rd edition on 5, 6 and 7 June 2026 ! We were overjoyed! At the least easy or pleasant of moments, when you slowly realise that it's the end, there's a glimmer of light, the promise that we'll be back next year!
The 2025 edition of this emblematic new festival in the Grand-Est region was once again a resounding success, thanks to its varied and mouth-watering programme, but also to the way the festival team listened to festival-goers' requests.
It was the first time we'd been so warmly welcomed on a festival site, and we were really touched! So thank you to the whole festival team for such a warm welcome, thank you to Matthieu Drouot for this 2025 edition, thank you to Olivier Garnier for accrediting us, thank you to the security team for taking such good care of festival-goers and photographers in the photo pit, while keeping a smile on their faces. I can already say that we can't wait for the 2026 edition, and that even without the programme yet announced, it can count on our coming because we truly trust this team.
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