Rock Monsters Romania

Although the autumn was already here, I had to check another festival on our 2022 bucket list.

Which festival am I talking about? One I have “Fall(en) in Love” with since its first edition (and only one until this year) in 2019. After seeing FiRMA, Robin and the Backstabbers and The Mono Jacks, it was time for it to come back for another magical weekend in Mogosoaia Park.

And it did not disappoint…

DAY 1

Unfortuntely, the festival did not start well as heavy rain started before the gates opened and it did not stop for a few hours. Of course, the traffic was also horrendous due to the weather conditions, so I had to wait.

The rain finally stopped during Subcarpaţi‘s set, a few minutes after their moment began. They really put on a show even though the crowd was relatively small for my expectations because of the low temperatures. It was amazing to see the Romanian stars back on stage and the festival slowly but surely heating up.

Moonlight Breakfast ended the day on the Radio Guerrilla Stage with an amazing and chill performance, perfect for a Friday evening.

But the main moment of the day was the one of Mura Masa, a set where the crowd completely forgot about the weather or the hard day they’d had at work and enjoyed the first ever performance of the Grammy Nominee in Romania.

DAY 2

The second day started off at the Main Stage with Lemaitre with a terrific light show that only preceded the amazing experience of that day.

With a full dose of energy and ready to make everybody bang their heads, COMA entered the Radio Guerrilla stage in amazing pink lights. The set was kind of a recap of their most popular songs through the years and it was really enjoyed by the crowd regardless of their age. Everybody was so happy to see them live again, to rock their day and remember their highschool memories which included the band.

Next up on the Love Stage (the main stage of the festival) was Jessie Ware who really stole the show with an amazing performance that included her most popular songs like “Say You Love Me” or “Tough Love”, but also some new releases like “Free Yourself”. Even for a rock/metal lover like me, it was a performance which I won’t be forgetting any time soon.

The day ended on the Guerrilla Stage with Vița de Vie, with a really loud and powerful set that was only interrupted by a chilling “Luna si Noi” (“The Moon and Us”) live performance which I had really been waiting considering the fact that the clouds were slowly disappearing and the moonlight could be noticed. I would say it was the best performance of the day and not even the last set from the Love Stage could change my mind.

Talking about the last set on the main stage… SUEDE made a really good comeback in Romania, where they were expected like the real rockstars they are. The English band put on a really good performance and the public really noticed that, as the crowd was getting bigger and bigger in front of the stage. I would say it was the perfect band to end an evening full of stars.

DAY 3

The third day started off with a surprise as the organizers did their best to cover up the mud, a gesture that was appreciated by all the people who were at the festival during the first two days.

After I had seen Narcis Axinte live with Jurjak and The Schnitzels, I knew it was time to see him live with Tourette Roulette. ( I felt like Thanos with the infinity stones by writing these words.) It was amazing to start the day with them and I loved the originality within the songs’ lyrics. I personally loved the live interpretation of Commando Pizza, and I believe that everybody in the crowd loved it as well. If you see them in the line-up of a festival, go and see them, it’s definitely worth it!

Next, it was time for the Romanian hip-hop brigade to star on the Fall in Love Stages. Macanache and Controlul Tehnic de Calitate (CTC) brought up their hype and energy, along with their most popular songs to remind everybody why hip-hop is so popular and loved in Romania.

The next moment was a really long waited one, as Years & Years were finally back in Romania. With a sensual coregraphy, something they are known for worldwide, and with a special and interesting visual choreography, the set was purely about good music and show. For me it was a special experience, better than the one I had at their set during Summer Well in 2016. Also, I still can’t forget the moment when the crowd started singing “King” together with the band, a few minutes that reminded me of what music is all about.

Back to Guerrilla Stage for the last act, VAMA made me feel like I was on a beach in Vama Veche, during the middle of the summer. It was getting cold outside, but in everyone’s soul it was still summer. They played all of their popular songs, during which the crowd was singing so loud that Tudor Chirila stopped for a few seconds at every song to listen to them. What I liked the most is that, even though their time on stage was short, they played two of their manifest songs, “Pandemie” and “Pe de rost”, songs that were made by the band to send a warning about Romanians’ attitude about pandemic and education.

The Scottish legend Paolo Nutini ended the Love Stage performance with a chill one, that made everybody fall in love with his songs all over again and, of course, with the stage and the festival.

CONCLUSIONS

I really loved the line-up and the way the organizers responded to every problem that they encountered during the storm, including the need of rain coats that were immediately put on for sale.

The same as the first edition of this festival, it was an amazing experience to see Romanian bands and artists combined with international stars of music. This year, Radio Guerrilla made an extraordinary job with Guerrilla Stage and I am really hyped to see which guests they are going to bring in 2023.

Although I did not mention THEM Stage in my review and this is because the schedule for the stage was not the best, as some of the performances were too late and others were at the same time with the Love Stage or Radio Guerrilla Stage, I would love to see this stage given more importance during the next editions, maybe about 15-20 minutes in between the sets in order to reach this stage? Also, regarding the schedule, an issue was the fact that the bands (including the ones from the Love Stage) did not have time for one song or two songs bis, which was very frustrating for some fans. I know it’s hard to make everything perfect, but I trust the organizers that they will take care of these aspects.

All in all, Fall in Love 2022 was a success and probably one of the best festival experiences I’ve had in the last few years, so I can’t wait to be back again in 2023. If you want to join me, Super Early Bird Tickets are available now here!

Review by Radu Mihai

Photos by Raluca Stanescu and Radu Mihai