Santana, Sting, and Pearl Jam celebrated...

A total of around 160,000 music fans celebrated the kick-off of the traditional Whitsun rock festivals with performances by rock and pop greats Santana, Sting, and Pearl Jam. In perfect open-air conditions, 90 bands each performed on four stages at "Rock am Ring" in the Eifel region and "Rock im Park" in Nuremberg.

In Nuremberg, the organizers provided highlights right from the start on Friday evening: Around 60,000 festivalgoers enthusiastically celebrated Santana and Sting, repeatedly demanding encores. Latin rocker Carlos Santana, in particular, transformed the arena and stands of the Frankenstadion into a bubbling cauldron at times, while Sting impressed with his versatility.

A total of 100,000 people travelled to the completely sold-out "Rock am Ring" festival in the Eifel region. The American rock band Pearl Jam performed as the main act on opening day late in the evening. The unconventional musicians, led by singer Eddie Vedder, offered a clear rock sound that generated far more enthusiasm among the audience than the preceding performance by the Brit-pop band Oasis, who performed without the currently hiatus Noel Gallagher. After performances in Eastern and Southern Europe, the band from the American Northwest will appear in Berlin (Wuhlheide) on June 25 and in Hamburg (Sporthalle) on June 26.

In the Frankenstadion, the opening acts had already contributed to making the festival, which lasted until Sunday, a lively summer party. Police and organizers unanimously described it as a harmonious event. Only the heat – often combined with heavy alcohol consumption – kept the paramedics busy. A total of around 40 visitors had been treated for circulatory problems by late evening, a police spokesperson said on Saturday.

Musically, the only disappointment was the English pop duo Eurythmics, which had been met with high audience expectations. Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart initially caused a stir with their unusual glittery look. To the surprise of many fans, however, they opted not to have a live band, instead limiting themselves to vocals, guitar, and a semi-backing track.

The older festivalgoers, in particular, got their money's worth with the performance of 52-year-old Woodstock legend Carlos Santana. It took a few songs for the spark to catch the audience in the packed stadium. But by the time the oldie "Maria Maria" came into its own, Santana's fan base was in rhythmic motion. Especially with the Latino elements of his music, he created the perfect musical ambiance on the balmy, almost Caribbean-like summer night.

Old rocker Sting then transformed this template into a crowning finale. He captivated the audience not only with the erotic, melodious quality of his voice, but above all with his versatility. At times, he rained down hard rock on the audience, at others he flattered his fans with gentle ballads. He didn't even shy away from a song from Brecht's Threepenny Opera in front of a large audience. Sting also occasionally took the liberty of briefly cooling off the rousing atmosphere – for example, when he suddenly incorporated an idiosyncratic jazz improvisation into one of his most popular, crowd-pleasing songs.

At midnight, Xavier Naidoo, rapping with Söhne Mannheims, provided a highlight for hip-hop fans on a side stage at the Nürburgring. At the traditional double festival "Rock am Ring" and "Rock im Park," the Toten Hosen, Vonda Shepard, Korn, and Rage Against the Machine were also scheduled to perform until Whitsun Sunday.

(c) Rheinische Post