The Basel Hard Rock Band Excentric baptized their new album “White Knuckle Ride” on June 01, 2011. That’s one day before Ascension Day and you shouldn’t miss such an event, because they created a big hype in the Basel area with their previous record “Take this”.

I have to admit, that I never noticed Excentric. For reasons which are not clear, I didn’t care about them what I really regret.

But this changed when Guitar player Phil Schelker sent me an invitation to their record release party of “White Knuckle Ride”. I was very excited about it and wanted to make sure that I won’t miss this show.

For this reason, I was at the Red Rocks on 8 o’clock PM and was too early. But I am better early than late. So I had the chance to meet Phil Schelker and Reto Pieren outside of the venue and used the time for small talk.

It’s straight fact; there weren’t many people in the Red Rocks or outside of the venue in the beginning. Every visitor, who stepped inside got a lot with a number. You had to keep this lot, because the godfather / the god aunt were drawn by it.

Excentric entered the stage on 10 o’clock PM and the show was sold out. They opened their set immediately with “Hold on”. The crowd was convinced from the first second and maintained on this level during the songs.

Singer Reto told a story about the inspiration to the next song “KMA Goodbye”. There was a close friend, who got a bad treatment by his girlfriend and one day, he kicked her out of his life and started having a good time again. Then a nice cover of the Red Hot Chili Peppers track “Under the bridge” followed and some guys in the front row singed the chorus with Reto.

“Part of Me” and “Save me” was the previous songs before the baptism.

Guitar player Phil Schelker drawled the lot number 113. A young, good looking woman called Lilli with long curly browned hair had the honor to enter the stage and was chosen for the record watering with champagne. The fans in front of the stage received a champagne bottle and were drinking champagne too.

After this interlude, the excellent cover of Thin Lizzy’s “Whiskey in the Jar” blew out of the speakers and all hells broke lose. There was a great party atmosphere and the crowd yelled, singed, danced and head banged at “So Long!” and “No Way Out”.

The crowd hadn’t enough and asked for more songs. Excentric played “And then Sun…” and “4 pm” for the great effort. Well, the crowd was still not satisfied.

Nevertheless, it would have been time to leave the stage. But Red Rocks owner Reto was very happy about the sold out show and Excentric got the permission to play a further song. “Still Standing” was the last live track and the band received standing ovations from a crazy party crowd.

After that, DJ Richy P entered the turntables and had the task to rock the after party. The band left the stage and took their instruments. Now, it was your turn about the next step. You could get their new record and new T-shirts on the merchandise stand with the signatures of every single band member. That’s what I call a great treatment!

Nowadays, such behaviours from a band are rarely and I want thank Excentric for their effort. It shows that a down to earth attitude means much more than being spoiled by success and fame.  

Setlist Excentric   Hold On Maybe 2morrow KMA Goodbye Bossa Nova Take Me Away Under The Bridge Hollywood Diva Part Of Me Save Me Whiskey In the Jar So Long! No Way Out And then Sun… 4 pm Still Standing

written  by Dominic Latscha  - June 2011

Dominic Latscha is reviewer for gryphonmetal.ch since 2010

He is based in Switzerland.