Live review of Buzzfest in Rock Tribune issue 69

Then it was CORTEZ’s turn, who started their set with small eyes and an improbably wooden head. In Aalst, the bearded men had to wear their praise for American motorcycles on everyone’s sleeve, but today they were much less vocal. Well, figuratively speaking, because live, Cortez held their own. “We’re just a real live band. In Europe, people are much more open-minded. Southern rock is much more appreciated here than it is here in the US. Just look at a band like Hermano. We tried to sign Small Stone first, but Buzzville was convinced of our demo from the start. It wasn’t until Buzzville responded that I started checking out the label’s bands,” says guitarist Scott. “And they have a damn good catalog. My favorites are Cabron, Gonzalez, Generous Maria, and Artimus Pyledriver. It’s a truly quality label. I was also blown away by the guys from Deville yesterday. You can hear that the foundation still comes from European bands like Sabbath, Cream, and the Stones. Bands from Palm Springs have beautifully incorporated that into their sound, and now the whole bunch is returning to its original habitat. We’re proud to be a part of it.” The Americans plucked just three songs from their debut, “Thunder In A Forgotten Town.” A daring and unusual move, especially at a time when the album hadn’t officially been released yet. The new tracks from the musical carpenters, remarkably enough, sounded much better through the speakers. We’re curious! The next day in Rossignol-Tintigny, the average visitor would have downed a crate of beer. We know from a reliable source that a large portion of that was due to Cortez.