Watching a concert from atop Brno’s fantastic Spilberk Castle is really a joy worth experiencing. From the grounds of the fortress which belongs to the Czech Republic’s second city, one can look far over the town and across the distant rolling hills of the South Moravian region. This experience is made the more valuable with the addition of some fine punk rock music.

An early kick-off means that the sun has barely begun to set by the time local boys Supertesla take to the stage. I’ve seen them a number of times, but this is the first with new guitarist, Marek, and as always they deliver a blinding set. Armed with a truck-load of great songs – such as, ‘Kluci obyčejní’ (Ordinary Boys) and ‘Tohle nemůžeš přežít’ (You Can’t Survive This) –  it’s their onstage professionalism that really sets them apart. In a relatively short time they’ve developed in to a well-oiled machine delivering a wealth of strong material. It’s a fantastic opening for the headliner tonight.

Denver bruisers Reno Divorce have been here before. In fact, the last time I saw them here they were supported by Bombs From Heaven, the punk band that somewhat developed into Supertesla. They delivered a decent set then, and perhaps an even better one this evening. Commenting on the incredible nature of the venue that they are lucky enough to play again, singer, Brent Loveday, certainly appeared to be enjoying it. With a rich back catalogue, Reno Divorce have a lot of good songs to choose from. Tracks such as ‘Ship of Fools’ and ‘She’s in Love with the Avenue’ are always going to go down well, but belters such as ‘How Long’s it Been’ and ‘Say It’ are particular crowd-pleasers that light up the castle gardens.

As the headliners closed up their set, I could see a storm breaking through the clouds far in the distance. As incredible as it looked from here, the positive vibes of this rock show seemed to keep it away from entering the city. A great double set from two in-form punk rock bands, at a wonderfully picturesque venue – not bad for a mid-week in Brno.

Author: Craggy Collyde