Sabaton is one of my top bands to see live - the energy is just amazing, everyone gets so pumped. And to see them touring with the mighty Iced Earth, with Floor Jansen's band Revamp and my local favorite A Sound of Thunder in support, was a lineup hard to beat. Most amazing of all, before the show I interviewed Joakim of Sabaton for Shockwave Magazine! :D (I'll post links and/or info once the interview is published :) )
Needless to say I was not missing any of this lineup (besides, I had to be there early for the interview). So I was there when A Sound of Thunder came out to the chant "Hail, Queen of Hell." They were loud, thundering, just how I like my heavy metal. The drums seemed a bit too loud at times, though, but the vocals were clearer than usual. They played a lot from their newer releases, Time's Arrow ("Time's Arrow," "I Will Not Break," "Power Play") and the Queen of Hell EP ("Queen of Hell"), not necessarily my favorite songs to hear live, but the songs were all upbeat and energetic. We got to hear them play a new song, "Udoroth," from their upcoming album for the first time ever live. It was a charging heavy metal song, with some shouted vocals thrown in. They closed with my fave song of theirs, their anthem, "A Sound of Thunder." The other songs were good but this one was great - it was much more intense, really bringing the thunder. Overall, they sounded nice, but I wish they'd played more older songs ;) This show had the biggest crowd I've ever seen for A Sound of Thunder - the floor was pretty full and people on the sides and at the bar seemed to be paying attention, too. Nina's guerilla marketing seems to be working ;) Anyway, good for the band, the crowd seemed very pleased with them.
Next up was the Netherlands' Revamp, which features Floor Jansen (now the singer of Nightwish, too). I don't think I'd heard anything of theirs before the show. They were heavier than I expected, and I know I keep saying that about gothic-symphonic bands, but these guys really were astoundingly heavy. Most of the songs started with rampaging heavy metal riffs - the last song with churning riffs you'd expect from a much more brutal band. Then they'd launch into a melodic segment that melded perfectly with Floor's soaring vocals. I was surprised to hear her doing harsh vocals as well. My friends were disgruntled by this band - there seemed to be something wrong with the sound. I guess the melodic parts could have been a bit clearer, but I was pleased and entertained. And Floor announced that she will be back with Nightwish, although when was unclear - it sounded like she said "this time of year."
Next up were Sweden's power metal warriors, Sabaton, which was the band I came to see. They sounded great, and from what I could see, the band was as amped as the crowd and having the time of their lives. Great to see, considering 2/3 of the lineup left two years ago, and a new drummer (Hannes Van Dahl of Evergrey) was just added last fall. Although they have a new album coming out next month, they only played one song from it, the single "To Hell and Back" (catchy song - it was stuck in my head earlier today). I was surprised but not displeased since of course, I wanted to jump around to the Sabaton songs I knew. They played a set of classic after classic, closing with the amazingly fun "Metal Crue." The only song I thought a little weak was "Poltava," which is a good song, but I thought a better choice from Carolus Rex would have been "Lifetime of War." (They had a little extra time, so I think they played some three extra songs, one of which was the Swedish version of "Poltava.") The crowd was ecstatic - the floor was full, easily twice as many people on the floor as for Sabaton's headline shows, a furious pit for most songs, and so much Sabaton name-chanting between songs that Joakim had to tell us to shut up so he could talk.
After that, seeing Iced Earth was just icing. In fact, they seemed a bit lacking in energy after Sabaton, and it took me a while to get into them. They did sound good - Stu can really scream and the guitars were clear - but perhaps the song selection was a little lackluster. I enjoyed "V," "Burning Times" and a couple other songs, but the rest of the songs didn't really grab me and I didn't really get into it until the encore of "Dystopia," "Watching Over Me," and "Iced Earth." Those two fast songs brought the energy finally, and "Watching Over Me" was touching. I did enjoy that they played "A Question of Heaven" since that was in the soundtrack of a novel I wrote last year :) It was not a bad way to end the night, but Sabaton was definitely the highlight of the show for me.
Next show: Paganfest! Planning to attend both Friday and Saturday :D
Showing posts with label Sabaton. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sabaton. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Concert Recap
So, life was pretty crazy over the summer - I changed jobs and moved suddenly, and then spent two months on a boat sailing off New England. Somehow, I squeezed some concerts in there too, and when I looked over S's list, I realized there were a couple shows in the spring that I somehow didn't review either. So here are some summaries of shows I've been to.
Iron Cross Band, Aug. 11, 2012, Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, UMD: The "IC Band" is Burma's biggest rock band, and now they're finally free from the fetters of government censorship. They played for over 3 hours, and would have played more but were stopped because the audience was so rowdy. The Clarice Smith Center was an odd choice of venue for such a heavy act - about half their songs were heavy enough for headbanging, and the audience was pretty excited. People were going to the front, standing up and jumping around. The police were called in and took someone away for not going back to their seat. The band featured four singers and guest vocalist D Lun. Lay Phyu was definitely the best of the vocalists; the whole band sounded worlds better when he was on stage. They played a variety of songs - heavy metal, pop, even country, with a fair number of covers redone with Burmese lyrics, including an Yngwie Malmsteen song. Their lead guitarist, Chit San Maung, is probably one of the best in the world; he played a ten minute solo which included playing the guitar on someone's head. There were a few other solos including a keytar solo that sounded like a guitar solo. It was a neat experience but for someone not familiar with IC's music, it went on far too long.
My Enemy Complete, July 21, 2012, Zero (The Meeting Place): My friend's band played at a weekly goth/industrial club that I like to attend. They sounded louder and heavier than I've ever heard them. I love the instrumental segments of their songs - they're heavy and headbangable, or industrial and danceable. The songs seem to lose momentum during the vocals, though; I wish they would keep up the heaviness. Still, they sounded good and had a nice crowd.
Scorpions, Night Ranger, Jul. 12, 2012, Merriweather Post Pavilion: Scorpions are one of S's favorite bands. They were good, and I had fun at the show. "Winds of Change," the only Scorpions song I know, sounded just like the recording. It's amazing that they sound so good after all this time.
Marduk, 1349, Withered, Weapon, A Strong Intention(?), Jun. 2, 2012, Sonar
We actually got there just as Weapon finished. A lady at the merch area scolded us for missing their set :(
Withered was good. They sounded loud and heavy - until I heard the other bands. They had some fast segments, and some slow trance-inducing atmospheric segments. Thanks to the quickly downed free drink, I was rather tipsy and couldn't go in the pit.1349 was faster and riffier than Withered. Marduk was even more intense, with a solid, heavy sound. Their old songs had a distinctly thrashy or rock-and-roll sound. We left before the end of the set, around 1am, cause we were just too tired - I had probably worked overnight the night before or something.
Sabaton, A Sound of Thunder, Amphibious Apes, May 21, 2012, Empire (formerly Jaxx): I was looking forward enormously to this show; Sabaton and A Sound of Thunder are two of my favorite bands, so putting the two of them together promised to be a night of awesome. Not only that, but in the second slot A Sound of Thunder was able to play much longer than a local opener typically would. We did hear a bit of Amphibious Apes on our way in, but didn't listen too closely (sorry, guys, just not a fan of the experimental stuff). A Sound of Thunder played for nearly an hour, almost entirely songs from their new album, except one from their EP. I tried a couple times to start pit, especially for "Fight Till the End," but could not get anyone else to participate. Sabaton was awesome; they were pumped (even with 3 new band members) and so was the audience. The songs sounded perfect even with the new recruits. They played most of the favorites, as well as new song "Carolus Rex," plus some more obscure songs, like "Swedish Pagans" (which I've always heard other people demand at shows but am not too familiar with myself). I never thought I'd mosh for Sabaton (I did spend about a third of the time jumping up and down and shouting along) but I did this time; I even started a pit when I didn't know lyrics (that was "Into the Fire"). Some silly stuff happened like a stuffed animal being tossed around, and a guy with a sombrero wandering onto the stage. S. got a shout out from Joakim (vocalist) for his Rainbow shirt.
Rammstein, Apr. 25, 2012, 1st Mariner Arena: I had just gotten off a sail on Pride of Baltimore II, and was kind of tired. Before the show, Joe Letz from Combichrist was DJ'ing, and I was amused by the stuffed unicorns on his table. Rammstein put on a great show. There were lots of pyrotechnics and other stunts - roasting the keyboardist in a giant pot, crossing a catwalk (most of the band on all fours with leashes on held on to by the drummer) to a small stage in the middle of the crowd, the keyboardist crowd-surfing in an inflatable raft. We could feel the heat from the pyro even way up on the second level; it must have been roasting on the floor.
Iced Earth, Warbringer Mar. 13, 2012, 930 Club: Crowd was rather small for this show. Warbringer was pretty good for a thrash band. Even after the singer called for a pit, only a few people took part; I wanted to help out but I was wearing a skirt :( Iced Earth gave a solid performance, and Stu, their new singer, sounded good. He pulled out a mask for "V" which was kind of fun.
Iron Cross Band, Aug. 11, 2012, Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, UMD: The "IC Band" is Burma's biggest rock band, and now they're finally free from the fetters of government censorship. They played for over 3 hours, and would have played more but were stopped because the audience was so rowdy. The Clarice Smith Center was an odd choice of venue for such a heavy act - about half their songs were heavy enough for headbanging, and the audience was pretty excited. People were going to the front, standing up and jumping around. The police were called in and took someone away for not going back to their seat. The band featured four singers and guest vocalist D Lun. Lay Phyu was definitely the best of the vocalists; the whole band sounded worlds better when he was on stage. They played a variety of songs - heavy metal, pop, even country, with a fair number of covers redone with Burmese lyrics, including an Yngwie Malmsteen song. Their lead guitarist, Chit San Maung, is probably one of the best in the world; he played a ten minute solo which included playing the guitar on someone's head. There were a few other solos including a keytar solo that sounded like a guitar solo. It was a neat experience but for someone not familiar with IC's music, it went on far too long.
My Enemy Complete, July 21, 2012, Zero (The Meeting Place): My friend's band played at a weekly goth/industrial club that I like to attend. They sounded louder and heavier than I've ever heard them. I love the instrumental segments of their songs - they're heavy and headbangable, or industrial and danceable. The songs seem to lose momentum during the vocals, though; I wish they would keep up the heaviness. Still, they sounded good and had a nice crowd.
Scorpions, Night Ranger, Jul. 12, 2012, Merriweather Post Pavilion: Scorpions are one of S's favorite bands. They were good, and I had fun at the show. "Winds of Change," the only Scorpions song I know, sounded just like the recording. It's amazing that they sound so good after all this time.
Marduk, 1349, Withered, Weapon, A Strong Intention(?), Jun. 2, 2012, Sonar
Corpse paint for free drinks. And also just cause it's fun.
Withered was good. They sounded loud and heavy - until I heard the other bands. They had some fast segments, and some slow trance-inducing atmospheric segments. Thanks to the quickly downed free drink, I was rather tipsy and couldn't go in the pit.1349 was faster and riffier than Withered. Marduk was even more intense, with a solid, heavy sound. Their old songs had a distinctly thrashy or rock-and-roll sound. We left before the end of the set, around 1am, cause we were just too tired - I had probably worked overnight the night before or something.
Sabaton, A Sound of Thunder, Amphibious Apes, May 21, 2012, Empire (formerly Jaxx): I was looking forward enormously to this show; Sabaton and A Sound of Thunder are two of my favorite bands, so putting the two of them together promised to be a night of awesome. Not only that, but in the second slot A Sound of Thunder was able to play much longer than a local opener typically would. We did hear a bit of Amphibious Apes on our way in, but didn't listen too closely (sorry, guys, just not a fan of the experimental stuff). A Sound of Thunder played for nearly an hour, almost entirely songs from their new album, except one from their EP. I tried a couple times to start pit, especially for "Fight Till the End," but could not get anyone else to participate. Sabaton was awesome; they were pumped (even with 3 new band members) and so was the audience. The songs sounded perfect even with the new recruits. They played most of the favorites, as well as new song "Carolus Rex," plus some more obscure songs, like "Swedish Pagans" (which I've always heard other people demand at shows but am not too familiar with myself). I never thought I'd mosh for Sabaton (I did spend about a third of the time jumping up and down and shouting along) but I did this time; I even started a pit when I didn't know lyrics (that was "Into the Fire"). Some silly stuff happened like a stuffed animal being tossed around, and a guy with a sombrero wandering onto the stage. S. got a shout out from Joakim (vocalist) for his Rainbow shirt.
Rammstein, Apr. 25, 2012, 1st Mariner Arena: I had just gotten off a sail on Pride of Baltimore II, and was kind of tired. Before the show, Joe Letz from Combichrist was DJ'ing, and I was amused by the stuffed unicorns on his table. Rammstein put on a great show. There were lots of pyrotechnics and other stunts - roasting the keyboardist in a giant pot, crossing a catwalk (most of the band on all fours with leashes on held on to by the drummer) to a small stage in the middle of the crowd, the keyboardist crowd-surfing in an inflatable raft. We could feel the heat from the pyro even way up on the second level; it must have been roasting on the floor.
Iced Earth, Warbringer Mar. 13, 2012, 930 Club: Crowd was rather small for this show. Warbringer was pretty good for a thrash band. Even after the singer called for a pit, only a few people took part; I wanted to help out but I was wearing a skirt :( Iced Earth gave a solid performance, and Stu, their new singer, sounded good. He pulled out a mask for "V" which was kind of fun.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Concert Recap
I'm going to post a review of Machine Head et al pretty soon (I know, my first review in what, five months? So exciting!). First though I thought I should recap what I've been doing since September. It's not that I took time off concerts, just that I was too tired/stressed/busy/lacking-in-internets, etc. to post reviews. Since my next concert is early March, we'll see if the renewed vigor lasts.
So here's what I've been doing since September:
Sabaton, A Sound of Thunder, Oct. 2011, Jaxx: Sabaton = awesome, so Sabaton live = overpowering amounts of awesome. Jumping, headbanging, shouting and singing along. Sabaton is a power metal band that focuses on historical and heroic themes, so they manage to create some seriously inspiring songs. "Uprising" was definitely the highlight of the night. Even more excellently, the amazing local band Sound of Thunder opened for them and got to play an extra long set (for a local band) so we got to hear a lot of their new music.
Anthrax, Testament, Death Angel, Nov. 2011, Ram's Head Live (Baltimore): It was great to see a legendary act like Anthrax in such a small venue. We were behind the pit but it still felt like up close and personal with metal history. Great show and massive pit. Was not a big fan of Testament before but I appreciate them more after seeing them live. We missed most of Death Angel but the song and a half that we did hear sounded good as well. (Thank goodness we didn't hear "Truce," it's an ok song but horribly overplayed on a certain xm radio station.)
Korpiklaani, Arkona, Polkadot Cadaver, Dec. 15, 2011, Jaxx: I couldn't remember who the third band on this line-up was and when I googled it I realized why. I don't really care for Polkadot Cadaver at all, I think their music just sounds bad. No epic riffs, powerful vocals, or stellar guitars. We sat out their set. Arkona and Korpiklaani were great, though, of course. I spent most of Arkona's set in the pit, and most of Korpiklaani watching two bigheaded guys ruining the pit for everyone else (by the time it occurred to me to just get in their way and mess up their turning the pit into their personal duel, the set was winding down). And I got S injured in the pit when I dragged him in - oops :( Anyway, it was fun times but not quite as good as Alestorm or Blackguard, I think.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Doubleshot of...well, stuff
Hello and welcome to my castle! Where I rant and rave about books (mainly the fantasy and science fiction variety) and music (mainly the metal variety).
Since it's my first post why don't I start you all off with a doubleshot of the good stuff: a book review and a concert review! w00t.
Stealing Fire by Jo Graham
Stealing Fire starts out from the death of Alexander the Great, and our hero Lydias of Miletus trying to decide which of Alexander's would-be successors he'll throw his lot in with. We don't really get to see his decision; somehow he ends up with Ptolemy, and becomes instrumental in Ptolemy's attempt to hold Egypt (involving the theft of Alexander's body from rivals in Persia..) But this is a lot more than just a story of political intrigue and wars waged for power.
First of all, it's the story of Lydias, who was born a slave, but escapes to freedom, eventually becoming one of Alexander's Companions (elite cavalry) and then Ptolemy's general. We find out a lot about him through flashbacks. He has this very matter of fact voice and personality that carries him through all kinds of adventures and ordeals mostly unscathed, but at times one sees hidden pain leaking through - a lot of pain. He lost a lot, and this is the story of him finally finding a place to belong and people to live happily ever after with.
Secondly, it's also the story of Alexander's vision for a world of different peoples united in brotherhood (albeit brought to this state by violence..) Lydias and Ptolemy often discuss Alexander's ideals, the things that never will be now that he's gone, and the things they still want to fight for - mostly peace in Egypt and Alexandria for Egypt's people and all the diverse peoples that make up Ptolemy's army, to live together in something like equality (relatively speaking for that time period..) This is what makes the novel more than just another bland power struggle.
Thirdly, it's the story of how Ptolemy managed to become Pharaoh of Egypt, and this is the thread that makes me a bit uneasy. Gods, generally Egyptian, speak directly to Lydias and occasionally Ptolemy, helping and guiding them (although ultimately the decisions for how to save Egypt rest with the mortals). Divine intervention is something I don't really like to see in fiction (although I'm guilty as charged); it seems too easy, like god-modding in role-playing. Of course the heroes will win because the gods are on their side.
Overall, though, I liked the book and would recommend it to fantasy or historical fiction fans. The emotional depth of the characters, especially Lydias, was very engaging, and the way Ms. Graham encapsulated the sweep of history in one character's experience was at once epic (battle scenes!!) and human (romance :) ). PG-13 for violence and sex.
Next review: Riot in Chang'an by Han Han or One Jump Ahead by Mark L. Van Name - whichever I finish first!
And now..
A Sound of Thunder, Kat Atomic, Sabaton, Accept - 4/13/11 at Jaxx, Springfield, VA
So, you should know that my concert reviews will be overwhelmingly positive, as first of all I'm not nearly as knowledgeable or picky about music as I am about books, and second since I only go to concerts of bands that I really like anyway, I'm kind of biased from the start.
I went to this concert to see Sabaton - a power metal band from Sweden that is really into military history; almost all their songs have to do with World War I or II. I knew one song by Accept that gets played on the radio, and wasn't planning to stay for them as it was a school night. I was also trying to get there late so that I wouldn't have to sit through the opening bands.
That plan failed; I got there right as they started letting people inside. However, I'm glad I did, because A Sound of Thunder knocked my socks off. Their name fits; their sound was like thunder shaking the building. I didn't go on the floor but I should have (I think I was too embarrassed because I was surrounded by older people..) "A Sound of Thunder" and "Archangel" ("Metal Wings") were my favorite songs from their set. I got their CD, and obviously, the thundering sound doesn't quite come through (unless I turn the stereo way up! But with a kid in the car, that's not always an option), but I'm still impressed and hooked by Nina's intense vocals. She has an amazing voice, powerful and also beautiful, that can be lyrical ("Wood and Steel," "Flesh and Blood") or evil ("My Name is Doom," "Blood Vomit"). Those would be my favorite songs from the CD; I'm looking forward to their next release that will have songs they played at the concert.
The second local band, Kat Atomic, was a little more laid back, and did mostly (all?) covers. I recognized Dio's "Rainbow in the Dark," Heart's "Barracuda" and a couple others. The songs were energetic enough to get me moving although I wished there was more oomph to them. (Then again, I'm not a huge 70s/80s metal fan, primarily because it lacks that "oomph" :P ) Kat Atomic got cut off mid song, apparently because Accept's management was really anal about the schedule, is what I've heard from discussions after the fact. That wasn't really very nice.
Sabaton was as awesome as I expected, although of course their set was too short. If I remember correctly, they started with "Ghost Division" and finished with "Primo Victoria" and then "Metal Machine." After they finished, I heard several people commenting about their "great energy" and I think that's a perfect way to describe it - their fast-paced, overwhelming sound where the music, the beat and the lyrics just carry you along. It's definitely battle music. It wasn't at all hard for them to get people jumping for "Primo Victoria," in fact the singer, Joakim laughed at us (the audience) because we wouldn't stop jumping XD Apparently this was their first ever North American tour - no wonder they were so excited about the crowd's (hugely positive) reaction at Jaxx. And I just read that they're coming back this fall with Evergrey - can't wait!
As for Accept, well, I left before they came onstage, so my impression of them remains that created by hearing "Teutonic Terror" on the radio, namely, a decent band. If it hadn't been a school night I probably would have stayed and enjoyed it. Oh well, some other time.
Next concert: Amon Amarth - 5/2/11 \m/
Since it's my first post why don't I start you all off with a doubleshot of the good stuff: a book review and a concert review! w00t.
Stealing Fire by Jo Graham
Stealing Fire starts out from the death of Alexander the Great, and our hero Lydias of Miletus trying to decide which of Alexander's would-be successors he'll throw his lot in with. We don't really get to see his decision; somehow he ends up with Ptolemy, and becomes instrumental in Ptolemy's attempt to hold Egypt (involving the theft of Alexander's body from rivals in Persia..) But this is a lot more than just a story of political intrigue and wars waged for power.
First of all, it's the story of Lydias, who was born a slave, but escapes to freedom, eventually becoming one of Alexander's Companions (elite cavalry) and then Ptolemy's general. We find out a lot about him through flashbacks. He has this very matter of fact voice and personality that carries him through all kinds of adventures and ordeals mostly unscathed, but at times one sees hidden pain leaking through - a lot of pain. He lost a lot, and this is the story of him finally finding a place to belong and people to live happily ever after with.
Secondly, it's also the story of Alexander's vision for a world of different peoples united in brotherhood (albeit brought to this state by violence..) Lydias and Ptolemy often discuss Alexander's ideals, the things that never will be now that he's gone, and the things they still want to fight for - mostly peace in Egypt and Alexandria for Egypt's people and all the diverse peoples that make up Ptolemy's army, to live together in something like equality (relatively speaking for that time period..) This is what makes the novel more than just another bland power struggle.
Thirdly, it's the story of how Ptolemy managed to become Pharaoh of Egypt, and this is the thread that makes me a bit uneasy. Gods, generally Egyptian, speak directly to Lydias and occasionally Ptolemy, helping and guiding them (although ultimately the decisions for how to save Egypt rest with the mortals). Divine intervention is something I don't really like to see in fiction (although I'm guilty as charged); it seems too easy, like god-modding in role-playing. Of course the heroes will win because the gods are on their side.
Overall, though, I liked the book and would recommend it to fantasy or historical fiction fans. The emotional depth of the characters, especially Lydias, was very engaging, and the way Ms. Graham encapsulated the sweep of history in one character's experience was at once epic (battle scenes!!) and human (romance :) ). PG-13 for violence and sex.
Next review: Riot in Chang'an by Han Han or One Jump Ahead by Mark L. Van Name - whichever I finish first!
And now..
A Sound of Thunder, Kat Atomic, Sabaton, Accept - 4/13/11 at Jaxx, Springfield, VA
So, you should know that my concert reviews will be overwhelmingly positive, as first of all I'm not nearly as knowledgeable or picky about music as I am about books, and second since I only go to concerts of bands that I really like anyway, I'm kind of biased from the start.
I went to this concert to see Sabaton - a power metal band from Sweden that is really into military history; almost all their songs have to do with World War I or II. I knew one song by Accept that gets played on the radio, and wasn't planning to stay for them as it was a school night. I was also trying to get there late so that I wouldn't have to sit through the opening bands.
That plan failed; I got there right as they started letting people inside. However, I'm glad I did, because A Sound of Thunder knocked my socks off. Their name fits; their sound was like thunder shaking the building. I didn't go on the floor but I should have (I think I was too embarrassed because I was surrounded by older people..) "A Sound of Thunder" and "Archangel" ("Metal Wings") were my favorite songs from their set. I got their CD, and obviously, the thundering sound doesn't quite come through (unless I turn the stereo way up! But with a kid in the car, that's not always an option), but I'm still impressed and hooked by Nina's intense vocals. She has an amazing voice, powerful and also beautiful, that can be lyrical ("Wood and Steel," "Flesh and Blood") or evil ("My Name is Doom," "Blood Vomit"). Those would be my favorite songs from the CD; I'm looking forward to their next release that will have songs they played at the concert.
The second local band, Kat Atomic, was a little more laid back, and did mostly (all?) covers. I recognized Dio's "Rainbow in the Dark," Heart's "Barracuda" and a couple others. The songs were energetic enough to get me moving although I wished there was more oomph to them. (Then again, I'm not a huge 70s/80s metal fan, primarily because it lacks that "oomph" :P ) Kat Atomic got cut off mid song, apparently because Accept's management was really anal about the schedule, is what I've heard from discussions after the fact. That wasn't really very nice.
Sabaton was as awesome as I expected, although of course their set was too short. If I remember correctly, they started with "Ghost Division" and finished with "Primo Victoria" and then "Metal Machine." After they finished, I heard several people commenting about their "great energy" and I think that's a perfect way to describe it - their fast-paced, overwhelming sound where the music, the beat and the lyrics just carry you along. It's definitely battle music. It wasn't at all hard for them to get people jumping for "Primo Victoria," in fact the singer, Joakim laughed at us (the audience) because we wouldn't stop jumping XD Apparently this was their first ever North American tour - no wonder they were so excited about the crowd's (hugely positive) reaction at Jaxx. And I just read that they're coming back this fall with Evergrey - can't wait!
As for Accept, well, I left before they came onstage, so my impression of them remains that created by hearing "Teutonic Terror" on the radio, namely, a decent band. If it hadn't been a school night I probably would have stayed and enjoyed it. Oh well, some other time.
Next concert: Amon Amarth - 5/2/11 \m/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)