I don't know if entertainment section allows live concert reviews as well...if this is prohibited can a mod please pm me?
CONCERT REVIEW OF SONATA ARCTICA, EPICA, RIDE THE SKY @ TILBURG 013 FOLLOWS
I'd been bouncing about all day for this gig. Sonata is one of my favourite bands in the history of my music addiction and it was great to finally get the opportunity to see them live (in a great hall, I must admit.)
The best thing about 013 is the stairs system. Of course there is a floor right in front of the stage, but you don't have to enter a silly pit to see everything: from halfway the stairs I had an excellent view of what was going on. (I'm tall, which helps too.)
Another good thing was the bands not being ass with time-schedules. Ride The Sky started at 19:10, which was fair enough, and Epica hit the stage at 20:00-ish.
Sonata was around 9:30 pm (slightly earlier as I recall but hey. When I'm at a gig, I don't constantly check my watch.)
Ride The Sky was a decent enough band as a choice to open. I don't know their set (I will be posting the other two as memory permits), but they played a song called Ride The Sky, and New Protection, and also something called The Prince of Darkness. The singer was a total geek, but the crowd seemed to like them. Take them or leave them, their performance wasn't too bad, but I like only one supporting band better unless the other band is really of added value (unlike Epica, these guys weren't.) It was also really funny when four members of Sonata (including Tony) came on during the band's set halfway and started throwing out candy. It was bloody hilarious. The crowd was probably more excited for that than for Ride The Sky.
Epica fared better with the audience (and me as well, but Mark needs to stop the awful screaming. Let Simone fucking sing, will you?) They got a great crowd reaction, and since the band is Dutch there is no need to resort to English in the live set, which is always a nice treat. Simone is awesome live: that woman does a windmill like a man. The sound was great: the only complaints during this set (and the other two) is that the keyboards were a bit low in the mix.
Epica's setlist:
Intro: Indigo - Prologue
The Obsessive Devotion
Sensorium
Menace of Vanity
Fools of Damnation
Cry for the Moon (these two I can't remember the order of)
Sancta Terra
Consign to Oblivion
Covers their work nicely in my opinion, putting emphasis on the new disc which is just the best of the three as well. I liked the performances of Obsessive Devotion and Sancta Terra especially. They were loud, though!
After these two very agreeable openers, it was time for our good Finnish friends from Kemi, the superb Sonata Arctica. If you want to imagine an SA gig, put it like this: it's like a one-and-a-half our singalong gig. EVERY song has a chorus people can sing, so Tony just lets us get on with it (singing the melodies to Victoria's Secret and San Sebastian).
Tony is one charming Finnish dude, as well. Constantly making jokes, a true clown (or a wannabe puppet? Time will tell) and an active engager of the crowd: he was animated and the crowd was animated by him. The best part was of course just after the encore break: Tony did his drum game and it was bloody hilarious. Tony divided us into three parts and made us imitate a snare, a hi-hat and a bass drum. Pity I got hi-hat because our tempo was such ass, haha. Tony shook his head at us as well. Said he would be back. Apparently Tony has seen Schwarzenegger movies, too.
Another hilarious moment was Tony taking Elias's pick during Don't Say A Word and playing a solo for him (complete with wah pedal). Elias did the fretwork and Tony bashed the strings. Tony also air keytared during some of Henrik's solos.
Highlight song performances were the completely mindblowing rendition of "Caleb", FullMoon, Don't Say a Word, Black Sheep and of course My Land. Tallulah is such a silly song (I'd preferred Replica or Shamandalie), but it's fun to sing along to.
Sonata's setlist:
Intro (whatever the hell it was)
In Black and White
Paid in Full
Victoria's Secret
Broken
8th Commandment
Tallulah
Full Moon
Caleb
Black Sheep
It Won't Fade
Gravenimage (bleh, pick a better song Tony. Like Replica, which you missed.)
San Sebastian
-------
ENCORE
Tony's Drum Clinic, Part 35 (I am quoting Tony on this!)leading into We Will Rock You (Yes, for the ignorant, that is a Queen cover.)
My Land
Don't Say a Word
The Cage
Vodka
Final notes: We need some vodka...and a terrific hug from Tony.
CONCERT REVIEW OF SONATA ARCTICA, EPICA, RIDE THE SKY @ TILBURG 013 FOLLOWS
I'd been bouncing about all day for this gig. Sonata is one of my favourite bands in the history of my music addiction and it was great to finally get the opportunity to see them live (in a great hall, I must admit.)
The best thing about 013 is the stairs system. Of course there is a floor right in front of the stage, but you don't have to enter a silly pit to see everything: from halfway the stairs I had an excellent view of what was going on. (I'm tall, which helps too.)
Another good thing was the bands not being ass with time-schedules. Ride The Sky started at 19:10, which was fair enough, and Epica hit the stage at 20:00-ish.
Sonata was around 9:30 pm (slightly earlier as I recall but hey. When I'm at a gig, I don't constantly check my watch.)
Ride The Sky was a decent enough band as a choice to open. I don't know their set (I will be posting the other two as memory permits), but they played a song called Ride The Sky, and New Protection, and also something called The Prince of Darkness. The singer was a total geek, but the crowd seemed to like them. Take them or leave them, their performance wasn't too bad, but I like only one supporting band better unless the other band is really of added value (unlike Epica, these guys weren't.) It was also really funny when four members of Sonata (including Tony) came on during the band's set halfway and started throwing out candy. It was bloody hilarious. The crowd was probably more excited for that than for Ride The Sky.
Epica fared better with the audience (and me as well, but Mark needs to stop the awful screaming. Let Simone fucking sing, will you?) They got a great crowd reaction, and since the band is Dutch there is no need to resort to English in the live set, which is always a nice treat. Simone is awesome live: that woman does a windmill like a man. The sound was great: the only complaints during this set (and the other two) is that the keyboards were a bit low in the mix.
Epica's setlist:
Intro: Indigo - Prologue
The Obsessive Devotion
Sensorium
Menace of Vanity
Fools of Damnation
Cry for the Moon (these two I can't remember the order of)
Sancta Terra
Consign to Oblivion
Covers their work nicely in my opinion, putting emphasis on the new disc which is just the best of the three as well. I liked the performances of Obsessive Devotion and Sancta Terra especially. They were loud, though!
After these two very agreeable openers, it was time for our good Finnish friends from Kemi, the superb Sonata Arctica. If you want to imagine an SA gig, put it like this: it's like a one-and-a-half our singalong gig. EVERY song has a chorus people can sing, so Tony just lets us get on with it (singing the melodies to Victoria's Secret and San Sebastian).
Tony is one charming Finnish dude, as well. Constantly making jokes, a true clown (or a wannabe puppet? Time will tell) and an active engager of the crowd: he was animated and the crowd was animated by him. The best part was of course just after the encore break: Tony did his drum game and it was bloody hilarious. Tony divided us into three parts and made us imitate a snare, a hi-hat and a bass drum. Pity I got hi-hat because our tempo was such ass, haha. Tony shook his head at us as well. Said he would be back. Apparently Tony has seen Schwarzenegger movies, too.
Another hilarious moment was Tony taking Elias's pick during Don't Say A Word and playing a solo for him (complete with wah pedal). Elias did the fretwork and Tony bashed the strings. Tony also air keytared during some of Henrik's solos.
Highlight song performances were the completely mindblowing rendition of "Caleb", FullMoon, Don't Say a Word, Black Sheep and of course My Land. Tallulah is such a silly song (I'd preferred Replica or Shamandalie), but it's fun to sing along to.
Sonata's setlist:
Intro (whatever the hell it was)
In Black and White
Paid in Full
Victoria's Secret
Broken
8th Commandment
Tallulah
Full Moon
Caleb
Black Sheep
It Won't Fade
Gravenimage (bleh, pick a better song Tony. Like Replica, which you missed.)
San Sebastian
-------
ENCORE
Tony's Drum Clinic, Part 35 (I am quoting Tony on this!)leading into We Will Rock You (Yes, for the ignorant, that is a Queen cover.)
My Land
Don't Say a Word
The Cage
Vodka
Final notes: We need some vodka...and a terrific hug from Tony.