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On stage: Van Canto



- Magic Circle Festival - July 2009 - St. Goarshausen (D) -
- W.O.A. - Aug. 2011 - Wacken (D) -
- Van Canto, Tristania, Serenity, Xandria & Amberian Dawn - Oct. 2011 - Dortmund (D) -


www.vancanto.de










- Van Canto, Tristania, Serenity, Xandria & Amberian Dawn -
- October 15th 2011 - Dortmund (D), FZW -





Amberian Dawn - live in Dortmund 2011

Xandria - live in Dortmund 2011

Serenity - live in Dortmund 2011

Serenity - live in Dortmund 2011

Tristania - live in Dortmund 2011

Tristania - live in Dortmund 2011

Van Canto - live in Dortmund 2011

Van Canto - live in Dortmund 2011

Van Canto - live in Dortmund 2011

Van Canto - live in Dortmund 2011

On Saturday October 15th the Out Of The Dark tour stopped in Dortmund and it was the last tour stop, too. On the bill 5 bands and an unusual early start as Amberian Dawn entered the stage at 5 PM! At that time the crowd wasn't very big, but I expected more people to arrive while the Finnish were on stage. During the intro the band went on stage and they kicked off with Talisman, the opening track of their latest release - End Of Eden. The album was released about a year ago and so their fans knew the tune very well. Singer Heidi Parviainen came on last and soon all eyes were on her. With their neo-classical power metal with soprano vocals isn't completely new, but Heidi and the guys present their songs with power and passion. It's been 2 years since I saw Amberian Dawn and not just Heidi's look changed, it seems like the band grow, that the experience of touring with Epica helped them get stronger. With Lionheart and Shallow Waters they offered two tracks of their second album, The Clouds Of Northland Thunder which was released in 2009. After another track of their latest release - at Arctica they had to face some technical problems with the guitar - they traveled back in time and Valkyries represented their debut River Of Tuoni. As it was the last show of the tour a few unexpected things happened. Amberian Dawn got served with some shots several times during their set and the guys obviously liked it.... Heidi saved hers for later and stated "Best place we ever played. I think I know what the guys like best..." looking at them drowning shots. After a few more songs - and shots - they closed their set with River Of Tuoni.


A short change over and German band Xandria were next on. When I saw them in summer of 2009 they had a different singer and it looked like it will last... Well, it didn't and now Manuela Kraller. Lisa Schaphaus-Middelhauve was their first and long-time singer and her successor Kerstin Bischoff only been part of Xandria a year... Some will know Manuela as a member of Haggard. Anyway, they opened their set with India, the title track of their 2005 release. With Now & Forever and End Of Every Story they continued, at Save My Life the Serenity guys entered the stage. One of the guys in a dress while others carried a chair on stage where he sat down. Singer Georg was holding up a poster "Shave my wife" while others pretended to shave 'the lady'. Manuela had a hard time to keep going when Georg tried to make the fans sing the alternate refrain. Afterwards Manuela Kraller told the crowd that the band was pretty busy over the summer, working on their new album which will be out early 2012. As a little appetizer they presented a new song called Valentine. Obviously Manuela was more comfortable singing this one then songs which were written for Lisa. Two more and they had to come to an end... And this was marked by their 'smash hit' Ravenheart which fans sang along loudly.


Next in line Austrian symphonic metal outfit Serenity. I had the pleasure to see them several times and it's always been great. On this tour guitarist Tom Buchberger couldn't do this tour and so Chris Hermsdörfer gave a helping hand. Serenity kicked off with New Horizons off their current album Death & Legacy. Another one of this album should follow - Far From Home -, then they presented tunes of their 2008 release Fallen Sanctuary. Coldness Kills came first, then their ballad Fairytales where Georg Neuhauser was joined by French singer Clémentine Delauney, the singer of Whyzdom. The skinny black-haired singer delivered a great performance. After Reduced To Nothingness frontman Georg Neuhauser informed the audience that the show is recorded for a possible live album release and thanked everybody for such a great time. Then he announced the next song, their current single Serenade Of Flames - and Clémentine, the Whyzdom singer joined them again. During Velatum the crew started taking apart the drum kit and so prevented that they play one more song... Unfortunately this was the end of their set and I hope they come back on tour and have more stage time....


Time for a little different sound... time for Tristania! The Norwegian band with the Italian singer began their set with Year Of The Rat off Rubicon. Mariangela Demurtas is a real power pack, full of energy and able to carry the show on her own - not that she has to. But with Kjetil Nordhus she has a great counterpart. With the next song they traveled back in time, about a decade ago Tristania released World Of Glass and The Shining Path is from their 2001 release. Unfortunately one of the security guys thought it's their 3rd song - perhaps because it's along one and shows different facets - and so we had to leave the photo pit early... At least we had the chance to catch Van Canto invading the stage dressed like coming out of the shower they came on and complained about not having a dressing room... That caused a little confusion on stage, but then Mary took over and announced Amnesia. The dark, powerful but melancholy tune which features Mary. For Tender Trip On Earth Kjetil Nordhus got an acoustic guitar and guitarist Anders Høyvik Hidle adds some harsh vocals. Guitarist Gyri Smørdal Losnegaard seem to be not such a strong stage personality - compared to the others -, but did a great job. She is a very nice and warm person, just with so several strong characters in a band one has to step back. Sacrilege and Shadowman followed. With the beautiful Beyond The Veil they came closer to the end of the set which ended with Exile. Somewhere during the set Kjetil thanked any one is the crew, naming everybody and before the left the stage they announced that they will show up at the merchandise both soon. And they were, so I talked to Kjetil and we met at the end of the second Van Canto song for a nice little chat...


Time for the headliners! All night their fans were shouting "Rakka Takka Motherfucker" between the bands, showing their love for the exceptional sextet. And intro called the crowds attention and Van Canto entered the stage. They started with Lost Forever, one of their originals and the opener of Tribe Of Force and the Nightwish cover Wishmaster. I returned from my interview with Tristania when they played Sabaton's Primo Victoria. At The Mission - from their debut -, they embedded Metallica's Master Of Puppets. Iron Maiden's Fear Of The Dark was one of their highlights, followed by Sing A Metal Song and they closed this chapter with Bard Song. Inga Scharf and the guys delivered an energetic show, and so nobody left disappointed. Well, some stayed for the party while others headed home early - it was just past 10 PM. At the end of the day I can say it was a great package. The crowd could have been bigger, but at least the fans enjoyed the show and had a good time.




Claudia Ehrhardt

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           ©2008-2011 by Claudia Ehrhardt • E-Mail: contact@ice-vajal.com




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