kamelot_2007_05

» Kamelot 2007 05 01

Reviewed by Thomas
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Headliner: Kamelot
Special guest: Leaves' Eyes
City: Gothenburg, Sweden
Venue: Trädgårn
Date: 01 May 2007
Leaves' Eyes set length: 45 minutes
Kamelot set length: 90 minutes

Triosphere

When I walked in about a half an hour before Leaves' Eyes where about to start, according to what previously had been announced, I saw a band on stage with a female vocalist, and it didn't take long before I realized that this was something else. What I saw was the band Triosphere, a second support-act that had not been announced at all, as far as I know. I didn't see enough of them to give them any grade, but Triosphere did impress on me with their melodic yet raw heavy metal rooted in the eighties with female vocals.

-- chalices of 10

(sorry, no setlist)

Leaves' Eyes

I must confess that I got a bit bored by the overwhelming sweetness and by the languishing vocals from Liv Kristine. Surely it was a professional band on stage but it does not work as well live as it does on album with Leaves' Eyes for me. Some songs that are a bit faster and with more power in them did somewhat work, like Ocean's Way and Elegy, otherwise it tends to become too much of the sweet and fragile sound. Although, in those rougher songs another flaw presented itself with the male vocals from Alexander Krull. His tough attitude on stage is more suitable for a death metal band, (although his growls did not sound too good this evening), and in front of the music from Leaves' Eyes I had it hard with finding it truth worthy, nevertheless he did a good job with firing up the crowd.

3 chalices of 10

SETLIST: (might be slightly incorrect)

Vinland Saga (Intro)
Farewell Proud Men
Ocean's Way
The Crossing
Into Your Light
The Thorn
Leave's Eyes
New Found Land
Norwegian Lovesong
Temptation
Lyset
Legend Land
Solemn Sea
Elegy

Kamelot

I expected Kamelot to do a great show, but I did not expect that when I left that I would leave in a state of euphoria. From the beginning to end this was exactly how great I wanted it to be, and even more. When Kamelot entered the stage it was head on with full intensity right from the start, and I wonder if Roy Khan has ever sung this good live before, and then he really has a great voice to start with. When The Lights Are Down and Soul Society gave the concert an excellent start and so far the band seemed to be enjoying this as much as the audience was.

The setlist did not differ that much from the last time they played in Gothenburg on their last tour about a year ago. Some songs had been left out in favour of three new ones from their upcoming album Ghost Opera, and believe me when I tell you that those songs work just as good as any of the others live. Kamelot had brought with them a female backing vocalist, and she also sang the female parts in The Haunting for instance. Her addition further added some depth to the songs and made them even more powerful, sound wise as well as visually with one more person performing on stage. When they started to play Forever, which was the final song of the regular set, I actually got massive goose bumps. This was just simply so damn good in all possible way. And that was before the crowd took over the singing from Khan in the song. If you have seen Kamelot in any way, live or DVD, you know that there is a play-along moment in Forever where the spectators follow the lead from Khan in a uh-oh-uh part. However, by this point the crowd took over the singing completely leaving the band on stage looking genuinely overwhelmed by the reception they got.

Except for the obvious Forever, other personal highlights came with Center Of The Universe, Karma and the new song Ghost Opera. Of the new songs, this was the one that came out best and just as all of the new ones, it got a really good reception, so I guess it is safe to say that Kamelot seem to have done things right with the upcoming album. The second encore and the closing song March Of Mephisto pounded out the last of the band that seemed to be having a really great time on stage, and this is what I love about some bands, you can see that they are really pushing themselves to do their best, and also that it shows so well that they really like it. Therefore, even if I missed some songs in the set and I think they could have gone on much longer than ninety minutes for my part, it would be idiotic of me to complain.

9 chalices of 10

SETLIST: (might be slightly incorrect)

Intro
When The Lights Are Down
Soul Society
Mourning Star
Center Of The Universe
Instrumental
The Human Stain
Descent Of The Archangel
Keyboard Solo
The Haunting
Forever
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Ghost Opera
Karma
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March Of Mephisto