With the recent release of
APOCALYPTICA's new album
"Shadowmaker", the band has set off on a massive tour across Europe, starting this October. Lasting three months, and with 51 appearances in a whopping 23 countries, I got to catch
APOCALYPTICA on this epic tour as they blazed through Munich, Germany.
Upon entering the venue, the one thing that surprised me was the absolute diversity of the crowd: everyone from longhaired die-hard metalheads all the way through to children and grandmothers flocked into Munich's Tonhalle, eyes shining in anticipation of seeing the three masters of the cello perform. Despite it being a week day, by the official start of the concert the venue was already jam-packed, the first row unsurprisingly filled almost entirely by women gazing up at the stage in excited expectation. First up on stage was TRACER, an Australian Rock band from Adelaide. Having released their fourth album "Water for Thirsty Dogs" earlier this year, TRACER are back in Europe to promote this release. Already with a slew of successes under their belt in the European scene, this trio from the Land Down Under seemed to captivate the Munich audience with their effortless charm. Completely enthralled, it didn't take long before the crowd was waving everything in the air, from hands to lighters, and even to crutches! TRACER undeniably put on an excellent show, and doubtlessly garnered many new fans over the course of the evening. However, much to the chagrin of their fans, TRACER's setlist was rather short, and their performance over far too soon. But take heart, they'll be back doing a headliner tour of Europe early next year!
Setlist:1. Too Much
2. We're Only Animals
3. Water For Thirsty Dogs
4. There's a Man
5. Astronaut Juggernaut
6. Devil Ride
7. Us Versus The World
Tension mounted as stage hands worked feverishly to prepare the stage for the long awaited APOCALYPTICA show. And finally all was ready: the lights dimmed, and the cheering hit a crescendo as the three cellists Eicca, Paavo, and Perttu walked onto the stage, complete by drummer Mikko. Fans were even happier when Franky Perez joined in during the third song "I'm not Jesus", his vocals giving the evening that special extra flare. With Franky performing the lead vocal parts on eight of the 19 songs, this managed to strike the perfect balance between the band showcasing their music as a whole, whilst still allowing their unique cello-centric approach to shine through.
Whilst songs from the "Shadowmaker" album were obviously the crowning jewels of the evening, the setlist contained a seductive offering from each of the APOCALYPTICA albums. Indeed, some of the songs hadn't been played live for over 15 years! And of course, what would an APOCALYPTICA concert be without some of the favourite covers like METALLICA's "Seek 'n Destroy" or "Master of Puppets", or even Edvard Grieg's classical masterpiece "In the Hall of the Mountain King"? The exuberant atmosphere created during these songs stood in stark contrast to the more heart-wrenching ballads, such as the keening beauty of "Bittersweet" that left the audience with tears in their eyes.
The one thing that must be said for APOCALYPTICA is that they not only put on a spell-binding show musically, but also that the visual aspects are outstanding, resulting in an unforgettable experience that lasts well over two hours. The only downside was the sound; whilst the instruments sounded well mixed in the first few rows, the further back you went, the more the drums dominated. By the time I got to the back of the concert venue, all I could hear was a wall of pounding drums, with only the faintest traces of cello left. This aside, both bands' performances were absolutely stellar.
Despite being over two decades old, APOCALYPTICA is still very much on top of their game, as this show vociferously proved. With a host of tour dates still coming up, I can only highly recommend getting your tickets now. It will doubtlessly be just as spectacular as the night they set Munich alight!
Setlist:
1. Reign of Fear
2. Grace
3. I'm not Jesus
4. House of Chains
5. Not Strong Enough
6. Master of Puppets
7. Inquisition Symphony
8. Bittersweet
9. Harmageddon
10. Hope
11. Riot Lights
12. Shadowmaker
13. Hole in my Soul
14. Ludwig Medley
15. Refuse/Resist
16. Seek 'n Destroy
17. Hall of the Mountain King
18. I Don't Care
19. Dead Man's Eyes
