The venue is The Factory Theatre in Sydney, Australia and for the first time in history, Heavy Metal legends from Germany are performing live. The eager crowd masses and the first striking component is the multi-generational followers present.
Rarely do music lovers feel such a profound electric atmosphere of enthusiasm as is evident tonight. A rough looking bunch for sure, but a more polite, respectful and accommodating group is difficult to find. There is a real comradery amongst those assembled. A true appreciation and comprehension of what an enormous and historic night this truly is.
Those true devotees of Heavy Metal music present are fervently and acutely aware that bands such as ACCEPT, JUDAS PRIEST and IRON MAIDEN have paved the way for all who followed. Formed in 1976, the Teutonic Terror are finally here in Australia, and with founding member and guitar legend, Wolf Hoffmann, we present are in for the ride of our lives.
TEMTRIS give a magnificent performance in typical style and warm the crowd in a variety of ways (nice outfit Genevieve Rodda). A fantastic performance and an opportunity to demonstrate their skill. Equally Darker Half perform splendidly and keep all on the simmer when suddenly its time.
Looking around the crowd I am stunned by the profound truth that most present have been waiting the best part of forty years for this performance. Some overflowing with eager anticipation have obviously made the journey overseas to see Accept, or so their tour shirts of past shows attest.
Personally, I have been waiting to see Wolf Hoffmann play live for most of my life. Having had a recent opportunity to interview Wolf, I have a better understanding of this fantastic fellow and now live and loud here in Australia. Finally.
All present let out a resounding roar as Accept take to the stage and thrill all with "Stampede" from the "Blind Rage" album. Young and old sing together and know the words precisely. I am filled with a sense of pride that the first Australian show meet Accept with electrified passion and appreciation for their visit.
Next is
"Stalingrad", the title track from their 2012 offering, and with it comes evidence from the audience that true devotees are present, singing along with metal moshing might.
Tracks both new and old are blended into a thoroughly thrilling performance. Wolf is all I hoped for and more. What a master guitarist and showman of the first order. All tracks are met with thrilled cries of appreciation and bewildered looks around give credence to the theory that Australia is full of Accept fans. I notice a few present actually in tears as "Dying Breed" is played and in gargantuan splendour and appreciated by the crowd like it was the group's last performance, and reference to AC/DC's "Highway To Hell" met with a resounding roar of crowd appreciation. Amazing. Thoroughly amazing. Fast as a Shark is the last track and I feel thoroughly spent. What a performance and what a memorable night. How can anyone be in any state other than bewildered awe of what has just transpired.
Then Wolf walks backstage and gives me a knowing smile. Just when you think this monumental show has reached it's climax we are treated to a brilliant encore of fantastic proportions and last, but by no means least, Balls to the Wall concludes our thrilling journey.
Wolf was all you could possibly hope for, and so much more. Peter Baltes has been with ACCEPT since about 1977 and is a veteran performer of such magnitude that one wonders whether the band would have enjoyed such a long journey without his input. Hermann Frank was utterly fantastic, thrilling, amusing and awesome all rolled into one, but video footage does not do this man justice. He is so much more astounding live. Stefan Schwarzmann is flabbergasting at the kit and does the band proud with every beat. What a brilliant addition to the ban he has been. And then there is the lead vocals of Mark Tornillo. What a magnificent performer in his own right. I understand the disappointment of Udo devotees, but who better to carry on the music of old and so profoundly orate the new. Utterly, utterly brilliant. Such might and power pushing the lyrics forth with vengeful abandon. Mark is comprehensively astonishing in his vocal capacity, theatrics and reverence to the groups' evolution.
Regardless of audience musical preferences, this ACCEPT live for the first time in Australia for their Blind Rage Tour are truly astounding and not to be missed. Forty years in the making and every ounce worth the wait.
Photos courtesy of Silver Tiger Photography
