A very hot afternoon one week before summer's end on the city of Rio de Janeiro, and the Lapa District, that's becoming a Mecca for Metal events after a long time hiatus. And this time the event was a workshop with Russell Allen, vocalist of SYMPHONY X, ADRENALINE MOB, ALLEN-LANDE and others, having as special guest the Brazilian singer (and friend) Thiago Bianchi, from NOTURNALL, SHAMAN, KARMA, and many other bands.

At the house's entrance, there were many fans awaiting anxiously to see Allen and Bianchi, but many of them were not musicians, but just Metal fans hoping to see both singers on the stage.

The house was nearly full of people, and Thiago Bianchi came to the stage, to make a short and energetic workshop.
 

Using pre-records instrumental basis on a computer, he sang three or four songs from his works, focusing more on NOTURNALL songs, set the public on fire, but the true gold was the time he spent with the public, answering the questions they got. So the atmosphere was very tender and warm, of a musician near to his fans. And he spoke about his musical influences, like his mother, a Brazilian MPB singer from the 60's / 70's, as well as Ronnie James Dio, Bruce Dickinson and others, but he told, for surprise of many, that Rob Halford weren't one, for the time he came to know his work, his musical background was already done (and it's not a sin to say that. No one has the obligation to know all Metal singers). But he recognized METALLICA and PANTERA as a musical influence for his work on bands, for the energy they got. As he told how he was happy to be on Rio de Janeiro for the first time, promising to come back with NOTURNALL for a show. And as he left, the clear idea is that we had contact not only with a great vocalist, but with a very humble guy and a great human being (the NOTURNALL's show last week on São Paulo was done to gain funds for a Cancer Hospital there).
 

Soon after Thiago's workshop was ended, Russel Allen came to the stage.

Sympathetic, gentle, kind, charismatic and with a great dose of good humor (sometimes his jokes were hilarious, and your Ol' Big Daddy here had strong aches in his bellies), Russell showed that he has the public in his hand, having them singing some of his songs (from SYMPHONY X and ADRENALINE MOB), but his interaction with the public is an astonishing thing.

Having Thiago Bianchi at the stage's side, he talked, laughed and made all of us laugh a lot (his jokes with Thiago were really great), answering a lot of questions from the public, one two were remarking ones: about his musical influences (he puts Ronnie James Dio in the top, above all), and his techniques, and he made clear that the secret is in his diaphragm (his mimics are really hilarious!), but he never made fun of the public, never.
 

And as the workshop ended, Russel and Thiago received the fans on a meet and greet time, talking and joking all the time, always sympathetic with us all (even me. He called me, due my beard and bald head, "Papa Bear", like one old person from TV shows), always imitating The Godfather.

Another fine event done by Blog'n'Roll Produções, so, we hope on a near future a show with ADRENALINE MOB or / and SYMPHONY X along NOTURNALL.