The day had been long, and what better way to end a long day than 3+ hours of show? So I valiantly set out in the cold and snowy (okay, sleety) night to get to the Rockhal on that 1st of December evening, and was greeted by Swedish band Smash Into Pieces.
First on the stage, they had the rather daunting task of warming up the Luxembourgish audience. For those who may not know them, they have been around for 10 years, with a sound reminiscent of Amaranthe (but with a single singer rather than three). And the least we could say is that they did manage to warm the venue while it was slowly getting to capacity.
Next were Evanescence, the famous band that once was everyone’s favourite band in high school. It has to be said that over the years, the energy they display on stage has exponentially increased and the band has matured to ensure that everyone can enjoy their music. The addition of Emma has also increased the range of backing vocals while ensuring a great on-stage presence.
The show lasted for a full-time show length, rather than a first-part show (which is only deserved, obviously), and you can tell a great length of work went into designing the stage and the lighting. Pyramid lights? Check. Massive screen? Check. Everything to amaze the audience, all the way up to a storm of confetti.
What was great is that there were not only those massive hits everyone knows such as Going Under, Call me when you’re sober, My Immortal or Bring me to life, but also a decent selection of more modern songs, with a stronger electro vibe.
By then you could tell the audience was more than ready for the Dutch from Within Temptation. After a quick stage change, they were up, and oh boy. Screens, light effects, massive show all around, and it was easy to tell that the whole band was happy to be (finally!) on stage for this tour that had been postponed so much. Once again, old and new titles were nicely alternated.
The show wasn’t just a show of music. In fact, on Raise your Banner, what should we see but the Ukrainian flag. Unfortunately we didn’t have a Tarja to assist in What About Us, but she was there on screen and in thoughts.
Overall, a massive show that lasted for a solid 3 and a half hours in total, and a great evening with a packed venue.
