Pain of Salvation are a hard one to follow. Easily the best new Progmetal band in the second half of the nineties, their first 4 albums are absolute Classics. Than slowly things started changing and through Be and Scarsick, both still had their moments we landed at Road Salt part 1 and 2 which have very little to do with progmetal, but go through a (too?) wide variety of styles. Still Daniel Gildenlow possesses one of the best voices around, which make them recognizable no matter the style.
This spring they are on an acoustical tour with a stage representing a seventies Swedish household. I decided to see what was coming and bring my open mind along, since probably some of the performances might not be my cup of tea. Starting of we get Daniel Gildenlow coming on and talking to us. Since he does not possess the dry sense of humor his countryman Mr. Akerfield, this was starting with a left foot for me. Than after playing One Road Salt song accompanied by the first opening band he left and we were bored to sleep with two very lame opening acts. I do own Scandinavian sung progressive rock albums, but what the first band showed was too far from my interest zone. Anneke van Giersbergen followed solo. which did not really live things up, with a Dolly Parton cover as lowpoint. A good thing of the boerderij is that you can escape to the bar, where a screen shows what you did not want to see live and slowly it got more crowded in there.
After a short break we got Pain of Salvation the band. Nowadays it became even more the Daniel Gildenlow solo experience with support. I do not know the band members any more, nor if they are part of the band, or just touring members. Most songs got the vocalist of the first band helping out, while also Anneke came back for some songs. Acustical menas not amplified, so several songs where not as interesting as the original versions, but others stood out pretty nice. Main reason for me to go was hearing the voice of Daniel Gildenlow which stood out even more in this setting. So we got some highlights in the form of Ashes, Iter Impius, Linoleum, Spitfall, but unfortunately also some unfortunate covers. The Kris Kristofferson cover was simply horrible and what they did to Holy diver was technically, maybe OK but a uncomfortable to listen to as well. I also would appreciate it if someone could kill the Disco Queen once and for all. The first tour after Scarsick it was funny to have them playing this live, but the joke ran out and what remains is a disco song. Looking at the people jumping up and down I am not in a majority on this one, but what a drag.
After closing the set with the Perfect element, they kept the best for the end. Dust in the Wind was the most interesting cover and Chainsling and 1979 were ending the evening on a high. We even got a second encore in the heaviest moment of the evening with band only performing No Way.
Concluding I ended the evening with a smile, but the feeling of it could have been so much better also stays. Pain of Salvation always have been going there own way, so they did again. For me memories went back to Headway years ago, when even while being sick they were on their peak.
Next week we get the return of Headway and I shall miss out due to work travel. Headway shall return next year (I hope), but Pain of Salvation in Headway form seems to be gone for good.
This spring they are on an acoustical tour with a stage representing a seventies Swedish household. I decided to see what was coming and bring my open mind along, since probably some of the performances might not be my cup of tea. Starting of we get Daniel Gildenlow coming on and talking to us. Since he does not possess the dry sense of humor his countryman Mr. Akerfield, this was starting with a left foot for me. Than after playing One Road Salt song accompanied by the first opening band he left and we were bored to sleep with two very lame opening acts. I do own Scandinavian sung progressive rock albums, but what the first band showed was too far from my interest zone. Anneke van Giersbergen followed solo. which did not really live things up, with a Dolly Parton cover as lowpoint. A good thing of the boerderij is that you can escape to the bar, where a screen shows what you did not want to see live and slowly it got more crowded in there.
After a short break we got Pain of Salvation the band. Nowadays it became even more the Daniel Gildenlow solo experience with support. I do not know the band members any more, nor if they are part of the band, or just touring members. Most songs got the vocalist of the first band helping out, while also Anneke came back for some songs. Acustical menas not amplified, so several songs where not as interesting as the original versions, but others stood out pretty nice. Main reason for me to go was hearing the voice of Daniel Gildenlow which stood out even more in this setting. So we got some highlights in the form of Ashes, Iter Impius, Linoleum, Spitfall, but unfortunately also some unfortunate covers. The Kris Kristofferson cover was simply horrible and what they did to Holy diver was technically, maybe OK but a uncomfortable to listen to as well. I also would appreciate it if someone could kill the Disco Queen once and for all. The first tour after Scarsick it was funny to have them playing this live, but the joke ran out and what remains is a disco song. Looking at the people jumping up and down I am not in a majority on this one, but what a drag.
After closing the set with the Perfect element, they kept the best for the end. Dust in the Wind was the most interesting cover and Chainsling and 1979 were ending the evening on a high. We even got a second encore in the heaviest moment of the evening with band only performing No Way.
Concluding I ended the evening with a smile, but the feeling of it could have been so much better also stays. Pain of Salvation always have been going there own way, so they did again. For me memories went back to Headway years ago, when even while being sick they were on their peak.
Next week we get the return of Headway and I shall miss out due to work travel. Headway shall return next year (I hope), but Pain of Salvation in Headway form seems to be gone for good.
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