Opeth celebrating 30 Years of existence and touring their whole discography. Online fans had the chance to vote for one song from each album and the most voted songs would be played on this short tour. Last weekend they played a double in Utrecht but I was in Portugal and opted for Lisboa.
Before I start about the concert a small rant as the performance of the combi Attice Arena / FNAC was far under par. No worries as when I get to the musical part things did and will improve dramatically. A few weeks ago I decided I would attend this show and tried to get a ticket online directly froom the venue. Well that worked until hitting the payment bottom. Than I realized that FNAC also sells tickets for events and shows in Attice Arena are among them. So I bought my ticket and got my email with two attachments and the explanation I needed to either print the attachment or show it on my phone. On the day itself the time schedule was never shared with us by the venue. So by phone we were informed through a ticket seller that the doors would open at 20:00 and show starting at 21:00. I told Josie I doubted that and asked Attice Arena by email for a time schedule, also looking at last metros home. So I went early and arrived around 19:35 at the veue. A queue was formed and people were already entering the venue. When it was my turn it turned out I printed an invoice. I showed on my phone the email with the two attachements and instructions, but guards were not impressed with me coming over from Holland to see this and told me it was an invoice I had, not a ticket. So I received two invoices. One being called Final Invoice and the other one invoice and ticket holding a QR code. Why would I need two invoices and one with a QR code FFS. So I was told to pass by the FNAC store in the shopping mall next to the venue and sort my ticket. Arriving at FNAC I told my story as friendly as I could, since I knew Voivod would start before 21:00. The girl at the desk however told me that I bought online and the store could not help. I should ask for help by email. I told her she worked for the same foking shop, so they should sort it and fast. Well I spoke over the phone with FNAC helpdesk and found your IQ should be below 80 to get a job there. I was getting slightly pissed off with everything Portugal and asked Josie to call the same guy as she was less emotional on the topic. Nothing sorted I returned to the venue, just giving it another shot after wasting far too much time at shithole FNAC. Suddenly the queue got really long as apparently most people were not bothered with the support band. I never get that attitude and when the support is Voivod I even think people should look for help when snobbing the support. Then again, maybe these people only followed the official timing and matters were supposed to start at 21:00 hrs. Now being close to nine it was my turn and again I could not get in. Turned out that meanwhile I was not the only one with this problem, so I was direcetd to a guy from the venue who would call FNAC with my order number. End good all good, well not really. In Portugal they still seem to think that metal fans are violent, so the police were hired to check all at security. Losing some more minutes I finally got into the venue, knowing I missed most of the Voivod show.
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Voivod
Can I write something of a show that I missed for the bigger part? Well what I saw sounded and looked great. Planet Eaters came first and only Fix My Heart and Astronomy Domine would follow. I felt sorry for myself and downed a few beers to get into the mood. Seeing Voivod end on a high before an enthusiastic participating audience did help me feeling better. Beers at 3.00 Euros were pricy for Portugal and the second one costing 3,50 made me frown. Turns out cups are returnable and cost 50 cents, while the first guy probably did not feel like expalining that to a gringo. Meanwhile Magchiel sent me an app that Messi was playing with a save the planet armband while playing in an airconditioned stadium. The band should read fok Qatar 2022,but I'm drifting off while just getting more positive.
Opeth
After an intermezzo filled with calm music and no metal Opeth came on at 21:45 in an almost sold out (my guess) Sala Tejo. This hall is part of Attice Arena where the main hall can hold some 12.000, the smaller Sala Tejo holds 4.000 people. Those who came were in the mood tonight as the Opeth chant between songs came back often and also the whole career seemed to be appreciated. Opeth would play one song of all their albums and just the start with Ghost of Perdition made all realize we would be in for a treat. Sound, Light, dry humored intermezzos and the setlist were a joy from start to finish, making this one of the best shows I attended this year. As a highlight you can not pass the epic twenty minute Black Rose Immortal. It almost made me buy the White Morningrise T-shirt, but my size was sold out on the last date of the tour. I was somewhat surprised that from their classic Blackwater Park the song Harest was played, but my favorite Still Life was represented by The Moor in superb style. The mix of Blackish Death starts to progrock current times worked wonderful and it showed how Opeth changed over time., but manages to stay at top levels. Even the disappointing album Hertiga passed the test as The Devil's Orchard was played. This was one fine evening of everything Opeth indeed and I hope Mikale Akerfeldt soon catches up with Steven Wilson again. Tell him how to make a setlist, as where Porcupie Tree were Beautiful but a bit cold, Opeth did touch on emotions for everyone in, no matter your favorite period in their career. They even found time fo rtwo covers on this long night. Napalm Death's You Suffer twice gave us an extra 20 seconds. Opeth even managed to make me forget the amateuristic start of the evening and I will go see them again on the next tour. Voivod I definitely want to see soon again as well, so two out of two make up for one fine evening.
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