Live concerts Top 11 of 2022

2022 and at times it looked like Covid was never here. Unfortunately also at times it looked different as I caught the bastard late April. Therefore I missed two shows for which I had tickets and both likely to score high. MSG in de Boerderij and Riot City / Seven Sisters in Kavka Antwerp. Still I visited some damn fine shows. Being away half the year, made me miss a fair share as well. In the end I was far too little times in my favorite places for Live Music: Musicon, Baroeg, Nobel and Little Devil. Due to the limited number of shows no top 22 of 2022, but a top 11. Here we go.

11. Scar Symmetry - de Gigant Apeldoorn 4 November

Headliner of the first evening at Brainstorm. A wonderful show where the double vocals worked very nice to me.

10. Edge of Forever - Bel Air Breda 11 March

A proper meodic metal show in Bel Air. One of Alessandro's many bands and I loved his voice live.

9. Porcupine Tree - Ziggo Dome Amsterdam 6 November

The Tree are back, with a half decent album and an impressive live show. Only the setlist could have been so much better to me. Still pure class on stage

8. Bütcher / Wound Collectror / Alcatrazz - Musicon The Hague throughout the year.

I was far too few times in Musicon this year, but these three were my favorite bands hitting the most sympathetic stage in Holland.

7. Flotsam and Jetsam / Death Angel - Cacaofabriek and DMF Helmond and Eindhoven

Two bands you can see almost every year live and they refuse to disappoint. Bring them on in 2023

6. Mastodon - 013 Tilburg 9 June

Mastodon touring their Hushed and Grim album in great style. 

5. Toxik / Heathen - de Pul Uden 16 June

My pedal to the metal brought me to Uden. Toxik again and Heathen frst time for me, both giving us a great show. 

4. Opeth - Sala Tejo Lisbon 26 November 

What a careeer overview was this. Even much better than what I hoped for. 13 albums, 13 songs, one from each album. The perfect set showing that their career is great from the early years till today.

3. Iotunn - Sjiwa Baarlo 1 October

When a new band that released one of my favourite 2021 albums is invited for ProgPower hopes are high. They surpassed my expectations. And yes in Gigant they might have been tighter (drums more at home) but this first experience being blown away I shall long remember.

2. Lillian Axe - Nightrain Bradford 24 August

When my favorite melodic metal band comes to Europe I will be there (well if I can and timing suits). A perfect evening warmed up by very good Kaine and Riot Act. The latest formation of Lillian Axe passed the classics and walked us through their career. New album on sale, which now still needs to be toured in Europe!!

1. Angel - Baroeg Rotterdam 21 August

The perfect mix of nostalgia and a band in topform. Live Without a Net was one of my favourite live albums from the seventies/eighties. I saw them only once before a few years ago in Liege. Then in a bad mood, now completely loving it on stage'also as the audience was (very) loud. Lost my voice for a few days, more than worth it. Shouting along so many classic songs of my youth was a joy. Never would have thought this band at that location being such a perfect match. Pity their awesome white shirt only was available in M size, which I last could wear when Live Without a Net was released February 1980.

So now Friday closing 2022 live music in Musicon with René's Bday party, but coverbands won't surpass the above. Bring on 2023