It's a vital mistake, to try to brawl with the brave! It's the March of the Saint. Or in other words, Armored Saint was back in Holland and we did not want to miss that. Hans and Mary plus Ron and Astrid, meant Hans booked a hotel for five and we would make 10 August a city break in Eindhoven. This hotel was needed as when taking the last train home, we did run the risk to miss Last Train Home. If you don't get the last line, you can stop reading here as you do not know your metal classics. Being early August we knew that competition would be fierce as both Alcatrazz Metal Festival in Belgium and Into The Grave in northern Holland started already. So Dynamo was not packed, but during the Saint nicely filled up. Finally without many knowing maybe, this was also the 30th wedding anniversary party of the sympathetic couple that most travels for metal in Holland: Esther and Michel. Well Joey Vera knew as he congratulated them during the set.
Openers of the evening were Act of Defiance. This band is mainly known for the previous bands of the members, being Megadeth, Shadows Fall and Scar the Martyr. I heard of this band, but never took the time to check them out. Before the show I looked for some clips on Youtube and realized I would like this show. Heavy Metal of the heavy kind, with raw vocals and some lower lines from the bassist. As both bands play Alcatrazz today (and way too early for their status), This band had to leave fast after their show. I decided therefore to get their last CD Old Scars, New Wounds before their set. Good move as I indeed liked their show. Playing a short set with songs of both their albums Dynamo slowly filled and got into their metal. Interesting to see how main man Chris Broderick is known from his days with thrashers Megadeth, while he reminded tanned and pumped more a member of Los Angeles colleague bands from the hair metal era. His soloing was great though and that is what matters. So when we were beginning to get warmed up we deserved another drink during the break. Well that sounds a lot easier than it was. The draughts in the hall stopped serving and at the entrance only one still worked. Sad result was that the queue for that one functioning beer pump, dwarfed the queue for the Act of Defiance Merch stand before they left the building for Belgium,
Bringing a support act of certain name and fame or not it was clear that most people came to see Armored Saint. This tour they celebrate their fourth album Symbol of Salvation, playing it in full. This might well be my favorite Saint album altogether. Yet I decided not to play it before the show, giving me the chance to have the O-yeah-that-one-as-well-effect. Before we got to SoS we were treated on March of the Saint, Long Before I Die and Chemical Euphoria. One song of each of their first three albums. Sound great, playing tight and John Bush still one of the best voices in metal. In the end this evening turned into one big celebration of Heavy Metal as it was always intended to be. And yes passing through SoS was one party indeed from Reign of Fire until Spineless these thirteen songs showed what a classic album this truly is. My favorite song Last Train Home turned out to be an audience favorite as the reactions got that bit louder after they finished it. So the Saint did conquer and everybody in tonight seemed to totally love this show, Madhouse! Pity that youth was hardly present, which makes you worried for the next decades. Well as long as our heroes still jump down a few meters like John Bush did, our metal will survive as well. This is one show you just should not miss. And then it was over with first a search for the lockers (yes Dynamo moved the lockers during the show out of the entrance hall and hid them in the smokers room!?!) and later a recap over some beers in Metal bar The Jack. Great evening, superb band.
No comments:
Post a Comment