 | Written by Alex Stojanovic Photography by Marta Chilina (C) 2024 All rights reserved by MetalMasterKingdom.com BLIND GUARDIAN w/ NIGHT DEMON @ Rebel Toronto, ON, Canada May 9, 2024 Presented by Inertia Entertainment Watch our interview with Hansi Kursch here "VALHALLA, DELIVERANCE, WHY'VE YOU EVER FORGOTTEN ME?!" Whether you love power metal or not, you know that famous chorus, and you cannot help but get sucked into it and sing along to it every time it comes on in the car, your room, a party or at a show. That's exactly what the Bards of Toronto got to experience when Blind Guardian made their long-awaited return to North America with a tour that included a Toronto date at Rebel on May 9. It was the band's first tour of North America since 2016, but their first time in Toronto since 2015, and needless to say that the fans were more than delighted to see the band finally return after so long. Part of the long wait was for obvious reasons, which we don't need to get into, but they also put out their latest album The God Machine in 2022 when things were just starting to get back to normal for touring. |
Night Demon kicked off the night with a really solid and tight set. The Ventura, California trio's 45-min set contained a lot more music and very little talking. As a matter of fact, as the set went on, and there was no audience interaction from the band, I was left wondering whether they were going to talk at all. Surely enough, bassist and vocalist Jarvis Leatherby addressed the crowd before the final song. From my understanding, they wanted to let the music do the talking and have the chance to play as many songs as possible, since they're the only opening act on this tour. Some of the songs they touched on included "Outsider", "Screams In The Night", "Dawn Rider", "Welcome To The Night", "The Chalice" and "Night Demon". It was during "The Chalice" that they had someone dressed in a reaper costume carrying an empty chalice and pretending to pour a liquid out of it on to the band members.
Now, it was time for Blind Guardian to grace the stage. Instead of opening with a new song like most bands do, they opened with a classic, which was "Imaginations From The Other Side", only to then follow it with something new, that being "Blood Of The Elves". Blessing the audience with an impressive selection of fan-favourites and deep cuts, their 15-song set included bangers like "The Script For My Requiem", "Nightfall", "Violent Shadows", "Into The Storm", "Secrets Of The American Gods" and "Sacred Worlds". Not only that, but we were also treated to some surprise deep cuts like "Skalds & Shadows" and "Bright Eyes". Of course it wouldn't be a Blind Guardian show without the setlist staples like "Time Stands Still (At The Iron Hill)", "The Bard's Song-In The Forest", "Lost In The Twilight Hall", "Valhalla" and the classic closer "Mirror Mirror". I will say that it would've been nice to hear "Welcome To Dying".
Aesthetically, Blind Guardian is one of those bands that doesn't rely heavily on visuals like stage props or costumes. All they need is great lighting, the musicians on stage, great songs and audience participation, and you've got a recipe for an amazing live show with hardly any visual elements. Much like last time, the sound was immaculate and pristine, which is always a plus in anyone's book. It's incredible how amazing Hansi Kursch still sounds after all these years. He makes it look so easy to go from his unmistakable soothing cleans and his powerful raspy screams. The rest of the band played remarkably well as always. Since they were here last, Marcus Siepen has gone all grey in the hair department, making him look like a wise wizard, but without any sort of beard. Even though it was a Thursday night, it really felt like a Friday/Saturday night. If Blind Guardian hits your town or festival, make sure you go see them because they take pride in giving high quality shows. It goes to show that you don't need a big production to have a great show. As they say, less is more, and Blind Guardian embodies that claim to the fullest.
Now, it was time for Blind Guardian to grace the stage. Instead of opening with a new song like most bands do, they opened with a classic, which was "Imaginations From The Other Side", only to then follow it with something new, that being "Blood Of The Elves". Blessing the audience with an impressive selection of fan-favourites and deep cuts, their 15-song set included bangers like "The Script For My Requiem", "Nightfall", "Violent Shadows", "Into The Storm", "Secrets Of The American Gods" and "Sacred Worlds". Not only that, but we were also treated to some surprise deep cuts like "Skalds & Shadows" and "Bright Eyes". Of course it wouldn't be a Blind Guardian show without the setlist staples like "Time Stands Still (At The Iron Hill)", "The Bard's Song-In The Forest", "Lost In The Twilight Hall", "Valhalla" and the classic closer "Mirror Mirror". I will say that it would've been nice to hear "Welcome To Dying".
Aesthetically, Blind Guardian is one of those bands that doesn't rely heavily on visuals like stage props or costumes. All they need is great lighting, the musicians on stage, great songs and audience participation, and you've got a recipe for an amazing live show with hardly any visual elements. Much like last time, the sound was immaculate and pristine, which is always a plus in anyone's book. It's incredible how amazing Hansi Kursch still sounds after all these years. He makes it look so easy to go from his unmistakable soothing cleans and his powerful raspy screams. The rest of the band played remarkably well as always. Since they were here last, Marcus Siepen has gone all grey in the hair department, making him look like a wise wizard, but without any sort of beard. Even though it was a Thursday night, it really felt like a Friday/Saturday night. If Blind Guardian hits your town or festival, make sure you go see them because they take pride in giving high quality shows. It goes to show that you don't need a big production to have a great show. As they say, less is more, and Blind Guardian embodies that claim to the fullest.
| NIGHT DEMON Photo credit: Marta Chilina / (C) 2024 MetalMasterKingdom.com | BLIND GUARDIAN Photo credit: Marta Chilina / (C) 2024 MetalMasterKingdom.com |
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