I can still remember the first time Evergrey came to Greece, tagging along with Crimson Glory and Kamelot, at bug club... Gosh, what a line-up... that was ages ago. Since then many years have passed and the band has been here again, but if I’m not mistaken it was a few years since the last time they were here last. With the release of the very warmly received “Hymns for the Broken” that seemingly has been gathering heaps of praise around the globe, it was considered a rather good opportunity to call the band for a “live performance” once again and it was not only one, but it was twice... both an acoustic night, preceding the proper show at Kytarro club, and also a gig in Salonica as well.
The acoustic “full band” performance at Bad City was interesting. It wasn’t completely packed, which made the whole event, a little easier to “appreciate” and the band was a bit more loose and was joking and mucking about with Tom Englund, not taking himself too seriously and making too often requests for booze and by the end of the night he did look quite plastered… that didn’t detract him from turning in a quite lovely performance however, that was a little campy – in places… due to the whole shenanigans and the quirky blabs and jokes with the audience!
The “proper” Athenian gig of the band was supported by False Coda and Need. I was unlucky to miss, False Coda’s set, since a bus broke down at Marni street, just a couple of roads, further from the venue, not letting me move for about 20 odd minutes before it got fixed! Ah, lovely public transport, breaking down in the middle of the street. I heard some nice things about them going in, but I could not attest to a thing.
Need on the other hand that had just finished their first song when I entered the venue, were sounding tight and pro as they come. I can recall them playing “Lifeknot”, “Symmertrape”, “Mother Madness”, “Lie Before You Sleep” and even to great surprise “Ovram” in its entirety (it’s almost 20 minutes long!) They rightfully got the fans warm reception and appreciative response.
After that and as I had to quickly get out to get some air, since the things were too hot inside the hall, while the band was having a line check, I waited for a while before going back in. Evergrey took a while before getting on stage, but once they did they didn’t get of it for quite a while. The organizers had promised at least 90 minutes, (which is the minimum contracted time) but the band was in the mood to do a lot more and performed for 130 min! That’s value for money when some “up and coming acts barely do gigs that are 77 minutes long”...
The band started taking their places as an intro in Greek was playing and started by blasting out their new “hit” – “King of Errors”, which people sung word for word, something that pleased the band immensely. They in turn offered “As I Lie Here Bleeding” and “Obedience” which also got a nice response. The band revisited “Hymns for the Broken” to perform “A New Dawn” and “Wake a Change” but then they went back “in search of” the “truth” into their dark past… with “The Masterplan”, “Rulers of the Mind” and “Mark of the Triangle”... Awesome stuff, but not nearly as awesome as when they blasted “Solitude Within” and “Nosferatu” from what is probably their undisputed masterpiece “Solitude, Dominance, Tragedy”... that sent a couple of old dawgs to blissful headbanging heaven. “Blinded” kept things, to the relative “past” but we were fast forwarded to the “hymns” era next to listen to the “Black Undertow” next and then the cover of “I’m Sorry” – that Tom – got the people to sing along to. “Monday Morning’s Apocalypse”, namesake got an airing next in its full splendor and “Leave it Behind Us” kept things more current, and then “Words Mean Nothing” and “Missing You” the latter probably the best thing from hymns, were probably the highlight of the evening, one of quite a few. The band also elected a song from their latest album the “Grand Collapse” to close their normal set... which I suppose has a bit of a fitting title…
Well, even if they would have finished the gig at that point no-one would have complained them Swedes, came back to offer some more “sad melancholic” but nice songs… in the form of a four song encore…
“When the Walls Go Down” was quite epic with its great atmosphere and the whole way the guys where onstage amplified the effect with the keys beside the drums. “Recreation Day” once again took us on a trip to the bands formative years, while “Broken Wings” checked “Torn”, an album that is quite nice but felt quite sidelined this night by the song selection I suppose, but what can a band with as many albums and songs do, really? The finale was to come in the form of “A Touch of Blessing” which really was a fitting epilogue that must have not left anyone complaining.
A truly full and quite spellbinding performance that must have appeased the fans of the band. In all ways the electric show was really almost perfect. Well given the response and the effect that the band had, I wouldn’t be surprised if they turn up again sooner rather than later on these shores next time.
The “proper” Athenian gig of the band was supported by False Coda and Need. I was unlucky to miss, False Coda’s set, since a bus broke down at Marni street, just a couple of roads, further from the venue, not letting me move for about 20 odd minutes before it got fixed! Ah, lovely public transport, breaking down in the middle of the street. I heard some nice things about them going in, but I could not attest to a thing.
Need on the other hand that had just finished their first song when I entered the venue, were sounding tight and pro as they come. I can recall them playing “Lifeknot”, “Symmertrape”, “Mother Madness”, “Lie Before You Sleep” and even to great surprise “Ovram” in its entirety (it’s almost 20 minutes long!) They rightfully got the fans warm reception and appreciative response.
After that and as I had to quickly get out to get some air, since the things were too hot inside the hall, while the band was having a line check, I waited for a while before going back in. Evergrey took a while before getting on stage, but once they did they didn’t get of it for quite a while. The organizers had promised at least 90 minutes, (which is the minimum contracted time) but the band was in the mood to do a lot more and performed for 130 min! That’s value for money when some “up and coming acts barely do gigs that are 77 minutes long”...
The band started taking their places as an intro in Greek was playing and started by blasting out their new “hit” – “King of Errors”, which people sung word for word, something that pleased the band immensely. They in turn offered “As I Lie Here Bleeding” and “Obedience” which also got a nice response. The band revisited “Hymns for the Broken” to perform “A New Dawn” and “Wake a Change” but then they went back “in search of” the “truth” into their dark past… with “The Masterplan”, “Rulers of the Mind” and “Mark of the Triangle”... Awesome stuff, but not nearly as awesome as when they blasted “Solitude Within” and “Nosferatu” from what is probably their undisputed masterpiece “Solitude, Dominance, Tragedy”... that sent a couple of old dawgs to blissful headbanging heaven. “Blinded” kept things, to the relative “past” but we were fast forwarded to the “hymns” era next to listen to the “Black Undertow” next and then the cover of “I’m Sorry” – that Tom – got the people to sing along to. “Monday Morning’s Apocalypse”, namesake got an airing next in its full splendor and “Leave it Behind Us” kept things more current, and then “Words Mean Nothing” and “Missing You” the latter probably the best thing from hymns, were probably the highlight of the evening, one of quite a few. The band also elected a song from their latest album the “Grand Collapse” to close their normal set... which I suppose has a bit of a fitting title…
Well, even if they would have finished the gig at that point no-one would have complained them Swedes, came back to offer some more “sad melancholic” but nice songs… in the form of a four song encore…
“When the Walls Go Down” was quite epic with its great atmosphere and the whole way the guys where onstage amplified the effect with the keys beside the drums. “Recreation Day” once again took us on a trip to the bands formative years, while “Broken Wings” checked “Torn”, an album that is quite nice but felt quite sidelined this night by the song selection I suppose, but what can a band with as many albums and songs do, really? The finale was to come in the form of “A Touch of Blessing” which really was a fitting epilogue that must have not left anyone complaining.
A truly full and quite spellbinding performance that must have appeased the fans of the band. In all ways the electric show was really almost perfect. Well given the response and the effect that the band had, I wouldn’t be surprised if they turn up again sooner rather than later on these shores next time.
