Hey every1....reporting in to brag about how i got to see the first show of the tour with Barlow behind the mic....BE JEALOUS FUCKERS!!
I did not make these videos but i appear to be in the general direction of where they were shot. ..m/
Heres a clip of burning times as well as me and crowd chanting "welcome back", and a small clip of Barlow going from the intro of Dracula into the wailing badassness of the song.....fucking beautiful.
Ill have my pictures of it up when i get home. though they kinda suck.....=( but i know there are WAY better photographers than me so ill be hunting for them when im not on my dads laptop......
UPDATE
Found the Dark Saga in most of its entirety...If Ian had a myspace, hed be shitting himself.
Alright, Im back home and ill have the pics up soon. I only have 2 decent IE pics.
It was damn near impossible to get anything when every1 your next to is almost a foot taller than you.
Friday starts off with me waiting in a long ass line. And so far every1 has an IE shirt. (I guess im not the only freak). As soon as i get in i find the Nightmare Records table, and score 3 cds as the pleasure of talking to Lance King, as well as taking his picture. So far 1 good pic. I start to get in line for another Iced Earth shirt, when i notice Joe from a St. Louis Band Helacon. I hung out with them for most of the night, as well as taking a picture of the now completed lineup.
After that i finally get the Iced Earth tour shirt. pretty badass looking.
heres the list of bands that came on with a brief description of their show.
Arise and Ruin-not my taste, Hardcore stuff. Guy is hopping around i can't hear a word hes saying, the bassist flips off all of smarter IE fans who got to the front gate first who seemed just as enthused as every1 else there, (all IE fans, go figure.)
Ion Vein.- They just recruited a new vocalist. Their 1st one was pretty good, but this one did excellent live. Think Andi Deres and Rob Halford folding into 1 singer. In more ways than one. This guy was very........flamboyant. Though I think it was simply him fucking around. I didn't know what to do, headbang or laugh my ass off. Chris Lotesto a band member himself was trying very hard not to laugh. a very good set.
Epicurean- Badass guitarist, good rhythm, vocalist needed a little work, but had good character. "don't worry, next song will be about dragons" altogether a decent band.
A Life Once Lost- another hardcore band, playing before Iced Earth, BAD MIX. Iced Earth chants were going on as well as several choice words about the band. What made things worse was when they bitched back. definitley not a band that should have played before IE. Its impossible to kick em out but i would have been better if Epicurean and Ion Vein played right before IE.
We had to wait a long time for IE to come on. The "intermission" was crazy. Starting off with Blind Guardians Valhalla chant, right into a stream of Slayer. When Angle of Death came on, mosh pits broke out and the entire crowd sang the song.
Iced Earth- OMFG GREATNESS!! I finally was able to see my favorite band LIVE! hitting it off with the Dark Saga, soon followed by the Welcome Back chant. The only problem is that the sound system died during Vengence is Mine. We of course finished the song with them while Barlow could still be heard in at least my row. When the sound came back. Barlow talked into the mic only to sound like he was on helium. Everything was fixed eventually. He also did Declaration Day and 10,000 strong. (originally sung by ripper, and while being a huge fan of his vocals, barlow NAILED THEM)
The shortest songs played would be the Ripper songs, Burning Times, Violate, Watching Over Me, Melancholy, and from the new single "I Walk Alone".
Every song had the fans backing it 100%. Travel In Stygian, The Coming Curse, A Question of Heaven, Iced Earth were amazing to chant to. Great night.
As for Saturday it was an even better night. Sure Iced Earth is my favorite band, but with the bands on Saturday with TESTAMENT headlining was just amazing.
First of all there were some major changes that made the night even better.
I found out Autumn Offering and Chaoswave bailed. Now I actually was interested in Chaoswave but I heard rumors of a replacement. most likely a local crew.
I thought that chances are it would be that tech death Novembers Doom or maybe even Ion Vein for a second night. In the end having 1 of those bands in would have been a step up.
Well this time I was there early................with a pizza. (which led to some fun outside of just eating it) I was going to get some good pictures tonight and the only way to do that was to be at the front gate near the stage. Its also more fun to actually see the band so upclose.
heres the list of the bands that played
Sacred Dawn-Best opening band ive seen period. They have just recently been signed to Nightmare Records and I was able to have my picture taken with the Singer/guitarist Lothar Keller.
Twelfth Gate-Ok, not what im really into, basically a step down from Epicurean.
Suidakra-Great band, involved the crowd fast. Only band ive seen pull off an instrumental live with the crowd loving it.
Darkane-another great band, involved the crowd even more. Every member save the drummer was at the edge of the stage most of the night.
Testament- The place was packed, great thrash concert a great mix of songs that were mostly from their first two albums and the new release Formation of Damnation.
Chuck Billy is an amazing frontman. During Over The Wall and Into the Pit hed thrust his micstand down so the crowd can yell OVER THE WALL or INTO THE PIT. Some1 even crowdsurfed but was basically tossed over the gate...ouch.
Every member got the crowd into a frenzy. Its 9:14 and i still don't have my voice the way it should be.