The Lionhearts roared into Dublin and the Vikings sailed up the river Liffey like they did in 841 AD to join them and conquer the 3Arena for a night of drinking and some of the finest metal music to be found in any settlement and bringing with them a special guest.
Those special guests being Swedish melodic death metal outfit The Halo Effect who were tasked with opening the nights onslaught of metal .
Opening their set with Days of the Lost followed by The Needles End after which Mikeal thanked Dublin for coming out and coming in early to see them and how amazed he was to see some many as they are only going two years. Next up was Gateways / Feel What I Believe / In Broken Trust.
The stage throughout their set was backlit in an eerie green making for some nice shadowy figures on stage, they finished up their set with Last Of Our Kind and the single Shadowminds.
Next up were those marauders Amom Amerth, but this time there was no raping and pillaging as they conquered Dublin, just some good heavy metal. once the large drop-sheet that was blocking the stage from view was dropped it revealed a fantastic stage setting of two very large Viking statues and the drums sat upon a large Viking helmet with steps leading it to them.
Opening up with Guardians of Asgaard the roar from the crowd I’m sure could be heard in the underworld and this was followed up by Raven’s Flight.
Johan Hegg announcing how happy he was to be back in such a great city and asked were we ready to battle with them, if so yous really are The Great Heathen Army, they followed this up with Deceiver of the Gods were the band were joined on stage by Loki who danced across the stage.
Heidrun got an airing next, during which we were to see the large smoke jets shoot up to nearly the roof of the arena, these jets were used a number of times throughout the show.
We were then informed ”here is a drinking song” and it was The Way of the Vikings and midway there was a bang and the arena filled with gold confetti.
It was Put Your Back Into the Oar next with its chatting of row row row from both Johan and the crowd, they followed this up with Cry of the Black Birds and two long ships have taken the place of the two large Viking statues.
The Pursuit of Vikings / First Kill and Shield Wall where during the latter a Viking appeared and walked menacingly up and down the back of the stage hitting his shield with an axe.
Raise Your Horns came next with all the band being handed horns and doing so to the crowd and Johan having a very! large horn compared to the one that hung from his side all night.
The guys finished up their set with Twilight of the Thunder God and a huge serpent could be seen wrapped around most of the stage setting.
It was 21.40 as Machine Head arrived on stage, the stage set from previously has been removed and the guys open up with BECØME THE FIRESTØRM. Yes it let us know this ending to the night is going to be fun fast and beautifully heavy.
Beers Up beers up beers up! Robb Flynn shouts and we’re off into Imperium and Ten Ton Hammer after which the guys left the stage very briefly.
Sangre sani, sangre sani
Sangre sani, sangre sani
Sangre sani, sangre sani
Sangre sani, sangre sani
Sangre sani, sangre sani
Sangre sani, sangre sani
Sangre sani, sangre sani
Sangre sani, sangre sani is heard over the speakers and the stage is set in red, well it was going to be wasn’t it? as its time for I Am Hell (Sonata in C#) midway Robb screams ” spread out, move back, open up and form a mosh pit” and yes a pit is formed.
Aesthetics of Hate came after this and and then Darkness Within where Robb informed us its about metal health. This started out with just Robb on acoustic guitar alone on stage but was then joined by all band members and it soon turned into a full on barrage of trash metal.
oooh I better mention that for Machine Head the smoke jets are gone and replaced with fire jets and for an indoor show these jets were big the heat could be felt right at the back of the arena.
Now We Die came after Darkness Within and after which Robb asked are there any old school motherfuckers in the house as this is going to take you back to 1999 and it was From This Day.
Davidian / Halo were to finish out the guys set, but this wasn’t before Robb had a beer catching competition with one member of the crowd.
Seemingly this member was at the bands last Dublin show and managed to catch every beers that Robb threw out into the crowd so Robb wanted to see if he could do it again. so proceeded to throw out not on not two but three beers and nope he didn’t catch them but one wasn’t his fault as someone else actually knocked one away before he could catch it.
To sum up the night well it was loud, it was heavy, it was a fantastic night of metal and my ears are still ringing from it.
As the tour now moves on to Europe be sure to try catch a date even if not a metal fan, for any music fan this tour is something to catch!
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