The live metal experiece
For most genres and artists, live music is simply another form of enjoying the art. For rock and metal however, you have not lived the true experience of the genre if you have not attended a live show.
There is nothing quite like the excitement of seeing a band announce a new tour, and seeing the name of your city in the dates. The first time I was able to afford going to a concert, it was a dream come true, and it has continued for many years.
I would like to share some of the best experiences I have had in the live shows I have attended including legends like Iron Maiden, Rammstein, and smaller gems like Haken, Samael and Ne Obliviscaris.
Domination Metal Fest
The first concert I ever attended was in 2019, a music festival called Domination Fest in Mexico City. And to this day I have many fond experiences of it. To seeing some of my favorite bands, to one of the most unexpected yet amazing moments in my music journey so far.
I attended the festival and every subsequent concert I've ever gone to with my best friend, who shares my tastes in music heavily. If you can go to a show with a friend, especially someone who shares that passion with you, there is no experience like it.
A myriad of bands who's name I knew were playing. Like Alice Cooper, Lamb of God and Trivium, but I was only interested in one. Progressive metal legends Dream Theater.
They were the night show though, the second biggest act before Alice Cooper finished the night, so before they performed, we had plenty of time to enjoy other shows and check out bands we were both interested in.
Alestorm
Scotland's legendary pirate metal band, Alestorm, was the first show we attended to that day. For those who know the band, it was as fun as you'd expect. Their music lends itself so well to crowd participation, it really did feel like were singing some heavy sea shanties.
The band rarely takes themselves seriously, and their comedic tendencies were on full display here and were the highlight of the show, playing songs like F**cked with and Anchor, and their cover of Taio Cruz's Hangover (the superior version of this song), which were only enhanced by the entire crowd singing along.
The best part was their performance of Mexico, for which frontman Christopher Bowes splayed a mexican flag, which made the entire crowd cheer. As a mexican, there is no joy quite like bands doing things like that in concerts.
Apocalyptica
The first concert left a great taste in our mouths, but we had a long time left until Dream Theater played, and we didn't really know any other bands playing at the festival. We spent a few hours eating, roaming around and checking shows in passing.
But soon enough it was only an hour left before the show we'd come for. To ensure we'd get a good spot, we decided to head to the stage one show before Dream Theater, for a band we'd never listened to before, Apocalyptica. That was the best decision we could have made. Because though Dream Theater's show was great, this one completely stole the festival for me.
The band, consisting of nothing but drums and four cello players, played a full set of instrumental covers of Metallica songs, and to this day it is one of the greatest experiences I have had in my life.
I was not aware they'd play these covers, so when they started their set with a cover of Enter Sandman, I thought it was a mere warm up to get the crowd excited. But then, as the song drew to a close, and they immediately transitioned into the iconic start of Master Of Puppets, my excitement exploded as I roared in cheers with the entire crowd.
The energy from both the band and the crowd was unbelievable. Lead celloist Paavo Lötjönen especially carried himself with infectious energy and stage presence. There was no need for lead vocals, the entire crowd was screaming them.
It also helped that the set was full of Metallica's most famous and iconic songs: Enter Sandman, Creeping Death, Master Of Puppets, One, Battery, Fade To Black, and so many more. The headbangers were incredibly arranged into cello performances, maintaining the energy and heaviness while being only performed by cellos. And the slower songs were just a perfect fit, beautifully performed and arranged,
My favorite story to come out of this festival is the band's performance of Seek and Destroy. My friend had not been too familiar with Metallica's repertoire save for their most famous songs. He didn't know Seek and Destroy, yet by the end of Apocalytica's performance, with every chant of the chorus from the crowd, he seemed to learn it there and then and joined us in chanting.
I stated previously that live shows are an essential part of the metal experience, and this moment really cemented that for me. It speaks volumes about the power music and being part of a crowd can really have.
Dream Theater
Finally, the show we had come for. By this time we were tired, legs aching, my friend was terribly sick, but yet we prevailed, and when the band came onstage, it was everything we could have hoped for.
The band had just released their album Distance Over Time, and was touring for it in congruence with the 20th anniversary of their masterpiece Metropolis Pt. II: Scenes From a Memory.
Though I would see them again last year, and I think that show was much better than this one, this was the first time I was able to experience some of the band's classic material live, and it was a marvel to watch.
Seeing them perform insanely technical tracks like the infamously complex Dance Of Eternity was simply mind blowing. There is such a big difference between listening to the studio recording or even watching live performances online and actually seeing it with your own eyes. It solidifies the idea that actual humans are playing these insanely technical pieces.
The highlight of the show was the band playing some songs that I did not expect, less known tracks like In The Presence of Enemies, Pt. I, Peruvian Skies and Lie. It was so cool to hear their most famous songs alongside deeper cuts.
The festival is an experience I still remember vividly to this day. It instantly made live shows a must in my book. And every show I have gone to since has only solidified their importance in the experience If you can scrap up pennies to go see your favorite artists, I cannot imagine anything more worth it as a music fan.