Alright people! Yesterday was the D-Day, and it was fucking amazing I’m telling you! So, once we hit the hotel we started to get ourselves ready for the gig, mentally and physically. After an hour or so (we actually had to go pick up some candy at a store, hello!) we were ready to hit the road. We had planned to be by the venue by 16-17, so yeah, hurry hurry!
Since we didn’t manage to get on the train we planned, we had to take a later one and after running around a little bit in Langen we finally found Stadthalle. And you know, remember what I wrote about Amaranthe when we got to queue INSIDE with a private bar and everything? Like, sure, we didn’t have a private bar, BUT we did get to queue inside! And that was more than enough for us. The queueing system was a little fucked up, but yeah. It’s inside, what more can we ask for. We even spotted a REALLY cute guy, and that doesn’t even happen that often.
But aside that, it was fun as hell. Being with the girls on the road again just makes you SO FUCKING happy. Of course – most of the people around must have thought we were insane given that we were pretty rude to one another, but you know. This is how we roll, so if you ever see us at a gig and catch us almost starting to beat the crap out of each other, that’s good. If we sit in silent, that’s bad. VERY bad.
They opened the doors around seven, and after a few ifs and buts we managed to get to the front row and Paula and Michelle held my place as I dashed to the merchtable to pick up some Serious Black merchandise. Tank top as planned, as well as a patch! Bingo! Ran back to the crowd, which wasn’t even a crowd and eagerly waited for Serious Black.
At around eight sharp, Serious Black entered the stage and opened the show with “Temple of Sun”. To my surprise, we seemed to be the only fans upfront for this band. And what disappointed me SO MUCH is that everyone else, but us, stood completely still. You remember how said in my Amaranthe review that there really is a certain place in hell for people who aim for the front row and doesn’t do shit? Well, they are gonna get some new people down there!
The band however, was really energetic despite bad lame as fuck. They continued on with “Setting Fire to the Earth” before ripping off “High And Low”. Gladly, some people seem to awaken a LITTLE when “H&L” started, but I was still very surprised. I thought they had gained a LITTLE more popularity than this. Appears not.
Well, I’m gonna have to admit that I was again defeated by my camera this time around, so not a whole lot of good photos sadly. The show went on with “Older and Wiser”, “Sealing My Fate” and wrapping it all up with “I Seek No Other Life”.
This was was REAL good. I really enjoyed it, despite it being very short, but then again, how long can you go with only one album? I was well pleased, and to top it off even better Mario flipped his pick at me! Woho!
Urban said on stage that the band would be by the merchstand so naturally, me and Michelle dashed! The first person we came across was Mario, and this is insane. He asked us what brought us here, all the way from Sweden, and I told him that I was really only at the HammerFall show because of them, and do you know what happened.
Do you fucking know what happened.
He got down on his knees.
And kissed my shoes.
LIKE. WHAT. That’s what I could have done with him. I didn’t even know what the hell to do, I was just standing there like oh my fucking god.
We worked our way around the band, and since Orden Ogan just started, we didn’t manage to Urban THIS while, so we dashed back to front row (how the hell was that even possible?) and rocked it out to Orden Ogan.
The only album I ever heard really and thoroughly with Orden Ogan is “Ravenhead”, so obviously I wasn’t very familiar with them aside the “Ravenhead” songs. BUT – they were REALLY good on stage, REALLY good live. I enjoyed it far more than I usually enjoy bands I’m not too much into.
After Orden Ogan was done, we dashed back to the merchtable and caught up with Serious Black again, and this once around, we actually got to Urban thanks to Jan. I’m quite shy as you know and I don’t like interrupting other fans, but eventually we got there. At first he asked me, in Swedish, if we should exchange necklaces, but being half deaf as I am, apparently, I had to ask him three times what he said haha. But all was well – and we got to meet&greet him before running back with a LITTLE better time plan to HammerFall than we did for Orden.
Like, this is something that intrigues me though. How the hell is it possible for us to continually running in and out between the shows, and still make it to the front row? The people didn’t cheer much more for Orden, I might add. I was so surprised, I thought “Well, this is gonna suck” but on the same time I felt like, have we gone this far, and managed to get to the front row, then we sure as hell are going to stand in the front row too.
Pretty much right on time they entered the stage and opened with “Hectors Hymn”. FINALLY – the audience awoke a little, not a lot, but a little. They followed the epic opening up with “Any Means Necessary”. I fucking love this song, do you even know? Like, “No Sacrifice, No Victory” is really my FAVORITE album with HammerFall, and particularly this song is SO FUCKING GOOD it ain’t even funny.
“Renegade” was next song to go, and I’m just. This is like the perfect setlist. Why are the bands treating me so good these days?
“B.Y.H” was the next song to go, unfortuneatley, the amount of people ACTUALLY banging their heads was close to zero. Like, I expected SHIT TO GO DOWN in Germany, but it appears not?!
After “BYH” it was time for the song Paula had been waiting for all night – “Bloodbound”. Seriously, why are they so good to us? All this amazing songs, we don’t even deserve it! The band was going hard at it too, giving us a damn good time.
“Heeding the Call” was next, and finally we see some fists in the air and some singalong. Damn. Took you long enough.
Something that caught my eye on this particular gig was Stefan. Not that he was there, because that I knew. But how happy he was. Like, he seemed to be so FUCKING HAPPY to be back with the crew. I don’t mean to say he was unhappy before, I know nothing about it, but on the same time, it was just… so good to see you know?
After “Heeding The Call” it was time for the big ole one – “Let The Hammer Fall”. And here’s the deal people. You know you’ve seen HammerFall live before if you can even talk with Jocke with all he says – “What do you say if I say Let The Hammer?”. I’m not sure how I should deal with that.
A new song was the next “Live Life Loud” before it was time for Stefan to get some spotlight. At first it started with Pontus doing his thing, and all of a sudden he let go of his guitar and it kept playing. Oscar made himself visible, so everyone was like “what?!”, ok, not really, most of us understood it was Stefan.
So he came out, and together with David, Oscar and Pontus on bassguitar they went over quite some HammerFall solos from many familiar songs. LOVED EVERY BIT OF IT.
Right after, the continued on with “Threshold”. “Threshold” hold a bit of a special place in my heart, as it was my first HammerFall album EVER, and my first HammerFall show ever was a the Threshold tour. So yeah, it was kinda mighty to hear it again.
“Last Man Standing” was next to be executed and they soon continued with “Glory To the Brave”. I fucking love it when they play this one live – it’s so mighty in a way, you know? Joacims voice doing all the work in the beginning and then it just.. it’s like “Amarathine”.
Another song off (r)Evolution was next – “We Won’t Back Down” before they wrapped the whole show up with “HammerFall” and left us wanting more.
They soon returned, of course, and started off with “Templars of Steel”, “Bushido” and then wrapping the whole show up with “Hearts on Fire” (what else). And here’s where the next weird thing happens.
Throughout the show, Stefan has continuely played by me. He’s looked at me, and he’s interacted with me. Almost ALL the time. Afterwards, he locked eyes with me and threw the pick my direction, but someone else took it. So at first, he went onwards to the other side, BUT. He returned, and again locked eyes with me, POINTED at me, and I pointed at myself and was like “me?” and he nodded, and threw the pick at a closer distance and this enabled me to catch it.
Like. This is kinda surreal for me. This has NEVER happened to me before, that bandmembers have LITERALLY locked eyes with and been like “YOU are gonna have it”. Jesus fucking Christ.
After HammerFall was done, we headed back to the merchtable, first in order to pick up “Ravenhead” and have it signed by Orden Ogan and then to catch up a little more with Serious Black before we were removed from the area.
Seriously, I cannot remember a single time where I’ve interacted so much with bands as I did this time. And I’m kind of proud of myself, as I’m usually so bad at this because of my shyness. So yeah, I’m proud and happy. Together with Paulas friend (who is a doll, who kept our spots when we chased after Serious Black) we went back to the trainstation, back to Frankfurt and back to our hotels with one of the most epic experiences in our hearts.
Now we just prepare ourselves for Lordi. Second night – COME AT US.
// Sara
Sara Hammerzmith 