Blind Guardian/Grave Digger - Ace Of Spades, Sacramento, CA 11/15
By Jeffrey Easton
One thing that America is sorely lacking in are power metal tours so when we do get them the masses come out in spades to support them. That was the case with Blind Guardian and their first ever stop in Sacramento. Ace Of Spades was packed to capacity and the intensity could be felt. Not only was Sac getting one of the preeminent power metal bands they were also getting the legendary Grave Digger, a band that paved the way for so many bands that were swept up in their wake.
Metal was being felt throughout the venue and the lights went down and Grave Digger made their presence felt. Grave Digger got their start in the early 80s and after several influential albums they finally cemented their status as legends and here we are. They took the stage like the metal titans they are and unleashed their monumental metal upon the legions in front of them. Opening the assault was Headbanging Man from their debut album Heavy Metal Breakdown and the crowd was mad with rage. The Round Table, Witch Hunter, Excalibur, the pit was brewing and Grave Digger had them hooked. They closed their set with their anthem, their calling card, Heavy Metal Breakdown. If Sacto had yet to understand the full intent of these legends, then they have now become a learned metal crowd.
The time had come, the band everyone wanted to see was hitting the stage and the place fell apart. Blind Guardian were making their first ever appearance in Sacramento and the fans were waiting with baited breath for the first note and as the lights dimmed, the tones of The Ninth Wave filled Ace and the roar was deafening. Having just dropped Beyond The Red Mirror, BG had more than enough reason to stage a massive tour and those in attendance ate the new stuff up. Along with The Ninth Wave they also dropped Twilight Of The Gods as well as Prophecies from Beyond The Red Mirror and whereas the fans had to wait five years for a new album the wait was well worth it. With that being said, tonight was a history lesson with Blind Guardian leading their fans through their massive catalog of metal stalwarts that have helped shape and define what power metal is today. Albums like Somewhere Far Beyond, Nightfall In Middle-Earth and Follow The Blind are what laid the templet for all other bands in the genre to follow but still Blind Guardian are still in a League of their own. One of the stand outs of the show was that they knew what the fans wanted to hear and they delivered well. The Bard's Song- In The Forest, Born In A Mourning Hall, Imaginations From The Other Side, Valhalla, Lord Of The Rings as well as Mirror Mirror; this was what every fan was craving and their urges were well satisfied. They also delivered two encores at three songs a clip and the fans still wanted more, that is the hallmark of a great band.
Official Blind Guardian Site
Official Grave Digger Site
By Jeffrey Easton
One thing that America is sorely lacking in are power metal tours so when we do get them the masses come out in spades to support them. That was the case with Blind Guardian and their first ever stop in Sacramento. Ace Of Spades was packed to capacity and the intensity could be felt. Not only was Sac getting one of the preeminent power metal bands they were also getting the legendary Grave Digger, a band that paved the way for so many bands that were swept up in their wake.
Metal was being felt throughout the venue and the lights went down and Grave Digger made their presence felt. Grave Digger got their start in the early 80s and after several influential albums they finally cemented their status as legends and here we are. They took the stage like the metal titans they are and unleashed their monumental metal upon the legions in front of them. Opening the assault was Headbanging Man from their debut album Heavy Metal Breakdown and the crowd was mad with rage. The Round Table, Witch Hunter, Excalibur, the pit was brewing and Grave Digger had them hooked. They closed their set with their anthem, their calling card, Heavy Metal Breakdown. If Sacto had yet to understand the full intent of these legends, then they have now become a learned metal crowd.
The time had come, the band everyone wanted to see was hitting the stage and the place fell apart. Blind Guardian were making their first ever appearance in Sacramento and the fans were waiting with baited breath for the first note and as the lights dimmed, the tones of The Ninth Wave filled Ace and the roar was deafening. Having just dropped Beyond The Red Mirror, BG had more than enough reason to stage a massive tour and those in attendance ate the new stuff up. Along with The Ninth Wave they also dropped Twilight Of The Gods as well as Prophecies from Beyond The Red Mirror and whereas the fans had to wait five years for a new album the wait was well worth it. With that being said, tonight was a history lesson with Blind Guardian leading their fans through their massive catalog of metal stalwarts that have helped shape and define what power metal is today. Albums like Somewhere Far Beyond, Nightfall In Middle-Earth and Follow The Blind are what laid the templet for all other bands in the genre to follow but still Blind Guardian are still in a League of their own. One of the stand outs of the show was that they knew what the fans wanted to hear and they delivered well. The Bard's Song- In The Forest, Born In A Mourning Hall, Imaginations From The Other Side, Valhalla, Lord Of The Rings as well as Mirror Mirror; this was what every fan was craving and their urges were well satisfied. They also delivered two encores at three songs a clip and the fans still wanted more, that is the hallmark of a great band.
Official Blind Guardian Site
Official Grave Digger Site
