The main act of the second day of Metalcamp was Blind Guardian, and this was certainly one of the shows I had been looking the most forward to; especially since it had been two years since last I saw them.

“Let’s get crazy with the fun stuff!” Hansi Kürsch exclaimed, and fun was exactly what the massive audience was in for.
Not surprisingly, the theme of the evening was sing-along’s to epic power metal anthems, both old and new.
The show started with Time Stands Still (At The Iron Hill), and then followed with a variety of songs from their latest album, A Twist In The Myth, and older classics. The greatest surprise however was the presentation of the new song Sacred, which Blind Guardian has written for the computer game Sacred 2: Fallen Angel. The song is even performed in game by Blind Guardian, provided you complete the quest they give your character.

Blind Guardian performed professionally, as one would expect, although there wasn’t that much talking in between songs. This can be saved by playing more songs instead, and this was done very nicely as the band played 15 songs during their 1½ hour on stage. I could have gone for more, but was at the same time adequately satisfied with what I heard. Had there been more songs, there is a high risk that my voice wouldn’t have survived for the remainder of the festival…

The concert was ended by the band taking a bow, showing their appreciation for their loyal fans; although it was something that had to wait a little longer than expected. Even though the band stood ready arm in arm, they had to wait for André Olbrich as he was still running back and forth, handing out guitar-picks. Clearly a man who wishes to please the audience.

This was a great experience; I loved singing along to Blind Guardians tunes once more. Hopefully, it will not be two more years before the next time…

Setlist:

Time Stands Still (At The Iron Hill)
Born In A Mourning Hall
Nightfall
Fly
The Script For My Requiem
Turn The Page
Welcome To Dying
Blood Tears
Valhalla
Sacred
This Will Never End
And Then There Was Silence
Imaginations From The Other Side
The Bard’s Song - In The Forest
Mirror Mirror