After the smaller stage setup for the support bands had been cleared away, a turned over cross and an open casket now adorned the centre of the stage and it was time for Cradle Of Filth.

From the Cradle to the Stage...
Like Moonspell before them, Cradle Of Filth used a large projector screen as backdrop and it was put to good use during the entire show displaying light constellations and specially created imagery as well as officially released videos. But whereas Moonspell had only had space for a mid-sized screen behind their drummer, Cradle used the entire back wall of the stage to project their visual atrocities.
Not that all this extra features were needed though, as the band seemed well fit to play tonight, and all gave a lively (as far as extreme metal goes) performance with Dani Filth taking full use of the stage as he moved from side to side, and at several times going from the front of the stage to the heightened catwalk in the back and then back in front again.
This was good to see, as I had had some bad premonitions about how this concert could go, based on their catastrophic performance at the Metalcamp festival in 2007 which was the last time I saw them before today.
But, as I said, this time around there was no need to worry as Cradle gave an entertaining show with a clear air of professionalism. I would even go as far as calling it the best Cradle Of Filth concert I have seen; then again, I haven't seen that many.

From the Cradle to the Crowd...
The audience, although large and filling out most of the hall in Store Vega, was pretty damn slow though, and the band had their work cut out for them trying to inspire some life into the mass.
Maybe it was a side-effect from the lethally boring Gorgoroth show (and I'm using the word show in its widest possible way here) which had taken place just before Cradle went on; if not I can't say why there wasn't more going on than there was.
Yes, of course there was headbanging and raised horns, but as far as I could tell it was reserved for a few of the first rows, whereas the middle and back was mostly hanging back watching. Odd, if you ask me.

From the Cradle to the Stage-extras...
What Cradle Of Filth concert would be complete without the addition of a smaller freakshow to go along with it?
Already in the third song, Dusk And Her Embrace the stage was visited by a two / two and a half meter tall puppet of the grim reaper in a dark robe and with glowing red eyes. This stood in perfect contrast to Dani's not so high stature, only making the puppet seem even grander.
Later, in The Principle Of Evil Made Flesh, a she-devil appeared at the back of the stage, showering herself and Dani with sparks as she drove an angle grinder into a metal-plate on her chest. She reappeared later in the set, again playing around with the grinder.

From the Cradle to the End...
Cradle Of Filth, as the main band of the night, had lots of time to play in and did not seem to hurry things along in the least, taking their time to make a good performance. Therefore I found it very surprising when I winked my eye at one point and as I looked back they were gone and the lights were coming back on. Without a word.
Yes, it was that fast it happened, they didn't even warn us with saying this is the last song or normal comments like that. Neither was there time for an outro or even a farewell; it was just of the stage and time to go home.
This was probably what I found most disturbing about the whole experience, but I had actually had such a good a time up till that point that it didn't bother me, just surprised a bit.

Setlist:

Intro
Shat Out Of Hell
Gilded Cunt
Dusk And Her Embrace
The 13th Caesar
Nocturnal Supremacy
The Twisted Nails Of Faith
The Principle Of Evil Made Flesh
Honey And Sulphur
Under Huntress Moon
Cthulhu Dawn
Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids