For years and years, both Blind Guardian and Iced Earth have ranked high on both of our respective lists of bands we like. All the way back in 1997, before I was aware of it, they decided to tie the knot and produced a love child called Demons & Wizards.
Two years later, the self-titled debut album was released, and a full 20 years after that, the band finally made it to Danish shores, spreading their heavy power metal on a waiting Copenhell crowd.

“Hello everyone! It’s a great pleasure to be here for the first time!”
- Hansi Kürsch (vocals)

Burning times were upon us, as the sun grilled us from up high. We were welcome to dying, but cold beer in hand made us hang in there.
(ok, sorry, that was terrible)
(maybe not so sorry, after all)
Demons & Wizards had their third album just on the steps of release, and yet it was from the debut that our concert was to start. Chant played through the speakers as the band got ready, after which we got the Rites Of Passage / Heaven Denies combo, and we were off.
There was a good amount of people gathered at the Hades stage, and they were enthusiastically cheering the band on. Arms were raised, heads were banged, and while the sing-along parts weren’t as epic as with either Blind Guardian or Iced Earth, there was still a good amount of it going on here as well. Kürsch didn’t have to do much, to have the full attention of the fans, who were willing to follow him into whatever crowd participating activity he asked of them.

“I know you came for my crazy moves. It will not happen today. We will shine with our music, if at all possible!”
- Kürsch (vocals)

Sadly, Kürsch wasn’t his springy self this day. He’d injured his knee somehow, and was limping when walking. That didn’t stop him from walking around all across the stage however, and it certainly didn’t stop him from talking to the crowd whenever he had the chance. His partner in crime, Jon Schaffer, took the role of the strong, silent type, content in showing his brilliance through the music. And posing, a lot of posing I should add.
With them they had a few familiar faces, and some (to me) unknown ones, making up the rest of the band. Marcus Siepen and Frederik Ehmke from Blind Guardian were helping out on bass and drums respectively, while Jake Dreyer from Iced Earth picked up the lead guitar. Finishing off the set, was Joost Van Der Broek (Star One, live-The Gentle Storm) on keyboard.
All did a good job adding to the show, and not only was it obvious that they individually were skilled and seasoned musicians, but they also worked very well together as a group, and seemed to have a lot of fun playing together.

“Since this is the first Demons & Wizards show in Denmark, it has been the best - thanks to you!”
- Kürsch (vocals)

Since I had just recently finished reading Stephen King’s The Dark Tower series, it was particularly fun hearing several songs from the Touched By The Crimson King album, but overall Demons & Wizards dished up with a great set of songs. One cover song from each parent band snuck in as well, and both were loudly appreciated by the fans.
Honestly, I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about this show, but the band managed to outdo any expectation I might have had, and they delivered one of the best shows of the festival.
The best part of it? That in less than a couple of months time, we’d see them again at Metaldays, but more on that later. For now, this encounter had been awesome, and a great way to open the first complete day of Copenhell.

Setlist:

Chant
Rites Of Passage
Heaven Denies
Poor Man’s Crusade
Crimson King
Love’s Tragedy Asunder
Burning Times (Iced Earth cover)
Welcome To Dying (Blind Guardian cover)
The Gunslinger
Terror Train
Blood On My Hands
Fiddler On The Green