I really had to hurry to make it to Edguy’s show as it was overlapping Týr which I was not prepared to leave early from, but neither did I have any intention of missing more of the entertaining Germans than absolutely required.

I for one have always been a bigger fan of Edguy than of Tobias Sammet’s side project Avantasia, mainly because of the ever present humour in the former, something which we were not deprived of this evening.
As I arrived half-running through the crowd, I got a quick update from Lunah (our photographer), who had seen the gig from the beginning, on what had been going on up till this point, but the chat was cut short as the band was now introducing a guest appearance which stole my attention. It was none other than Helloween’s funny man number one; Markus Grosskopf. As he grabbed a bass for Lavatory Love Machine and Superheroes, Edguy’s own bassist Tobias ‘Eggi’ Exxel got a guitar strapped to his body instead, something he had no problem handling. At one point he, Exxel, also had to leave the stage for a phone call, which was later revealed to be from his girlfriend, who a few days later would give birth to their first son, Julian.

Back at the show however, things were quickly moving along and it was now time for Save Me which was supported by a sea of lighters (surprisingly and thankfully not cell phones) all across the crowd. Beautiful. The entire front also formed a big wave, swinging in time with the music.
As the pace was quickly picked up in Sacrifice the lighters were immediately replaced almost as many crowd-surfers; the air was absolutely filled with them! Around this time a man in a wheelchair, I’m not sure who it was, wheeled onto the stage and had his picture taken together with Sammet.
After this there was sadly only one song left on the setlist, the party hit King Of Fools, and this created a perfect ending for the band at Wacken this year. Some guy next to me complained a bit about them not playing more old songs from the first two albums, but the rest of the crowd and I felt fulfilled and certainly well-pleased with what had passed.
Edguy may have lowered the insanity a bit through the years that I have known and seen them, but there is still plenty left to create a great live-show if you ask me.

Setlist:

Dead Or Rock
Speedhoven
Tears Of A Mandrake
Vain Glory Opera
Lavatory Love Machine
Superheroes
Save Me
Sacrifice
King Of Fools