After having spoken to Roy Khan earlier in the summer about Kamelot’s then upcoming album Poetry For The Poisoned (read what came of it under Articles), this was one show I wasn’t prepared to miss out on.

True to their past, Kamelot came out guns blazing, figuratively speaking. In real words, they were setting the stage on fire! I don’t think any other band during the festival, Metalcamp included, used as much pyro effects as Kamelot did, but one of their trademarks is the dramatic, the extravagant.
What surprised me was that there weren’t more to see the show; ok, so the Magic Circle wasn’t a large festival by any accounts, and the ground was filled up, but on the other hand people were so loosely packed that it was no problem at all moving wherever you would like to…
Still, this was fine by me as it meant I could get closer to the action.

And action was something this concert had in plenitude; with the risk of repeating myself it was a very dramatic experience, and it was easy to tell that this is one band who likes to get into details, and make sure that everything (or as much as they can control at least) is delivered just the way they want it.
I’ve already mentioned the opening fires, and for the second song, Ghost Opera, Kahn was joined by Swedish singer Elize Ryd (Amaranthe) who had been selected as female vocalist for the tour. Or not exactly joined as such, as Ryd got a place in the back close to the drums where she was allowed to stay for the duration of the song, with a mask covering her face.
She came back for more songs though, and for the rest of the show she walked front-stage, and the interactions played out between Kahn and she only worked to heighten an already great performance.

After a long run with an “oh-oh-oh” sing-along, and Kahn pointing out that this is what it is all about, it was time for Kamelot to leave the stage.
On his way out, Thomas Youngblood was kind enough to pick up his setlist and throw it out into the audience, to the waiting hands of some lucky fan. This surprised me a bit, as (and any experienced concert visitor could tell you this) we all knew they were coming back again. Obviously, the set wasn’t complicated enough for him to forget then.
Well, back they came, and this time they brought two blindfolded, leather-clad girls along as extra percussionists, yet another visual treat for us in the already well-filled ocean. Khan had also changed from his brand-new coat into the one he used the last time I saw them, suggesting that we were about to revisit the Ghost Opera album once more, but as it turned out we were going a little bit further back than that, to the The Black Halo to be precise, and the song March Of Mephisto, which was the real closer of the show.

It surprised me a bit that Kamelot hadn’t played here only a few days sooner, at the same day Epica played Metalcamp, as they could then have had the duet sung by Simone Simons, who also does them on album, but there you go, tour-schedules and all that I suppose. Anyway, Ryd did an excellent job of it, so no complaints there.
Likewise, there are no complaints about the show or band as a whole either; this was one moving, well-performed and unique concert experience, maybe the best at the festival. Certainly the most positive surprise, at least.

Setlist:

Rule The World
Ghost Opera
The Great Pandemonium
Center Of The Universe
The Haunting (Somewhere In Time)
When The Lights Are Down
The Pendulous Fall
The Human Stain
Karma
Forever
March Of Mephisto