The Masquerade is undoubtedly a concert venue, but Saturday night Kamelot turned it into RavenHill, a former cathedral that has become an asylum through which the band journeys in its latest album, Dark Asylum, through madness, faith, identity and redemption.
The stage became a dark, distressed cathedral, complete with arched windows, weathered concrete embellishments, organ pipes, lighting pedestals with the Ravenhill crest, and a circular emblem on the rear screen, resembling stained glass with a capital K. This felt less like a band taking a new album on the road but more being invited inside their world.
The music itself doesn’t represent a radical departure from Kamelot’s established sound. There are still the soaring melodies, symphonic arrangements, heavy guitars and dramatic choruses that have defined the band for decades. But the new material fits remarkably well with earlier songs into the world they created onstage.
Tommy Karevik spent much of the night with a leg propped on any of the stage monitors, reaching to the audience, inviting them into each chapter of madness with eye contact aplenty. As the narrative unfolded, he would later stand behind a pulpit, perhaps suggesting sanctuary and redemption for troubled souls.
Where Karevik commanded the center, bassist Sean Tibbetts kept the rest of the stage in motion, constantly moving, spinning his head with dreadlocks flying. It is a rock show.
Karevik led sing-alongs. The crowd did well, but they also made it even more obvious what an incredibly good vocalist he is. Still, he was joined frequently by Visions of Atlantis’ Clémentine Delauney of Visions of Atlantis and Giada “Jade” Etro from Frozen Crown, the latter adding harsh vocals at times, but both welcome additions to the sonic blend.
The new material was woven throughout the set rather than presented as a block of songs from Dark Asylum. “Ashen World” welcomed the audience to the new album and the set with melodic power metal before moving into familiar territory with “The Great Pandemonium,” “Rule the World” and “Sacrimony.” It was a clever way to assure the audience they would hear their favorites, but if the staging didn’t make it clear, Dark Asylum was what the band came to share.
Four songs from the new album essentially formed the middle of the set, creating a central narrative for those searching for it. “Dark Asylum” had a beautiful piano passage that I had missed, an interlude almost, that briefly shifted the mood before returning to its full symphonic weight.
The crowd certainly knew what to do with some of that older material. “Veil of Elysium” produced one of the evening’s biggest sing-alongs, but “March of Mephisto” seemed to take the audience response to another level. By the time Kamelot reached the encore, the room was fully invested, and “Liar Liar” brought the evening to its final, appropriately heavy conclusion.
They built RavenHill, invited us inside and then let us find our way back out, though few seemed eager to leave. You’ve gotta love rock concerts when they’re not on a “work night.”
Setlist:
Encore:
Visions of Atlantis fans showed. I have to admit I was curious as the band commands a reputation for a live performance that lifts their recorded work and takes it to an entirely new place. Having watched them now, I’d say it’s something like going to Cirque du Soleil show and leaving with a soundtrack. It sounds great and brings back memories from the show.
So it is.
The Austrian band has been releasing albums since 2002, and themes of oceans, travel and water eventually led away from Atlantis to pirates which caught on and has become their on-stage persona. The concert has appropriate staging, is cleverly acted, well costumed and, happily, doesn’t sacrifice their symphonic metal performance.
It’s a play of sorts, and for the many who knew they lyrics, it flowed. Or rowed, as instructed. I’m not certain how spill-free the Masquerade floor was, but there the crowd went, sitting, hands to shoulders, rowing to the music.
Best props? The beer mugs.
Great fun. And “Clocks” rocked.
Setlist:
Italy’s Frozen Crown opened the evening. Who needs a bassist when you have vocalist Giada “Jade” Etro, her husband/writer/guitarist Federico Mondelli, and two ace guitarists in Alessia Lanzone and Alexandra Lioness. If there was any doubt that the band was not having fun, and there wasn’t, then covering “Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls left no doubt.
There was a lot of musical talent on the stage as evidenced by Etro’s energy and engagement, Mondelli’s party-mode persona, and ample guitar pyrotechnics throughout the set. And not to dismiss the band as a really good opener, songs from their upcoming album The Legend of the Six Kings sounded great. Of the new songs, “Reborn” stood out as Etro helped the crowd with they lyrics to participate, but the live guitar antics did it for me.
Setlist:
