Live Report - Kamelot with Special Guest Dragonforce from Mojoes in Joliet, IL
Live Gig

Release year: 0
Reviewed by Joel

On May 6th, 2015 I journeyed for my first trip south of the year, to Joliet, IL. A southwest suburb of Chicago. I go to this place a few times, the one hundred and twenty some mile drive, plus the daily Chicago commute traffic, makes the trip interesting each time. This time I was treated to two solid performances, one from opener Dragonforce, and the headliner, Kamelot. Prior to the show, I had the honor of meeting and getting a photograph taken with Kamelot. They took their time talking to everyone who came up to meet them, and really seemed to enjoy the interactions with their fans(myself, and my sister included). After the initial autographs were signed, they took a photo with everyone individually(or in my case, with my sister). The meet and greet was well thought out and planned and one of the better organized meet and greets I have been apart of. The guys from Dragonforce also happen to be walking around as my sister and I found our way back down to the floor level of the venue, and they were also kind and appreciative of anyone who said hi.

So the lights went down, and Dragonforce entered the stage, opening up with Sonic Firestorm’s Fury Of Storm. The blistering track musically sounding like it did on cd, while Marc Hudson(vocalist) bringing his own energy to a Dragonforce classic. The latest single, Three Hammers quickly followed, a mixture of their signature technical guitar playing, and great melodies. The first track from their latest release, Maximum Overload, The Game was next. A song in which(one of many) I could not wait to experience live, mostly due to the trading guitar solos, specifically a guitar tapping part that Herman Li does(As seen in the video for the song as well). Speaking of guitar solos, Inhuman Rampage’s, Operation Ground and Pound was next, and featured the nightly duel between Li and Sam Totman. As the band stated, the video game inspired, Symphony Of The Night(Castelvania I am assuming!) off their latest release was next, and was written by bassist Frederic Leclercq. The Power Within’s melodic Cry Thunder followed, along with the classic Valley Of The Damned thereafter. I have always enjoyed hearing songs from bands earlier discography live, and this one is done I believe at every show(At least every show I have seen them, and this was number five!). A cover of Ring Of Fire was a fun Dragonforce arranged song, that set the stage, for the always popular, Guitar Hero-controller-was-broken-afterwards, Through The Fire And Flames. For 9 songs the band commanded the stage, and played a blistering set with very little let down. I have been a fan long before their popularity in the States, and for those who can not believe the band can play their own songs live, have read one too many blogs, or watched one too many Youtube videos. I am not denying that they those videos may exist, but what I am saying, I have seen them 5 times as I have mentioned, and each time the band has delivered. The one thing that stood out to me even more, is the band’s vocal harmonies, were among the best I had heard from them yet, live. For those who hate them, because they are famous, or not legit, I can’t change your mind, but no one can deny the talent. Also ALL the band members were kind and courteous before and after show, showing what kind of people they are.

A short break left me thinking about Dragonforce’s set, and in no time the lights dim, and Ghost Opera’s Rule The World followed by that disc’s title track. With Tommy Karevik on vocals, and singing those songs, it seems that he was meant to sing a lot of Ghost Opera’s songs. My least favorite Roy Khan era disc was Poetry For The Poisoned , and The Great Pandemonium off that disc was next. For a song I only listened to a handful of times, I did enjoy this live version. The first track to be featured from their latest disc, Haven, Veil Of Elysium followed. Sounding as it did on Haven, the song had a lot of energy. Speaking of energy, the fan favorite, Center Of The Universe followed and with Karevik it sounded much more like the original version. The show stopping Song For Jolee, was Karevik’s moment to shine, and he did exactly that. Following that, the band went back in time for Karma, before Casey Grillo brought the house down, with an old school Drum Solo. Two Haven tracks, Revolution, and the first official music video song, Insomnia were sandwiched around Silverthorn’s Torn. The Black Halo fan favorite, When The Lights Go Down sped things back up a little bit, before the darker Veritas off Silverthorn took things in a darker direction. Keyboardist Oliver Palotai serenaded the audience with a keyboard/piano solo, that both showed his talent and kept the fans interacting with him. The set ended up with Karma’s Forever, another classic with one of my favorite choruses. For an encore, the band returned with Silverthorn’s first single, Sacrimony(Angel Of Afterlife) which featured the vocals of Linnea Vikstrom(Therion) who performed both the melodic clean female vocals, and the death metal vocals originally done by Alissa White-Gluz of Arch Enemy. Vikstorm also provided the background death growls on the encore closer, and classic Black Halo song, March of Mephisto. Vikstrom who was singing backup on several of Kamelot’s songs, did a great job, whether singing clean, or growling.

What a night it was, four plus hours of Power Metal, from two of my favorite bands. I heard a lot of songs that were favorites, and didn’t hear a few I would have loved to hear. Meeting both bands, and being in a filled club with everyone enjoying the music, made for a perfect night of metal. This same tour will have a second leg of the tour, this fall starting in November throughout North America. If you are a fan of either band, it is worth going out and seeing them.


Check out Kamelot’s website for more information.
Also if you missed it, please check out my review of Haven.
Killing Songs :
Joel quoted no quote
Other albums by Live Report that we have reviewed:
Live Report - Marduk / Vader - United Titans Tour 2022 - 17th March 2022 - Rebellion, Manchester, UK reviewed by Goat and quoted
Live Report - Genesis - The Last Domino? Tour - 25 September 2021 - AO Arena, Manchester, UK reviewed by Goat and quoted
Live Report - Mgla, Lvcifyre, Wode - 15th March 2019 - Rebellion, Manchester, UK reviewed by Goat and quoted
Live Report - Pestilence, Grimaze, Damim, Cryptic Shift - 23rd February 2019 - Rebellion, Manchester, UK reviewed by Goat and quoted
Live Report - King Crimson - Uncertain Times Tour - 9th November 2018 - Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, UK reviewed by Goat and quoted
To see all 89 reviews click here
0 readers voted
Average:
 0
You did not vote yet.
Vote now

There are 2 replies to this review. Last one on Fri May 15, 2015 6:48 pm
View and Post comments