Artist:  Helloween & Gamma Ray 

Venue: Shepherd's Bush Empire, London

Date: 8 January 2008  

When this gig was first advertised the metal-heads of the UK were clambering to get tickets for what was going to be THE Metal event of the year for most, so much so that the venue was changed and the door times also were changed. 

This is where the problems for this reviewer began, we booked our trains and hotels well in advance of the show so when the venue was changed from The Forum to Shepherds Bush Empire, that was ok for those living in and around London, but this coupled with the hour earlier door opening time, meant that the train we'd already booked and paid wasn't actually due to arrive into Kings Cross until 5.45 pm and by the time we checked into our hotel, time was seriously getting on.  So after a lightening quick turnaround then a lengthy journey on the tube, all resulted in using completely missing the entire Axxis set, for which I really apologise to the band because I really wanted to check them out after hearing their 'Doom Of Destiny' album, but from what I heard around the venue that they really rocked, which made me even more disappointed at missing them!  Next time for definite!

After the disappointment of missing Axxis, Gamma Ray would really have to pull out all the stops to lift my mood but believe me they certainly did just that. As Kai Hansen and the rest of the band hit the stage they received a welcome that normally would be worthy of a headline band.

Opening up the set in tremendous style with ‘Welcome’ it was straight into the metal with ‘Garden Of The Sinner’ and instantly the crowd were right behind the band, who were really up for the show as they gave 110% as they continued their metal assault with ‘New World Order’ and the equally superb ‘Fight’, with Daniel Zimmerman pounding out the back beat with effortless ease as Kai and Henjo Richter just spew out the monstrous metal riffs.

The pounding metal just keeps on coming much to the crowds delight with ‘From The Ashes’ before slowing things down just a touch with ‘Empress’.  They then brought things right back up with the speed assault of ‘Valley Of The Kings’ ... oh yes things were getting very Wild and Hairy in the Bush tonight as the headbangers really let loose their locks on this one.

This very impressive set continued with the old school metal of ‘Rebellion In Dreamland’, then as we all entered into the spirit of things with a little sing-a-long the band invited us all into the ‘Heavy Metal Universe’.  Of course tonight we were already there and had been from the off as Kai invited those seated upstairs in the balcony to stand up and join the rest of us rockin' the night away.

The band brought a little culture into the proceedings with a little classical before ripping into something from Kai’s Helloween days ‘Ride The Sky’, before rounding things off with ‘Somewhere Out In Space’ and the sublime encore of ‘Send Me A Sign’, which ended a quite superb set from a band that could have easily headlined the night
as the crowd were behind them 100%.  I for one would not hesitate to see them again so let's hope this is the catalyst for a headline tour for the band with maybe a few shows in the UK included for good measure.

Now for the main event, the last time I could Helloween was at the now defunked Bradford Rio in 2006 and they truly blew me away that night.  So I and the 2,000 metalheads around me were certainly hoping for something similar.

After the bands usual intro of 'For Those About To Rock' it was time to really get down to it after the album intro ‘Crack The Riddle’, which was provided by Biff Byford.  The band surprised me by opening up with the classic ‘Halloween’, which obviously went down a storm with frontman Deris in superb form, together with rest of the band who looked well up for the show and at the most relaxed on stage I’ve seen them before.  I don't know any band who could get away with opening up a set with a 13 minute song, only Helloween!

They continued to pull no punches as they carried on with ‘Sole Survivor’ and ‘March Of Time’, before venturing into the first of the songs from the bands new album ‘Gambling With The Devil’ starting with the first single off the album ‘As Long As I Fall’, which also like every song played tonight, went down a storm with the partisan crowd.

The band showed that they're not all about the speed metal as they slowed things down just a little with ‘A Tale That Wasn’t Right’, before the most bizarre drum solo I have ever seen as Dani Loble got things under way a puppet show prevailed with Deris, Gerstner, and Grosskopf dressed like ZZ Tops and giving their rendition of 'Smoke on the Water', in what can only be described as an Alvin and the Chipmunks version, which was looked upon with disgust by Michael Weikath who put and end to the proceedings by disposing of them with a sub machine gun before Loble continued with the solo, BIZARRE. (By the way you can currently find this on you-tube if you know where to look!).

After this comic interlude it was back to the serious metal with ‘King For 1000 Years’, with Sascha pulling out all the stops in a twin necked guitar and Deris giving his all once again as he did on the wonderful ‘Eagle Fly Free’, which sounded magnificent.

It was back to the new album for ‘The Bells Of The 7 Hells’, one of my favourite tracks off said album which also gave the crowd another chance to sing-along, but the fans didn’t need an excuse as most sang along with every word to every song anyway.

Things were slowed down once more with ‘If I Could Fly’ before rounding off the set with the classic ‘Dr Stein’.  As the band left the stage the cries of "Happy Happy Helloween!!!" soon went out and it wasn’t long before the band once again hit the stage this time for a medley with Deris donned in a sparkling red jacket and top hat as part of his ‘Perfect Gentleman’. 

Those of us in the know knew that when the band left the stage again they would soon be returning for something special and they didn’t disappoint as they were joined on stage by Kai 

Hansen and Henjo Richter of Gamma Ray for a couple of crowd pleasers.  Firstly ‘Future World’ with a few inflatable pumpkins thrown into the crowd, then what Helloween show wouldn’t be complete without ‘I Want Out’, with Kai assisting on vocals for this show stopper. 

All of which rounded off a quite superb night of true metal.  My only disappointment was the fact the band only played one show in the UK and that they didn't do a couple more off the new album, but these are my only qualms on a splendid night.

Gamma Ray setlist: Welcome, Garden of the sinner, New world order, Fight, From the ashes, Empress, Valley of the kings, Rebellion in dreamland, Heavy metal universe, Ride the sky, Somewhere out in space, Send me a sign

Helloween setlist: Halloween, Sole survivor, March of time, As long as a fall, A tale that wasn’t right, Drum solo, King for 1000 years, Eagle fly free, The hells of the 7 bells, If I could fly, Dr Stein, Medley (Perfect Gentleman), Future world, I want out

 

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