Finally... A Review

So, like, I know I haven't blogged about my "Opeth Experience" and I have been trying to figure out why. Mostly, I think, it is attributed to the fact that there just aren't words that can express how amazing it was. I mean, I LOVE OPETH. And to hear them live was just such a phenomenal experience that it is difficult to put into words how it left my insides.

The opening acts were Dark Tranquillity and Devildriver. I was insanely impressed by DT's stage presence. Mikael Stanne is amazing. Hearing Lost to Apathy, Damage Done and The New Build live was just fucking awesome!! Devildriver came on stage next. I can say that although I enjoyed them, the sort of atmosphere they encouraged was closer to a frat-party than a metal concert. I enjoyed hearing Driving Down The Darkness, Sin & Sacrifice and Hold Back The Day. The mosh pit began 1/4 way through DD's set. Being on the rails to the right of the stage was a bit scary b/c of the pit and these kids are bluddy INSANE -I SURVIVED!!! I must say that DD tore it up and subsequently left the crowd in a frenzied state. They were completely hyped after DD left the stage.

It was a bit awkward for Opeth to come out and play to this high energy crowd. The average 17 year old didn't come out to see Opeth, they came out to see Devildriver!! *gasp shock* (that is just *silly*!!)

Anyway, here's the setlist:
Ghost of Perdition
White Cluster
Under the Weeping Moon
Closure
The Baying of the Hounds
The Grand Conjuration
The Drapery Falls
Delieverance

Can you say… BRILLIANT???
Mikael Akerfeldt sounded beautiful. He does these little monologues b/w songs which I have heard accurately described as "pillow talk". Mmmmm. At one point some eejit in the audiences yells "Suck my dick", to which Mikael (in my dreams we're on a first name basis) responds "Why would I want to suck your dick? The only dick I want to suck is my own. And I can, you know!?" Another eejit a few songs later throws a shoe on stage. Mikael says "I hope no one shit in this. Who threw this? Don't throw things… *pause* If you throw things I can respond in two ways. One, I can get get mad and push it deep down inside or I can play a death metal tune. I will now play a death metal tune." At this point in the show, I wanted to jump the rails and do illegal things to this man on stage! Rawwwrrrr!

Headbanging!! \m/ /O\ \m/ Floating to the softer melodies. Opeth has it all. Growly sexy vocals mixed with soothing sweet ones has this incredible euphoric effect on me. It was altogether dreamy and severely intense. A paradoxical occurence.

Close to the end I left the rails and I remember sitting in the back of the concert hall listening to The Drapery Falls and thinking "I have died and gone to heaven". Then I remembered I don’t believe in heaven. They have such beauty in all of their music, it can be seriously tear-jerking.

The night was just a great experience. Especially for my first extreme metal concert. Bring on Wacken!

Incidentally: If I did believe in heaven, it would certainly have an continual Opeth experience.