Text by Maykon Kjellin
We were happy and excited to be on our way to a Sepultura , and at the same time sad that it was, until then, their last one in Santa Catarina.
The atmosphere at Arena Opus on the 23rd was extremely welcoming, with ample bar facilities, a smoking area, accessibility for disabled people, and everything contributed to a truly dignified farewell.
We arrived at the event after 8:30 PM and the show, scheduled for 9:00 PM, started a few minutes late. Contrary to many people's expectations, they didn't play "Polícia," their version of the Titãs , which was only played over the sound system. Instead, they started with full energy with "Refuse/Resist," "Territory," and "Slave New World," a trio that sent the Arena crowd into raptures.
There was some lamentation among fans over the unexpected lineup change for this farewell, but one thing needs to be said: Greyson Nekrutman's drumming is simply incredible. Despite all his skill on the drums, the drummer still adds small extra notes that, for some, may go unnoticed, but for others make all the difference in how much the musician cared about adding a little of 'his own touch' to the songs.
Staying true to the band's roots, the screen constantly displayed clips of indigenous people, as well as soldiers on a chessboard, with smoke and skulls in quicksand. It's iconic to think that a band with Sepultura's performance, even after 40 years, has a date to end their work; sometimes it seems unbelievable that we might not have another opportunity to enjoy another performance.
Andreas Kisser showed enthusiasm for the performance and interacted extensively with the audience, even more than was planned in the setlist. He reminisced about a visit to the capital of Santa Catarina with the Ramones in 1994. While many in the audience shouted and applauded, interacting about the event that happened in 1994, Andreas joked about the fact that a good portion of the audience remembered being "a little old".
However, the night was a celebration of the excellent career of Brazil's biggest metal band. Still riding the wave of the set, songs like "Phantom Self," "Dusted," "Attitude," "Kairos," "Cut-Throat," and "Escape to The Void" ignited the night. Moving on to "Kayowas," we had a demonstration of the band's early days, with plenty of percussion on stage, continuing with "Sepulnation" and the participation of other drummers accompanying Derrick Green and Greyson, creating a party for the audience who didn't stay out of it, participating with many rhythmic claps.
There were rare moments of pause between songs; during one of them, Andreas asked the audience to applaud Greyson Nekrutman for accepting a challenge and fulfilling it masterfully. Some tried to start a chorus of praise for Eloy Casagrande, but were drowned out by general applause for Greyson's performance throughout the show.
The closing was impactful, with a sequence of the classic “Biotech is Godzilla”, the more recent “Agony of Defeat”, the colossal “Troops of Doom” and a trip down memory lane with “Inner Self”. When Derrick thanked the crowd, announcing the final phase of the show, and Andreas encouraged the mosh pits to be more intense, saying that those he had seen were still timid, it was time to experience the show intensely. With the first chords of “Arise” followed by “Ratamahata” and “Roots”, the show ended with shouts of “Sepultura” and endless applause.
At that moment, Greyson came down from the stage and approached the barrier, thanking, hugging and shaking hands with everyone, throwing drumsticks and even taking photos, showing that he is there to enjoy every Sepultura performance.
It's impossible not to associate the current state of Brazilian metal with everything Sepultura did for the scene. The band essentially brought influences from our culture to heavy metal in the 80s, breaking down barriers about what metal should be. The departures of the main founders, the lack of empathy from a large part of the fans at the time, the loss of record labels, and overcoming all of that while remaining at the top to this day, are all results of the band's serious and professional work, which will certainly leave a void in our scene.
It was a night of great memories to be cherished in the future, thanks to the atmosphere at Arena Opus, the excellent performance by the biggest band in the country, and the audience that was completely immersed in the band. May this be a "see you later," and may we have more dates in Brazil. Otherwise, thank you for everything, Sepultura, the "Sepultura of Brazil.".
The tour is produced by 30e and tickets for the shows in São Paulo are available on the Eventim website.
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