Up to this point, the Hellish Rock tour has passed through Spain, Switzerland, Italy, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Poland, Finland, and Norway. It's certain that we had wonderful moments in all these countries, which we will never forget. However, Sweden is a country we hold dear.
The first reason is simply because we recorded the album "Inner Monster Out" at Fredman Studio, located in this city. This work was very significant for us, as it was the first album we recorded outside of Brazil, and the worldwide feedback was impressive. Furthermore, Gothenburg is the birthplace of several bands that currently dictate the rules of what happens in the current Heavy Metal scene. It's impossible to ignore the "New Wave of Swedish Death Metal" movement, don't you think?!
Of course, the shows in Stockholm and Karlstad were important, but we arrived in Gothenburg with that desire to tear everything up and definitively etch Shadowside's name into the public's mind. For us, we can compare this performance to a thesis. We know that Swedes, especially Heavy Metal fans, are very demanding. They know heavy music, it's part of their daily lives, they live with the excellence of many famous bands and really have a sense of what's good and what's not…
We arrived at Lisebergshallen completely focused on the show that would take place hours later. Luckily, we found a good portion of the Helloween and Gamma Ray crew at the catering for a delicious lunch. Of course, we had a good laugh, which helped us relax a bit. After that, we took a quick stroll through the familiar streets of the shopping center and soon returned to the dressing room to save all our energy for a great performance.
The soundcheck went perfectly. We didn't have any technical or sound problems, and we could already feel the excitement of the crowd eagerly awaiting the opening of the gates. Lisebergshallen is a very well-structured sports arena for hosting large concerts, and the local production team took great care to preserve every space available to the event.
At 7:25 PM, we found the arena practically full. 90% of the floor was packed with people thirsty for Heavy Metal. Five minutes later, as soon as the lights went out, we felt that thrill coming from the audience. This anticipation filled us with determination, and as soon as we stepped onto the stage, the crowd cheered, applauded us, and created a real party atmosphere… This immediate response, without a single chord played, made us completely comfortable to truly do our job very well.
In fact, we had an obligation to put on a good show. After all, we were carrying the flag of Brazilian Heavy Metal and also because, on that occasion, we were receiving the illustrious presence of our dear and renowned producer Fredrik Nordström, our friend Anders Jivarp (drummer of Dark Tranquillity) and Emil, from our European label Inner Wound Recordings.
Well, what we have to say about the Gothenburg show is simply indescribable. It was like we were playing in our own city. It was pure excitement from beginning to end! From “I'm Your Mind” to “Angel with Horns,” it was one of the most intense live experiences we've ever had. Having the approval of the Swedish audience for the third time was sensational. Once again, it was wonderful to play for such an energetic crowd.
As soon as we arrived at our dressing room, Fredrik "invaded" our space with a huge grin, already congratulating us on the show. Nothing better than having the recognition of someone considered a legend in Heavy Metal. From then on, it was just a party! Lots of beer, lots of laughter, and great camaraderie.
After that, we took a super relaxing shower to face the fans' fury at our merchandise booth. Well, in this case, the fury went beyond just autographs and photos; this time, it turned into an arm wrestling match! (laughs)
With a sense of mission accomplished, we set off for the next big show of the tour, the famous Olympia in Paris!
Check out the complete Shadowside travelogue
Buy tickets for the Shadowside and SupreMa on May 26th at Via Marquês!
