Up to this point, the Hellish Rock tour has been a real success and I believe it will continue to be so until April 21st, the closing date of the European tour. We have already passed through several beautiful cities, with extremely receptive people eager to enjoy a true Heavy Metal spectacle. Shadowside, Gamma Ray and Helloween are giving perfect performances and in each country we notice the impact that each show has had.
We left Oslo already knowing that the Stockholm show was practically sold out. Hitting the road knowing the audience was eagerly anticipating this big event already gave us that feeling of wanting to get on stage right away. However, since we arrived early, we were able to enjoy the city a bit. We ate a delicious pizza, watched the Real Madrid vs. Galatasaray game in a cozy pub, and then found a record store that would make any fan of traditional LPs go crazy because of the sheer number of rarities and important records available on the shelves.
The first show of the tour in Sweden took place in a very well-structured sports/cultural complex. In fact, most of the shows have been happening in this type of space. Many producers choose these venues precisely because of the infrastructure and the tradition of each location in hosting events of this size. Everyone already knows the complete logistics to ensure that every detail goes perfectly.
The place was so cozy that we even used our free time to kick a ball around and relive the joy of playing football in Brazil. We bought a ball precisely because we know that Germans are also passionate about football. When they saw us walking around the court with the ball in our hands, they practically went crazy. However, since they were working hard setting up the stage, they only got to dream about it (laughs).
The most curious thing is that on several occasions, they brought forward all their work just to watch some Bundesliga or Champions League matches. Of course, we also got a little something from that (laughs).
Well, let's get down to business… Shadowside's debut on Swedish stages. Despite having recorded the album “Inner Monster Out” and having done several tours in Europe, we had not yet performed in Sweden, a country which we recognize as one of the most important in the current Heavy Metal scene.
Even though Stockholm is the capital, it's a peaceful, cozy city, but the audience is truly very enthusiastic, intense, and passionate about heavy music. Another successful premiere for our career. We left the crowd well-energized and ready for our German friends. The climax, as we expected, was "Inner Monster Out," a song that, on the album, features Mikael Stanne (Dark Tranquillity), Björn "Speed" Strid (Soilwork), and Niklas Isfeldt (Dream Evil).
We were delighted by the hospitality of the Swedes and headed to Karlstad eager to experience all this Scandinavian warmth.
Check out the complete Shadowside travelogue
Buy tickets for the Shadowside and SupreMa on May 26th at Via Marquês!
