We left Turkey with heavy hearts, but extremely eager to experience the warmth and hospitality of the Bulgarian people. In 2010, after a fantastic show at the Banja Luka Rock Fest in Bosnia-Hergovina, we had a day off and Raphael Mattos (guitar) and Fabio Buitividas (drums) took the opportunity to travel to Bulgaria to check out the Big 4's historic performance in Sofia. Both were impressed by the energy of the crowd, and memories of that day resurfaced. However, it was our turn to be on the other side: on stage!
On this day, everything went perfectly. The road was good, and we arrived 2 hours before the venue opened for the Hellish Rock tour team. As soon as the local production team greeted us, we had the opportunity to explore the Arena Armeec facilities. The first thing that came to mind was the memory of the Iron Maiden show at the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro. The structure of both venues is very similar, and the adrenaline immediately surged.
After spending time backstage chatting about the tour, answering some interviews, and also using the internet to catch up with our families, we had a relaxed soundcheck and were already excited to debut in Bulgaria.
We went back to the dressing room, decided on the set list, and just waited for our turn. With 10 minutes to go, the tour manager asked if we were ready and led us towards the stage.
When all the lights in the Arena went out and the crowd roared with excitement at our introduction, the only thing on our minds was to tear up that stage and see that sea of people cheering with us.
As soon as we stepped onto the stage, the crowd went wild. In the front rows, you could see fans squeezed against the barrier, some headbanging, others with their hands in the air…
The energy of that moment was magical. From the moment they started playing "I'm Your Mind," we knew that night would be unforgettable!
Throughout our entire performance, we received excellent feedback. We were applauded and cheered from beginning to end. People were fully engaged, enjoying our show in a way that motivated us even more.
All the affection and attention we received while on stage, we received again later at our merchandise stand. People incessantly asked to take photos with us, to autograph tickets, t-shirts, and of course, our CDs.
We really enjoyed having this interaction with the audience and we hope to return to Sofia very soon! This show was definitely a highlight in Shadowside's career.
Now it's time to head to our next destination: Bucharest, Romania.
Check out the complete Shadowside travelogue in Europe here!
