Since we left Brazil, the performance at the Olympia in Paris was considered the most important show of the entire Hellish Rock tour. Not that the other shows weren't equally valuable, but the Olympia is one of the most renowned, revered, and oldest venues in all of Europe.
Names like The Beatles, Madonna, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, The Doors, The Rolling Stones, Black Sabbath, Celine Dion, Elton John, KISS, Luciano Pavarotti, and many other big names in international music have graced this venue. From Brazil, artists like Elis Regina, Tom Jobim, Maysa, and Miúcha have performed at this illustrious location. Therefore, imagine our responsibility in representing the first Brazilian Heavy Metal band to perform on this respected French stage.
With the prestige of three screenings in Sweden, we arrived in the French capital extremely excited and with high morale. This series of screenings was a great warm-up for the big show that was to come.
The trip was quite long. Getting from Gothenburg to Paris took at least 19 hours. It was a 1,550 km journey crossing several cities in Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, and France. After a real feat of effort, we arrived at the Olympia early in the morning, after facing infernal traffic, comparable to or worse than that of São Paulo, by the way.
As soon as we arrived at the venue, there were already several fans at the door. Upon entering, we were impressed by the sophistication of the place. At that moment we understood the reason for so much charm and glamour. Everything is spectacular! Stage, audience, access... every minute detail is extraordinary.
After facing numerous packed arenas in various countries, the time had come to prove our true worth! It was our trial by fire! After all, the French people are absolutely passionate about Heavy Metal!
We took advantage of the free time before lunch and soundcheck to visit some of the sights in the City of Lights. In our case, taking a walk around the neighborhood is a great way to relax and relieve all the pre-show tension and anxiety. We don't have many days off anymore, so it's always great to take advantage of any free time to explore and sample the local cuisine. (laughs)
Speaking of food, the dishes prepared that day were a show in themselves. From breakfast to dinner, it was a parade of delicious treats that made it impossible not to succumb to the sin of gluttony! Each dish was more delicious than the last… Yes, we desperately succumbed to temptation! (laughs)
After finishing our catering duties, we took some time to focus on the historic moment that was about to unfold. We knew our responsibility; we always knew we would be writing our name alongside other unforgettable personalities and putting our country, once again, in the international spotlight. We make a point of saying “We are Shadowside, from Brazil!” at the end of each performance. We are proud to bear the moniker of Brazilian Metal Hurricane, which, incidentally, was given to us by an American journalist.
With the running order going perfectly smoothly, we only had to worry about relaxing in our dressing room so we could go on stage soon. At 7:55 PM, with the venue practically full, the Hellish Rock tour manager called us to start our show.
As soon as the lights went down and we stepped onto the stage, the audience welcomed us. Yes, we were living a dream! With excellent space to move around, our performance gained an exceptional boost. We didn't stop rocking for a single second, and best of all, the crowd responded perfectly to all our interactions. It was a magical reciprocity! It's practically impossible to describe all the energy that happened at that moment. It was a perfect night, one that will certainly be a highlight of Shadowside's career over all these years. At the end of the setlist, we received a standing ovation for many minutes, and the feeling of having passed the TCC (Final Course Project) brought us immense joy.
As with any show, there's always something quirky. On this particular day, there was someone in charge of the official merchandise for Shadowside, Gamma Ray, and Helloween. We told him that after the event, we would go to the venue to take pictures with people, give autographs, etc. The guy was super happy with our gesture, because bands rarely make this kind of interaction, which, whether you like it or not, helps a lot with sales.
As soon as we arrived at the "merchandising" area, he started shouting, selling our merchandise as if he were in a street fair. He invited people to buy our CDs and t-shirts, which we were there to sign and have this closer contact with everyone. The result: utter pandemonium in one of the most important venues in Europe. (laughs)
We left the Olympia feeling absolutely perfect! As a token of appreciation, our tour manager gave us some free time to visit the famous Arc de Triomphe before continuing our journey to Saarbrücken (Germany).
Check out the complete Shadowside travelogue
Buy tickets for the Shadowside and SupreMa on May 26th at Via Marquês!
