Written by:	Baz Anderson
Published:	March 22, 2010
Event:	Edguy: UK Tour (Website)
Location:	Rescue Rooms, Nottingham, United Kingdom
Galleries:	Edguy - Nottingham, England, 19th March 2010 by Baz Anderson (39)

This compact room is probably the smallest the headliners play these days. With the room constantly filling, this was going to be an interesting experience.




With One Last Breath was the name of the first band, and never has a band stuck out like a sore thumb more. These young guys brought to Nottingham their version of some emo-sounding metalcore. The audience did not approve and subjected the band to a few unpleasant shouts in between songs. This wasn't the right show for this band.



White Wizzard on the other hand were. These New Wave Of British Heavy Metal worshipping Americans brought their set to an appreciative audience. The band take a lot of influence from Iron Maiden, the guitar and bass especially similar. The bass guitar is one of the best parts of White Wizzard live; it doesn't constantly sit below the guitars but shouts out to be heard. The band put on an extremely competent set, but White Wizzard are the perfect example of a band playing a style of music rather than playing music with their own twist.



Edguy were clearly the stars of the evening with a whopping hour and forty minute set. The band sprang onto the stage and delivered a thoroughly entertaining set that reached as far back as the band's 1997 offering. For being known as a power metal band, in recent years the band have moved away from the galloping double bass drum party the genre is known for. This was somewhat evident in the set, although we still were treated to the speedy "Babylon". Of other older material we had the self-admitted Europe rip-off "Vain Glory Opera" and the great "Tears Of A Mandrake" quite early in the set, but the highlight of the night was the long opus of "The Piper Never Dies".



It is clear why Edguy have been so successful over the years. The guys are entertainers as well as great musicians. Tobi especially is such a charismatic frontman and has the distinct ability to kick into the air higher than his own head. In between songs he kept us entertained and didn't let the size of the venue put him off giving all he had into his singing.



It might have been a small venue, but the packed room was brimming with life. Never has such an amount of people made such a loud noise for a band. Edguy might have been providing the entertainment, but the audience here were absolutely amazing too. Lots of participation from the audience and the burning enthusiasm these people had for the band is surely the most any band could have hoped to have received in their dreams. Tobi recognised this, and told the audience that he knew they had been downgraded to this small venue and honestly weren't expecting much, but we blew him and the band away.



The room was boiling hot; everyone sweating, but none more than the guys on stage. The audience's passion kept the band going, if not the five-minute breather in the middle of the set while Felix put on a rather workman-like drum solo. The apparent lack of oxygen didn't seem to take its toll on the band, rather they all constantly had smiles on their faces to be entertaining this audience. These guys are very likable, they were always communicating with the audience and making lots of eye contact with the onlookers.



The newer songs in the set went down as well as the oldies. "Speedhoven" from the new album especially sounded great live. Crowd singalong "Save Me" provided an enjoyable break from the constant metal assault, but it was "King Of Fools" and "Lavatory Love Machine" that went down best. This was a night to just remind you how enjoyable Edguy are, and make you realise just how many of theit lyrics you actually do know. There wasn't a dull face in the venue at the end of this electric show, both band and audience had an amazing time. Edguy will be back in Nottingham, we have that promise.



Click here for an interview with Tobi conducted the day before the start of this UK tour.

Thanks to Lucy and Adam for the accreditation.
Written by Barry Anderson.
Photos by Barry Anderson.