Event:	Kamelot, Epica, Kotipelto
Written by:	Jeff
Published:	01.05.2008
Galleries:	Kamelot, Epica & Kotipelto by Jeff (9)

Concert Review : Kamelot, Epica, Kotipelto


Wednesday the 23rd of March 2005, Paris Elysée Montmartre here I'm for a new crazy Metal night. Tonight, three bands, the Finnish Metal of Mr Kotipelto himself accompanied by his young talented musicians, some Symphonic music with Epica, and the gorgeous Simone Simons, and the kings of Power Metal Kamelot. A great night for all the French Metalheads.



The show started with Mr Kotipelto, the famous singer of Stratovarius. It was a good show, actually I was a bit surprised because I heard before that Kotipelto (the band) was just ok on stage but their performance tonight in Paris was really impressive. For the ones who know the band, you must know that we got a lot of songs from the last album "Coldness".



This is catchy as hell, and no doubt that Kotipelto is a great singer, you'll find it surprising maybe but without any doubt, he was "the voice" of the night (but you'll know the reason later). We saw a performance of one hour, and evidently the two last songs was the hit "Reason" and "Black Diamond"? It was nice really and I recommend them..



Now, Epica, I saw them last year at Graspop, to be honest I found the show really average, not catchy at all and messy, but on the other hand this is a young band and it was certainly their first big festival. The show in Paris was really impressive, Simone was really charismatic and I am not talking about Mark Jansen who is the front man of the band.



Like Kotipelto they played during approximately one hour and yes. We got their classics like "Sensorium" or "Cry For The Moon" which will close the set list. But we had the luck to listen two new songs "The Last Crusade" or "Consign to Oblivion" if I'm not wrong and it was really promising.



However you know like me that it is really hard to enjoy a song when you don't know it then I cannot give a lot of feelings, but the band is better no doubt and yeah I must say it, Simone Simons is cute like hell ha ha, then it wasn't really hard to be hypnotized by the really good "performance" of the band.



After the entr'acte and the sacred beer, Kamelot is ready on stage "to put some fire" in the Elysée Montmartre. The show began with the excellent and catchy song, "Forever" no doubt that it was a great show and the band was really good, this first powerful song was damn impressive. Strangely Khan seems to a bit shy, he didn't talk a lot to the crowd at the difference of Tomas Youngblood who is really communicative and who was the leader on stage. During one hour and twenty minutes, the lucky Parisian Metalheads will have the luck to listen to songs from "Epica" ["The Edge of Paradise", "Wander", "Descent of the Archangel"?] "Karma" and evidently "The Black Halo" [When the Lights Are Down, Soul Society, Moonlight, The Black Halo, Nothing Ever Dies, Serenade?] and even a song from "The Fourth Legacy", "Nights of Arabia". Simone Simons will be there for two duets on "Center Of The Universe" and "The Haunting".



The musicians was good, but I must say it, Mr Khan wasn't in form. During the show and especially with the really high vocals, his voice was not perfect, it was even impossible to hear him and he even sang out of tune. But Khan is a front man and he knows how to win the respect of the audience and will disappear off the stage? to reappear at the top of a column in the middle of the venue six meters higher, to sing in French "Ne Pleure Pas" [the French version of Don't You Cry"], believe me it was magic, something which gives you shivers and everybody was totally amazed. Honestly I would like to see such "performances" in all the shows.



The Kamelot show was not really long actually, that's a bit sad, one hour 20 mins including the "encore" but it was ok and we got a nice "March Of Mephisto" with an excellent Mark Jansen to replace Shagrath and the catchy "Farewell" to close this really nice Metal night in Paris. Maybe that it was not perfect sometime but it was a really nice Live with a lot of emotions and I believe that I'm not the only one who enjoyed a lot this concert. If you have the luck to live near a town where they will play and if you like Power Metal you can already buy your ticket it is worth the price.

[

Many Thx one more time to Roger Wessier and BAD Production for this excellent concert and for the accreditation.