Written by:	Fierce Deity
Published:	November 26, 2009
Event:	Helloween + Gamma Ray: S. American Tour
Location:	Chevrolet Hall, Belo Horizonte, Brazil

(1) Waiting... In Fear

As the Dream Theater concert was about to happen, the producer announced Helloween and Gamma Ray for april 18 at the Chevrolet Hall. Great news, a week after that I bought my ticket. I saw Gamma Ray once (and wrote a review for Metalstorm) and it was one of the best shows of my life. Helloween played here in Belo Horizonte before, too, but I wasn't there to see them. But I wouldn't miss them now - and I wouldn't miss both bands playing together.

But... Will they do it?

Everyone was sure of that: yes, they will play "Future World" and "I Want Out". But it didn't happen in Curitiba, where they played 2 days before Belo Horizonte. So I wasn't so sure anymore - and I would be very, very pissed if I had to leave Chevrolet Hall without seeing both bands playing as one.

Anyway, I arrived one hour before the scheduled time and met with some friends. At 21:03, the show began.


(2) "Kai for President"

With "Welcome/Into the Storm", Gamma Ray started what would be a killing concert. I was sure they would make a great show, but, with a little (or, let's say, a HUGE) help from the audience, it was even better than I thought. Kai didn't have to sing "Heaven Can Wait", we did it for him.

But "Heaven Can Wait" was just a preview of what band and audience can make together. It started with "Valley of the Kings", designed to make people there go crazy, and continued by "Rebellion in Dreamland", singed by every single throat there. And, as if it wasn't enough, we had to prove that we can shout and sing louder that the microphones (ok, just close to it) in "Heavy Metal Universe".




After that perfect combo a pleasant surprise: "Ride the Sky", the song that got me into Gamma Ray and Helloween. And, at the end, "Send me a Sign", a good choice for a closing song, as always.

It was something to be recorded and sold as a "how to make a good concert" DVD. The four members are very good on stage, but Kai and Dirk are masters in the art of interaction, creativity and being funny during a show. Dirk is always making strange faces and movements (like licking his hand and moving it through the bass!) and Kai, well... Kai is Kai, you have to see to believe.





(3) Gambling with the Metalheads

So that was a Gamma Ray concert and I didn't see a single sad face there. And then someone came up with the question: will Helloween do better?
I, being a virgin when it comes to Helloween concets, couldn't say anything for sure, but I did answer: "They'll have to work hard to do better". And then the discussion began, Helloween vs Gamma Ray, make your choice.
The results were a draw. But I'll save it for he end of the review.

As we were talking and resting we heard a song: "For Those About to Rock", and that was the sign to turn over to see the stage and get ready to scream.


(4) A Very Fucking Happy Helloween

After the intro (wich I couldn't listen very well - too much women screaming) Helloween started with "Halloween". Quickly Deris recieved a Brazilian flag and used it as a skirt and didn't take too long for everyone to realize he's also a very good frontman. The "Hello Belo Horizonte" (and for the first time someone said "Belo Horizonte" as we do in portuguese) we had "Sole Survivor" and "March of Time", followed by "As Long As I Fall", which worked perfectly live.




The band left for a drum solo, a drum solo with some samba, very nice (and Dani is a monster). And before the band's return the deep voice of the intro of "A King for a 1000 Years" announced the epic song - very good, but nothing compared to what was about to come.

"Eagle Fly Free" was singed by the audience from the first word to the last. And "Bells of the Seven Hells" worked pretty much like "Heavy Metal Universe". "Dr. Stein" was also a great moment, and, at the end, a medley including some good interaction, like Deris introducing the band, trying to speak portuguese some times (and he actually said "bateria" instead of drums - and now, you, who's reading, know how to say something else than "thank you" in portuguese, huh?). During "Perfect Gentleman" Deris changed the lyrics and made us sing "we are perfect" - well, thanks a lot, but perfect was the show, until now.





(5) I Want... MORE!

If there's something better than "perfect", it is Gamma Ray and Helloween togheter. Fortunately it really happened and there isn't much to say. It is amazing, something than none can forget, not even trying to (and who will be dumb enough to try to forget that?).




The songs, of course, were "Future World" and "I Want Out". This is something every power metal fan should see.

After 3 hours and 40 minutes people started to leave Chevrolet Hall and the question returned: Helloween or Gamma Ray? Well, I could end the review being even more powermetalish than I was so far doing it in chapters and write "Who's better? Both - when playing together". But I won't. It is truth that, if we are to choose between Helloween, Gamma Ray or both, the third option is an obvious choice. But, considering only the bands alone, then, as I said before: I would vote for Kai.






-Gamma Ray

Welcome
Into The Storm
Heaven Can Wait
New World Order
Fight
From The Ashes
Valley Of The Kings
Rebellion In Dreamland
Heavy Metal Universe
Ride The Sky
Somewhere Out In Space
---
Send Me A Sign

-Helloween

For Those About t Rock/Intro
Halloween
Sole Survivor
March Of Time
As Long As I Fall
A Tale That Wasn't Right
Drum Solo
King For A 1000 Years
Eagle Fly Free
The Bells Of The 7 Hells
If I Could Fly
Dr. Stein
---
Medley: I Can/Where The Rain Grows/Perfect Gentleman/Power/Keeper Of The Seven Keys

-Helloween & Gamma Ray

Future World
I Want Out


Pictures by Raphael Garcia (2, 3 and 6), Danny Rios (1 and 4) and Pedrinho Lopes (5).