Live Coverage || Kamelot, Sunburst @ Gagarin 205 (10/11/2017)

I've been following Kamelot for a decade now but I haven't had the chance to see them play. Lucky for me, their tour to promote their latest album, "Haven", was passing from my area. 




Due to a nasty traffic downtown, I missed the beginning of Sunburst's set. What I did catch, however, was a fully energetic performance that received a very warm welcome from the fans in the venue. And mind you, that's a really rare instance with local opening acts. The vocalist exploited his entire range and potential, fully sustaining his notes. The only force to take away glimpses of his glory, was guitarist Gus Drax. The young virtuoso held the melodic parts of the performance on his own all while slaying his solos. (8) 

Kamelot took the stage by storm with "Veil Of Elysium" and "Ghost Opera". I never denied I was a big fan of former singer Roy Khan, but Tommy Karevik was a true revelation on stage. His performance was solid as a rock, supported by a voice and resonance on point. Mainman Thomas Youngblood had a calm confidence. He knows his band is great live and he visibly absorbs the positive feedback of a packed venue singing along. Also noteworthy was the bassist, Sean Tibbets, who didn't stop jumping and muttering the lyrics throughout the entire set (to be honest, I did compare him for a split second to the only other bassist I know who can distract you from paying attention to the rest of the band: Ghost of Motionless In White). The band seemed to have as much fun as their fans. 



Guest vocalists Kobra Paige and Hel Pyre assumed the task of seconding Karevik with ethereal and screaming vocals respectively. Halfway through the show, Thomas Youngblood made a toast with ouzo for all the recent birthdays in the band, and got the entire venue to sing "Happy Birthday" to the singer. The setlist, which was quite integral, consisted of hit songs showcasing the band's entire catalogue. After a little over an hour on stage Kamelot performed an encore with "Sacrimony" and "March of Mephisto", where the guest singers joined the band for an explosive finale. My 16-year-old self was satisfied; my current self was amazed. (9)

All photos by Dearohwell Photography.













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