LIVE REVIEW: Blind Guardian @ Academy, Manchester
Despite a career spanning near four decades, it’s remarkable that we can count on two hands how many times German power metal legends BLIND GUARDIAN have graced UK shores and only their second appearance in Manchester. The eight years since they blew us away at The Ritz feels like an age, but finally, they are back. And given the queue is snaking its way down Oxford Road, it’s fair to say that this will be an occasion to remember.
As sole support, there’s a lot riding on fellow countrymen THE NIGHT ETERNAL to kick start the evening with a bang and with a sizeable crowd inside Manchester’s Academy to greet them, it could have been easy for the Germans to wilt under the pressure. But thanks a bombastic, no-nonsense thrills homage to 80s heavy metal, the band hit the ground running. Over the course of their eight song set, guitarists Rob Richter and Henry Käseberg dual and gallop as they deploy riff after riff and in Ricardo Baum, the frontman channels the heroes of yesteryear with an energetic stage presence and soaring vocals to boot. Whilst their sound is far from ground-breaking or truly innovative, THE NIGHT ETERNAL deliver denim and leather in fine fashion and their warm reception from the crowd amassed in front of them shows they will be welcome back on our shores with open arms.
Rating: 8/10
Impressive they may be, but tonight is all about BLIND GUARDIAN and in the moments prior to their grand entrance, the excitement is palpable. As the lights dim and the band announce their arrival with Imaginations From The Other Side, the energy is electric as the band, led by the charismatic Hansi Kürsch, built the atmosphere before delivering a knock out punch of bombastic proportions.
From there, the band just excel as they embark on a journey across their extensive discography. Nightfall‘s early outing sees the crowd grin with glee as the guitar harmonies from Marcus Siepen and André Olbrich sound utterly immense in the live arena, whilst material from the band’s latest album (2022’s The God Machine) sit comfortably amongst their decorated back catalogue. Given that technically, this tour is in support of their latest album, it’s somewhat surprising that just three songs from their latest record make a live outing, but BLIND GUARDIAN‘s history is rich and extensive, and they play to what their fans want; a victory lap of masterful power metal.
The Bard’s Song – In The Forest sees two thousand people join the band in singing the sombre folk tale, and it’s a moment that raises the hairs on the back of the neck, whereas Majesty and Traveler In Time injects a ton of adrenaline in the show’s closing stages.
It’s an exhilarating performance, but a triumphant encore ensures that BLIND GUARDIAN finish their time in Manchester with the most epic of finishes. Sacred Worlds soars as the booming symphonics, mix with the epic riffs and Kürsch‘s soaring vocals, Valhalla has the crowd screaming every word back to the band and in finale Mirror Mirror, the band end their time in Manchester with a flourish. And as the crowds filter out of Manchester chanting in unison, “Valhalla – Deliverance, Why’ve you ever forgotten me”, one thing is clear: BLIND GUARDIAN are one of metal’s greatest properties.
Rating: 10/10
Check out our photo gallery of the night’s action in Manchester from Jess Robinson here:
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