Amaranthe & Kobra and the Lotus in Salt Lake City 2013

Hi world!

I am still so sore and tired after this amazing concert!! I'm so happy I got to go and meet most of the band members!!



First in line!!

 

 

Amaranthe & Kobra and the Lotus Salt Lake City July 26th 2013

 

Like always I was first in line! Yay! I noticed that the Utah "crowd" is a little boring and slow, we got to "In the Venue" around 11:00 and before getting there I was a little freaking out thinking that maybe there were some other people already there, but no, we were the first ones!

 

I went with my boyfriend and his best friend aka the brother in law "BiL". (and if you are wondering they both are Asians *nods*)



Family in line!

 

We were fine for the first two hours since there was lots of shade but then the evil sun started to reach us!

Ok so these are the bad things about waiting in line:

• Utah is a desert
• It's in the middle of summer
• No near restrooms around
• No near stores around to get water
• It felt like an oven
• We were starting to talk nonsense since we were so dehydrated
• Sunburn (I applied sunscreen SPF 80 though)

It was really hard to be there but we really want to support the bands and show them that we appreaciate them and go there early.

 

Sun was so strong and no clouds around, we tried to stay in the shadows as much as we could but BiL just stayed under the sun O.o the whole day!!! Bf and I drank some natural/organic energy drinks that don't make you crush and we offered one to BiL but he didn't want o.O

 

We saw Kobra Paige (Kobra and the Lotus' vocalist) and she was so sweet!! asking us if we were ok under this evil sun! we saw the other members from Kobra and the Lotus but we honestly didn't want to bother them asking for pictures because you can see they are getting ready for the show so yeah it's better not bother them. Everytime Kobra passed by us she asked us if we were fine and that was so sweet of her! Seriously a beautiful girl inside and out!

 

Elize Ryd (Amaranthe's Vocalist) came and asked us if we were fine as well! I guess we were looking like death by that time haha but that was sweet ot her!

 

I got to talk with Charlie Parra del Riego! He's big in the metal industry as well and it was nice to talk with him in Spanish since he is Peruvian, he's such a down to earth person!

 

Around 5 people started to come so I guess we arrived 6 hours earlier lol anyways by that time I was way too hot and getting a little scared to get a heat stroke!! Elize came and asked me if I needed something like sneakers, skittles fruit or water, of course I didn't want to ask for anything but I thanked her for being so thoughtful!

 

The guys of "In the Venue" were kind enough to give us some free headphones :) I guess being dedicated pays off :) it felt good that they noticed that we were there all excited and we were able to wait under the evil sun just to see our bands!

 

Honestly this felt like VIP talking and interacting with the members throughout the day!!

 

Around 6:30 we went inside the venue and it was a little small (my first time at "In the Venue") we got our place right in the front and they were still doing the soundcheck and man my ears were killing me! fortunately I had tissue so I made my own earplugs, I love concerts but I don't want to be deaf! my bf used his earphones as earplugs and he was fine, we gave the BiL some tissued so he can make some earplugs but he didn't want >.>

 

Bf went to Kobra and the Lotus booth and bought us a copy of their album and it kick ass! great music! I feel blessed we got to interact with them!!

 

Kobra and the Lotus 2013 Summer Tour

 

Kobra and the Lotus Salt Lake City Setlist

1. Nayana
2. No rest for the Wicked
3. Welcome to my Funeral
4. Forever
5. Heaven's Veins
6. Sanctuary
7. My life
8. Dark Passenger
9. 50 Shades of Evil

Their show was strong and raw! Kobra has a powerful voice and the other members are sooo talented! they really did an amazing job!

 



Kobra Paige



Kobra and Charlie



Charlie Parra del Riego



Charlie Parra del Riego



Kobra Paige

 



Jasio Kulakowski and Charlie Parra del Riego

Too bad I couldn't get pics of the other members :( it sucks!! but it was very difficult from where I was! :(



In the break within bands we got to rest a little and I noticed that BiL was so out! he was really tired and I don't think he got to enjoy either concerts too much :/ poor guy!


Amaranthe "The Nexux" 2013 US Tour

Amaranthe Salt Lake City Setlist

1. Invisible
2. Leave Everything Behind
3. 1.000.000 Lightyears
4. Serendipity
5. Afterlife
6. Infinity
7. Burn With Me
8. Mechanical Illusion
9. Rain
10. The Nexus
11. Amaranthine
12. Electroheart
13. Callout my name
14. Automatic
15. Hunger

Great show! It was sooo nice to actually see them performing! one of my goals in life! Elize did great! Andy didn't come but Henric came in his place and I think he did awesome!! Jake broke his elbow but my respects to him for playing in that condition!




Jake



Elize Ryd



Henric and Elize



Master Olof!!



Jake! Best Picture ever!!



Jake and Elize Ryd



Olof!! Master!!



Jake looking great!!



Henric is such a great person!!



Elize Ryd



Henric and Jake



Olof and Elize



Too blurry :(



Jake



Olof



Olof and Elize



Olof and Elize

It was a great show of both bands and I feel really honored with the fact I saw them that close!!
The aftershow was the best though! we took lots of pics with both bands but those are in my boyfriend's phone :(

Things I learned from this concert:

• Avoid sun as much as I can and use sunscreen.
• Have a natural energy drink to keep me going the whole day.
• Earplugs.

I'm sure I would have been dead if I didn't do those things! Too bad BiL was under the sun the whole day, didn't want the energy drink and earplugs ... he was totally dead :(

I love concerts so much! and I can't wait to see these two bands in the future! and I'm sure that will happen in a bigger venue! They do have all the potential to conquer the world!

Now I'm looking forward to Kamelot's concert in September!! :D

Well it's time to keep sleeping now lol ... My neck is so sore!!  >_<

Have a metal day!!

T.

Nightwish and Anette Olzon part ways

I woke up this morning wanting to check's Anette's blog to see if she was feeling better but instead of that I read this!!! I can't believe this happen right after our Salt Lake City show!



Dang I remember I was so excited for the show and that Anette was going to sing for us!! ( read my concert experience here )

I feel honored to had been part of her last show ever with Nightwish but I can't help to feel really really sad! I had liked her (still like her of course) from the begining I think I was part of the small minority that was happy for the change and enjoyed her voice!

She was really sick these days she couldn't sing in the Denver CO show because of her health and dehydration, If you read her blog (read here ) you can see they found a big cyst on her liver, I really hope this is a benign one and no more than that!

I just don't understand what happened, She was excited that her sons were going to join her today! ( read here ) and now this sudden news! It just makes me think about what happened before with Tarja ... It was sudden as well, I just hope it was mutual and will help both parts. I won't judge anything I only think that many fans will not forgive this easily. I love Nightwish since the beggining and I'll keep suporting them but I feel that there's not so much stability right now and the future is unknown ...

I hope that with all these things that are happening she can get to rest a little and check that cyst back in her country. Her health is the most important thing this moment! I'll miss her a lot! I really like her! I think highly about her! such a sweet strong woman!

Nightwish last show with Anette Olzon Salt Lake City

I wish Anette nothing but the BEST in the world! and that she takes care of her health and her little boys now that her journey is going to be a little slower.

I miss you Anette!!

T.

Nightwish and Kamelot in Salt Lake City Utah 2012

Yesterday I went to Nightwish concert! (Imaginaerum tour) It was one of the best experiences in my life! Of course I wanted to enjoy it the best way possible and in order to do that I had to be in front row!! So that meant to wait for it outside for a crazy amount of hours lol



Waiting to see Kamelot and Nightwish

I know it sounds crazy but what can I say? If I like something I'll get it even if I have to sacrifice a little of my sleep haha

The wait wasn't that bad until it started to get hotter and hotter! we were barely in the 80's but it felt like 100!! we were in such a good spirits but the dang it was hot!



It's so hot! and there's not a single cloud around! :(

The venue (The Complex) wasn't well organizes at all! If i should rate it I would give it a 3/10 and those 3 are just for some nice security guys. everything else was so messy in the sense that it appeared that they didn't know what they were doing!

Some fans were to obessessed in my opinion. I like Nightwish a lot!! but some fans were crazy to the point they look a little stalkerish hmm not good, you know? I like to enjoy the music and appreiate their talent but I really don't see myself going crazy about their personal life and such. They are people just like me and they deserve their privacy and personal space. No stalking please!

Going inside the venue was like hell to be honest .... I really think the people working there were clueless about everything! We were practically the first people waiting in line (I went with my bf and our other friend :D ) and because the staff in the venue were so clueless and not organized we almost lost our spot that cost us so much to get! Fortunately we were able to get our front row just like we wanted!

The wait inside was another story! My bf is quite tall he's 6'2 and the girls behind him were complaining that he was too tall and they couldn't see anything ... like really? if you wanted a good spot why did you choose to stand right behind him? or why didn't you come earlier?? we sacrificed quite a lot to get our front row!! that's what you do to get what you wanted! Jezz these people ...

Finally Kamelot started to play around 8:30 It was so good!! I really like the new singer! he has such a nice voice and presence! and it helps he's quite good looking ;)

I really enjoyed they performance and they are just great! Kamelot is so classic! I wanted more becuase I was having so much fun! But they were the supporting band this time. I'm going to another Kamelot concert whenever they decide to come back here in Salt Lake they really know how to give a show!!

Around 9:30 Nightwish started to play! I'm glad Anette was able to come and sing for us! I read on FB she was sick and went to the hospital and wasn't able to sing for the Denver CO show. When I read the news I was sad but her health is first no matter what so I was ok in the case she wasn't able to sing but she did it! she recoverd a little and was able to be in the show like the great front-woman she is!!

They pretty much played the whole setlist they arranged for the tour (this is the setlist) except for Dead to the World and Song of Myself. Anette was still recovering so it's understandable they cut those songs.

I got pretty impressed by Emppu he's such a character! what a happy man he is! He's always smiling! He really caught my attention and I wanted to see more of his nice smile hehe

Marco is just how you see him in all the videos, that impressive tall guy with the viking beard.that looks from a fairytale or video game  :) He seems such a nice person

Jukka is quite nice and wild playing the drums which is just great! He's so fit! Man those arms! XP

Troy reminds me to the Lord of the Rings in a way hmm lol

Anette was just great! She wore the Bebe dress she blogged about a few days ago and she looked amazing! even my bf and friend were saying how hot she looked! Man Anette is such a role model! what a strong woman! I think really highly about her!!

Tuomas was in his own world playing and that's what got my bf's atention the most why? because he liked to see a musician enjoying his music and having fun without trying so hard. :)

It was a great concert! It was worth all the waiting and bad experience with the venue and people behind us in order to see this epic concert!. I got a bottle of water from the guys of Kamelot, a pick from Emppu, and a pick from Marco. I love Nightwish and Kamelot!!

Thanks for reading today's version of "the song of the week" check my past songs if you want!
Have a great day!!

T.