Not sure if due to a holiday weekend, an Eagles home game and the Phillies playoff later the same evening taking precedent, or the Internet spawned fad has come and gone now that everyone and their little brother can attempt DRAGONFORCE music on Guitar Hero, but the audience this run through (Theater Of Living Arts, aka TLA, October 10th) was down considerably from their last jaunt. Appeared to be lots of Dads with their offspring in attendance.
My fervent love of Finland’s SONATA ARCTICA has waned with each successive album, yet this performance, as an opening act (limited to eight songs, but actually cut ‘Everything Fades To Grey’) was a bouncy, enjoyable mix of old and new: something the band had seemingly forgotten. Sure, no old school gems like ‘Replica’, ‘Kingdom For My Heart’ or ‘San Sebastian’, but they did remember ‘8th Commandment’ and a rollicking ‘Fullmoon’ from the decade ago Ecliptica debut, as well as ‘Last Tear Drop Falls’. Opening with ‘In Black And White’ and clad in an appropriate color choice for Eagles’ fans, frontman Tony Kakko truly looked to be enjoying himself, dropping to his knees at the front of the stage to interact with the crowd during ‘Flag In The Ground’. Repeatedly criss-crossing the small stage, he got the assemblage to wave their arms back-and-forth overhead during the aforementioned ‘Tear Drop’. The onstage levity including Kakko’s attempt at yodeling, which led into a few bars of Bonnie Tyler’s ‘Total Eclipse Of The Heart’ before actually starting ‘Fullmoon’. During the lively ‘Don’t Say A Word’ Kakko thrust the mic stand overhead. ‘Vodka’ saw a couple of local females bring shots to the band, who held an impromptu ceremony on the drum riser. These same ladies would reappear frequently in the Dragonforce set, not even waiting between songs, but rather plying the band with drink as they played!
Given the family nature of the audience, and the Brits’ music being in so many homes, if only as the epitome of video game accomplishments, the simulated masturbation, cunnilingus, flipping the bird, guitarist Herman Li’s fretboard fellatio and Sam Totman’s joking, yet derogatory “Chinese eyes” visuals directed at Li, were sort of surprising. OK, the band is having fun, even self deprecating, as many of the hand gestures were targeted at the admittedly talented guitar tandem of Li and Totman, a competition mocking each other, simply acting out what has undoubtedly been written in reviews across the globe. Still, can’t help but wonder (in light of diminished attendance) if there’s any cause and effect relationship on a pre-teen audience so reliant on Mom or Dad to go to a show.
A bottle of beer, with long colorful straw, was mounted on each mic stand, “sustenance” never far away. The band is constantly in motion, if Li and Totman aren’t spinning, kicking and mugging all over the place, frontman ZP Theart has perfected a water bottle squirting routine, even attempting to force a stream into the upper deck! Opener ‘Fury Of The Storm’ could be headline to any Dragonforce review, kicking the show off with a manic flair, followed by a pair from last year’s Ultra Beatdown; ‘Heroes Of Our Time’ and ‘Reasons To Live’. Throughout the night, an omnipresent fifth of Jack Daniels was passed around onstage and the shot girls worked feverishly. Later, Totman turned the tables on the concubines who’d been serving them throughout the night, demanding to be (re-) paid in flesh (if you know what I mean). When they refused to remove articles of their clothing, the women were summarily dismissed.
‘Disciples Of Babylon’ and ‘Starfire’, both from the Valley Of The Damned debut, brought crowd sing along and more blazing speed. Those who say Dragonforce couldn’t transcend the theatrics, what about the big stadium anthem ‘Starfire’, complete with waving lighters? For the keyboard solo, featuring the Korg strap-on, mobile device, Vadim Pruzhanov (he of the day-glo fluorescent pants) was joined by Sonata Arctica’s Henrik Klingenberg, in what must be one of the rare incidences (at least since the early '80s New Wave explosion popularized the odd instrument) of two Korgs onstage simultaneously. The manufacturer must be so proud. Pre-recorded vocal bits were triggered from the keys, as well as plenty of notes.
‘Operation Ground And Pound’ gave way to ‘Fields Of Despair’, the stage bathed in blue, Herman Li hanging out on the keyboard riser. As if on cue, for ‘The Last Journey Home’ Sonata Arctica appeared, en masse, to force-feed all Dragonforce some mysterious alcohol. Rather than the usual 'last night of the tour' hijinks, it was a friendly, and aptly timed, parting of the ways (other than the post-gig party at neighbouring Makos bar). The final song of the evening was the debut’s majestic title track, as red and green lights streaked the stage.
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