Last October Kamelot came to Belgium to present their album ‘The Shadow Theory’, which came out on the 6th of April 2018. It was the first time I would see the band live. After a few cancellations on festivals where I was present I really didn’t want to miss this chance to finally see them. I even got more excited when they announced their special guests Leaves’ Eyes with an exclusive set. The roadworks made it difficult to reach the hall from the parking lot, so we arrived a little late.

It was hard to find a spot in the fully crowded place where everyone was clearly enjoying Leaves’ Eyes (****1/2).  I might have missed the first songs, but the best was yet to come. Alexander disappeared from the stage for a moment and then returned dressed as a viking riding on his cockhorse. Be honest, a Leaves’ Eyes performance would not be complete without his sense of humor. Elina sang every note perfectly and musically it was a strong performance. There was also a lot of interaction between the band and the audience. Everyone on and off stage had a great time.

Setlist
Sign Of The Dragonhead
Across The Sea
Swords In Rock
Edge Of Steel
Riders On The Wind
Hell To The Heavens
Beowulf
Blazing Waters

Kamelot (****) singer Tommy made a mysterious entrance on stage with his black hood on. I could barely hear him sing through the music, which could be due to the fact that I was standing under the balcony. Guest singer Laura Hart made her entrance from the very first song and supported Tommy with her grunts in 4 songs through the entire show. After a few songs the hood went off and we could finally see Tommy‘s face, which in my opinion was a pleasant view. I could also hear his voice better, which I can’t explain because I was still standing under the same balcony. Kamelot played with high energy and there was a lot of interaction with the audience. They brought a varied show with a changing background and between the heavy songs there was from time to time a calmer song. Highlights of their show were Johan‘s gigantic drum set and the toast on Sean‘s birthday. What I liked the most was the fact that every band member was put in the spotlight.

Setlist
Intro: Knight’s March
Phantom Divine (Shadow Empire)
Rule The World
Insomnia
The Great Pendamonium
When The Lights Are Down
End Of Innocence
Veil Of Elysium
Here’s To The Fall
RavenLight
March Of Mephisto
Karma
Amnesiac
Sacrimony (Angel Of Afterlife)
Burns To Embrace
Forever
Encore: Liar Liar (Wasteland Monarchy)
Outro: Ministrium (Shadow Key)

Kamelot ended their European tour with no doubt in style, yet I think it would have been even better in another venue.

Photo’s by Lorin Renodeyn. You can find the complete photo gallery here.