27 October.
It had been exactly a week when I had first seen Arch Enemy in flesh. Indeed I’m so mighty proud to have witnessed them shatter the roofs off of Manila
I wish I had written this piece much earlier and captured the elation I was in at that moment. But then again, not even alien speak can put across the evil sensation that has soaked up my heart. My only regret is that right now, I have gained quite some perspective.
After seven days of exhuming (damn I love that word, however inappropriate) old AE vids and researching for more on the net to feed my fix, I cannot help but fucking compare. It might be good for doing a review, except that this one isn’t. What I plan to share is the intensity of one such electrifying heavy metal experience and not some tale of the tape between the act last week, and the live video that is Tyrants of the Rising Sun.
Having said that, I am keen to accept that Rising Sun is a conscious effort to make the best concert dvd and that it had been well-directed. I’d be better off seeing my heroes in the most primal of their state. And by the way, Arch Enemy Live inManila Disneyland E-ticket’. I’ll get to that bit in a few.
8:18 pm. Without an invite up my sleeve and a brother on the way from the suburbs, I got off the cab and wished I could die on the spot. I had rushed straight from the tight-ass environment of my workplace rolled up in my ridiculous blue uniform with a necktie on. There I was exposing myself to two lines of Arch-hungry fans in all their black t-shirt glory. Now I had become ‘the weird one’, but damn I loved the feeling. Stare me on some more, I’m feelin’ you all!
I got to the end of the line and begged concert security that I be spared with my lighter. There is no way in this world I’m throwing away a Led Zep Zippo to the bin. Later on I figured I was even spared the whole evening as well. I managed to get through the entrance with my fighting knife and realized that after all the rigorous frisking, this is the one city with an ordinance to forbid such weapon. And the manila cops/pigs are everywhere.
8:43 pm. No more Super VIP tickets. Fuck it, there is no meet and greet anyways, I was told. I got two VIP’s, snagged the Rise Of The Tyrant cd’s and bagged the free drinks. I got back out to change clothes and took my brother in. There he was, eager as hell in his long dirty locks and Sic Vic t-shirt but in no way the lesser Arch fan. He had pushed the boundaries for us to be in this threshold. As we had done another round of waiting in line and going through inspection again, we were fortunate enough to see at least Bloodshed. Man, I thought, this is the stuff that would make parents shit in their pants. I’m glad to be here.
9 - 9:30pm. Nothing. Just pure anticipation and bladder pressure control lessons. The crowd is anxious and I’ll be damned if I take my piss and risk the chance of seeing them jump out of the stage.
9:31pm. Pure Fucking Metal Mayhem.
The moment they hit the lights and that long ‘boing’ synth of a gong was reverberating, I knew I was in a different haze. Clouds of smoke were creeping through the big Root of All Evil gigantic skulls as the big bat stage backdrop stared dead into my eyes. Right this very moment Arch Enemy all came out and goosebumps started to rise from my spine up to my nape. The intro to Blood On Your Hands had me lost somewhere here and in limbo as I stared up to the newest of my heroes. Then, the much awaited Diva Satanica came out screaming from hell. I could not believe what I was seeing. It was really her in person !
I wish I had written this piece much earlier and captured the elation I was in at that moment. But then again, not even alien speak can put across the evil sensation that has soaked up my heart. My only regret is that right now, I have gained quite some perspective.
After seven days of exhuming (damn I love that word, however inappropriate) old AE vids and researching for more on the net to feed my fix, I cannot help but fucking compare. It might be good for doing a review, except that this one isn’t. What I plan to share is the intensity of one such electrifying heavy metal experience and not some tale of the tape between the act last week, and the live video that is Tyrants of the Rising Sun.
Having said that, I am keen to accept that Rising Sun is a conscious effort to make the best concert dvd and that it had been well-directed. I’d be better off seeing my heroes in the most primal of their state. And by the way, Arch Enemy Live in
8:18 pm. Without an invite up my sleeve and a brother on the way from the suburbs, I got off the cab and wished I could die on the spot. I had rushed straight from the tight-ass environment of my workplace rolled up in my ridiculous blue uniform with a necktie on. There I was exposing myself to two lines of Arch-hungry fans in all their black t-shirt glory. Now I had become ‘the weird one’, but damn I loved the feeling. Stare me on some more, I’m feelin’ you all!
I got to the end of the line and begged concert security that I be spared with my lighter. There is no way in this world I’m throwing away a Led Zep Zippo to the bin. Later on I figured I was even spared the whole evening as well. I managed to get through the entrance with my fighting knife and realized that after all the rigorous frisking, this is the one city with an ordinance to forbid such weapon. And the manila cops/pigs are everywhere.
8:43 pm. No more Super VIP tickets. Fuck it, there is no meet and greet anyways, I was told. I got two VIP’s, snagged the Rise Of The Tyrant cd’s and bagged the free drinks. I got back out to change clothes and took my brother in. There he was, eager as hell in his long dirty locks and Sic Vic t-shirt but in no way the lesser Arch fan. He had pushed the boundaries for us to be in this threshold. As we had done another round of waiting in line and going through inspection again, we were fortunate enough to see at least Bloodshed. Man, I thought, this is the stuff that would make parents shit in their pants. I’m glad to be here.
9 - 9:30pm. Nothing. Just pure anticipation and bladder pressure control lessons. The crowd is anxious and I’ll be damned if I take my piss and risk the chance of seeing them jump out of the stage.
9:31pm. Pure Fucking Metal Mayhem.
The moment they hit the lights and that long ‘boing’ synth of a gong was reverberating, I knew I was in a different haze. Clouds of smoke were creeping through the big Root of All Evil gigantic skulls as the big bat stage backdrop stared dead into my eyes. Right this very moment Arch Enemy all came out and goosebumps started to rise from my spine up to my nape. The intro to Blood On Your Hands had me lost somewhere here and in limbo as I stared up to the newest of my heroes. Then, the much awaited Diva Satanica came out screaming from hell. I could not believe what I was seeing. It was really her in person !
Struck as I am, I was also stunned to be seeing her in full-on black clothing, with tops up to the wrists and leather catwoman tights and boots. I was expecting her traditional torn-jeans, white tank top and black streaks just beneath the eyes. Instead, the strips were in white make-up, as the armbands they all were
wearing were in white. Her hair was not in its usual grease as well, bleach blonde as it was, I figured it grew longer and might have had a wash or two. I’ll bet my bottom dollar everyone in the hall was holdin horses from jumping to the stage and poking her. Conversely, it was the lady beside me who was shouting ‘I love you Angela’.
I swept a glance at the remainder of the band with all the mindful effort I could afford. As I knew that unlike Angela who is German, the rest is Swedish. I knew that this is one different block as they never looked Anglo-Saxon in any way. I am faced with Vikings! And they’re playing serious metal!
Meanwhile, I checked on our cam to see if we were getting some images. But I made it a point for us to enjoy the show and feel the power and intensity and get some recorded stuff later. The crowd was now goin’ freakin’ nuts over shouting ‘RE-MEM-BER!!’. I figured right then and there which songs I must remember to put more stars in my iPod. I will be back for more of the heaviest parts of this night..
wearing were in white. Her hair was not in its usual grease as well, bleach blonde as it was, I figured it grew longer and might have had a wash or two. I’ll bet my bottom dollar everyone in the hall was holdin horses from jumping to the stage and poking her. Conversely, it was the lady beside me who was shouting ‘I love you Angela’.
I swept a glance at the remainder of the band with all the mindful effort I could afford. As I knew that unlike Angela who is German, the rest is Swedish. I knew that this is one different block as they never looked Anglo-Saxon in any way. I am faced with Vikings! And they’re playing serious metal!
Meanwhile, I checked on our cam to see if we were getting some images. But I made it a point for us to enjoy the show and feel the power and intensity and get some recorded stuff later. The crowd was now goin’ freakin’ nuts over shouting ‘RE-MEM-BER!!’. I figured right then and there which songs I must remember to put more stars in my iPod. I will be back for more of the heaviest parts of this night..
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