But their songs are definitely catchy! One of my Facebook friends, Ben Brogan, explained it best: “Delain is not too heavy or light. Their guitars and rhythms are also way heavier than ‘80s pop metal (and generally too heavy for non-metal fans like my wife). I prefer a broad definition of metal, and Delain's guitars are more aggressive than ever in the last couple of albums. John: Incidentally, I read another review of the Anaheim show which said that Delain sounded great and got a great crowd response but isn’t really metal. I cannot add much to the discussion by way of my opinion of new guitarist Merel, so I will simply say that I concur with everything John T. Even though Otto was missing from the lineup, the band sounded terrific and did not suffer greatly from his absence (but it will be nice when he can return to the fold!). The room goes completely dark again and there is a dramatic pause, then the opening notes of “Suckerpunch” fill the air and Delain is on fire from the word “go”. Then Charlotte is the last to appear, and the crowd goes completely ballistic as she appears in a white fur coat-looking jacket and a midriff-baring tank top and a mic stand that is lit up and gives the appearance of being studded with little diamonds. From either side of the stage, Merel and Timo step forward with their axes in hand. Ruben takes his place at the drum kit, and then Martijn steps behind the keyboard. Atmospheric music swelled to a crescendo and the sound of Charlotte’s chanting vocals filled the room as the curtains drew back and one by one, each bandmember hits the stage. I also love my new Delain tour shirt, with a red cyberpunk painting of Charlotte on the front and hummingbird bombers on the back.ĭelain’s “red cyberpunk” t-shirt (photo by John T.)Ĭ.: The darkened room was illuminated with a blue light. Regardless, I loved Delain’s show as always. It was fun to hear the new songs from Lunar Prelude for the first time live (“Suckerpunch” and “Turn the Lights Out”), but I would have substituted something from Lucidity for “Don’t Let Go” (maybe “Silhouette of a Dancer”). My only regret is that the setlist was short (8 songs), and the songs didn’t show as much variety as Delain’s repertoire as a whole, especially since we didn’t get a song with Marco Hietala in Anaheim. Charlotte Wessels was of course the center of attention, and she sounded fantastic.
I missed seeing him, but it sounded fine. Absent was bassist Otto Schimmelpenninck, who was in the Netherlands having a baby (congrats to him!), so his part was on the backing track. She’s a great addition to the band: Delain really needs two guitars to do their material justice, and she is a fun presence on stage. This was my first time to see Delain’s new guitarist, Merel Bechtold. John: The show started with Delain, who were in fine form despite rumors of persistent illness for everyone on the tour. This just heightened my anticipation for the actual concert! It shows that their onstage chemistry is not just for show and that they have a genuine affection for each other. Watching Delain perform these songs and to be virtually the only person in the room (aside from the obvious crew hands and stage personnel), it almost makes you feel like they are putting on a special show just for you especially when you see their fun and spirited interaction between each other, like Merel doing a dance where she’s kicking up her legs while trying to play a ripping guitar solo, or Charlotte and Timo hugging it out or jumping around. I made sure to get right up to the front so I could see everything! The band sounded great, and they played half of the songs on their setlist during the soundcheck: “Suckerpunch” (the new single), “Mother Machine”, “We Are the Others”, and one of my favorites, “Don’t Let Go”. Because of this, I not only got to meet the Nightwish bandmembers before the doors opened for the VIP guests, but I was also able to watch Delain’s soundcheck. I had an all-access pass waiting for me when I got there, which allowed me early entry into the venue.
Of course, there were lots of Nightwish shirts, but also lots of Delain shirts, which is great for an opening band and bodes well for their plans to headline soon.Ĭ.: After a long bus ride all morning and meeting up with a friend to ride the rest of the way, I made it to The Grove around 4 o’clock. And the crowd was clearly excited, lining up early, jumping, screaming, waving, and singing along with the bands. The bands were excited that the 1700-capacity venue, the Grove, was sold out. John: I was lucky enough to attend the tour twice: first in Anaheim, California (near Disneyland).
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