Avantasia Deliver an Epic Show of Biblical Proportions at the Here Be Dragons Tour!

Avantasia Deliver an Epic Show of Biblical Proportions at the Here Be Dragons Tour!

Tobias Sammet’s Avantasia blew their fans away with an epic nearly three-hour theatrical masterpiece at the Roundhouse as they delivered a packed set of feel-good melodic power metal with special guests galore! Set against a breathtaking gothic backdrop that looked like something out of a Tim Burton movie with iron gates and dramatic bursts of fire, the German supergroup’s set was a beautifully orchestrated collection of their much-loved classics together with plenty of their new material!

Frontman Tobi commanded the stage in his signature hat and frock coat, his voice flawless during his energetic and stunning performance as he delivered the first track of the night, the brilliant ‘Creepshow’ from their incredible new album after which the tour is named! After Tobi welcomed the crowd, it was onto the next stunning track ‘Reach Out for the Light’ where Tobi duetted with the fabulous Adrienne Cowan from Seven Spires. The power of their voices during this exquisite duet accompanied by bursts of fire gave the audience a little taster of the pure drama that they could expect from the night ahead!

During the nights proceedings an endless array of special guests graced the stage, including the H.E.A.T’s Kenny Leckremo who’s powerful voice and electric performance during ‘Against the Wind’ was mind-blowing.

But despite the incredible number of phenomenal musicians on the stage tonight, it was Tobi who stole the show and the hearts of their fans with his charismatic stage persona and mind-blowing vocal ability. This was never more evident than when he sang ‘Here Be Dragons’, the title track off the new album with Tommy Karevik. This impressive track with it’s massive sound was impressive to say the least!

During this musical extravaganza the sheer quantity of special guests was mind-boggling! It was like a who’s who of iconic rock stars who somehow came and went like a carefully choreographed dance. Each and every performance was utter perfection, gloriously dramatic and emotionally driven, making it easy to see why it is that their devoted fans are so evangelical about their band!

Eric Martin’s beautiful performance of ‘What’s Left of Me’ captivated the audience. The Mr Big legend was a massive hit with the crowd and as expected, his performance was flawless!

The night was bursting at the seams with stunning musical performances but one of the best was when Magnum’s Bob Cately took to the stage for ‘The Story Ain’t Over’ much to the absolute joy of the fans who erupted into excited applause. You could literally feel the love in the room! For ‘Twisted Mind’, Tobi left the stage and Ronnie Atkins and Eric Martin took on vocal duties, it was yet another incredible track in a night of phenomenally good music.

Another absolute ‘pinch yourself’ moment was when Tobi took the show to a whole new dimension as he performed the epic 10 minute track ‘Let The Storm Descend’ with Herbie Langhans and Kenny, during the track, Tobi’s voice soared to new heights and the three incredible vocalists bounced off each other!

Another incredible moment was when Tobi sang ‘The Toymaster ‘ sitting on a flaming chair! It was a fabulous piece of theatre from this incredible showman! Tobi is clearly a man who adores his fans and the warmth he feels for them really shone through as throughout the night he frequently bantered with them, much to their absolute joy. At one point he put a cuddly duck upon his head, a gift from one of his devoted fans which created much laugher on an already buoyant night!

Avantasia are well known for their dramatic finales and tonight was no different as Tobi played a flaming grand piano as he closed the night with ‘Lucifer’ and then ‘Sign of the Cross / The Seven Angels’, leaving the fans breathless! And as this epic night came to an end and the entire band took to stage as ‘London We Love You’ was illuminated over their heads, there was one thing for sure! London loved them too!!

Photos and review by Louise Phillips

All photos are owned by Louise Phillips Music Photography and cannot be shared without consent.

Setlist:

Creepshow
Reach Out For The Light
The Witch
Devil In The Belfry
Phantasmagoria
What’s Left Of Me
Dying For An Angel
Against The Wind
Here Be Dragons
The Story Ain’t Over
Avalon
Let The Storm
Promised Land
The Toymaster
Twisted Mind
The Wicked Symphony
Shelter From The Rain
Farewell
The Scarecrow
Death Is Just A Feeling

Encore:
Lucifer
Sign Of The Angels