Blind Guardian live at 02 Kentish Town Forum 14/04/2024

Words: Kahmel Farahani

Photos: Mariam Osman

In a long awaited and much welcome move, German power metal pioneers Blind Guardian finally made it back to the UK this week on their God Machine tour. Tonight, they have sold out the Kentish Town forum in remarkable fashion.

As the band burst on stage and quickly tear into `Imaginations From the Other Side` its clear that the time away from these shores has not dulled them one bit. Hot on the heels of an impressive last album, the band dip into all eras of their almost 40 year career tonight.

Frontman and lead vocalist Hansi Kursch is not only in superb vocal form, but in clearly very high spirits. “Please excuse me if I use any bad words on this stage, but London, you all look fucking great tonight”. “it’s so good to be back in London! I see a lot of familier faces too so I’m guessing you’re not all from London”. Kursch is not wrong at all. Tonight’s crowd is not only remarkably international, but also remarkably young.

`Nightfall` is the perfect blend of heavy metal, folk music and almost a Viking sea shanty. It’s irresistible and it does what a generation of folk and power metal bands after them have tried and failed to replicate. Indeed the level of audience participation and sing along is more like a South American crowd tonight, with some truly impressive dedication.

Guitarists Andre Olbrich and Marcus Siepen are a perfect pairing and after more than 30 years on stage together it’s like watching two master craftsmen going swiftly about their work. Siepen holds the riffs and rhythm down while Olbrich takes every opportunity he can to tear through countless mind-blowing shred solos. The fact that they do it with more style and aplomb than most shredders half their ages makes it all the more impressive.

“Today is actually a special day” Hansi Kursch  tells the adoring crowd. “Today, April 14th, marks the 35th anniversary of an album called “Follow The Blind” so we want to play you something from that album”. `Banish From Sanctuary` is another power metal classic, a trip through a Tolkienesque fantasy land of elves and heavy guitars. `The Bard’s Song` is very similar but an acoustic rather than electric tale, and one that invites mass sing along again.

After an hour and a half the band tease the end of the set and a curfew, but swiftly return for a 5 song encore. `Valhalla`, with its galloping drums, guitar and soaring chorus, is one of the finest moments of the entire night and the crowd keeping singing the “Valhalla” refrain for over 2 minute after the song is over. It’s the perfect moment which lets the die hard crowd sing aloud for the band. Finally bringing the proverbial curtain down the `Mirror Mirror` and `Majesty`, Blind Guardian take a well earned bow and leave their adoring fans chanting for more.