We’ve waited eight long years for the return of Blind Guardian to the UK. We went along to the gig at the Kentish Town Forum to see if the wait was worth it…..

Arriving quite early to ensure I could watch the whole show I was surprised to see a massive queue snaking around the Forum, clearly I wasn’t the only person with this in mind! Inside the venue it was already pretty full well in advance of the support, The Night Eternal, taking to the stage. Hailing from Germany and playing a pretty familiar format of power metal to Blind Guardian they were always going to be a popular choice of opener.

To a massive roar, The Eternal Night take to the stage and begin with solid rendition of Between The Worlds from the current album Fatale. Vocalist Ricardo Baum whirls around the stage like a spinning top and you have to ask if he’s going to last the whole set with this level of activity! Sadly the sound is a little muddy at this point while the mixing desk guys settle into the venue and tweak the sound.

At the end of the first number there is an issue with the drumkit which allows for a brief pause before In Tartarus follows, a steady mid paced number that allows Ricardo Baum to shine with an impressive vocal performance. Deadly As A Scythe from the debut album Moonlit Cross takes us back in time and allows for some impressive soloing from Rob Richter along with some old school galloping rhythms.

The crowd, now filling the venue, sing along with the songs which shows that while The Night Eternal may not be the reason they’re here tonight their music has not gone unnoticed. Baum comments that this is the first time they’ve been to London but they have not seen any of the city – such is the nature of touring!

Elysion (Take Me Over) once again has a fair proportion of the crowd singing their hearts out. Maybe they are getting in tune for the later part of the evening but it is great to hear and clear that there are some seasoned fans here along with some new friends. The performance is well rehearsed and by the end of the set and the title track from the first album, Moonlit Cross the sound has shown a marked improvement too.

The guys take a bow, take the obligatory stage photo and then leave the stage. An energetic and professional performance, with a well received set of solid, if slightly formulaic, metal. That sounds slightly uncharitable but I think with some further maturity in the songwriting and some bigger hooks and choruses that really grab you, The Night Eternal could definitely go on to greater things, certainly their live performance is top notch.

So, time for a drink. The venue is now properly packed in, apparently sold out and there is an air of expectation building. By my reckoning (and happy to be corrected on this!), the last time Blind Guardian played in London was almost 8 years ago to the day in 2016 so the fans have been waiting for quite some time. That’s not to say they have been not touring, indeed they are almost perpetually on tour but not visited old Blighty in those years.

So, when the Blind Guardian banner, a depiction of the cover from the latest album, The God Machine, is raised, an enormous roar comes up from the crowd and it only serves to raise expectations even higher. Soon, the lights go down, the intro tape is running and Blind Guardian return to the Forums stage to take their rightful place as one of the best bands in the power metal genre.

From the start, it is clear that all of the band are absolutely enjoying this evening. Hansi Kürsch is a dream front man, milking the crowd for everything they can give. This is a man who knows how to work an audience and draw them into the performance, indeed by the end of the show he barely has to sing, the crowd doing a fine job on their own! The lightening leads of André Olbrich and the solid rhythm guitar of Marcus Siepen joined by Frederik Ehmke on drums and a couple of session guys on keyboards and bass.

Starting with Imaginations From the Other Side from the album of the same name from 1995 signals that this evening is likely to be as much a promotion of the current album as a greatest hits type show. Obviously a welcome approach! Blood Of The Elves gives Frederik Ehmke on drums an early workout with some furious drumming and some very impressive double bass drum work.

Kürsch jokes “with a professional audience like you, we get to play the heavy stuff!” before they launch into The Script For My Requiem which also blasts along at a pace and has the whole crowd singing along. Thankfully, everyone gets a break with the Greensleeves-esque Skalds And Shadows which Kürsch introduces as a perfect ballad for a perfect story. It also gives the two guitarists an opportunity to take a seat on the stage and kick back a little.

The breather doesn’t last long though and soon normal metal service is resumed with some furious drumming and This Will Never End, which is another great singalong opportunity, grabbed by balls by the crowd. Secrets Of The American Gods is another great song, Kürsch introducing each song with a little monologue, clearly enjoying the evening immensely, as is the rest of the band by the looks. He points out a dude on the front row of the balcony who is going ape, with a smile and a knowing look!

The Bard’s Song – In the Forest slows things down and has both guitarists seated again. The crowd sways and sings along with this complete change of pace and means that Kürsch can take a bit of break as the crowd take on the vocal duties, only aided by him every now and again. The breakdown in Violent Shadows has the whole room clapping and throughout the evening the audience participation has been strikingly good, it’s almost like the whole room is singing as one for most of the songs.

Lost In The Twilight Hall closes the set and the band leave the stage but we don’t have to wait long before the inevitable encore starts, with the guys returning to the stage amid rapturous applause.

Time Stands Still (At the Iron Hill) is introduced as one of Kürschs favourite Blind Guardian songs, and rightly so, it is indeed a classic. The next two songs, Valhalla and Mirror Mirror are also all time favourites and greeted as such by the crowd. The singing reaches an all time high, especially during Valhalla as Kürsch conducts the crowd and once again allows the audience to take the lead in the singing.

A blistering version of Majesty finishes off the evening and the band take their bows. A standing ovation from the balcony that seems to last ages and the guys throw various bits of memorabilia into the crowd, including a signed drum skin. Very generous and you do get the feeling that this has been a bit of a special evening. Kürsch promises the Blind Guardian will be back! Let’s hope they don’t leave it quite so long next time.

Blind Guardian now shift their focus to the USA with an extensive tour in the works through April and May 2024.

All concert photography by Graham Hilling. You can check out more of his work on his website, here.

Blind Guardian online: Website / Facebook / Instagram / YouTube
The Night Eterna onlinel: Website / Facebook / Instagram

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