Night was a short matter and somehow this Sunday run out of place. First I took the right metro into the wrong direction – good morning – then I had to realize that me booked flight to Thessaloniki did not exist. At least not on a Sunday *hmpf* I had to completely re-book everything to get on the plane the bands were sitting in, since the boarding has already started. Thanks to Olympic Air I got the ticket and then had run as fast as possible to the gate. Of course I first ran to the wrong terminal and had then to sprint the doubled distance and… got stuck at the security check *argh* However, I made it at the last second, out of breath and with a red head I fell down on me seat and I was not the very last one to blame for a slight delay ;) *phew*

Arriving in Thessaloniki I got to learn that club and hotel were located… anywhere nowhere. It’s Sunday, no busses, all distances had to be taken by taxi. My account will be much excited… *grmbl*

:: pics ::

Doors of Principal Club Theater open on time and the club emerges as a wonderful theater. To coaches arrive, spilling many fans. I also saw cars with Bulgarian license numbers. Wow! Though, only 500 made it to the club, if at all, which was probably a financial disaster for the organizer. There is no photopit, only some kind of shoring I could crawl in between. Bands are still doing their soundchecks, so that there is some time to walk around.

It’s time again for :: SCAR OF THE SUN :: to enter the stage and to open this evening. The Greek guys deliver a much better show tonight. Sound is better balanced and sounds much more homogeneous. And finally I can hear out the melodic parts ;) Setlists are all the same, so no surprises from this point, on the other hand, I can now much more concentrate on the songs itself and enjoy them ;)
Lights are fantastic, only problem is (again), light comes only from the backside, what turns the musicians into shadow players. Flashes, less colors. But, there is a great gallery I later can take photos from.
Setlist: Disposable, Swansong Of Senses, Ode To A Failure, Burn The Memory, Disciple Of The Sun, Gravity

:: DISILLUSION :: looked a bit battered. They told me that they also had some troubles with the flight and later had to wait for hours to get their hotel rooms. As for this no technical problems this time and the general interplay was more harmonious. And again I was surprised by the many DISILLUSION fans, which knew all Gloria songs and welcomed them enthusiastic. Guys, it is really time to get your butts into the studio again. But, with the new line-up future looks bright, doesn’t it? Raijk I missed here. Seems he only attended the Athens show.
Setlist: The Hole We Are In, Gloria, Dread It, Alone I Stand In Fires, Back To Time Of Splendor, The Black Sea, Don’t Go Any Further

Before :: AGUA DE ANNIQUE :: were about the get on stage, some fans started screaming. Geez. Anneke van Giersbergen is in best mood again and is joking, tells, that this show turns out to be much better, because of fewer troubles. No technical problems either. Anneke just did not found an acoustic guitar and performed My Electricity with her E-guitar. Not too bad ;) Anneke is chirpy, jumps and rocks as always. This woman and her guys are such likeable persons. You don’t have any chance to elude. You need to dance and to rock with them. If she smiles, you smile too.
Setlist: The World, My Girl, Hyperdrive (Devin Townsend Project cover), Ice Water, Trail Of Grief, Physical, Beautiful One, I Want, My Electricity, Shrink, Adore, Hey Okay, Papillon (The Editors cover), Witnesses

So Fell Autumn Rain again introduces to the :: LAKE OF TEARS :: part of this evening. Daniel Brennare is a bit more aggressive, and a bit more prole-like. The show seen the second time is even a bit boring now. At Cosmic Weed Daniel asks the audience: „where did you keep your weed?“ Good question. With some the show would have been much more… enjoyable.
Setlist: So Fell Autumn Rain, Hold On Tight, The Greymen, Cosmic Weed, Raven Land, You Better Breathe While There's Still Air, Demon You/Lily Ann, The Organ, The Shadowshires, As Daylight Yields, Boogie Bubble, Making Evenings, Crazyman

The bar I leave aside this time and get stuck by the water the stage crew puts next to me cam. No idea what I had to pay for a beer. Maybe I should have asked?

:: PAIN OF SALVATION :: afterwards take it very easy and kick off at 11.30pm. A couple of girls in the first row start screaming and wave and sway arms to attract the attention of Daniel Gildenlöw. He is in strange mood, responds a bit uncouth on cries and comments and is much more dramatic and stagy at Undertow, which almost thwarts the song. When not singing he then jumped and acted downright wild on stage as if he had to get rid of much frustration. Of course. Léo sings Nights In White Satin again, leaving the fans with surprised and then smiling faces. For his drum solo there was gallery, so Daniel just stood behind and soused him and his kit with water ;) Ah, again such an awesome show! Only the crowd was again a bit lame, except for a handful of people.
With the last song to come Daniel told the crowd not to leave after just a diffident applause. He told them to be loud and to give them a second to come back on stage ;) No sooner said than done, while the audience is laughing. Fans do as recommended but for Daniel it isn’t loud and frenetically enough. So he comes back, lights up the fans and says: „Don’t be so Scandinavian!“ What of course causes more laughing and gets the fans started ;)
Setlist: Used, Diffidentia, Linoleum, Ashes, Undertow, Nights In White Satin (The Moody Blues), The Perfect Element, Fandango, Handful Of Nothing, Drum Solo, Inside, If You Wait, Nightmist // Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen), Conditioned, Disco Queen

And now this show and also this little tour is over :( Fans leave quickly. Unfortunately DISILLUSION already left. I wanted to say goodbye, and much more, I still wanted to buy a shirt. Well, then some time soon. I luckily can share a taxi, which just arrives. Because they only come on call, and I don’t have any number, nor do I speak any Greek.
Thank you to tour manager Harry Katinakis, for everything working out so fine :)

Upshot: Both shows were breathtaking! Athens was a tiny bit better, because there were way more people creating a more intensive atmosphere, despite of the technical trouble. Thessaloniki has the more beautiful club but I missed the fans here. 500 are definitely not enough in such a big club (2000 people max.), although a few fans tried it hard to bring some action among the audience.

Next morning I get my first breakfast for days and start relaxed into this new day. Airport stuff goes smoothly, except for the extra baggage control, I of course miss at first. And soon me and AGUA DE ANNIQUE share the flight towards Düsseldorf, where we get welcomed with 5 cm of new snow…

story & pics © Dajana