09-11-2013 Dark Tranquillity

Supports: Tristania; Venue: Baroeg, Rotterdam (Netherlands)
By: Sabine van Gameren

Dark Tranquillity and Tristania are on the road together. A long tour is ahead and it only just started. This show was in Baroeg, Rotterdam (Netherlands)

The Norwegian Tristania released a new album in May this year. “Darkest White” it is called and it is clear that the band wishes to showcase mostly this release. Starting with three of songs of this release they made the statement obvious: This is how Tristania is now, this is it and even though it may not be too different from what you may have known them from it comes clear that they have a strong idea of how to present themselves. For the long-time fans it is a track that “Beyond The Veil” that gives you something more confidential and the audience let the band know clearly that they appreciate the fact these older tracks are played also. Perhaps a little disturbing even, when a fan screams all through the first part of “The Shining Path” but it does not keep the people from enjoying it. With the title track of their latest album they start to give a bit more power to it all and the performance become even more warm-hearted and some words of appreciation are spoken by vocalist Kjetil. The band ends their set with the song “Exile” and left a good impression.

Dark Tranquillity is a name that you can’t have missed. With an over 20 years long career the band has got themselves a status. Must be said that the band remains quite humble in their approach. During the show the band often shares some anecdotes about the songs and themselves. They tell about the 20 year anniversary of their first album “Skydancer” of which they played the track “A Bolt of Blazing Gold” for which they asked the help of Tristania vocalist Mariangela Demurtas to perform. But in the one and a half hour the band is on the stage they took a fair range from song throughout their career. From their 2013 release “Construct” they took songs like “The Silence In Between” and “The Science of Noise”. Overall you get to see a band that has developed a strong and recognizable sound through the years and they simple confirm that again this concert. A little moshpit does not stay out even and it is clear that the band has some long-time fans there as well as fans got to know them more recently. In a place like this, Baroeg Rotterdam, there is a lot of atmosphere and the songs come alive very well. A great show to see and experience, simply topping any festival appearance of them you might have witnessed before.