It’s been a while since I’ve been to the O2 Apollo in Manchester. This venue is one of my absolute favourites in the UK. I’m convinced that you could put on anything in this venue and it would sound great. However, I knew that this evening would be special. Three spectacular bands all in one night, and I just happen to be a big fan of all three. As soon as I saw this lineup, I knew I had to be in this crowd. Epica is coming to the UK fresh off the release of their latest album, Asprial, last year. Amaranthe comes armed with their back catalogue of excellent music, and they are preparing to make a new album.
Charlotte Wessels, with her band The Obsession, has been consistently one of the best acts in the genre. As you can tell, this evening had all of the ingredients to make anyone who loves heavy metal smile. There’s a special kind of magic in the O2 Apollo. Whenever I come to this venue, I always leave with the feeling of “yeah, that was worth it”. With all of that said… Let’s get into the review.
Opening the show was the enigmatic Charlotte Wessels. I have seen Charlotte perform many times in the past, so I know that she’s more than capable of putting on a great show. She walked on stage with confidence, and when that band kicked in, it all came together. Opening with the beautiful song “Chasing Sunsets” and the gorgeous harmonies of Wessels and keyboardist Nina van Beelen filled the venue. The band kicked in, and man, this lineup, this band sounds so damn good together.
Each piece of the band works so well together. The live production is immaculate. It was amazing how you could hear each part of the sound. The ripping roar of the guitars, the pounding drums, the sparkle of the synth and keys. Of course, Wessels’ vocals cut right through all of the noise. I was impressed by just how well the set flowed from one song to the next. It was so effortless. The 40 minutes set rolled by so quickly, but man, they managed to cram a lot of music into those 40 minutes. Halfway through their set, they played “Soft Revolution”.
Let me say this from an audience member’s perspective: it was so heartwarming to see people actively fall in love with this song. I spoke to a few people after this performance, who hadn’t seen The Obsession before, and they all said the same thing: that this was a highlight of the show. As they approached the end of the set, they geared up the audience for one final song, that being “The Exorcism”. This song is a beast of a track to end on. It’s ferocious and shows off the full capabilities of Charlotte’s vocals. Their set was the perfect setup for what was to come.
After a break to set up the next set, it was time for Epica. They’ve always been one of those bands that make the difficult things look so simplistic, so effortless. Every time I watch them perform, they completely blow me away. This night was no different. The lights went out, and there was an opening monologue bracing people for the show to come, followed by a countdown to the set, and the crowd followed along. Everyone was waiting for the show to start. They opened with the song “Apparition”, and you could just feel the sound hit you like a wave. Their sound was so full. The bass acted as; this excellent foundation for everything else.
The bass really acted as the anchor of the set. When the keyboards or guitars or anything went wild, the bass hooked the band back in. The band sounded so in sync, and you can just see the camaraderie between all of the members. The way they bounced the energy off one another was so wonderful to watch. Even after all of the years that have gone by, they’re still working so well together. They marched through their setlist with vigour and conviction. Songs like “Eye of the Storm” and “Unleashed” were amazing to witness.
Along with the stage show. I think I need to take a moment to talk about the stage production. The light show alone was impressive, but the way the band navigated and filled the stage, it was wonderful to watch. They were so playful and energetic. For the middle portion of the set, Epica slowed things down. The lights dimmed for “Sirens – Of Blood and Water”, and for this song, they were joined on stage by Charlotte Wessels, which was a delight to see. The chemistry between Wessels and Simons was so much fun to watch.
Working off each other like great friends, and the harmonies were simply beautiful to listen to. Following that, they went into “Tides of Time”, which was stunning. I’ve seen Epica a few times before, and this is the first time I’ve heard this song live. Emotional was not the word; this was an experience. Simone’s vocals rang so well in the Apollo, and you could see the emotion of the song fill the audience’s souls.
This was a performance of Epic proportions. I’m sure I’m not the first writer to make that pun. As their set came to a close, the band went all out with some of their best tunes. “Cry for the Moon” and “The Last Crusade” got the crowd singing and moving, and the ending on “Beyond The Matrix” was such a fantastic closer. Epica continue to be one of the best live acts in the genre. Their hard work and dedication continue to pay off. If you have never seen them live, please take this as a sign to get tickets.
After a break to set up the stage again, it was time for Amaranthe. It’s crazy that the first time I saw them in Manchester was in a venue a 10th of the size. One of my favourite things I have gotten to see over the last few years has been watching this band grow and play progressively bigger venues. I’ve been following this band for over a decade, and it’s a joy to watch them grow and evolve.
The last time I saw them, they were playing with Dragonforce in the Academy. Now they’re headlining the Apollo. So, how did they do? Honestly, they completely crushed it. Now, I do think they started a little shaky. In the first couple of songs, I felt the energy wasn’t quite there. However, as soon as they got into “Damnation Flame”, their energy really came into full swing. The band started come alive, and the crowd was right there with them. I will also say that their harsh vocalist, Mikael Sehlin, feels way more comfortable in the band than the last time I saw them. His stage presence was excellent as he acted as the driving force between the songs. I was really impressed with him, especially on songs like “PvP” and “Boom!1”. That is not taking anything away from the other vocalists, Nils Molin and Elize Ryd.
Their duelling clean vocals are the highlight of any Amaranthe set. I’m always impressed with how Nils can just belt and how his voice can hit the rafters and just keep on going. Then Elize’s voice is this sweet beauty that manages to be a grounding force and a powerful punch that blasts through the noise. Whilst their stage show was not as elaborate as Epica’s, I still think it was an impressive production. The whole thing felt like a theatre production. Each member of the band plays their part equally. The sheer power of their sound and the command they had of the audience was amazing to see. In a way, I’m so proud of their performance here. The crowd was really into it as well. I saw people dancing, singing, and overall, the energy was just at an absolute high. One of the highlights of the set was the soft ballad between Nils and Elize, “Crystalline”. It was such a beautiful moment of the set that received a rapturous applause, and you could tell it meant a lot to the band. Another special part of the set was the performance of their new song “Chaos Theory” from their upcoming album. If nothing else, it got everyone in the crowd amped up with new music.
Amaranthe’s set was an energetic, fast-paced and powerful set with so much momentum. Even in the slower songs, they kept that momentum in full flow. They wrapped up their main set with the big hits “Amaranthine”, which is always an emotional rollercoaster. “The Nexus”, which brought the energy ring back into the room and “Call Out My Name,” which harkens back to their roots. A giant sounding pop-influence metal track. As I said before, it’s been one of the best things to watch this band grow and continue to find new audiences. Every time I see them, the crowd gets bigger, and the energy in the room gets a little more vibrant.
Words by Mick Birchall
Photos by Philip Goddard
