August 25, 2011

Report and all photos by Garett

Amon Amarth N. A. Tour - 2011

This whole evening with Amon Amarth thing was really intriguing to me on a number of levels.  I had never seen a band play two full sets in a club, with no opening act.  It is an interesting premise, as many of the bands that I love have lengthy histories, and extensive discographies.  Any fan of underground music has seen the effect that this has on a band‘s set list. As the years pass set lists quickly become crowded for long running bands.  The headliner at most shows is normally allotted just over an hour.  That is barely enough time for many of them to play their classics, let along work new material into their set.  Of course the flip side of this whole thing is that the band had better deliver the goods if they are going to keep the crowd entertained for over two hours.  These were the thoughts running through my head as I began the hour long trek to Rochester, NY’s Water Street Music Hall. I arrived at the venue a good 45 minutes in advance of the start time;  giving me time to have a few beers, meet up with some friends, and size up the crowd.  The Water Street Music hall is a pretty big club, and it was already almost full when I walked in.  People continued to trickle in at a steady rate right up until the band took the stage.  By my best guess, there were roughly 500 people in attendance; a pretty big crowd for a Sunday night show in a secondary market.  Not only was the place packed, but the crowd was extremely enthusiastic. 

My only real complaint about the show was that the song selection for the second set was weighted heavily in favor of Twilight of the Thunder God, and With Odin on Our Side.  Being a long time fan, I would have liked to see a few more songs from the first two albums included.  Outside of that though, I was thoroughly impressed with the entire experience.  Anybody who wonders how these guys got so popular should go check out a show and see for themselves.  This music is pretty much tailor made to be experienced loud and in a live setting.  This was my fourth time seeing Amon Amarth since the early 2000’s, and I actually think that they are improving with age.  Even the more casual fans should take note, the wrath of these Norsemen is best experienced first hand.   

Water Street Music Hall
204 North Water Street
Rochester, NY  14604  USA     (716)325-5600

WEBSITE

Sunday August 21, 2011

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Amon Amarth took the stage for their first set and proceeded to rip through the entire Surtur Rising album.  I reviewed the new album earlier this year, and while it was enjoyable, it was not one of my favorite Amon Amarth albums.  Thankfully, the full album came off really well in a live setting, giving me a renewed appreciation for many of the songs.  Johan Hegg is a fine front man with a knack for working the crowd.  He had the pit swirling, and the crowd chanting along with the songs for most of the set.  This was no small accomplishment, given the lack of classic material during this part of the show.  “A Beast I Am” was particularly well received, and I can see it being a highlight of their live set for years to come.  It is also worth pointing out that I have not seen a light show of this intensity, or this much fog at a club show in many years.  This did add to the atmosphere, but it also made it almost impossible to get anything resembling a decent photo.

enough to actually tour the States with no support.  The crowd was quickly re-energized, with a surprisingly large pit breaking out, and nearly everybody in the building chanting the chorus.  Set number two was off to an impressive start, and it only got better when they followed with “The Last With Pagan Blood“, and For the “Stab Wounds in Our Backs”.  “Asator” and “Death In Fire” were also particularly well received.  After barreling through over ten songs, the band ended with a three song encore.  “Pursuit of the Vikings” was a fine choice to close the show, and even after over twenty songs, the crowd was still chanting, clapping, and shouting for more.

All told, I enjoyed the first set a lot more that I had expected, but the second set was what I really wanted to see.  I had been impressed with the crowd response and participation during the first set, but they took everything up a notch when the band took the stage for the second time.  Opening with “Twilight of the Thunder God“, was a good choice.  This is the kind of metal anthem that helped Amon  Amarth   become   popular