Power Metal Returns to Kansas City
Photo by Josh Chaikin
Hello again metal heads, and rockers. Music lovers and moshers. We’ve once again gone out, drank too much, and stayed out far too late on a work night. Why? Because someone has to do it. But, it’s all worth it.
Tuesday night, we made our way to what is quickly becoming one of Kansas City’s best venues for live music, The Truman. Nestled in the heart of downtown, just blocks from the thriving Power and Light district, The Truman gives a gritty, club atmosphere that is perfect for live music, and boy did they host a show on Tuesday night.
Power metal bands Battle Beast, Sonata Arctica, and Kamelot took to the stage, drawing a respectably sized crowd. Many in attendance were wearing their Sonata, or Kamelot t-shirts, this journalist included, while many more lined up at the back of the room to pick them up.
Hitting the stage first, in their first appearance in Kansas City, was the powerhouse Battle Beast. A small portion of the crowd had seen the band before, but they quickly won over the crowd. Vocalist Noora Louhimo hit the stage, complete with horns, unleashing complete raw energy, opening with Unbroken, before kicking into even higher gear with Straight to the Heart, a fast-paced power ballad that would be well at home in any training montage from the 80’s. Wicked guitars, high energy, and wicked grooving. It’s great to hear and see something like this live.
Up next, directly from Finland, were Sonata Arctica, a band that has gotten a lot of love from us in the past. With a new album, Talviyö, released earlier this year, the band was excited to share their new tunes with the KC audience, making up half of their set. Kicking off with A Little Less Understanding. For my money, I felt that Wolves Die Young, from Pariah’s Child, was a higher energy opener. But, it’s still classic Sonata.
In typical fashion, Tony jubilantly bounded across the stage, making faces at the photographers, and playing with the crowd, mimicking Freddie Mercury’s “Day-O” performance from Live-Aid. Great fun was had by all.
Soon, it was time for headliners, Kamelot. With a flood of colored lights hitting the stage, as a pre-recorded Knights March boomed through the hall, Once Human’s Lauren Hart bolted onto the stage, kicking off Phantom Divine, before being joined by a hooded Tommy Karevik. Lauren quickly exited the stage (and would join the boys a few more times to share vocal duties), while the band thundered through Rule the World, and Insomnia.
All three bands have shared headlining duties on these pages before, so seeing them all on the same stage in a single night was a thrill.
From the wailing guitars and soaring vocals of Battle Beast, to the melodic story telling of Sonata Arctica, to the hard hitting, pure metal of Kamelot, the tour presents the perfect package of metal mayhem.
Words and Photos by Josh Chaikin
