22.10.2011 Leaves' Eyes

Metal Female Voices Fest IX

Oktoberhallen Wieze (Belgium)

(Pentax k-x with Tamron SP AF 17-50mm 2.8 XR Di II LD Asp IF and Sigma AF 50-150mm 2.8 EX DC APO HSM II)

The first headliner were the regular guests of Leaves' Eyes. Overall this was their fifth gig on Metal Female Voices Fest and this time they had again a new album with them. After it was "Njord" last year, this year it was something from the current album "Meredead".
Opened was the show directly with the first track of that CD "Spirits' Masquerade". It was just like during the former shows again really impressive. The audience seemed to have been champing at the bit towards this band as immediately from the first note all really went with them. No matter if it were new songs like the just mentioned "Spirits' Masquerade", the Mike Oldfield Cover "To France" or the old classics like "Take The Devil In Me", all the time the arms were up in the air, it was sang along and the band was celebrated.
Of course there were also this time some special features. So several guest singers were welcomed. The beginning was formed by Maite Itoiz of Elfenthal who was shortly before already seen at Diabulus In Musica on stage. She supported just like on CD Liv during Etain. Also her band member John Kelly was able to take over his part of "Tell Tale Eyes". Really impressive were the duets. And as Midnattsol would play the next day of course Livs sister Carmen Espenaes was there and sang together with her the Norvegian folk song "Krakevisa". But it were not only the guests which made the show of Leaves' Eyes a very special one. Also the other band members were in quite a good mood. No matter if it was Thorsten Bauer on his permanently changing string instruments or Alexander Krull really whipped in the audience everyone was giving everything on stage to make it an unforgettable gig.
overall really remarkable and at least on the level of the gig at the Atak at the beginning of the year. The audience in each case had a lot of fun and the atmosphere was beside the one at Therion the best of the whole weekend. However the band should at least take one year a pause from Metal Female Voices Fest so that it does not get to signs of wear and tear. At least they were there three years in a row now and each year the same bands may lead to certain signs of fatigue just like at Epica. That is why I liked that they were not there this year.

Setlist:

Spirits' Masquerade
Velvet Heart
Ocean's Way
My Destiny
Etain (with Maite Itoiz)
Melusine
For Amelie
Take The Devil In Me
Krakevisa (with Carmen Espenaes)
To France
Tell Tale Eyes (with John Kelly)
Froya's Theme

Weblinks:

	Leaves' Eyes Homepage of the German band Leaves' Eyes.
	Metal Female Voices Fest Homepage of the Metal Female Voices festival at Wieze (Belgium).
	Oktoberhallen Homepage of the Oktoberhallen at Wieze (Belgium).