26.03.2010 Van Canto

Pitcher Düsseldorf (Germany)

(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)

At 21:00 the moment everyone had been waiting for had finally arrived at the heated Pitcher: Van Canto entered the stage and begun impressively with “Lost Forever”. Also the crowd immediately followed and so it was not only sung loudly but also head banging started. Wait a second; this shall be a metal concert and that although Bastian Emig was the only guy on stage using an instrument, his drum set? You are right, Van Canto stands for a-cappella metal.
But the drum set was not the only instrument on stage across the evening because later it was on Ross Thompson to show that he also is a great singer (and to give the lead singers Inga Scharf and Philip “Sly“ Schunke a short break). Stefan “Stef” Schmidt commented on that by saying: “Great, metal a-cappella with instruments!” when he and Ingo “Ike“ Sterzinger got their guitars and supported Ross during his medley of “Hero“, “Time To The Sky“ and “Lifetime“.
Otherwise it was shown a cross section of all three albums of the band with cover versions like “Wishmaster“, “Rebellion“ or “Kings Of Metal“ but also own compositions like “To Sing A Metal Song“ or “Speed Of Light“. During “The Bard’s Song” it really gave me the shivers when the whole audience sang loudly the song just like on a Blind Guardian concert more or less on its own.
In fact the concert could have taken longer but after 90 minutes the six on stage had reached the end of their condition and voices and so we were send out into the dark night with ”Fear Of The Dark“.
What more could one ask! Great audience, cool vibes during and also after the concert, fantastic music, it could nearly not get any better! Especially when you have to think about that this was one of only few concerts of that tour where all musicians were on stage at good health. In each case a band you should watch, although their music is quite polarizing.

Setlist:

• Frodo's Dream (Intro)
• Lost Forever
• Rain
• To Sing a Metal Song
• Wishmaster
• I Am Human
• Rebellion
• Water. Fire. Heaven. Earth.
• One to Ten
• The Bard's Song - In The Forest
• Acoustic Medley (Lifetime, Take To The Sky & Hero)
• Drum Solo
• Speed of Light
• Kings of Metal
• Tribe of Force
• My Voice
• The Mission (with Master of Puppets)

Encore:

• Stora Rövardansen
• Pathfinder
• Fear of the Dark

Weblinks:

	Van Canto Homepage of the German band Van Canto.
	Pitcher Homepage of the Pitcher at Düsseldorf (Germany).

Map:

Pictures: