Earlier this year, in April, BLIND GUARDIAN headlined the first edition of Summer Breeze Brazil and promised to be back soon. They kept their oath and fulfilled it this November 25th, 2023. This time, the God Machine Tour reigned over South American lands. Most of the concerts were either running low on tickets or already sold out. São Paulo was graced with two nights in a row, and I had the chance to see the bards for the second time this year, I have no regrets.
The opening band was TREND KILL GHOSTS, and I arrived during the final songs of their concert. They had also opened for ENSIFERUM last year, here in São Paulo. The venue seemed brand new, and from what I know, OPETH played there. However, like most fans, including myself, many had never even heard of this venue before. This is a testament to how vast São Paulo really is.
At 8 o’clock sharp, BLIND GUARDIAN took the stage, and the crowd was immersed in the same vibe, eager to show how much the songs meant to all of them. After the first song, it was impossible to move on to the next one right away. The audience chanted fiercely, “Olê olê olê Blinde Guardian,” a lyric adaptation for the sake of the sound, for a couple of minutes, leaving everyone on stage impressed. Finally, Hansi thanked not only for the reception but also for fans choosing them over Taylor Swift, who also had a gig scheduled for the same evening — a “tough choice,” he said. The fans who got the joke laughed, and it’s not unusual for someone to ask the person next to them in Portuguese, “What did he just say?” and the message is passed along.
Then, Hansi introduced Marcus as a trained Witcher, just a small token of affection. I truly enjoy seeing a band that feels comfortable on stage and genuinely wants to connect. Hansi is a master of vocal power and captivating the audience. Having attended concerts for almost 20 years, I find it impressive how natural it is for him to be on stage.
The chant to honor them happened a couple more times between songs, and we all sang along with the lyrics for “The Bard’s Song” and “Valhalla.” If it were up to the audience, we would have stayed there all night long, clapping hands and singing “Valhalla, deliverance, why have you ever forgotten me.”
“Mirror Mirror” was announced as the final song of the night, and according to the printed setlist I got to see, the plan was exactly that. However, things turned out differently; the audience kept asking for “one more song,” and our wishes were granted. An extra song was included, “Time Stands Still (At the Iron Hill).” Fans stayed a bit, and those who waited until most people left got the chance to meet and greet Johan, as he was hanging around right next to the stage; another great concert and that’s a wrap for 2023. What a fantastic year for concerts it was. 2024, we’ll be seeing you soon.
Setlist
- Intro
- Imaginations From the Other Side
- Blood of the Elves
- Nightfall
- The Script for My Requiem
- Deliver Us From Evil
- Skalds and Shadows
- Banish From Sanctuary
- Secrets of the American Gods
- The Bard’s Song – In the Forest
- Majesty
- Traveler in Time
- Sacred Worlds (Encore)
- Lord of the Rings (Encore)
- Guardian of the Blind (Encore)
- Valhalla (Encore)
- Mirror Mirror (Encore)
- Time Stands Still (At the Iron Hill) – (Crowd request)
- Sacred Worlds
Written by Denise Di Lallo Ragazzo
Photos by Denise Di Lallo Ragazzo
