On November 11th, 2023, Swedish industrial veterans PAIN kicked off their EU & UK tour, I AM. With the support of ELEINE and ENSIFERUM, they rocked the Columbia Theater in Berlin.
ELEINE, the Swedish symphonic dark act featuring Madeleine Liljestam on lead vocals, opened the night. With blasting beats and heavy guitar riffs, they kicked things off with “Enemies.” From the start, a strong connection with the crowd was established as people cheered and headbanged. They also performed the new track “We Are Legions,” but what stood out the most was the interactions of the musicians with the audience. Guitarist and growler Rikard Ekberg spoke some German, and together with Madeleine, they hyped up the crowd for the final song, “Death Incarnate.”
ENSIFERUM brought a shift in mood. Finnish folk metal is always fun and energetic, and ENSIFERUM was no exception. Bassist Sami Hinkka jumped around in a kilt, waving his golden hair, making faces, and enjoying every second on the stage. Petri Lindroos‘ intense voice echoed through the venue as they opened with “Voyage to Andromeda,” followed by “Andromeda” and “In My Sword I Trust.” The highlight came when the keyboardist, Pekka Montin, joined Petri and stunned everybody with his high-pitched power metal vocals.
PAIN took the stage next. The lights dimmed and an animated intro played on a screen onstage. They opened with “Let Me Out.” Peter Tägtgren was in a good mood, delivering a spectacular performance with his bandmates. The set was a mix of iconic tracks from early releases and newer ones, including “Same Old Song,” “Have a Drink on Me,” and “The Great Pretender,” among others. They closed with a cover of “Gimme Shelter” by THE ROLLING STONES. Peter and the band had a four-song encore prepared, featuring hits like “Party in My Head” and, of course, the all-time favorite “Shut Your Mouth.” Check our photo gallery here…
Eleine
ENSIFERUM
PAIN
Photos by Alexandra Aim
