On September 22nd, 2023, I had the chance to attend a BLIND GUARDIAN concert in Saarbrücken, one of the first shows of their tour promoting their new album, “The God Machine.”
The opening act was the Israeli prog metal band SCARDUST, led by the charismatic vocalist Noa Gruman. Their performance was nothing short of magical. Noa showcased her versatile vocal skills, ranging from operatic arias to death metal growling. The band played a brief but captivating set, undoubtedly sparking interest in those who saw them for the first time that night.
Following their performance, a curtain descended in front of the stage, eliciting gasps of surprise from the audience. The main act, BLIND GUARDIAN, took to the stage, but they remained hidden behind the curtain until well into the first song of the night. As the band played, a projector cast images of dragons onto the curtain, creating an enchanting atmosphere.
Finally, the curtain fell, revealing the German power metal veterans in all their glory. They performed a mix of songs from their older and newer albums, including three tracks from their latest release, “The God Machine.”
“You say ‘Valhalla, I say deliverance” – Of course, no BLIND GUARDIAN concert would be complete without “Valhalla,” “The Bard’s Song,” and “Mirror Mirror.” The German crowd enthusiastically sang along during each of these songs, with the iconic “Valhalla – deliverance” chorus echoing through the audience.
Overall, the night was a true celebration of power metal, one to be cherished in memory. It served as a fantastic kickoff for the European leg of The God Machine tour. Check out our preview interview with the band here and our photo gallery below…
Scardust
Blind Guardian
Photos by Magdalena Niemczura
