My Dying Bride
Thessaloniki, Ydrogeios Club (Greece)(May 11, 2002)
Ydrogeios Club, 2 hours before the gig and I already find some people gathered up and waiting to experience the My Dying Bride phenomenon. We enter the club half an hour before the gig and I find my spot in the front row, on the left of the stage. The waiting is growing as time flies by. At 8:30, as planned, the lights dim and we hear a tune starting to play. A few moments later Hamish, Ade, Andrew, Shaun, Aaron and Sarah appear on stage. My Hope the Destroyer and off we go! The sound is great, except maybe the keyboards, sometimes I couldn't hear them. Aaron's voice is loud and clear. The guitars and the drums sound perfect. "We want to apologize to all of you for taking us 12 years to come here" Aarons words were revealing that this night would be a night we will never forget. The whole time the crowd was going up and down, head banging, singing along and shouting names of songs they wanted to hear. The requests I heard were so many the Bride would probably have to stay there all night playing.
"I promise that it won't take you another 12 years to see us" said Aaron giving us hope for a quick comeback. Aaron's performance was something I personally had never seen before. Passion, Pain, Frustration, Anger and Sorrow gathered up together, flowing on stage for us to see. His voice was remarkable. The Raven and the Rose, Under your Wings and into your Arms, Turn Loose the Swans, A Cruel Taste of Winter, The Snow in my Hands, The Cry of Mankind, She is the Dark, A Kiss to Remember, Symphonaire Infernus et Spera Empyrium, a set list that had it all. Past and present. What more could we ask? Aaron says goodnight to us all and one by one they depart. The crowd starts to yell "WE WANT MORE!!!" I was pleased that I wasn't the only one in the crowd who didn't have enough. After a while the band comes out and The Dreadful Hours starts. Aaron appears and the crowd seems even more excited than before. "This is your last chance to start F@$#ing moving, this is The Fever Sea" last song and the end of an incredible night. We exit Ydrogeios with a big fat smile on out faces. It was better than I expected. The night wasn't over for us though. We went to a club where we found the band and talked to them some more. They seemed to enjoy their time in Greece and I knew that my trip to the other side of Greece was worth every minute. The morning found me and my friends waiting for my bus to take me back to Athens.
(May 12, 2002)
I arrive at Rodon Club 2 hours earlier and knowing that it is even bigger than last night's venue, I'm not surprised to see that people are gathered outside much earlier and waiting in line. Inside, the crowd is much bigger and more anxious to get this show started. They call out the Bride, shout and clap their hands. I was still having flashbacks from last night's gig and I couldn't wait to see them for the second time. Soon the waiting would be over. The familiar tune starts and I turn towards the stage as the lights dim once more.
The Bride has entered the building and they seem even better here. The stage is a bit bigger and higher and everyone has a better view of the band. That was great cause I had my camera with me and I managed to get some good photo's of the band. The sound is definitely much better here, and the keyboards that lacked the night before, sound excellent. Everything is loud and clear and the feeling is overwhelming.
The set is the same and the band members, once more, give their best performance to satisfy the hungry Greeks. What hit me the most, was the reaction of the crowd every time a violin part was being played on the keyboards. They all made this sound that was almost like singing. It was breathtaking. I don't know if the band could listen to it, but from where I was I could hear it loud and clear.
"We'll see you soon" was what I remember Aaron's last words to be and I'm sure that a lot of faces looked eased that this night was going to happen again, someday. Two nights with the Bride. Two nights My Dying Bride's fans will never forget. Outside both venues the band spent a lot of time signing autographs, taking pictures and chatting with the fans. They seemed so relaxed and ready to enjoy their last night in Greece. After a couple of beers with the band and a long discussion with Hamish I was on my way home. I was thinking that this was one of the best weekends of my life.
(zip file)
- Estelle Motsiou
(29 May 2002)
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