GAMMA RAY,
FREEDOM CALL, SECRET SPHERE

Serbia, Belgrade, SKC, 23.02.2010.

Time when people from Belgrade were going to Budapest to see their favourite metal bands aren't so far away from now. Last couple of years, as many of great names are appearing, there is less audience! Are people already got sick? Impossible? Is it because of lack of money? Probably! Well, as the things are, we are coming to situation that there is an audience, but halls (not big ones) are half empty.
Gamma Ray were in Belgrade about two years ago along with Halloween as part of Hellish Rock tour. This concert left remembered for good atmosphere and great play, that was why it was expected that SKC will be full again, but it wasn't like that. There were more fans than on Stratovarius gig, but still, hall wasn't full.
Gamma Ray had two warming up bands this time: Secret Sphere (Italy) and Freedom Call (Germany). We can say that both band have done great job because they have warmed the audience up, and we can say that Freedom Call have even their fans there, because people were singing along.
Rare is the case of Kai Hansen (vocal, guitar) which has founded Halloween in 1983, made great success, and then in 1989 decided to found second band, called Gamma Ray and didn't make even bigger success with it.
This coming of their was as part of their promo tour for their latest album "To the Metal", which came out two months ago. Audience, of course, expected to hear old Hansen's hits which he made with Gamma Ray and Halloween. And they got it. Darkness of stage, instrumental from amps, histeria in the audience, they come out, lights are on, we are watched by huge latest album cover from the back of the stage, and it starts just the way it should, heavy, with song "Gardens of the Sinner" and then "New world order". Soon we have seen that real fans of band gathered because mosh pit was formed from the very beginning. And Hansen was confused for the moment what is going on.
Energy was just flowing in SKC that evening, and short break was during the song "No Need To Cry! From their new album. Dirk Schlachter (bass) took acoustic guitar for this occasion, and in peaceful and quiet atmosphere done this ballad, while band was gone from stage. This fast speed change was accepted among the audience.
This German high-quality heavy metal machine gone crazy and they rided throught the end with: "Armagedon", "To The Metal", "Rebellion In Dreamland", and with song "Man On The Mission" official part of concert ended.
Of course, encore was there, they are coming out and playing "Ride The Sky" and "Send Me A Sign", and audience still doesn't want it to be an end. Band comes out once more and does "I Want Out", song from the Hans's period with Helloween. It was triumphal end of this very good 90 minute long performance.

Report & photo: Miloš Ristić - Jeskanen