@COPENHELL #copenhell @RealKingDiamond #KingDiamond #MercyfulFate

As my summer festival season is approaching an end, I was thinking that now there are close to no bands left that I really want to see that I haven’t. And then this showed up in my email….

“The legendary Danish heavy metal band MERCYFUL FATE will make a spectacular return at next year’s COPENHELL festival in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Almost 40 years ago, singer King Diamond and guitarist Hank Shermann created what would later become the most iconic and influential Danish heavy metal band ever…

The band will perform (at 2020 Copenhell) with the “9” lineup featuring Hank Shermann (guitar), King Diamond (vocals), Bjarne T. Holm (drums), Mike Wead (guitar) and Joey Vera (Bass)… the set list will only consist of songs from the very first ‘mini LP’, the “Melissa” and “Don’t Break The Oath” albums plus some brand new songs written specifically in that very same style.”

And now I really must get back to Copenhagen next summer!

Yes, I’ve seen King Diamond a few times (including back in the 1980s), but I don’t like any of his albums nearly as much as I love Melissa and Don’t Break The Oath, and he barely touches those albums live anymore.

Posted on August 1st, 2019 under Denmark. Tags: AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.8G lens, concert photography, copenhell, king diamond, metal, Nikon D500. Comments: 6

Michael Amott of Arch Enemy @ 2018 Copenhell

@archenemymetal @copenhell #copenhell2018 @Michael_Amott

Posted on July 28th, 2019 under Denmark. Tags: AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/4G ED VR Nikon lens, arch enemy, concert photography, copenhell, metal, Nikon D750. Comments Off on Happy birthday, Michael Amott!

@satyricon #geflemetalfestival

Perhaps my favorite experience at 2018 Copenhell was Satyricon. So I was excited to see that I would get to see them again so soon at the 2019 Gefle Metal Festival. Sometimes the second time seeing a band after just a year can be disappointing. Such was not the case with Satyricon. If anything, I enjoyed their performance in Gävle even more.

I like how today’s photo came out with the Swedish colors of blue and yellow.

Most of the time when a Scandinavian band plays in another Scandinavian country they speak to the audience in English. Such was the case with Dimmu Borgir on the following night. However, Satyr, pictured above, spoke a lot between songs, and he did so all in Swedish.

Posted on July 25th, 2019 under Other. Tags: AF-S DX NIKKOR 16-80mm f/2.8-4E ED VR DX lens, concert photography, gefle metal festival, Nikon D500, satyricon. Comments Off on Satyricon in Sweden

@SeasonofMist #geflemetalfestival #geflemetal #GMF #Destroyer666

I haven’t looked at more than a few of my (1,500+) photos from the 2019 Gefle Metal Festival yet, but here is one from a couple years ago.

Posted on July 22nd, 2019 under Other. Tags: AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.8G lens, concert photography, Deströyer 666, gefle metal festival, metal, Nikon D750. Comments Off on Metal Monday

#GefleMetalFestival
@JoQuailCello

I was supposed to see MYRKUR again this summer, twice. However, she is pregnant and has cancelled her shows. Jo Quail took her spot at the Gefle Metal Festival this past weekend. KADAVAR is her replacement at Brutal Assault, but I may miss them due to a time conflict with Hypocrisy and Cult of Luna. I love all three bands so it will be hard to choose. Maybe all of Hypocrisy and a bit of the other two, as I haven’t seen Hypocrisy before.

Anyway, back to Jo Quail. Her music is wonderful, looping, hypnotic soundscapes that I quite enjoy. I don’t understand why more metal bands don’t have someone on a cello. I’m pretty sure this was the second time I’ve seen Jo Quail. I think she was on the cello when MYRKUR did her softer set at 2018 Roskilde Festival on the Gloria Stage.

I kind of wish they had swapped her spot with Primordial, but then I wouldn’t have been able to see Night Crowned so it all worked out.

Posted on July 21st, 2019 under Other. Tags: AF-S DX NIKKOR 16-80mm f/2.8-4E ED VR DX lens, concert photography, gefle metal festival, jo quail, Nikon D500. Comments Off on Jo Quail @ 2019 Gefle Metal Festival