When History Comes Alive Sabaton Deliver a Monumental Show at Rockhal, Luxembourg

What began as a simple visit to family who had emigrated to the outskirts of Luxembourg turned into one of the best experiences I have ever had in a concert arena, from both a visual and production standpoint. On November 26th, I had the pleasure of traveling to the city of Esch sur Alzette, Luxembourg, to attend the concert belonging to the latest tour of Sabaton, that is, the Legends Tour, which began on November 14th in Cologne and then continued across Europe, with its end scheduled for the second week of December.

There are many aspects that we need to highlight about this unique, distinctive, and creative tour. As such, perhaps we should start at its beginning, and that takes us to The Legendary Orchestra. The doors opened at 6 pm, and by 7 pm the ensemble symphony of the orchestra chosen by Sabaton to open their concerts could already be heard, and I dare say, with considerable success. The orchestra’s performance featured a fusion of distinct instruments and sounds reminiscent of medieval times, most notably the hurdy gurdy, a medieval instrument similar to a guitar that is played by turning a crank. I had never witnessed anything like it before and was quite captivated by the sound and the way it was played, elevating the orchestra’s potential to another level.

Many of you must be wondering what kind of music the orchestra actually played. The answer is quite simple. Sabaton. During their hour-long concert, The Legendary Orchestra covered the band’s discography and treated the fans present to several interpretations of songs that are not part of the setlist for this tour, such as the timeless Ghost Division and the legendary Bismarck. Thus, before the Sabaton concert, fans had the opportunity to see some of their main songs played in a heroic way by a very talented orchestra, which served to warm up the more than 6500 metalheads who were there.

At around 8.30 pm, the moment finally arrived for everyone filling the Rockhal Arena to begin an authentic historical journey, very well prepared and executed by the Sabaton production team. As is well known, the recently released album Legends refers to a series of figures from history who transcend the individual and enter the space of myth, such as Julius Caesar, Napoleon, and Genghis Khan. In this sense, the first fifteen minutes of the concert were a dialogue between these three figures, dressed in clothing and accessories that closely resembled the legends in question, historically situating the audience regarding their deeds and how these changed the course of history forever. Following this lively and innovative dialogue that created considerable anticipation among the fans, the Templars entered the stage, clad in armor and wearing metal helmets. Unknown, they lined up on stage and, after a few seconds, removed their helmets, revealing none other than the band itself. At this moment, the overwhelming intro of the single Templars began and the concert proper started.

Adding to all this suspenseful beginning and the overwhelming entrance that followed, it is impossible not to mention the setting and the stage that accompanied this entire journey. Starting with the drum kit, which was elevated on a huge structure with fire-breathing dragons, and whose base was a pair of enormous hands that lifted the drummer Hannes Van Dahl to the highest point in the arena. Beyond this superb detail, the stage itself was a tribute to history and perfectly suited the concert’s theme, being a huge medieval castle with wooden doors that, during the visual effects and pyrotechnics, proved truly imposing and left any fan speechless, myself included.

I could try to put into words the perfection and investment that went into the production of this concert. However, I believe I would not be able to do justice to what it truly was, and therefore I advise everyone to see the photos and videos of this magnificent Sabaton tour. Musically, the band lived up to the expectations that the setting and the whole atmosphere had sparked, and in a balanced setlist between songs from the new album and older classics, the band showed why it established itself as a leader in historical Power Metal and why, despite being a more recent band, it managed to secure its place in the history of Heavy Metal, captivating all kinds of generations with its energetic performances.

Sabaton continued much of what has been the strategy of metal legends such as Dio or Iron Maiden, who performed a gigantic stadium concert in a small arena, with all its sets and effects, creating an enormous proximity with the audience. Adding to this, the harmony of Sabaton’s concerts happens when the peculiar vocals of Joakim Brodén join with the characteristic military rhythm of the rest of the band and merge with the enormous amount of pyrotechnics launched from all angles and parts of the stage, creating an authentic historical epic that will not be forgotten by anyone who attends a concert by the band.