Event:	Anathema & Alcest: North American Tour 2013
Written by:	D.T. Metal
Published:	07.10.2013
Galleries:	Anathema, Alcest - Summit Music Hall, Denver, USA - 24th Sept 2013 by D.T. Metal (22)

A couple of weeks ago some Denver metal heads could finally scratch one thing of their bucket list; seeing Anathema live in the Mile High City. The old saying: "Good things come to those who wait", were not just words in the wind, but rather spot on that night - what an awesome performance.

We had a scheduled INTERVIEW with Vincent for earlier in the day, but ended up talking with Danny, which worked out just as well. He is such a nice guy and just by listening to him, he clearly enjoys playing the music and bringing the feeling to the fans.

First things first; the opener. Mamiffer out of Seattle, WA ? well, I am fairly open minded to all types of music but in this case - hmm, I learned a long time ago that if you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all. And I will leave it at that.

Alcest was up next and since this wasn't their first rodeo in Denver, a lot of people were more than looking forward to seeing them live again. The Frenchmen played mostly songs of last year's album Les Voyages De L'âme, but this in itself was not a bad thing at all. The sound was near perfect for their set but unfortunately the stage light was not. Got it, the light should reflect the music being played, but it was rather dark at times and I was actually wondering if the musicians could even see their instruments.







Then it was time for Anathema to take the stage. After the intro and as soon as I heard: "And I feeeeel - like I knew you before", I knew this gig would rock in so many ways. While it was pretty balsy to open the show with "Untouchable Part 1" and immediately follow with "Untouchable Part 2" off their 2012 album Weather Systems, it DID set the stage for an unforgettable evening. Normally I behave pretty professional in the photo pit and refrain from head-banging or other "fan" activities. But this time I couldn't help myself, standing out of the way, swaying my whole body from side to side and singing alongside Lee Douglas about letting him go.

Nah, don't get me wrong, this is not the fan girl talking, I prefer my music a tad bit heavier, but what Anathema brought to the table that night was - magical, for a lack of better words. A musical journey to your inner self of sorts; goosebumps, fricking awesome is a CLEAR understatement. The band, well mostly Daniel, did a great job of engaging the audience as well, and without any hesitation, everyone followed his pleas for clapping, jumping, or holding up lighters.







Once Anathema ended their set with "Fragile Dreams" of 1998's Alternative 4 it somehow felt that the show just started because everyone was in "the zone". It really didn't seem that they already played for an hour and a half because each and every song just went down like butter. The only bad thing was that the Summit Music Hall wasn't filled to the brim, maybe half of their capacity. But this also meant that for those of us who did witness the band's first Colorado appearance - it was a less crowded, more intimate and personal experience. I am actually looking forward to seeing them again.

Setlist: