BLIND GUARDIAN - Wacken Open Air 2007 | Into the Storm

Yeah, it was a fantastic show! Unfortunately, it will probably be the first and the last time I'll ever see them live. We don't have a big metal following here and it's generally just a big hassle and expensive endeavour for metal bands to come to South Africa. Although, I must say, I have seen some weird international bands here I never expected to see live. I didn't know it at the time, but apparently Blind Guardian was the only band in the metal genre to tour all five continents in an 18-month time period (that was in 2007 though). Some friends of mine who played in the opening band (Ancient Influence) helped to organise the show. I worked at an independent CD shop called Seedys at the time as well. We sponsored some CDs to be given away at the show and people could win tickets for the show at the shop. A friend of mine who worked with me (and was also a huge Blind Guardian fan) and I attempted to bamboozle every metalhead who walked into the store into buying the Twist in the Myth album "because you also receive a poster with your purchase". All the geeky little metalheads in South Africa were so excited at the prospect of seeing Blind Guardian live! Independent CD stores, CDs, poster giveaways, marketing on MySpace, etc. are all relics of the past now. Anyway, I just have very fond and happy memories of that period in my life.

Whoa! You were there at the South Africa concert? Awesome! Unfortunately that was the only concert in Africa so far.

Mário Henrique Perin Bernardo

This must have been about a month or two before you lot came to play in South Africa in Oct 2007. It must feel particularly peculiar to downgrade from an audience of 72 000 to a puny audience of 900 in Pretoria (of all places). Into the Storm was also the opening song. Good times!