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It feels like Mark Tremonti having a good relationship with The Netherlands. I can't remember him touring through Europe without having at least listed one show in the Holland. Also this time the tour stopped in the Benelux country and it has been second to last before the band goes into a well deserved x-mas vacation period.
Before playing Zwolle the day after it was the 013 in Tilburg that hosted the band on this Saturday night. Unfortunately Tremonti only played the smaller hall, which was sold out in no time. The attempt of moving to the bigger hall failed, which was a pity for everybody that couldn't get a ticket. But for the ones being part of the show, this concert became an awesome one in a quite intimate sphere.
But before Mark Tremonti and his gang could enter the stage it was up to The Raven Age to heat up the audience. The guys from London are around since 2009; at least this is when the Dan Wright and George Harris founded the band. It took till 2013 to get things more shaped, which was also the year when the band published their debut EP - the only release till this day.
However, The Raven Age has played many shows, supporting e.g. Masterdon and Delain. That the guys learnt a lot during those past shows was clearly visible in Tilburg that evening. The five dudes played a really good show that was very much appreciated by the fans. Even though must of them came for Tremonti, The Rave Age rocked the 013 and got a lot of applause. Their powerful modern- / alternative metal was perceived very well and the venue was already quite packed while the London-based five-piece played their set.
For the ones who might missed the guys, there is a new chance, since they will be the opening act for Iron Maiden's "Book Of Souls" world tour. Knowing that George Harris' family name isn't coinsidentaly the same as the one from the might Maiden bass player, Steve is his father, not a too big surpise.
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After a not too long break it was time for the master himself. Mark Tremonti and his band entered the stage. The beginning couldn't have been more furious than with the title track "Cauterize". Tremonti seems to enjoy releasing the metal beast with his solo project. Not that Alter Bridge, his main band, playing soft stuff, but the really heavy songs are reserved for Tremonti.
"Flying Monkeys" for example sounds already brutal on the album, but the live version was even harder. What a riff, man! Soundgarden in their earlier days came to my mind immediately. Talking about grunge influences, also the more moderate "All I Was" from the debut was played and sounded damn cool. OK, there was actually no number on the setlist that wasn't a treat for a true metalhead's ears.
Regardless if it's the more melancholic "Dark Trip" or the speed metal influenced "Arm Yourself", both from "Cauterize", these songs just rock. Those tunes just turned the venue into a madhouse and if you would have asked the fans, this show could have gone forever.
And even though Mark Tremonti is the mainman I also want to mention the band that supported him. Eric Friedman, Garrett Whitlock and Tanner Keegan build with their excellent play the foundation for this wall of sound that night in Tilburg.
But after 15 songs and around 80 minutes playtime, things came to an end. "Wish You Well" marked the end of a fantastic show of a great musican that stand with both feet on the ground. Cool guy, cool show, cool musician.
I'm already looking forward to early summer 2016 when we can expect Tremonti back in Europe, than even with new songs in the backpack.
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Content from Tremonti, 013, Tilburg, 19.12.2015
Markus' Heavy Music Blog: mwiemetalblog.over-blog.com
https://www.flickr.com/photos/125260742@N07/sets/72157662502056151/
Setlist Tremonti:
- Cauterize
- You Waste Your Time
- All I Was
- So You're Afraid
- Flying Monkeys
- The Things I've Seen
- Radical Change
- Dark Trip
- Brains
- All That I Got
- Arm Yourself
- Decay
- Another Heart
- Sympathy
- Wish You Well
Setlist The Raven Age:
- Uprising
- Promisded Land
- The Death March
- Trapped Within the Shadows
- Eye Among the Blind
- Merciful One
- Salem's Angel (Intro by a drum solo)
- Angel in Disgrace
Location: 013, Tilburg, The Netherlands
Date: 19.12.2015