Delain/Evergrey/Kobra And The Lotus – Norwich Waterfront – 15/11/2016
Norwich is undergoing a bit of a refit at the moment but unlike many towns and cities around the UK it’s managing to retain much of its charm, and importantly isn’t bulldozing its venues. This is a good thing for music in Norfolk and the Waterfront in particular which is a fine building with a reputation for punching above its weight.
First up tonight are Canadian thunder metallers Kobra And The Lotus who take no prisoners in a set that whizzes by in the blink of an eye. It’s a slick show with focal point Kobra Paige showing that a recent serious illness hasn’t dampened her ability to rock out with the best of them. As a point of fact her vocals are astoundingly on point, even managing to cut through the rather flat sound system the Waterfront has.
Evergrey take to the stage, turn up their amps and pretty much blow the audience away. Once again it’s the vocals, this time of Tom Englund that impress. He’s no slouch in the rabble rousing stakes either taking time between songs to make sure everyone is having a good time. It’s interesting to note that Evergrey are one of those bands that seem to come alive playing on more intimate indoor stages. Their prog leaning sound can get lost at a festival but here they are quite sublime.
Delain are a class act pure and simple. Earlier in the year they won hearts and minds at a difficult Download festival aptly nicknamed Drownload 2. Here in front of a few hundred people they are just as good. It’s worth noting that Charlotte Wessels voice is as fantastic live as it is on a recording. The other thing I must have missed due to them being on such a huge stage before is just how tiny guitarist Merel Bechtold is. She still plays like a giant though, in fact the whole band produce a set that most are wishing would never end. At times genuinely breath taking Delain have to be one of the most on form groups around at the moment.
Review by: Gary Trueman