There’s nothing better than some live music. Listening through your headphones or even the radio, you don’t always get the same experience. Now don’t get me wrong I understand that’s typically how we all first discover a new band however, at a live show you get to fully experience the band for who they truly are, throughout their performance. On Wednesday night, Finland band Apocalyptic headlined Summit Music Hall with Wheel and Leprous openers. Both opening acts were heavy rock that blended perfectly into the orchestra cello band, Apocalyptica.
With the venue completely backed out, Apocalyptica came out one by one starring drummer Mike Siren followed by the remaining members Perttu Kivilaakso, Eicca Topping, and Paavo Lotjonen. All three wielding their full-size Cellos came in guns blazing as they began to “Ashes of the Modern World”, nearly a seven-minute song that had everyone amazed from the very beginning that then opened up into “Path, Grace, and En Route To Mayhem”. From here they welcomed Franky Perez out on stage, a killer vocalist that helped them create an album a few years ago and has become family as they continue to build their relationship through their passion for music. Perez came out and sang “I’m Not Jesus” and “Not Strong Enough” which started slow but picked up with incense cords as the lyrics started.
The next song was called “Shadowmaker”, definitely, one of the party songs, featuring Perez on the drums for the second half of the song as the drummer Siren took the front stage before playing a spare set of drums that were called on the back wall of the stage. This song then blended with a quick cover from Rage Against the Machine, “Killing in the Name”. Perez played one final song with them titled “I don’t care” before leaving the stage.
The remaining band members took seats to slow things down as they began the second half of their set by covering a remix of Metallica’s “Nothing Else Matters” that Kivilaakso took control of for a lead solo before everyone stood up to jam the end of the song that the crowd sang along too. Then before knew it, the lights dimmed down as a heavy bass wave lounged across the venue that opened up to the fastest and heaviest track of the night “Inquisition Symphony”… things go so crazy that Topping had his cello lifted above his head playing it upside down. Sadly this was too late in the show to capture a shot of this.
After Inquisition everyone vanished, leaving Kivilaakso onstage with the honor of introducing the band members to all the new fans here in Denver starting with Siren, Lotjonen, and last but certainly not least, the founding member Topping. Fans gave each member a standing ovation before they announced their last song “Seek and Destroy” another Metallica cover. But of course, when the fans are applauding and chanting none stop for more they jumped back onstage to play an encore, performing “Farewell and Hall of the Mountain King”. Be sure to follow along with the band as their set to release some new music shortly after they complete their North America tour.
Setlist – Ashes, Path, Grace, Mayhem, Jesus, Not Strong, Shadow, I Don’t Care, Nothin, Seek – Encore – Farewell and Mountain King
Band Link – https://www.apocalyptica.com/
