A long time ago, via YouTube, as you usually get good music, we were recommended a video by a band that was freshly released at the time. The song is called "White Flag" from Normandy and has grabbed us, already after the first listening with its dramatic, melodic sound. For us it was clear, should the guys ever come to Germany, we will not miss them. Some time went by and when we got the opportunity from our partner KINDA have been offered, this was the moment when our promise was, became. As part of their European tour Normandy are together with Our Hollow, Our Homewhich we have already presented at the Never Say Die Tour from Impericon, as well as with the Led By Lanterns toured through various countries and also came to Cologne on a Wednesday evening.
European Tour with Led By Lanterns & Our Hollow, Our Home
Normandy
We drove through our living room directly to Mühlheim, in which the Club Volta sparkles as a jewel of the district. We had actually never been to the location and yet had heard some positive voices about it. When we arrived and the first people were already standing outside the club, we parked directly in the adjacent parking garage, which to our surprise offers an event rate of 4.50€. Normally you don't get out for a concert evening in Cologne under 15€ if you are traveling by car. Friendly welcomed we already entered the location, which of course has not only a slight urban vibe by the painted windows and the modern bar, but thereby gave you the feeling you would enter holy halls. This can also be seen in our pictures of the evening.
It did not take long and Led By Lanterns opened the evening with a captivating intro. The first spotlights shone on the stage, the flashlight was turned on and then it was off. To their sound, which moves between melodic pop and modern alternative metal, has Led By Lanterns something about them that takes you away. It is on the one hand their charisma, in which you could literally see how much fun they had on stage, but it is also their music that really makes you want to party. Especially the interaction with the audience, we liked very much. Jokes were constantly made, which also created a battle between the left and right side of the audience, which is the louder than the other. Led By Lanterns has mastered the mammoth task as the opener for the evening, which is why we give them a chapeau at this point.
Break. That means checking out merch stands with us. The selection this time was so large that we could not decide at all. This also had to do with individual tastes, while I'm maybe a little more into melodic sounds, Jack againrum feels at home in the hardcore. After we absolutely could not decide, there was a cold beer from the bar before we looked at the next band. Our Hollow, Our Home had developed seriously compared to the last time we saw them. Their distinctive hardcore-punk sound, which in between moves slightly into progressive or deathcore, literally woke up the crowd after the break and the first pit was not long in coming. The audience went crazy for the sound and it was impossible to stop when you saw how the band went down on stage.
Especially singer Connor was totally in his element and danced to the dark, dynamic sounds of the instruments. The harmony between the band members was balanced and both old and new songs were played. What was good, and you have to give the band credit for this, was the song selection in general, which included both hard songs and songs that you could easily sing along to if you knew the lyrics. The second break came faster than expected, which is why the question about the merchandise became even bigger. For me, however, it was quickly clear and so I supported the opener Led By Lanterns with a T-shirt. Jack was still hesitating but he also decided to wear a T-shirt of Our Hollow, Our Homewhich was the hardest band of the evening. The merchandise of Normandie was of course also bought and worn a lot.
Should you have the desire for a Normandy-shirt - which we will also order soon - you can find stop by their store here. The time had finally come and the act of the evening, Normandie, entered the stage accompanied by fog and a fitting intro. The crowd erupted in thunderous shrieks and applause, which then resulted in a loud chant to the first song. Normandy played a mix from their latest album "Dark & Beautiful Secrets", which was just released recently and featured songs like "Holy Water", previously heard only in stereo, to life. The guys definitely had their fun and joked a lot with the audience, who visibly enjoyed this exchange. There were stage divers, there was pogoing as well as sitting on the shoulders of another, singing along the individual passages of the songs.
From track to track it became more energetic, faster and also the whole atmosphere in the club was heated up. But when it was time for Normandy to go, there was a big rush for encore whose call the band heard of course. So two more songs were played, one of which was the song we secretly waited for the whole evening: "White Flag". That was a really great experience, that they played the song, with which they also became famous, at the end of a successful concert evening. The feeling that came up was pure nostalgia and we felt transported back to the time when we heard the song for the first time. And to hear it live... complete goose bumps! The middle of the week we could thus end well and have directly got desire on the next concert of the band as well as on the one which has expected us on Friday.
Concerts, festivals and more
In our BEHIND THE NOISE column we write about everything around the metal & rock scene and take a look behind the spotlights to give you a better insight into the concert. At this concert, too, we were able to collect exciting and new memories, which we will of course not withhold from you. Intense, unconventional and intoxicating. Welcome to the concert!
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