August 17, 2002 - Ringfest - Cologne, Germany
I've been there, too, and it was realy cool. Sometimes the sound was really disturbed through snap, but you could put up with it, and the songs:
Intro
Manowar
Kings of Metal
Herz aus Stahl
Warriors of the World United
Kill with Power
House of Death
Black Wind Fire and Steel
(I hope I did not forget anything)
were chosen well; I've never seen or heard Manowar live before (except on videos and CDs...) but what I found there was exactly the spirit I expected. Also the sequence didn't really suprise me, from my point of view Manowar acted like at bigger shows so no reason for bitching, at least not for me.
Christian, Germany
The show on saturday in Cologne in the course of the Popkomm was great! Everywhere you looked people with Manowar shirts, banners and headbanger manes. After we had to wait for quite a while and the opener bands became despereate in front of all the Manowar fans we have been finally richly rewarded. After some spherical sounds the long awaited resounded: "From the United States of America, ALL HAIL MANOWAR" and the guys kicked off with "Manowar". Then followed "Kill with Power", "Kings of Metal", "Sting of the Bumblebee", "Herz aus Stahl", Warriors of the World United", "House of Death" and as the crowning end "Black Wind, Fire and Steel" (I was so fascinated from the show that maybe my order is wrong or I forgot to mention a song). The Kings of Metal gave everything (although it was for free! they love their fans!!!!!). At the end Joey did not miss out to rip each single string of his bass which was accompanied by frenetic exaltations and fan singings. What Manowar did was a performance worthy Manowar and their fans.
Hail and Kill
Your metal brother,
Alex
Ok, so here I'll try to write my first show review.
On Saturday it should happen, my first Manowar show. My brothers and me have met on Friday, clinked glasses on this big event and made a banner with the inscription "MANOWARRIORS FRIELINGSDORF HAIL AND KILL". As we arrived in Cologne at 12 o'clock we immediately ran to the VIVA stage, we would do just anything to get to the frontrow. Even 6 hours of commercial music like Brooklyn Bounce and whatever.
At about 18 o'clock the audience changed from 13 years old girls to some true Brothers of Metal. The stage has been rebuilt to a VIVAplus stage, the presenters have been exchanged. (fortunately we did not hear or see a lot of them). And then it
started with a band called "Prime Stockholm". For their first show in Germany they did very well. I think all fans liked them. But we wanted to see Manowar. After Prime said good bye and said how proud they are for being allowed to play on the same stage with Manowar and if they could they would like to play a Manowar song - after that it was DIE HAPPY's turn. At the beginning all fans have been enthusiastic. Only the show have been a bit too long. After about 75% of DIE HAPPY's setlist there was hardly any applause but "MANOWAR" callings. Now it got serious. DIE HAPPY left the stage.
Beautiful epic music played low in the background and the "MANOWAR" calls seemed to take no end. I risked to take a look around me to see if the few hundred kiddies from today afternoon became more. And it was the case. Everywhere where I looked Metalwarriors. After some acquaintanceships with other fans the cameraman of the Kings came on stage and filmed the fans. Another guy asked us to root for Manowar while the crew brought their own equipment on stage. Then it was so far, it was already dark, the lights went on and the intro from Ben Hur resounded. Then Orson Wells spoke "Ladies and Gentleman from the United States of America all hail Manowar". End the show went off with the first sog "Manowar". Nobody in front could stand still, the sound was great and everything was perfect. Then there was a smooth transition into "Kings of Metal".
The crowd was going crazy. So far it has been more than I expected from my first Manowar concert. Unfortunately I can't get the songs together anymore because it was just too cool. After Eric's salutation they continued with "Warriors of the World United". Completely with the intro and at the place where the choir was supposed to kick in we fans set in. Then it went on directly with "House of Death". Played perfectly. After that song Joey announced that the police
is on the way because we were "SO FUCKING LOUD". He said he wouldn't stop but go to jail and we all shall follow. AND I am sure we would follow him.
But the police apparently didn't adventure themselves. Joey shortly apologised their appereance on Top of the Pops. It was a misunderstanding, he thought TOTP would mean "I stay on Top and I POPP", by saying this he held a beer bottle next to his nuts and spattered the beer into the audience. And directly after that he kicked off with "Sting of the Bumblebee". Then when Eric sang the first verses of "Herz aus Stahl" I was completely enthused. I knew there's definitively nothing more delightful than Manowar. As far as I remember they also played "Black Wind, Fire and Steel" then it was unfortunately over. But it was the greatest day in my life. The next day I got the good message that the tour dates are there. And I was just happy.
Jut some words to my Brothers: "On the whole world there are truly no people like you. As soon as someone toppled down by dancing pogo there were innumerable hands to help you get up. I lost a shoe myself and 5 other people formed a circle around me so that I could search it. I can only tell you: Brothers and Sisters you are truly the best, there is no such community in other music styles."
So let's rock like this or even more on the Gods of War Tour. Show to the world that Heavy Metal is alive and that it will never die.
To all our enemies: eat shit and die!!!
Daniel Schmitz, Germany
