Concert Notes: Manowar - 03/12/11, Agora Theatre, Cleveland, OH

by Myche

First, my unedited notes that I took the night of the show:

Opening band Holy Hell - count the bad signs:

* dumb band name
* chick singer
* chick singer who smiles a lot and tries to do a lot of "metal" things
* male band members take themselves way too seriously
* keyboardist
* keyboardist with keyboards turned so we can see him play
* need I continue?

I'm shocked at how polite the Manowar crowd is being to this band. Cleveland thing?

I just looked back and one of the soundguys was nodding off. Bad sign.

Actually, nodded off. Literally asleep.

Best denim metal vest ever: so many patches they overlap. I see Krokus, KISS, Sabbath, Savatage, Megadeth, Circle Jerks, Morbid Angel, Anthrax, Loudness, hell...everyone.

Manowar tattoo on someone's forehead.

Sign of the Hammer graduation cap (homemade - pretty sure not at merch table)?

There's a guy here with a big plastic sword, with, of course, blood dripping on the tip (fake and painted on, I would presume).

A white manowar shirt is not right. Two guys together wearing the same one is even worse. On purpose, or when the one guy picked up the other guy did they both look at each other and say "oh fuck?"

Keyboardist has one electronic drum that he punches from time to time.

The five biggest fans of this band are on stage right now...

I take that back - one electric cymbal.

They just said "good night" but are playing one more. The keyboardist is pumping up the crowd with a keytar.

Oh my, they are doing Holy Diver.

The guitarist looked like Nikki Sixx, but older and more worn out.

(For Hanner - the singer looked like Meredith Voller)

I took no notes while Manowar was on. I couldn't stop smiling. Had to be one of the most fun old school metal shows I've ever seen.

At one point I was standing next to probably the two tallest guys there. Thank god they weren't in front of me.

The guy next to me was such a metal specimen. Had to be every bit of 6'6", dark, vikingesque, long hair, and freaking arms as big as my thighs. When I had my arms raised and he did, his were at least a foot higher. He was into it. Looked like a nice guy, but I would have expected him to speak monosyllabically.

I never saw him talk through the whole show, and we never gestured to each other, but did bump each other a couple times while pumping fists, etc. I was not worried that he would be bothered by my bumps - probably didn't even feel them.

After the show, they played some majestic Manowar song and most people stayed and sang along. It was pretty intense. Then after that the big guy turns and we clasp fists - "great show" I say. One of the guys he's with is teary-eyed. I walk away a bit and the big guy has his head down on the rail by the soundboard where we were standing. Exhausted? Emotional? Doesn't matter...

Additional Notes - 03/14/11

Not a ton to add, but thought I would add a little color on the Manowar show itself:

* Joey tells crowd to stop crowd surfing or, I think, he would kick somebody's ass. Did the trick.

* Battle Hymns in entirety, but slightly out of order. Can't blame them for kicking things off with the song "Manowar."

* First song after Battle Hymns is "Brothers of Metal", one of my faves.

* I knew a lot more of the songs that they played than I thought I would, but learned each unfamiliar one pretty well by the end the song.

* Bass solo w/ Battle Hymns William Tell overture - awesome.

* Guitar solo ending with guitarist dropping to his knees and laying all the way back - I've seen that on a DVD and it hurts MY knees every time.

* As I've seen on a DVD - Joey pulls off each of his bass strings and gives them to crowd members. Mostly women I think, as one he mouthed "I'm going to fuck you."

* As a first-time audience member of a Manowar show, I would have to say that it was a great setlist. You got what you wanted: anthems out the wazoo.

* Most of the songs played had the words Heavy, Metal, Loud, Kill, and of course Manowar. It's easy to poke fun at this, but you know, it works for me. Thankfully not every band out there does this, but I doubt any band does it better than Manowar...

More Over-The-Top News from Manowar

by Myche

I just couldn't make this stuff up:



Obviously Eric Adams had his work cut out for him singing in 16 languages, but I bet Joey DeMaio worked twice as hard translating bass for each song...

Manowar Video Challenge

by Myche

Let me preface by saying that I like Manowar. Yes, they are over-the-top and completely ridiculous. But I can't help having fun with it. Plus, I will defend any day the merits of Eric Adams' chops - he can kick it out...

So here's the challenge: See how long you can keep a straight face while watching this video.

1. Before starting the video below get serious - totally deadpan.
2. Play video (you must have the audio up as well).
3. Try not to smile.
4. Note the elapsed time of the video if/once you smile and post it in the comments section.

I would think that if the video doesn't get you, the audio will.

I can't get past 0:40.

Coming Soon On DVD(s): Complete Concert + Bonus Footage

by Myche

Wow. I have nothing to add to this article - it lays it all out there. Courtesy of Maria Vassileva from Sofiaecho.com.


Review: MANOWAR Goes For Guinness Record With Five-Hour Concert
Posted on Monday, July 07, 2008 at 11:04:53 EST

The concert of the legendary kings of metal, MANOWAR, on the opening night of Kaliakra Rock Festival 2008 in the Bulgarian “rock capital” of Kavarna on July 5 lasted for five hours and one minute. The performance was the metal band's attempt to break the world record for the longest heavy metal concert, which they themselves set in 2007 at last year's edition of the festival.

Joey DeMaio, Eric Adams, Karl Logan and Scott Columbus pleased a crowd of 20,000 people with a playlist of more than 40 songs, a selection reflecting the band's history and all its studio albums.

This year, the self-anointed "kings of metal" had promised Bulgarian fans to beat last year’s performance of three hours on stage, and had specially invited representatives of Guinness book of records to witness the unprecedented event.

Hundreds of fans of the legendary band have been waiting for their arrival at Kaliakra Stadium ever since 10am to pour inside in a frantic hurry to the stage after the gates were opened.

As was the case last year, the audience was warmed up by HOLYHELL, the power metal band produced by Joey DeMaio, performing tracks from their upcoming debut album and cover versions of classic hits by AEROSMITH and DIO.

At 9.49pm, Manowar came out. The band began with classic hits from their earliest albums such as 'Heavy Metal Daze', 'Fast Taker', 'Death Tone', 'Dark Avenger', 'Carry On', 'Kings Of Metal' and many others.

“Bulgaria, we devote this concert to you,” the informal leader and main songwriter of the legendary band, Joey DeMaio, said during the pauses between back-to-back hits. “Where it is written in Guinness’ book of records about the longest heavy metal concert, it will be written that this was the concert of Manowar in Bulgaria,” he said. The bassist added that Bulgaria was the place where people knew how to enjoy true heavy metal music.

At the peak of the concert, a classical string orchestra and a choir of the Sofia Philharmonics joined the musicians in performing some of their greatest hits, among which Warriors of the World, Hail and Kill, and Defender. In front of the Bulgarian audience, Manowar presented for the first time their new single, Die with Horror.

With the concert approaching its end, Kavarna mayor Tsonko Tsonev, known as “the metal mayor”, congratulated the group and thanked them for performing in his town. Manowar promised to return to Kavarna whenever they were invited.

As a sign of gratitude towards Bulgarian fans, the legendary band once again performed the Bulgarian anthem, continuing afterwards with a classical symphonic ballad, The Crown and the Ring, under the sparks of fireworks.

When the last sounds of the song subsided, after four and a half hours of non-stop performance, Manowar announced that a new record had been set. Fans began to leave as lights illuminated Kaliakra stadium. However, the kings of metal returned for another thirty minutes to the surprise and delight of their admirers.