spiritual_beggars_2016_04

» Spiritual Beggars 2016 04 16

Reviewed by Mozzy
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Support: Saffire
City: Stockholm, Sweden
Venue: Göta Källare
Date: April 16, 2016
Saffire set length: 40 minutes
Spiritual Beggars set length: 95 minutes

Spiritual Beggars

Not long after releasing the excellent Sunrise To Sundown, Spiritual Beggars embarked on a European tour. Because of the band members´ other commitments, live activity for Spiritual Beggars is not that common. Even rarer is in fact Swedish live dates, so tonight's show in Stockholm is long-awaited and has drawn a large crowd.

After the great opener Left Brain Ambassadors it is straight into the title track from the latest record. That it has been well-received is evident from the response and singing to the new songs. One of them, the splendid Hard Road, is one the highlights of the evening. The setlist is terrific, also comprising old gems such as Euphoria and Wonderful World, and the spectators are really enjoying themselves.

It is delightful to see this band onstage again, with skilful musicians who gel together. The rhythm section with drummer Ludwig Witt and bassist Sharlee D´Angelo play with both force and finesse, laying a strong foundation in the sound. The towering D'Angelo rocks like hell and is the liveliest one onstage together with keyboardist Per Wiberg. The latter contributes wonderful parts and is an energetic, cheerful character, headbanging wildly behind his instrument.

Apollo Papathanasio demonstrates his fine vocal abilities and has a good rapport with the crowd. Mike Amott, then, has a more laid-back approach onstage but his playing is superb, delivering great riffs, melodies and solos.

One can tell the guys enjoy playing live with Spiritual Beggars again, as they put in a passionate effort. It is a powerful-sounding performance, also played at a loud volume. Papathanasio´s frequent flashing of the heavy metal sign is rather fitting after all, although the core is quality 70´s style hard rock with an irresistible groove and punch. As expected beforehand, this Spiritual Beggars appearance is a real treat and will probably rank as one of the most memorable of the year.

Performance: 9 chalices of 10
Stage sound: 7 chalices of 10
Best: Hard Road
Worst: ---

Setlist:
Left Brain Ambassadors
Sunrise To Sundown
Throwing Your Life Away
Young Man, Old Soul
Hard Road
Euphoria
Diamond Under Pressure
One Man's Curse
One Man Army
Dark Light Child
Wonderful World
Fools Gold
Drum Solo
Dreamer
Turn The Tide
Lonely Freedom
Wise As A Serpent
Beneath The Skin
Blind Mountain
Mantra