Travelling to a show in Cologne always ends up in stress and bustle. This time it was up to ANATHEMA who were meant to strike up at the • Buergerhaus Stollwerck • a nice location with a breathtaking and photogenic view alongside the river Rhine. I started extra early but doom did it mean not well, named weather and traffic, in combination culminating in kind of a holiday-travel-traffic-chaos on the highways. Weather systems… Finally arrived it took another quarter-sightseeing-tour till I found a reliable place to be for my car.

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Clock strikes 8 and I slip into the hall. Perfect on time, while :: AMPLIFIER :: already make noise on stage. For almost an half hour? WTF? The gentlemen from Manchester wanted to play a little longer and so pushed their stage time forward. I experience a moment of panic because of the missed chance taking photos. Then I alternated between heaving a sigh and more panic as there is no photo pit = no limit of taking pics but the hall is already packed = no chance to get to the stage anymore. I stray over the balconies and through the audience while being allowed to listen to Intergalictical Spell and Interstellar from the band’s most recent record The Octupus, before AMPLIFIER say goodbye with Neon from the self-titled debut. Um...well… then…
Setlist: Continuum, Panzer, Motorhead, The Wave, Interglacial Spell, Interstellar, Neon

I’m now thankful for the break to consolidate my place near the stage and to take a breath. As for that I abstain from every other comfort as I want to enjoy :: ANATHEMA :: wholeheartedly. An intro leads over to Untouchable Part 1 and the brand new album Weather Systems, followed by Part 2 and the Lightning Song. I wish the light man would have taken that hint. He did not and kept up the non light. I follow the band back to the last record We're Here Because We're Here and get surprised by the next part consisting of three songs from the Judgement album. Wow. Finally the crowd’s blood gets stirred up and its waves of enthusiasm get spilled over the band. I get thrilled too and dream away at The Storm Before The Calm and Universal, both amazing songs I love and written by drummer John Douglas. Also his sister Lee knows how to enchant the audience with her voice. It’s easy to fall in love to her ;) Sound is a bit undifferentiated but not really bad. It is just getting hot in the hall and ANATHEMA play a 2 hrs show. Songs are mostly newer material. Only during the encore another classic - Fragile Dreams - was granted and caused emotions. Yes, a great and emotional show again! Thank you ANATHEMA for this wonderful and touching music.
Setlist: Untouchable Part 1, Part 2, Lightning Song, Thin Air, Dreaming Light, Deep, Emotional Winter/Wings Of God, A Simple Mistake, Storm Before The Calm, The Beginning Of The End, Universal, Panic, The Lost Child, Internal Landscapes // Closer, A Natural Disaster, Fragile Dreams

story & pics © Dajana