Sabaton Concert | Leslie Monfraix

Introduction

Sabaton is a Swedish metal band and I want to dedicate a little article about the concert I went to see in Berlin for the new release of their album Legends. This was actually a gift for my boyfriend, so I wasn’t the primary fan going in. Normally I would have taken a seated ticket, however he wished for standing ticket instead, so I was abit anxious going in as I am afraid of crowds.
I went to see 3 gigs this year (for someone who didn’t go to concerts for several years it is kinda a change) and I want to write about this one as I enjoyed the experience so much that I can even with my 1m60 tell you how the stage was beautiful and well-thought. It was also one of the few times I have felt safe in a crowd, and so I wanted to share.

Chapter 1: My Expectations & Anxieties

I want to say I went to see the other concerts and I would have thought that either I would have liked this concert less or I would have liked it as much as the other but not more. First because I don’t know that much of the songs, I am myself not listening to that much metal and it is not my first choice.

As well as I was in a stand up position and I was afraid of the potential push you can have in a metal band crowd, a genuine fear I had. This led me to want to stay away the front of the stage, add to this my height and I was honestly just hoping I would be able to see anything at all.

Chapter 2: The Prelude of the Concert

The day itself was an experience. We spent some time walking by the Berlin East Wall Gallery first, which already put us in a historical mindset. Then we queued for a long time in the rain, passing time by playing a guessing game, we were soaking wet by the time we got inside.

Dripping wet, we made our way quickly into the standing arena. Where we were met with the opening band, The Legendary Orchestra, playing some of Sabaton’s greatest hits. I really liked it. It was a perfect way to build up the “epic” feeling of the night and set the stage for the historical themes. I didn’t even realise the rest of the crowd was arriving until they had stopped playing, and the show began. At this point, I saw something new I hadn’t seen at a concert before. While most concerts have a safe area that is kept empty in front of the stage using big barriers, here there were little lines on the floor around the standing arena on all sides. What surprised me was that the crowd respected these, and so crowdmembers, security and members of the staging staff used these as fast lanes to make their way. I found them reassuring, as we decided to stay close to these. Allowing us to have a good view, but also some breathing room and the knowledge that I could quickly exit if I needed to.

Chapter 3: The Grand Entrance

I don’t want to spoil it as they are still doing their tour but the very theatrical introduction before revealing the band was amazing. We can find again 3 of the legends from their album Napoleon, Khan and Caesar arguing with each other, then a reference to how Caesar dies and all of this fiasco is stopped by the Templar arriving. Going in, I never expected a comedy skit, especially for a metal concert but it was a smart introduction and I loved it.

Suddenly, in the middle of the sketch, the band revealed themselves, and then the “hard” part of the gig started. Sabaton were genuinely amazing, going through their new album as well as some of their classic songs. As more people joined in, I was watching the crowd, but my genuine fear honestly disappeared after 10 minutes.

Chapter 4: The Classics & The “Well-Thinked” Experience

First I want to come back to the concert stage. I am not a professional in terms of sound nor stage but I want to say that the stage was really amazing.
Concerning the stage it was made as a fortress and some transitions were so discreet and smart as for example the little apparition of the Swedish three-crown flag when the song would speak about Sweden or the joke about Abba Waterloo before the song about Napoleon! Honestly an amazing concert, I will not spoil everything but there were so many smart things like the mise-en-scene with theatrical explosions for some music, fire, cannons and more…

But this is what solved my anxieties from the start:
As I said before I am not that tall so I was afraid of the crowd… but everyone was genuinely careful and friendly and I think it is just the way the band makes things be. The band passed several times in the crowd and everything went super smoothly, it was hilarious. At one point, the band stopped playing and talked to some kids (an 11 year old, a 7 year old and very cool mom) who were at the front of the crowd and having a great time. It was amazing to see people of all ages enjoying the concert together, and not what I expected going in.

The arena (Uber Arena) was designed in such a way that the band moved a lot between the main stage and a central island (which we were next to!) which honestly helped me to see them which is really appreciated! It made the venue really lively in a good way, with alot of interaction with the entire crowd instead of just the people at the front, which for me is amazing!

End of the Night and Final Thoughts

I told you that the lyrics of Sabaton were super important but I genuinely enjoyed the Carolus Rex Swedish version and I think I will now listen to the album in Swedish!

Honestly an amazing concert… I will now go to bed with a hot water bottle on my neck (too much headbanging) and recommend to those who will read this article to go to see them even if they don’t need me to have an audience. You can find their tour dates on their website.

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More Than Music: Why a 1m60 Non-Metal Fan Loved the Sabaton Concert