- date: June 1st, 2000
- venue: Kulturfabrik (Esch/Alzette)
- presale: 500 LUF , doors: 600 LUF
- audience: about 400
Subway To Sally were already supposed to play last November in Luxemburg, but because of an illness
of one of the musicians, they couldn't come. To my luck I didn't miss anything because I was on
holiday at that time. So I was eager to see them finally as I knew already lots of their songs from
the last CDs. But playing a good Folk Metal gig at the Kulturfabrik would be a difficult task
as their compatriots In Extremo played a perfect show in February at the same venue.
The opener was Dreams Of Nabid. I saw them twice in the past and in both cases, they couldn't
convince me at all. But Dreams Of Nabid had fired their singer because he wasn't able to develop
as fast as the musicians and so they hired a female singer. It was her second gig and lots of
people said that she did a good job at her debut. Unfortunately their gig wasn't totally up to
my taste. Dreams Of Nabid surely have done great progress in the last years. The song writing
and instrumentation really were OK. As it is usual at the Kulturfabrik, they also had a perfect
sound and a cool light show. But the singer still lacks a bit of experience. Her voice sounds
quite a lot like that of Salvation, but it's not perfectly integrated in the music yet. The
singer also should move more around on stage as Dreams Of Nabid are a hard band.
Finally Subway To Sally came to stage and played 'Böses Erwachen' as opener. This song
also was a 'rude awakening' for the fotographers who were standing in front of the stage. Pyro
effects - as used by WWF wrestler Kane - were causing enourmous heat in the whole venue. After
three songs, every photographer had to leave the photo trench because more effects were following.
Subway To Sally were playing over 90 minutes and had a lots of hits in their set (Henkersbraut,
Das Opfer, Unterm Galgen, Ein Baum, Die Braut,...). Although Subway To Sally didn't give a
short set and were interacting with the audience, there were two points which disturbed me a
lot: 1) The singer had his hair cut and dyed. He was looking like a moron and had the same tone
in his voice than a former German propaganda minister. And I will under line that this is of
course the only parallel between both men. 2) The songs didn't differ much from the
album versions. But I think that they are supposed to sound rougher when played live. The only
things which were better than on CD were the pyro effects and violin player Frau Schmitt in her
leather dress.
Subway To Sally couldn't fulfill my expectations and I still think that the best gig this year
at the Kulturfabrik was presented by In Extremo.