Live Review: Within Temptation & The Silent Wedding, 22/07 @Τεχνόπολη

On a really beautiful night Friday (22/07), the Within Temptation 'filled' Athens' sky with their gorgeous melodies. The band from the Netherlands put on a fantastic show at Τεχνόπολη Δήμου Αθηναίων. The night was kicked off by The Silent Wedding.

Summer = Gigs

In a country like Greece, the weather always cooperates for events like this to happen. For all of us Greeks, summer is inextricably tied to the gigs that get put on every year around this time. Loads of venues, and each one with its own vibe. On yet another live show at Τεχνόπολη, on the night of Friday 22/07 the music venue hosted two fantastic bands that got us fired up!

Heading to Τεχνόπολη, you could tell the crowd was buzzing with anticipation. The doors opened at 19:30 and the queues had already started forming early. By the time entry began, the line stretched all the way to Πειραιώς! Still, once again, the organizers at Τεχνόπολη had things really well sorted and managed to clear the whole queue in about 15-20 minutes.

The Silent Wedding: A secret pact

Walking into the venue, I waited impatiently for things to kick off. I already knew The Silent Wedding from before (Ego Path album review, YouTube Interview). The moment the guys stepped onstage, the crowd was clearly into it. The Silent Wedding had, as always, a fantastic sound. Playing for about an hour, they'd put together a setlist packed mostly with songs from their latest record. Up on stage, every member had tons of energy, which they passed on to the crowd with total ease.

Personally, I can say that once again I was thrilled to see the band on stage, especially when they played my favourite track off 'Ego Path', 'The Sea of Fate'. But the main thing is this: wherever, whenever, and for however long you catch The Silent Wedding, they'll find a way to shake you up!

When Within Temptation 'shook' the stage!

Once The Silent Weddingwrapped up their set, it was time for the wait for Within Temptation. I'll admit this was the first time I'd seen the band from the Netherlands live. The symphonic metallers have more than two decades under their belt in the music scene, and they're one of the founding acts of the genre itself.

As the band walked onstage, the crowd erupted in cheers. The sound, the feeling, the vibe — all fantastic! With a lineup change, the band had their former drummer stepping in on bass. That didn't seem to throw them off in the slightest, as the result was better than ever. The setlist was a mix of new tracks and old, classic hits, which didn't just warm up the crowd but had them dancing to the rhythm of the songs!

One of the highlights of the night was the moment Sharon brought three kids up on stage to sing a song together with her. The kids clearly got into it right away, waving their arms to the beat. This is definitely an experience they'll remember forever.

A wonderful night!

The end of the concert found me staring at the stage, happy as can be. The music of the whole event really 'filled me up'. Paired with all the staging (behind the stage there were screens projecting various images, giving it a more futuristic touch), I can say with confidence that this show will stay unforgettable for me. Even though I didn't know what to expect heading into Τεχνόπολη, by the time I left I was sure that Within Temptation will be one of those bands that become firm favourites! I'm already counting down for their next live show!

Thank you, guys! Keep on Rocking!