The gods made heavy metal and its never gonna die

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I don't know where to start from, so I'll put it chronologically.

 

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Friday afternoon, I skip a few hours of work and head home to prepare my luggage for the concert. I had a few "misunderstanding" with the lady at the BDZ (the Bulgarian railways company) what kind of ticket I want and why she can't issue it (I wanted to stop in Plovdiv, so I can pick up a friend and go together). She got me really frustrated but I remained relatively calm (the gods of metal were coming: the true believers will be rewarded). Next thing is me sitting in the train to Plovdiv, reading Orhan Pamuk's "Snow" and watching at the blond girl in front of me (she had also blue eyes and she moved her lips all the time, like making mouth expression while she was talking to herself (or at least I think I look like that, but the cute part ). I got out of the train, met my buddy, bought food (and vodka), and back on the train. Of course the metal brothers were there too, so we had a ... hmmm ... nice (?) journey there. Our next stop was Varna, the sea capital of Bulgaria. We arrived there around 6 am and went to the beach to ... sleep. After a few hours, the sun started to shine too much and it showed us it was time to go. We headed to one of the bridges to do a bungee jump. Unfortunately for me, I had caught some flu or cold, or the Tylenol wasn't the best painkiller for hangover, and I along the way I started to feel very nauseous. It kept me for a long time, and I almost decided to go back home... but no, the metal is more important than my stomach. My friend jumped, I returned all the food and water I tried to take, but after a few hours we took the bus to Kavarna where the rock fest had already started with Dio, Heaven and Hell (on Thursday) and Motorhead (on Friday). Funny thing is, when we arrived I started to feel better. And when we entered the zone of fest... bikes, tents, beer, people dressed in leather and black, smell of barbecued meat, metal music blasting from a everywhere... it was like Hell (or heaven if you like it better ). And I was cured: no more naussea, no more headache, I was reborn. I small snack, a litlre of water, a coffee, and... ENTER THE ARENA:

 

So... it begins:

 

We missed the first band, but they were some lousy Russians and nobody liked them. We entered for the surprisingly good Holly Hell(?), a metal band with female vocals (^.^) that sounded between a German power metal and Nightwish. The fiasco was "Phantom of the Opera" when Eric Adams came to support Maria Breon. I don't know if it was the atmosphere, but I liked them a lot, even though I'm not very fond of their style of music. After them, there was, of course, a break, which most of the audience couldn't bare: the fans were calling ManOwaR almost continuously. I didn't find the break that long (maybe because they are not playing Cake meanwhile, like at The Palladium in Worcester, MA).

 

 

Silence and darkness... ManOwaR* and the whole stadium exploded, next was Brothers of Metal with almost no break, and after one more song, Eric Adams announced that they will play all their hits from all their albums, and that there were a few cameras and microphones to record the concert, because they are making A LIVE ALBUM HERE IN BULGARIA! Wow! Manowar... in our small s***** country... a live album... HELL YEAH! My spirit was reaching the sky** above. Eric also addressed the audience in fluent Bulgarian, that we know true heavy metal and stuff like that, didn't miss to mention how hot were the Bulgarian girls****. Somewhere in the middle of the concert, they asked a guitar player from the audience to come out to play the next song with them. (They also asked a few girls to come on the stage to "inspire" him). Since he was not wearing a "true" T-shirt, they gave him a new one (with "Manowar" above the BULGARIAN flag). I don't want to sound chauvinistic, I just feel really honoured. They played together The Gods Made Heavy Metal and gave the Bulgarian guy the guitar, while most of the girls were lost their T-shirts - it felt like the Gods of War have came down themselves. I can't explain what was the feeling singing/screaming Warriors of the World or Heart of Steel on that arena. I can't explain that part. I was part of something great and my whole body knew it. I was standing for more then 5h and the whole time Manowar were on stage at least one of my arms was in the air...

 

The culmination was a surprise that they have announced a day before, but since I don't read newspapers, and had no TV/Internet I was ... stunned (in the good way). The stage was lit by white, green, and red projectors, and they started "Мила Родино!" (the national anthem of Bulgaria). The stadium was on fire, again! Eric was singing in fluent Bulgarian supported by the whole audience. I was amazed. He mentioned that our anthem will not be be on their live DVD, but also in their next album... In the end, after a great longing for it they finished with HAIL AND KILL!

 

 

Hail MANOWAR!

 

 

I am still exited two days after the concert. Every time I close my eyes I imagine myself riding a bike under "Wheels of Fire," or standing between my brothers of metal testing my heart of steel.

 

 

 

ps: I decided to miss July Morning, because I wanted to keep the feeling of the concert, and I think I will miss also a Marylin Manson concert, because it feel spiritless compared to this one. once again: HAIL MANOWAR!

 

 

 

*Unfortunately all the song are now from this concert

** The sky that night was clear, and the moon was (almost) full, and it rose just behind the stage... awesome***

***I'm sorry, British people, but I live in America and I use that word.

****I think the same, the girls in Eastern Europe, and Europe in general seem more beautiful than the rest, as a general statement (and yet the prettiest girl I've met is not European).

[Csaszar 2]

 

"Strong winds - magic mist

To Asgard the Valkries fly

High overhead - they carry the dead

Where the blood of my enemy lies."

[erialc 2]

Ahh nothing like a great festival spirit to lighten your heart Sounds awesome Dick

[Arilaftia 0]

Oh Wow!

 

I wish to go to a concert that big someday! Ive only seen them in a tiny tiny auditorium, not even an arena. Your description of the whole event sounded amazing! Thank you for sharing it!

[bhj 24]

aaaah MANOWAR now there you have some memories