Epica – Concerto record store, Amsterdam – 1st May 2014

After seeing Epica perform their album launch gig in front of a couple of thousand fans in Tilburg, today saw a much more low-key performance for them – an acoustic set in a record store in front of no more than around 50 people.
IMG_0946The band were all present with the exception of Mark Jansen, even though the actual performance would just involve three of them, Coen, Simone and Isaac.  It was a very relaxed and intimate performance, with the band chatting to a couple of fans when they first arrived, and then as they played there was a lot of laughing and friendly banter with the fans.  What was particularly fun was that they were clearly improvising on stage and when Coen started something then Simone quickly recovered from her surprise and went along with it.  For me the undoubted highlight of the set was the Swing version of “Storm the sorrow” – absolutely brilliant.  I’d love them to record that version even if its just as a bonus track with a single.
After the short acoustic show the band moved to a different part of the store to do a signing session for the fans before they had to head off to Utrecht for another in-store set.

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About Ant May

I spend half my life at gigs or festivals and the other half writing the reviews and editing photos, and somehow find time for a full time job too. Who needs sleep - I've got coffee.