Dragonforce @ The Croatian Cultural Centre, Dec. 19

Trish's Take
I originally bought these tickets as a birthday present for my roommate, who was a far bigger DragonForce fan than myself, but couldn't really send her to the concert alone, so I ended up getting a ticket for me and my boytoy as well. As per usual, we missed the first two opening acts, and got to the Croatian Cultural Centre just in time for the band to take the stage.

Due to the worldwide success of the Guitar Hero games, of which DragonForce had a song on the third edition, the crowd ranged in ages from about 5 years, all the way up to Moms and Dads in their 50's, several of whom waited in the foyer of the venue until the show was over to collect the kids and drive their mini-vans back to the burbs. I found myself sandwiched between awkward teenagers, some who were fat-lipped with big braces and others with bad skin, and toques that they used to cover up the haircuts their Moms gave them before the show. The venue was a sauna of pot smoke and sweat, which only encouraged me to get fresh air, and made me as angsty as the kids I was surrounded by, especially since the show was sold out and crammed full of hormones.

DragonForce was composed of six dudes with long hair and extended guitar solos that made your fingers burn just from watching them play. Each song was like an epic battle that seemed to last long enough for you to slay the last beast in an effort to save the universe while riding your stallion into the sunset with your sword held high. On the stage they had built ramps so the back of the stage was a higher level than the front and you could run up the ramp at the side of the stage to get to the back to rock out with the other band members. This basically turned into a track, in which the guys in the band chased each other around in circles like little kids do when you give them too much sugar. The whole show was a build up to their track "Through the Fire and Flames" which they played as the encore, while ZP Theart (lead vocals) showed us his "snowballs."

The boys in the band were very generous, and Sam (lead and rhythm guitar) was almost too giving with his not-so-subtle invitation to any ladies in the crowd who wanted to "hook up" after the show, which only came across as super slimy and creepy since the girls at the show were either still in training bras or nursing ones. ZP Theart, threw several handfuls of guitar picks into the crowd after the show and thanked the audience multiple times to show his gratitude for this sold out show which was the last show of 2008 in their world tour.
---
Bruce's Take
Unlike my more truant colleague, I managed to catch the second opening act, Finnish folk metal act Turisas. Judging by the number of amped up fifteen year-olds sporting their merch (and face paint), these guys have been hip with the young end of the metal fanbase for at least some period of time, and I guess it's not difficult to see why, even if I can't share their enthusiasm.

Think of it this way: DragonForce had to find touring partners that wouldn't usurp their headliner status by appearing more badass than them. When you have songs influenced by the Pac-Man score, this is no mean feat, but Turisas fit the bill. Despite faux-fur jerkins, black n' red facepaint and repeated insistences that "this is Battle Metal!", Turisas' sound would've almost fit in better at a folk fest than a metal show. Guitars and drums were almost absent from the mix, being overshadowed by taped synthesized horns and other wind instruments, as well as the (wait for it) on-stage fiddle and accordion players. While Turisas are going for a Viking aesthetic, the rhythms of their music owe far more to Irish and Scottish reels than Norse battle hymns. Rounding things off with a cover of Boney M's "Rasputin" confirmed that yes, these guys are about as musically hardcore as Lordi. They seemed to be having fun, but I'm not sure how much of the crowd was in on the joke. Quothorn must be spinning in his grave.

As for DragonForce themselves, they did seem genuinely happy to be rounding off their tour in front of an appreciative Vancouver crowd. When Theart commented that the crowd's initial furor had dampened after the first couple of numbers, he likely didn't know that it was due to the brawl that had broken out in the pit. Note to high school jocks: no matter how proud you are of your recent growth spurt, taking on three Hell's Angels, even if they're smaller than you, is never a successful concert-going strategy.

I'd heard that the 'Force use a fair amount of backing tape, but if that's the case they've masked it impressively. Both Herman Li and Sam Totman were in fine form all night, not only admirably pulling off their own ridiculously wanky solos, but mocking each other's as such. Material from this year's "Ultra Beatdown" was warmly received, even if the excessively decadent intro sections of some pieces were made even more apparent live. It's a rare band that can fire off four or five solos before the first verse begins.

Personal highlights for me were "Soldiers Of The Wasteland" and "Valley Of The Damned", the latter of which was enough to drive me into the pit, and also enough to drive me out of it. My circle skills ain't what they used to be, and I couldn't keep up with the kids who can likely actually complete "Through The Fire And The Flames" on Expert. Also, it's difficult to shout along with the band's irresistibly anthemic choruses whilst taking elbows to the back.