I first saw Kobra Paige when she was the guest vocalist on Kamelot’s Haven Tour, December 6, 2015 at The Regent in Los Angeles, California. I loved her energy and stage presence. She’s beautiful. Then I met guitarist Jasio Kulakowski at NAMM 2017. I couldn’t wait to see them live. When Kobra and the Lotus announced their tour and was coming back to The Regent, I couldn’t wait to photograph and cover this show. While I was waiting to sign for my credentials, I had the honor of meeting Kobra Paige. She was everything I imagined, she is so down to earth and friendly. I was a fangirl at that moment. It made my night!
On Memorial Day, Monday, May 29, at The Regent it was a night of female fronted metal bands: Once Human from Los Angeles, California with vocalist Lauren Hart, Korba and the Lotus from Calgary, Alberta, Canada with vocalist Kobra Paige and Xandria from Bielefeld, Germany with vocalist Dianne Van Giersbergen. The only thing these three have in common is they’re all female. All three bands are very different in sound. Unfortunately, on this night we will only see two bands as Once Human’s vocalist Lauren Hart fell ill and had to cancel at the last minute.
With the change in the schedule, fans were hoping the set times would be longer. Unfortunately, the only thing that changed was the times the doors opened.
Kobra and the Lotus opened the show, touring behind their recent release Prevail I via Napalm Records. Having three prior album releases, Kobra and the Lotus focused their eight-song set with songs off the recent release opening with Gotham, followed by Trigger Pulse and rounding out the first three songs was Specimen X.
Kobra Paige is a phenomenal frontwoman, her stage presence, vocal range head thrashing hair flying grabs your attention. Kobra and the Lotus launched in 2009. Paige is no stranger to the stage. Her interaction with the crowd, you can feel the warmth and heartfelt gratitude for the fans and the great musicianship that surrounds her, guitarist Jasio Kulakowski, bassist Brad Kennedy and drummer Marcus Lee. Included in the set for the die-hard fans were Hold On and Solider off High Priestess and closing out the set with 50 Shades of Evil off their 2012 self-titled album Kobra and the Lotus.
Prevail I, is a debut album for Napalm Records and is a double album to be released in two parts over the year. Keep an eye out for Prevail II and hopefully, we’ll see Kobra and the Lotus out on tour again later in the year.
Connect with Kobra and the Lotus online: Website Facebook Twitter Instagram
Setlist:
Gotham
Trigger Pulse
Specimen X
Hold On
Solider
Hell On Earth
You Don’t Know
50 Shades of Evil
This was my first time seeing the headliners and the first headline tour for the German Symphonic Metal band Xandria, touring behind their recent release Theater of Dimensions via Napalm Records. It still fascinates me, combining Opera style vocals with metal music and it balances out so perfectly. Frontwoman Dianne Van Giersbergen’s stage attire reminds me of the wicked Queen Grimhilde in Snow White but her grace and soprano vocals squash that vision right away. Then you have the Huntsman that surrounds her, founder and guitarist Marco Heubaum, guitarist Philip Restemeier, drummer Gent Lamm, and filling in for the original bassist Stephen Wussow missing this show, was Kobra on the Lotus bassist Brad Kennedy, he didn’t miss a beat looking like he was having a blast. Xandria, releasing seven studio albums, has quite the fan base. This was evident as the fans were singing every word, including the five songs off the recent release Theater of Dimensions. Opening with Where the Heart is Home, followed by Call of Destiny from the recent release, then rounding out the first three songs with Euphoria off the Neverworld’s album.
Van Giersbergen is very fan friendly as she tells a story about the band being at the pizza place for dinner and a fan snuck in and bought them cookies as she goes on saying how much she loves cookies and wants to thank that fan. As I’m standing there listening to the story I happen to be standing right next to this fan as he says “it was me”, the great part of this story was I had met this fan a few months back covering another show. The euphoria was felt throughout the room. A simple act of kindness from a fan was paid forward, making it a part of the show. This was a heartfelt moment.
Included in their twelve song set were Voyage of the Fallen off their EP Fires and Ashes, Ravenheart off the titled album, Stardust, The Undiscovered Land and Nightfall off the Sacrificium album ending the night with Cursed from Neverworld’s End.
Connect with Xandria on their Website Facebook Twitter Instagram
Setlist:
Where the Heart is Home
Call of Destiny
Euphoria
Forsaken Love
Voyage of the Fallen
Ravenheart
Stardust
We are Murderers (We All)
The Undiscovered Land
Death to the Holy
Nightfall
Cursed
This was a great way to end Memorial Day weekend as we pay respect to our fallen.
All photos by Tammy Greene
©2017. Please DO NOT copy or use without permission.
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