Live Review: Rock Imperium Festival - Cartagena 2023 (Day 1)

Parque el Batel, Cartagena, Spain
23rd June 2023
Rock Imperium Festival 2023 Day 1 with Evergrey, Steve’n’Seagulls, Blind Guardian, Helloween, Tygers of Pan Tang, Stratovarius, Rotting Christ

The first day of the eagerly anticipated second edition of Rock Imperium Festival welcomed its guests with notable improvements and updates in organization, addressing the issues from the previous year. The most significant enhancement was the relocation of the third stage, which was now situated closer to the main stages. Importantly, festival-goers no longer had to leave the festival area and go through security again to reach the third stage. Furthermore, unlike the previous year, the main food court was now set up in the third stage area, offering a spacious zone with a variety of food options and other amenities. While the third stage may not be near the sea this time, its larger size accommodated everyone seeking respite from the heat of the two main stages.


Evergrey

During preparations for last chords of Spanish Leo Jimenez’ performance musicians of Swedish band EVERGREY were preparing to enter the primary stage. The audience, well warmed up by music and weather, was happy to catch some flying water jets from the hose, with which the festival staff near the stage poured water on especially excited listeners. Under bright rays of the sun, the whole band, led by Tom Englund, immediately captured the crowd. EVERGREY delivered an exceptional setlist and received a lot of horns, attention and fervour from the crowd during their performance. You can notice this even from the pictures, captured during their acting on the stage.

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Steve’n’Seagulls

Following EVERGREY's memorable performance, it was not an easy feat for any band to follow suit and leave a lasting impression on the crowd. However, festival’s well-thought-out schedule demonstrated that it has been built really wisely and careful consideration. Against the backdrop of METALLICA’s recognizable tunes, a quirky-looking Finnish country band STEVE’N’SEAGULLS, that found his fame and fans thanks to videos on YouTube, graced the second stage. Starting their set list from the METALLICA’s covers with vibes of country and performed on a bit strange set of musical instruments, they performed a solid setlist with lots of cover songs on different famous bands. As someone who discovered this group for the first time at the festival, I was pleasantly surprised by their confident and energetic stage presence.

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Blind Guardian

The appearance of the first headliners was truly epic, with captivating stage images, scenery on the backdrop, and powerful Metal gods from Germany delivering an unforgettable setlist for their fans. In the front rows, admirers danced enthusiastically, waving homemade posters and pictures toward the German band. As the legends of Power Metal neared the end of their performance, the sun set, creating the perfect ambiance to showcase the musicians’ elegant lighting.

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Helloween

After BLIND GUARDIAN’s departure from the nearest stage, the crowd’s attention shifted to a mysterious, gigantic inflatable pumpkin that emerged on stage. It glowed softly amidst swirling smoke, providing a dedicated space for the band’s drummer and his sizable drum set. Soon, as the lights illuminated the stage, the entire band appeared, marking the beginning of a truly awe-inspiring experience. A highly impressive guitarist, adorned in a retro-futuristic costume, commanded the stage amidst billowing smoke and rays of light breaking through. Explosions of confetti, ribbons, and sequins showered over the crowd in a fantastic display, as the audience was enveloped in the magical power of the music. The band delivered an impressive set list, interacted with the audience, and teased some surprises for the upcoming days.

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Tygers Of Pan Tang

In the meantime on the dedicated smallest stage the bands were circulating and I had a chance to catch a performance of TYGERS OF PAN TANG, a bit old English Heavy Metal band formed in 70s. I’ve never heard their music before the festival, but their charismatic band members, well-lit stage and well-performed guitar riffs and solos reminded me of the golden ages of Heavy Metal and I tried to catch all of this on my pictures of band performance.

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Stratovarius

After a blast from HALLOWEEN it was very important to make a final impression for the first day with some very authentic and conceptual music. And STRATOVARIUS was an excellent choice for this night: band’s Symphonic Power Metal anthems soared through the air. Even after HALLOWEEN’s decorations and special effects STRATOVARIUS stage lightning was incredibly conceptual and carefully thought out. Even late time did not push the audience to disperse, although the number of people after the headliner’s performance has noticeably decreased.

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Rotting Christ

Meanwhile, for the most persistent, who are ready to stand by the stage until the last chord, on the third stage people welcomed the first day’s latest scheduled band from Greece, which plays Black Metal. Band’s dark figures were imperturbable on the stage, shadows danced fervently, intertwining with the blistering guitars and thunderous drums, highlighted by strong rays of light and illuminated by depths of the night, they became the fitting end to the first night of Rock Imperium Festival.

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All Pictures by Tigran Grigorian