Saturday, November 5, 2011, O2 Academy Brixton, London, England

MANOWAR said they would return and they did - haha - but so did we!

Our flight was again early but went quite smoothly. Tina, Holli, Olli and I were really looking forward to this. Tina and I were so damn excited about meeting up with so many true Brothers and Sisters - many of them we had not seen for over a year. It was going to be great!

We picked up our rental car which was cheaper then public transportation and way more comfortable. We drove into London and had to go through the entire city from north to south. The traffic on Saturday morning was easy going and we enjoyed the drive - even I did. I really loved crossing the Tower Bridge - London is really a brilliant city. We got a parking space (for free) right beside our hotel - that was very cool! Check-in time was 3 pm so we headed to a nearby restaurant and had ourselves a full English breakfast. Delicious!

We wanted to buy some beer and tada - Pedro X. was waiting outside the store. And then out came Pedro S. - two of the Lusitanian Warriors. We love these guys. We headed to the venue with them to meet up with other crazies who were already queueing for the gig - it was about noon!

I have no words to describe my feelings when I see these people from all over the world - united by MANOWAR - my friends, my family.

At around 2 pm we went back to the hotel to meet up with Matt, Sam & Jen, Sonia, Alex, Didi & Miro, Biff, Oli & Dani and Matthew! We enjoyed a tasteless pizza (I even had two but it still didn't work!) and a couple of (n)ice cold beers!

Back at the hotel we met up with Vesta, Lorena, Marty, Spiros and Kostas - oh fuck how we missed these guys! In the evening we headed to the venue and stopped by a pub just across the street and met up with so many other well-known Immortal Warriors! It was awesome and that special feeling was in the air! And then at 7 pm it was finally time to go!

All I can say is brilliant! The True Spirit Of Heavy Metal at it's best!

Inside we waited for the Kings Of Metal to hit the stage. Pure excitement!

The true owner of The Front Of House - he's the best there is - there is no doubt - Jeff Hair. It was so great to see and talk to him again.

Patricio - among the truest of the True! Hail Brother and thank you for your special gifts!

And then the concert begun - I wanted to stand at the back tonight to be able to see the band and hear the sound from a distance. The Brixton Academy was like an amphittheater which was really very cool - fitting about 4,000 metalheads!  And I was not alone - familiar faces were there, too. The sound reached it's peak just about after 1 1/2 songs into the set list. It was earthshaking, massive - the best you can get - the way a metal concert should sound (and what really was extraordinary was the fact that the sound was perfect - crystal clear at the back of the venue and in the front row). The crowd was going crazy to the songs of the Battle Hymns record followed by Karl Logan's awesome guitar solo and Brothers Of Metal. The band left the stage after that and the metal ambassador was announced by Paul Clark Snr. The 20 minute interval that followed kind of killed the flow of the concert and I still don't know why the band took that break...

Nevertheless my mood was quite good and after they returned I couldn't mind standing at the back any more and was pulled by the pure might and magic of the music and landed in the front row between Joro and Stuny!

Unfortunately it was not allowed to take any pictures of the band so I stuck to taking photos of my friends.

The set list consisted of many of MANOWAR's milestones and the energy was excruciating - headbanging to the max while standing between the Warriors Of The World United - again - undescribable!

The band were in peak form - at their best. Especially Eric's singing caught my attention - even more than usual. His vocals are god-like. Joey's bass solo was brutal and technically perfect. Karl is a perfectionist at any time during any solo and Donnie is the happiest drummer I've ever seen - beating the shit out of his drum kit and lovin' every fuckin' minute of it!

The last notes of Black Wind, Fire and Steel ripped through our ears when the outro Army Of The Dead started. I have to be honest - I was disappointed because even if that song is great it is not worthy to end a MANOWAR concert. If you go to a MANOWAR concert on your own it might work but not standing in-between hundreds of fellow warriors - true friends and family. There is only one song that can relate to the feelings that we feel at the end of a MANOWAR performance - The Crown And The Ring. "From a battle I've come - to a battle I ride" - there is nothing more fitting for the Army Of Immortals before they depart. It is our legacy. Hail And Kill - Fuck The World!

We got to talk to so many people before leaving the venue and everyone was in total ecstasy - just damn happy to have been there.

Vesta - my metal-daughter from Moscow - I'm so very proud of her!

Afterwards we headed back to the hotel to have a party together! And yes we made it - simply by taking the Underground...

All our dear friends were there. It was so great to finally meet up and have fun together - it was such an awesome and unforgettable night. Look for your selves! I really love these people! Spiros and Kostas were there, too - somewhere - Malakas!

Silvia and Joro - what a beautiful couple - Hail to you both! Tina and I are so happy for you!

Our friendly neighbourhood beer machine and...

Miss Spain!

The party raged on until about 4:30 am when I called it a night because I had some driving to do the next morning!

The first day and concert of the UK Tour was over for Tina and I and we loved (almost) every minute of it... ;)

I would like to say a special thanks to all Lusitanian Warriors who gave us such great presents - you are so awesome.