Page 112 - Classic Rock (January 2020)

Opeth

London Palladium

Still forging onwards and upwards, the Swedes triumph at the historic venue
which has hosted many of the greats of 20th-century entertainment.

Des O’Connor. Jimmy Tarbuck. Ken Dodd. Over the years, Åkerfeldt’s dry, self-mocking
Sammy Davis Jr. Judy Garland. These, each of sarcasm has become as much a part of Opeth’s
them a household name, are some of the stellar performance as the music. “On the ticket that you
names from the world of entertainment synonymous hopefully paid for, it says ‘Opeth’ – that’s us. It’s sold
with the London Palladium. But time moves on, and out tonight. Thank you,” he announces, managing to
a new breed of star is attempting to follow in the avoid sounding astonished or even smug. Later on
footsteps of these iconic figures, some of them with he quips: “It’ll be a while before we come back – like
blood ties; a couple of months back, comedian a week or two at Wembley Arena. We’re playing
Arthur Askey’s grandson Andy Stewart trod the under the name of ‘Kylie Minogue’.”
hallowed boards as a member of the band Cats In On this second date of the tour, Opeth are still
Space when they opened for Bonnie Tyler. learning their new songs and, as Åkerfeldt cheerfully
Equally incongruous, after recent shows there by admits, “trying to remember the ones we’ve
The Damned and Cradle Of Filth, Opeth are the latest forgotten how to play”. The music alternates
heavy rock band to step through the portal of the between noisy, violent bangs and crashes and
Palladium’s stage door. And, performing surrounded elegant, pastoral shades, sometimes with a knowing
by the splendours of its décor and blessed with the nod to the guitarist’s beloved Camel, and there’s
old theatre’s spectacular in-house lighting and pristine something here for fans of every stage of Opeth’s
acoustics, they seem right at home. career. Indeed it must be said that the show is every
Let’s be clear: this is no overnight sensation. Now bit as ornate as the surroundings.
into their third decade, the Swedish band have taken Perhaps surprisingly, given how far the band have
their sweet time in getting to this place, progressing come and over such a lengthy period of time, one or
from the pub-basement Camden Underworld right two limpets from the past remain. The introduction
up to the prestigious Royal Albert Hall, via London’s to “a song from the Damnation album” is greeted by
Wembley Arena, Shepherd’s Bush Empire, Forum, the huffy exclamation “Finally! Thank fuck!” from one
Roundhouse and even the impatient audience member.
Royal Opera House. After a while, Åkerfeldt
At the same time, Opeth stands cross-armed as the
have also developed and ‘This is Opeth’s audience shouts out
grown musically. They started most theatrically a cacophony of song requests,
out as a fairly straightforward then finally responds with
death metal band, but over the staged tour a purposely immodest
past decade frontman Mikael deadpan of: “Yeah, I know. So
Åkerfeldt has allowed his love to date.’ many classics.” Finally, as the
of progressive music to take two-hour mark approaches
control of their records. As it did so, out went circle and the encores come to an end, the band sign off
pits and in came Mellotrons. Naturally, this gradual with Deliverance, the title song of their 2002 album
yet unmistakable metamorphosis took an inevitable co-produced by Steven Wilson, in a display of clipped
toll on the band’s fan base, many of whom whined of syncopated riffing that threatens to bring down the
betrayal before jumping ship. However, just as venue’s luxurious chandeliers. By now large sections of
emphatically, Opeth began attracting a different kind the audience are on their feet, throwing devil horns, all
of follower. 2019 sees the band at a point where, pretence of grown-up behaviour abandoned.
having long-since added a keyboard player to There’s just one thing that Classic Rock doesn’t
embellish and finesse their sound, and with the death enjoy about this show, and that’s hecklers.
growls largely phased out in favour of clean vocals, Unfortunately, the phenomenon seems to be
they can do pretty much whatever they choose. increasingly prevalent at Opeth concerts. What sort
That’s precisely what happened with their of imbecile pays good money to see a prog-metal
thirteenth album. In Cauda Venenum was recorded band, and then spends the entire night yelling out for
originally in the band’s mother tongue and was then Free Bird, or, worse still, bellows an inane comment
reworked in English for the rest of the world. Some during a quiet moment?
might consider this an act of commercial suicide, but Åkerfeldt has become used to this sort of thing,
Åkerfeldt makes it perfectly clear that he considers and as usual deals well with these attention-seeking
the Swedish version definitive, its counterpart a mere cretins, lampooning the now departed Speaker of
copy of the record that he set out to make. the House Of Commons with a grinning plea for
Tonight the band takes to the stage to the pre- “Order! Order!”, although his continued toleration/
recorded sound of their track Livets Trädgård (or acceptance of their behaviour seems only to
Garden Of Earthly Delights) before crashing into encourage it.
Svekets Prins (Dignity), Åkerfeldt opting to deliver the Having taken another step on their remarkable
lyrics in Swedish. This is Opeth’s most theatrically journey, tonight belongs to Opeth. To borrow the
staged tour to date, and from the moment the heads time-honoured words of Palladium veteran Sir Bruce
of five band members appear together in black and Forsyth, it was “Nice to see them. To see them…?” The Palladium’s spectacular in-house
lighting and pristine acoustics help
white on the video screen, Bohemian Rhapsody-like,
Opeth to deliver a spellbinding show.
they make full use of the Palladium’s facilities to put Words: Dave Ling Photos: Will Ireland
on a spellbinding show.

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